Dell launches new, custom desktop apps for its Studio series
In conjunction with the launch of Dell's Studio 15 and 17 notebooks, Dell is debuting two new built-in apps for organizing and customizing the PC desktop, and for video and VoIP sessions.
NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - In a recent demo session, Dell's Anne Camden showed BetaNews how its new Dell Dock software lets users organize their desktop software around tasks such as playing music, editing photos, or creating videos.
Dell Dock is also designed to make it easy for users to clean out clutter on their desktops, to add content, and to change colors. It's similar in concept to what we've seen from Stardock, presenting a simple icon tray along the upper edge, giving users simple and straightforward access to common features like video production, and Dell's latest set of built-in parental controls.
Dell Video Chat uses technology from SightSpeed for integrated voice, text, and video communications over IP (Internet protocol), said Camden, Dell's senior PR manager.
During the demo -- which was conducted by Camden in New York City as part of a Dell press preview in May -- Camden presented a live videoconference between herself in Manhattan and her family members back home.
Officials of SightSpeed, who were also on hand for the event, told us that SightSpeed's software adds video capabilities to the VoIP functionality offered by vendors such as Skype, thereby providing video conferencing which is a lot more affordable than video conferencing using dedicated systems.
Aside from live video chat sessions, the bundled technology from SightSpeed also supports video-enabled mail messages.
The Dell Dock and Dell Video Chat features are both available immediately on the Studio 15 and Studio 17, Dell's new line-up of colorful PC laptops.