Dell's Latitude XT tablet now available

Dell almost ran out of 2007 to fulfill its promise, but fulfill it did and the Latitude XT is now available on Dell's site. Well, sort of. Even with a completely default configuration, the XT has a "preliminary ship date" of January 15th, 2008. Oh well, at least that'll give you some time to hit up your friends and relatives for the cash to afford the first monthly payment on this thing. Also, from the looks of things Dell is going to be offering XP Tablet as the default OS for the XT, though Vista Business is a free "upgrade." Microsoft must be thrilled.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Flashpoint @ Dec 18th 2007 12:48PM]

I can't see buying any tablet PC until SSD drives become more prominent.

As most tablets have no DVDRW drive (to keep weight down) I would also like to see flash memory card drives substituted as removable storage - i.e. 4GB SDHC cards.

[Jeremiah Zachary Hoffman @ Dec 18th 2007 3:16PM]

my c-140x from gateway has a dvd-rw and a 160gb harddrive, runs well and isn't too heavy for me.

[wickedpheonix @ Dec 18th 2007 1:05PM]

Looks like a ripoff of the X61T to me. ULV processor, extravagant price, dumbing down the specs (look at RAM speed and that puny 1.8" HDD) make this a huge disappointment. Only way in which the XT is better than the X61T is the optical drive - and for the $4000+ for a nicely configured XT versus a $2500+ nicely configured X61T, it just isn't worth it.

[wickedpheonix @ Dec 18th 2007 1:17PM]

Excuse me.... looks like the optical drive is only available in a media dock ala the X61T. In other words, there are NO apparent advantages for the XT after all.

[heyguy @ Dec 18th 2007 1:19PM]

How about capacitive touch screen?

[Vivek G. @ Dec 18th 2007 1:26PM]

Well, there is the capacitive touch thing, which will bring multitouch later on. However, thats not there initially, and its not worth the $1500 anyways, so yea.

I love how the base config, at $2500, comes with a 1GHz Core 2 Solo and a 40GB hard drive. Just for a decently specced machine, you are looking at over 3k....Considering that the competing Fujitsu T2010 goes for $1600 with those specs, and the HP2710p goes for $1900, it really does look as though Dell has priced itself out of the market on this one.

[wickedpheonix @ Dec 18th 2007 4:04PM]

@ heyguy and vivek

the X61T can be configured with a screen that accepts pen and touch input just not multi-touch input. Considering the fact that multi-touch would be worthless anyways considering the fact that there aren't going to be any applications that support it (come on, theres ONE computer that'll support it! It's worse than developing for the Ageia PhysX!), it won't matter anyways.

[jaalin @ Dec 18th 2007 1:31PM]

lenovo.com has their holiday sale going on until the 19th (use coupon USPSAVEDEC)... just picked up a 1.6 ULV tablet w/ 100gb 7200rpm hd and 1440x1050 sxga+ screen, 8cell for around $1400 after CA tax...

at least the latitude looks pretty nice... after the m1330 and this thing, maybe we'll get slicker looking dells from now on

[Brandon L @ Dec 18th 2007 2:04PM]

I'm wonder if EVERYONE knows what priced itself out of the market really means?

As an IT consultant who had been watching the convertible laptop market, I've been waiting for a stocked (Core Duo Santa Rosa) offering to satisfy my needs and desires and give me what I've grown to love from laptops with a matured tablet interaction capability. In essence, the traditional laptop killer.

I was about to pull the trigger on the Asus R1E after a lot of research as it is simply the most powerful fully equipped intelligently designed tablet on the market to this point (sorry Lenovo, I don't trust your build quality and your design is less than appealing - all ports on sides, no touchpad? Made and owned in China?).

I can afford anything, believe me. But I could buy 2 Asus R1E's LOADED for the configured price of one, weak little sister you've ponied up as your tablet killer. If this laptop had a REAL dual core & santa rosa, 2 speakers, and preferably a modular optical option AND MULTITOUCH WAS THERE NOW, I'd pay $3000. Give me switchable graphics (ala Sony SZ) and keep the battery life between 5-9 hours, and I'd pay $3800. But I'd feel like a real moron to pay that for what is offered here.

There is NO WAY Dell competes in the end user market (students, professionals) with this offering. That leads me to believe they are either:

1. Pulling an Apple (with the super inflated prerelease price - remember IPhone - as they don't plan on even shipping these puppies until Jan 15th. See how many suckers you can line up who have no common sense and are SOLD NOW on futureware (true multitouch).

2. This device is for healthcare where Doctors & RN's can use and OUR INSURANCE BILLS WILL PAY.

Most likly they are doing a little of both, but I think they are either being led to the pasture with this pricing model (if so the Executive in charge of the decision should be canned), or #2 is the plan.

[Hardy @ Dec 18th 2007 2:30PM]

"sorry Lenovo, I don't trust your build quality and your design is less than appealing - all ports on sides, no touchpad? Made and owned in China?"

I've had IBM Tpads and I've had Lenovo Tpads now, and they're exactly the same rock solid build quality. Design? It's a business laptop not a car to get you laid. All ports on the side? My X60 tablet has ports on every side except the front =p. Made and owned in china? Yeah I'm sure the Asus is made in Anytown, USA.

[barlo.mung @ Dec 18th 2007 3:20PM]

The capacitive touch is no good for the medical market because they need it to work with gloves.

