Dell confirms Latitude XT details, retails in Australia on Dec 19 (RRP >AU$3500)

Dell Latitude XT

Following the outpour of unofficial information around many blogs on Dell’s highly anticipated tablet PC, the official Dell blog Direct2Dell has just posted an update confirming many of the specifications published week ago, including some technical differences and previously unannounced pricing information.

Tomorrow, Direct2Dell will also be publishing an extended video looking into the pen and touch capabilities of this device. Unfortunately they are still uncertain on a release date, pending “by the end of year”. Today, you can read about Engadget’s first-thoughts.

On the other hand, over the next few days Dell Australia will also be making an announcement on the availability of this tablet PC for the Australian market. The rumor is that it will be available to order on Wednesday the 19th of December and prices will start at AU$3,500. It will also be offering integrated mobile broadband service from either Vodafone or Telstra Bigpond natively configured at the factory.

With retail prices finally revealed, hopes of a cheaper and more competitive Tablet PC from Dell remains unfulfilled as Dell’s offering is not only more expensive than existing and recently introduced Tablet PCs from Toshiba and Lenovo, but nearly twice as expensive. For example, Toshiba’s power-packed M700 is only US$1,800, $700 cheaper than Dell’s starting price.

It’s unfortunate the Tablet PC remains exclusively a business-oriented device out of the reach of most higher-education students where it can easily revolutionize learning.

10 insightful thoughts

  1. I want to know how long before we have cheap infrared based multitouch displays? šŸ™‚ Microsoft already made a prototype and it worked perfectly fine…. And might I mention that the infrared was on a laptop.

  2. That’s true, being in college, this would sell like hotcakes. Also, it would be very helpful in classes and studying.

  3. I got a second-hand tablet PC from eBay while I was at University. I would import lecturer’s powerpoint slides into OneNote, and then write notes on top – an awesome way of notetaking!

  4. “Am I the only one who thinks this tablet looks thick and ugly?”
    I think the picture Long used has the docking station (or whatever it is) on the bottom so it looks a tad thicker than it actually is. It’s still thinner than my Inspiron 9200 and I think it looks pretty good.

  5. Hmm, looks a little old school, doesn’t it? I can recommend the HP tx1000 series. The tablet functionality may not as good as this offerend by Dell but it’s cheaper and (imo) better looking. And Vista runs great! šŸ™‚

  6. Yeah, it’s weird that Microsoft actually tries to market tablet PCs at students when they’re wayyyy too expensive.

    If you look at the comments on Direct2Dell, they’re all telling Dell to lower the price. Maybe Dell will listen?

  7. MS should really have made the Tablet PC edition features free in XP Pro. Today we’d have surely seen greater adoption.

Comments are closed.