NSA reportedly planted spyware on electronics equipment - Dell, Samsung & More

Based on internal NSA documents, Der Spiegel reveals that the spy agency planted backdoors to access computers, hard drives, routers, and other devices from companies such as Cisco, Dell, Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor and Samsung.

CNET - A new report from Der Spiegel, based on internal National Security Agency documents, reveals more details about how the spy agency gains access to computers and other electronic devices to plant backdoors and other spyware.

The Office of Tailored Access Operations, or TAO, is described as a "squad of digital plumbers" that deals with hard targets -- systems that are not easy to infiltrate. TAO has reportedly been responsible for accessing the protected networks of heads of state worldwide, works with the CIA and FBI to undertake "sensitive missions," and has penetrated the security of undersea fiber-optic cables. TAO also intercepts deliveries of electronic equipment to plant spyware to gain remote access to the systems once they are delivered and installed.

Der Spiegel: Inside TAO -Documents Reveal Top NSA Hacking Unit

Der Spiegel: Shopping for Spy Gear - Catalog Advertises NSA Toolbox

According to the report, the NSA has planted backdoors to access computers, hard drives, routers, and other devices from companies such as Cisco, Dell, Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor, Samsung, and Huawei. The report describes a 50-page product catalog of tools and techniques that an NSA division called ANT, which stands for Advanced or Access Network Technology, uses to gain access to devices.

This follows a report that the security firm RSA intentionally allowed the NSA to create a backdoor into its encryption tokens.   Read More

Dell outs new 24-inch and 32-inch UltraHD 4K monitors

PCWorld - After prematurely letting the cat out of the bag with some weekend website leaks, Dell announced two new Ultra HD "4K" UltraSharp monitors on Monday: A 31.5-inch model as well as a 24-inch version, with both running at full 3840-by-2160-pixel resolution. 

Dell's touting the 31.5-inch UltraSharp as the flagship model, but to be frank, 32-inch screens are, well, enormous when they're just a few feet away from your face, and 31.5-inch 4K monitors are nothing new. Witness the Asus PQ321 Ultra HD, which sports the same resolution and $3,500 price tag as Dell's new display.

Read: Three-minute tech: 4K resolution

The Dell UltraSharp 24 UltraHD appears more eye-catching, at least on its 183 pixels-per-inch surface. Besides being a more desk-friendly size, the monitor packs a $1,400 sticker price—still steep for a monitor, but far more budget-friendly than its 32-inch counterparts. The IPS display offers 178-degree viewing angles and an adjustable stand, along with 99 percent AdobeRGB and 100 percent sRGB color gamut reproduction augmented by a factory calibration and baked-in fine-tuning tools.   Read More

Dell's Alienware 18 - Gaming laptop as big as a tank, and as powerful

 

CNET Editors' Rating

4.0 stars - Excellent

$3,349.00  

The good: Dell's Alienware 18 is highly configurable, with dual video cards, tons of RAM and storage space, and an understated design that you won't hate.

The bad: The thick body raises the keyboard uncomfortably high, and getting primo parts costs a lot. Battery life is predictably poor, and this would have been a prime candidate for a better-than-HD screen.

The bottom line: There's a premium to be paid, but the massive Alienware 18 is a show-off-worthy desktop replacement that takes down even the newest PC games, and is just plain fun to use.

Read the Full Review

Dell takes on the world with Android and Windows tablets, high-end XPS laptops

With a variety of new Dell tablets, laptops, and tablet/laptop hybrids, we've rounded up the most impressive of the bunch.

CNET - For the bulk of 2013, any headlines you've read about Dell have more than likely been about the company's rocky transition from public to private company, via a $25 billion buyout from Silver Lake Partners. But with today's announcement of a long list of new Windows 8.1 laptops, tablets, convertible devices -- and even a pair of low-cost Android tablets -- the company is putting the focus back on its hardware offerings.

With its updated lineup, the once-dominant Texas PC giant seems to be taking on all comers. With prices starting at $999 and the addition of a high-resolution touch-screen, the XPS 13 and 15 ultrathin laptops take aim at Apple's MacBook Air and Retina-screen Pro lines. XPS 11 and 12 convertibles are Dell's answer to innovative form factors like Lenovo's Yoga and Sony's Vaio Flip.

