Dell has revealed the XPS-18, an 18 inch tablet/desktop hybrid at SXSW.
Dell is introducing an 18-inch Windows 8 tablet/desktop hybrid. We are not really sure what category it would fit in as an 18-inch tablet just violates our sensibility and thing new device doesn’t follow the conventional desktop design. Either way, it would seem like a desktop put into a tablet form factor.
The tablet/desktop hybrid, revealed at SXSW, is dubbed the XPS 18 All-in-One, and weighs in under 5 pounds. Running Microsoft’s latest offering, Windows 8, Dell has withheld mentioning the exact specifications of the desktop. What we do know, however, is that the keyboard and mouse is optional. What you do get for sure is a kickstand at the back of the tablet to prop it up like a giant frame.
We’re not really sure about what Dell is thinking introducing this large tablet into the market, but for some reason, it seems to becoming a trend. First, it was the Sony Vaio Tap 20, then Lenovo with the IdeaCenter Horizon Table, then Panasonic with the 20-inch 4K tablet, and now this. We’re also expecting something from Asus in the form of a docking tablet.
What is perplexing about this trend is that there really don’t seem to be many people buying into this “giant tablet” business, but manufacturers keep insisting on manufacturing these products. Makes us wonder who is handling the market research for these companies.
