NEW YORK DELL COMPUTERS BEEFS UP SECURITY IN PC'sTechnology News Article | Reuters.co.ukDell Cuts Lead, Beefs Up Security in Business PCs
Tue Feb 1, 2005 04:09 PM GMT
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc. (DELL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's largest personal computer maker, on Tuesday unveiled a range of new business computers that meet stringent new environmental regulations and take steps to prevent network intrusions and theft of intellectual property.

At a news conference in New York, Dell unveiled a range of new models and services, including desktop PCs that will help Dell meet tough European Union regulations set for 2006 that require reducing lead and other toxic materials in PCs.

In addition, Dell is offering new security "locking" features on notebooks that take advantage of an industry push by Intel (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , IBM (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and other PC makers. Computer files can thus be linked to specific machines to prevent network intrusions or theft of intellectual property.

The technology makes it easier to secure notebooks using multiple kinds of physical or password protections, Dell said.

Roger Kay, a PC industry analyst at market research firm IDC in Framingham, Massachusetts, said other major PC makers are already on board. Dell, as the market leader, will make the computer security technology a market reality, he said.

"It's the same thing with each of these technologies," Kay said. "When Dell moves into a new area, it is ratifying the technology as mainstream."

Dell's new products are aimed at corporate buyers who are looking for machines that they can deploy across their organizations. While many of these technologies were available to early adopters more than a year ago, Dell promises them at lower prices overall than niche PC makers.

The desktops also take advantage of a redesign by Intel of internal computer chassis, which in turn allow PC makers like Dell to radically redesign the size and shape of PCs. Intel's latest BTX chassis allows Dell PCs to run cooler, with less noise and in smaller boxes than prior Intel technology.

Specifically, Dell said it plans to meet specifications for the European Union's (EU) Reduction of Hazardous Substances directive before the July 2006 deadline for eliminating or minimizing several chemical compounds, including lead.

The new Latitude D410 is housed in a black and silver case and weighs 3.8 pounds with a starting price of $1,677. A special nine-cell extended life battery, allows the D410 to run for up to 7 hours, or what Dell calls "nearly all-day computing on a single battery charge."

The D410 and two other new notebooks are built around the industry's Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security technology, which can lock digital content to specific PCs. Dell also offers a smartcard reader that grants network access only to users with a special credit card embedded with a security microchip.

"It appears Dell is going to commit pretty heavily to Trusted Computing," Kay said. He noted IBM created the technology, but gave it away as an industry standard after realizing it would never be adopted by other PC makers otherwise.

Dell also introduced two new mobile workstation models for engineering and product marketing tasks.

(Additional reporting by Franklin Paul in New York)