Meanwhile, a slew of new tablets -- the all-new Venue line -- stakes Dell's claim into the market that's eating into traditional PC sales. On the Windows side, the Venue 11 Pro is an 11-inch tablet with a detachable keyboard that will go head-to-head with the likes of Microsoft's upcoming Surface Pro 2. The Venue 8 Pro joins the ranks of the new, small form-factor Windows 8.1 tablets from the likes of the Toshiba Encore and Asus VivoTab Smart ME400, and wows with a starting price of just $299.

And Dell is returning to the Android world with the $149 7-inch Venue 7 and $189 8-inch Venue 8, offering competitors to Google's $229 Nexus 7 and Apple's iPad Mini (which is due to be refreshed later this year).  

We've listed some of the more interesting new devices that feature an array of impressive specs, affordable pricing, and innovative design.

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The Dell Venue 7 tablet is a smaller version of the Venue 8.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

 

Dell Venue 7

Dell is taking another stab at releasing a compact Android slate with the 7-inch Venue tablet and, even though it doesn't boast the most high-end specs, it's still a considerable upgrade from Dell's Streak 7. The Venue 7 bears an appealing $149 starting price -- for 16GB of internal storage -- and houses a 2GHz Clover Trail processor, with a modest 1,280x800-pixel-resolution IPS screen. It also comes in an 8-inch model.

Read more about the Dell Venue 7 here.

View the Rest!

Dell's Alienware 14 - PC gaming in a semiportable package

CNET Editors' Rating

4.0StarsExcellent

The good: Dell's new Alienware 14 offers great performance, competitive prices, and quirky features such as a backlit touch pad.

The bad: The new design still feels dated, and it's as thick as a few slim laptops stacked together. The fan is insanely loud.

The bottom line: Dell has revamped its gaming line, including the new Alienware 14. The design changes don't go nearly far enough, but no complaints about the performance.

Read the Full Review

Review: Dell XPS 27 All-In-One

 

CNET Editors' Rating

4.0 stars - Excellent

$2,099.99 
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The good: The updated Dell XPS 27 is highlighted by excellent performance and features, plus a higher-than-1080p touch screen, Nvidia graphics, and Intel's latest fourth-gen CPUs. An HDMI input lets it double as a display for a game console or cable box.

The bad: The main benefit of Intel's new chips, amazing battery life, isn't applicable here. The adjustable stand could offer more flexibility.

The bottom line: As a big-screen upscale all-in-one with touch and decent gaming chops, the latest version of Dell's XPS 27 is a great all-around home PC that covers a lot of bases.

Read the Full Review

Dell XPS 18 review: A massive tablet that doubles as an all-in-one desktop

CNET Editors' Rating

4.0 stars - Excellent

The good: The Dell XPS 18 combines an all-in-one PC with a lightweight 18-inch tablet, making it a flexible system for at-home entertainment and productivity.

The bad: You're paying a premium for a relatively small screen. Less expensive configurations cut too many corners to be a good deal.

The bottom line: It's the best of the small handful of current tablet/all-in-one hybrids, with a subtle, sophisticated design and good battery life, but this new genre is still in its early days.

Read the Full Review

Dell XPS 13 Review

 

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars - Very good

$1,599.99 

The good: The Dell XPS 13 has a sharp new 1080p display, updated Intel processors, and the same sleek design as before.

The bad: Few ports; a high price; no touch-screen option.

The bottom line: Attractive and compact, the new Dell XPS 13 ultrabook isn't that much different from last year's model, aside from new processors and a higher-res non-touch screen.

Read the Full Review 

Dell XPS One 27 (All-In-One) Review

 

 

CNET Editors' Rating

4.0 stars Excellent

$1,999.99 

The good: The Dell XPS One 27 boasts the highest-display resolution among Windows 8 all-in-ones, and at an aggressive price.

The bad: A new adjustable display support arm is welcome, but stops short of reclining a full 90 degrees.

The bottom line: Updated with a touch screen, a new stand, and up-to-date components, the Dell XPS One 27 leads the inaugural class of Windows 8 PCs.

