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Today Dell are officially unveiling our new line of Latitude laptops to the world. The E series Latitude laptop is replacing the D series.

Here are some examples about what to expect from these new Latitude notebooks:

• Excellent battery life: some system configurations can get up to 19 hours. But it’s not just the largest batteries that benefit—we’ve made improvements on battery life whether you use a 6-cell, 9-cell battery or a battery slice. In this video, Jim Leftwich, the engineering lead behind these new notebooks, offers insight into how we did just that.
• All models offer lots of connectivity options: Wi-Fi (802.11n), several mobile broadband options, WWAN, Ultra-wideband and Bluetooth 2.1. Most are WiMAX ready, and can be ordered with an optional GPS.
• All kinds of security options: smart card and fingerprint readers, hardware-based disk encryption, contactless smart card technology. Another hardware-based security feature is Dell’s ControlVault solution that centralizes user identity key management and storage.
• Centralized control via software—Dell’s ControlPoint software allows users to manage battery power, network and connectivity configurations and system security settings all in one place. I’ll blog in more detail about it soon.
• In the coming weeks, we will offer color options on the E4200, E4300, E6400 and E6500 in addition to Mica-Brushed Metal Black: Regatta Blue and Regal Red. The E4200 adds Quartz Pink as an option, and the Latitude E5400 and E5500 are available in Matte Black.
• Slick design that doesn’t sacrifice functionality: our team focused on balancing a aesthetics with durability and functionality.  Besides the looks, these laptops feature full-frame magnesium alloy construction and all-metal hinges. Take a look at this video where Steve Belt from our engineering team talks about how we tested things like the keyboards and the metal hinges on these laptops.

Essential: The features that you need

The Latitude E5400 and the E5500 laptops are designed for customers who want the best value possible in a business laptop. But that doesn’t mean we skimp on features: both models support options like fingerprint readers. The Latitude E5400 supports options like mobile broadband and GPS while the larger E5500 offers options like dual pointing devices. The 14.1″ E5400 starts at $839 and the 15.4″ Latitude E5500 starts at $869.

Mainstream: A balance between top performance, extensive feature set and price

These two notebooks offer the widest range of battery options and overall features. Bottom line, if you’re looking for a feature, either of these laptops probably offer them. These support options like backlit keyboards, LED backlit displays, a battery slice option, a camera or even a 256MB discrete card graphics option. The 15.4″ Latitude E6500 provides support for the stringent Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). The Latitude E6400 starts at $1,139 while the E6500 starts at $1,169.

Source: Dell