Dell had a fairly busy day with a series of launches ushered through the door. These new devices are optimized for Windows 8 and are aimed at the business users.
First up is the XPS 12 convertible. This, when docked, looks like a fairly traditional laptop/ultrabook for the most part. But the flip hinge allows you to release the touchscreen display and use the device like a full-fledged tablet. The display is a full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) one.
Dell says, “The touchscreen display is designed to take advantage of the Windows 8 operating system advances for touch interaction”. The XPS 12 convertible’s chassis is a mixture of machined aluminum and carbon fibre, while the display has the Gorilla Glass add-on. Users will have the choice of a Core i5 and a Core i7 processor, 4GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB SSD. The price of the XPS 12 convertible starts at Rs. 90,490.
The Dell Latitude 6340u ultrabook is a refresh of the existing Latitude ultrabook. The new design is 33 percent slimmer and 16 percent lighter than Dell’s current 14-inch Latitude notebook. Users have the option of selecting the 14-inch display with any one of the two resolution types – 1366 x 768 pixels and 1600 x 900 pixels. This ultrabook will come with Windows 8 preloaded. Dell says that this ultrabook will be available from the middle of November, with prices starting at Rs. 69,990.
The Latitude 10 tablet is also aimed at businesses with what Dell calls “easy management and security and a swappable battery for go-anywhere productivity”. The tablet can easily be integrated with most existing remote management systems that organizations use. The 10.1-inch display has a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution and gets the Gorilla Glass treatment as well. Dell Data Protection will allow users to encrypt the data on the hard drive as well as block access via any external devices. The Latitude 10 tablet will be available starting end of November with price tag fixed at Rs. 42,490.
Commenting on the occasion, Mr. P. Krishnakumar, Executive Director, Marketing, Dell India said, “The combination of new Dell hardware and Windows OS will allow customers to create and consume content in new and exciting ways which makes technology more accessible and intuitive.” He further added, “The new products launched today are all about maximizing the balance between end user preferences, productivity and IT control, backed by robust customer service, aimed at helping users and IT departments navigate the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) landscape.”
Quite frankly, the XPS 12 convertible is one device that really excites us. It may be aimed at the business user, but for the kind of functionality it offers, we would not be surprised if it appeals to a wider demographic of users. And we have seen the amazing build quality of the XPS 13 and the XPS 14 ultrabooks already, and with similar materials used on this as well, happiness beckons! Windows 8 should be a lot more fun to use with the touchscreen capabilities.
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