Read the Full Review

IFA Berlin Highlights - Samsung, Dell, HP & Toshiba

Samsung @ IFA: Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Camera and more

 

Dell teases new XPS Duo 12 convertible tablet

Hands-on with the HP Envy x2's tablet and keyboard

Sony Alpha NEX-5R: Major changes for midrange cameras








Toshiba outs three new Satellite Ultrabooks 






 

Dell Inspiron 14z (June 2012) Review

 

CNET - When it comes to laptop design, you generally get what you pay for. There are, however, rare exceptions when more expensive laptops feel like budget models, and low-cost systems look like they should cost more.

The recently refreshed Dell Inspiron line has a bit of that price-bending effect, especially in the form of the Inspiron 14z, a modestly priced ultrabook that looks great, includes discrete graphics, and costs only $899. (Less impressive configurations start at $699.)

Dell's redesigned Inspiron 14z (pictures)

 

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Hands On: Dell’s New XPS 8500 Desktop

Dell refreshes its between-Inspiron-and-Alienware tower with Intel “Ivy Bridge” horsepower and SSD-enhanced storage.

Dell has given a shot of Vitamin SSD to its top-of-the-line consumer desktop.

Replacing the XPS 8300 in the slot just below the company’s Alienware hardcore gaming systems, the Dell XPS 8500 targets content creators, multimedia buffs, and moderate gamers with new Intel “Ivy Bridge” processing power; a choice of graphics cards topped by AMD’s 2GB Radeon HD 7870; standard Wi-Fi and long-overdue USB 3.0 ports; and a variety of multi-terabyte storage options, most of which team a spinning hard disk with a solid-state drive for extra-fast startup.

The $1,999 (plus monitor) flagship configuration that Dell sent to PCMag combines a 3.4-GHz Core i7-3770 quad-core, eight-thread CPU with 16GB of DDR3-1600 memory (Dell promises 32GB systems will be available later this year), the Radeon HD 7870 card, a 256GB Samsung solid-state drive C: and 3TB Seagate 7,200 rpm drive D:, and a Blu-ray burner. Other configurations of the Intel H77 “Panther Point” chipset-based desktop will pair 2GB and 3GB hard drives with either the 256GB SSD or, more affordably, a 32GB SSD using Intel Smart Response Technology for optimized drive caching.               More

Dell XPS 13: Does it rival MacBook Air? (full review)

The good: The Dell XPS 13 fits a glass-covered 13-inch screen into a smaller-than-expected body. The sophisticated design is eye-catching and sturdy, without driving up the price.

The bad: The limited port selection doesn’t include HDMI or an SD card slot; the display should be better; and battery life falls behind other slim laptops’.

The bottom line: Dell packs a 13-inch display into a very small footprint in the XPS 13 ultrabook, making it one of the few slim laptops that actually tops the MacBook Air in some areas.

Read the Full Review

Dell’s hard-to-beat all-in-one pc

The good: Dell’s attractive Inspiron One 2320 offers well-rounded performance and more media connection options than any other all-in-one in its price range.

The bad: An HDMI output to go along with the HDMI-in would be helpful, and a competing Lenovo all-in-one gives this Dell a strong performance challenge.

The bottom line: You can find a faster all-in-one from Lenovo for just a few more dollars, but as a general-purpose system with a strong home entertainment bend, the Dell Inspiron One 2320 is hard to beat.

Read the Full Review!

Dell's Thinnest Ever - Dell S2330MX 23-inch Ultra-Slim monitor

 

The good: The Dell S2330MX has a thin, aesthetically pleasing design, well-placed connections, and good overall performance. The fact that this comes at such a low price is icing on the cake.

 

The bad: The monitor has flimsy build quality, a very unstable foot stand, and its OSD navigation isn’t as smooth as what we’ve come to expect from Dell.

 

The bottom line: The Dell S2330MX is a well-designed general purpose monitor with a pleasing aesthetic at a great price.

Review:When purchasing a monitor, most buyers expect a few key things from their investment: good performance, enough connection options to meet their needs, and a reasonable price.

Sometimes there’s a specific need for really high performance or advanced ergonomic options, but in general, a well-performing monitor is enough for most.

So, does the Dell S2330MX satisfy those basic monitor needs and if so, does it dare to go any further?


Design and features

The Dell S2330MX has one of the thinnest profiles of any monitor we’ve reviewed. The initial profile measures an extremely slight 0.3 inch; thinner.

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