[I.E @ Dec 19th 2007 9:35AM]

"I was about to pull the trigger on the Asus R1E after a lot of research as it is simply the most powerful fully equipped intelligently designed tablet on the market to this point (sorry Lenovo, I don't trust your build quality and your design is less than appealing - all ports on sides, no touchpad? Made and owned in China?)."

Where do you think ASUS is "made/owned"?

[Brandon L @ Dec 19th 2007 9:58AM]

@ I.E - Asus is headquartered in Taiwan, a country the does not consider itself part of China.

Lenovos orgins are out of Hong Kong with a CEO dissolving a listed world headquarters to prevent the Chinese connection from disturbing sales in the US.

You can debate me all you want on that, however there is no doubt where Lenovo is based and where its stock is traded (Hong Kong) just as there is no doubt where Asustek roots it's corporation. Two distinct locations my friend.

[unsigned @ Dec 18th 2007 2:10PM]

I was waiting for this, but dell fumbled with the price. The HP2710p fully configured is $2400, about a G-note less than the dell. Unfortunately, I am selecting a platform and setting the budget for 2 projects early next year for a total of 10 units. A $10-$11K total cost difference cannot be justified with no usable difference (multitouch is not on the table). The cost difference could equate to 4 more units!!!!

[Slawek @ Dec 18th 2007 2:16PM]

Gateway makes a nice tablet too for those looking for some power,and optical drive, and a decent graphics card. It is not too expensive either. But after ACER acquired Gateway, things have been getting a little weird, they are not letting them be customized anymore. I was lucky and was able to customize mine.

[SteveA @ Dec 18th 2007 2:27PM]

I think most of you are missing the really big benefits here. A super-bright LED backlight screen that is designed to be used in daylight situations, a capacitive touch screen, option for uber expensive SSD drive.

Battery life with the 'slimline' second battery is 10+ hours, the integrated graphics run Vista's full Areo with ease - oh and the whole shebang is 3.6 lbs and 1 inch thick. I'm pretty sure no one comes close to that.

I just ordered one for my office - we already have half a dozen Toshiba & acer Tablets for onsite checks of our construction projects. The major complaint I have is battery life and screen's being too dim to use in the field. If this works as advertised, this will solve my only issues with our current tablets and I'll order 6 more.

[Elliot Woods @ Dec 18th 2007 2:36PM]

there's every one of those on the new Toshiba M700 (including capacitive touch screen), and again, at a fraction of the cost.
After all the hype about the dell being a game-changing product...bah! what a waste of time

[wickedpheonix @ Dec 18th 2007 4:11PM]

1) The Lenovo X61T has one of the best outdoor screens in its class. We'll see if it remains true when the reviews for the XT come out.
2) The X61T can be configured with a touch screen
3) If you really want an SSD you can buy it seperately and install it yourself. That's a piece of cake really - doing that for any laptop is just unscrewing a screw or two, slotting in the drive, and screwing everything back together. Plus, it'll be a lot cheaper - still expensive, but cheaper than having Dell do it for you.
4) That battery life requires you to buy the battery slice - which increases that 1" thickness. Plus I expect real-life battery to be a bit less - call it 6-7 hours, at least with the 6 cell battery only.

So yeah I think I'll take the better computer overall and my $2k savings by choosing the X61T - versus the 0.2 lb difference.

[SteveA @ Dec 18th 2007 5:24PM]

wickedpheonix - From what I can find, the brightest X61 screen is rated 190 nits, whereas this Dell, when equipped with the DLV screen, is is over *twice* as bright at 400 nits. Take a look at the videos on Dell's site to see examples. I am also pleased to hear from my Dell rep that I can get this unit at $500 less than listed prices. Without that screen, sure, it's overpriced, but the usability it adds for our workers at construction sites is well worth the cost. With the DLV screen (w/necessary 6cell battery)and 2nd battery sliver, the height of the unit is 1.5 inches, and the weight is a hair under 5lbs. I see our people using the 2nd battery in the job trailer or airplane, and using the attached battery while walking around the field - then the weight is a more manageable 4 lbs.

Barlo, their spec sheet says the touch screen works when wearing latex gloves.

Currently in service, we have a Toshiba Protoge m205, several 3500s, M400's, an M700. None of those offer battery life near this unit.

Brandon L. if you go with the indoor screen, with 2nd battery, the stated battery life is 11 hours.

[Brandon L @ Dec 18th 2007 2:50PM]

SteveA - The LED backlit that's 3.6lbs ISN'T the one that is great for daylight situations. The screen your refering to is the LCD DLV and according to several reviews it adds more weight and bulk and is a bigger power draw (battery life) than the LED backlit option.

Also, if you want the close to 9+ hours of battery life (you can't get the LCD DLV to start) and you'll need the slate battery add-on, which adds weight as well and another 1/2+ inch to the thickness.

So once you add up the REAL world configuration and quit looking at this thing on a piece of paper, reality sets in that the big benefit isn't everything listed under the big christmas bow.

The 3.5 lb LED backlit 1 inch unit will be useable, but will have the same difficulty in reading in sunlight, and will not get 9+ hours of battery life. It will be closer to 4+.

Most all laptops are ready for the SSD drive switch when the price comes down.

Just reality. I'm sitting in it too.

[Brandon L @ Dec 18th 2007 2:54PM]

See comment below... Engadget page must not put replies directly under original comment unless you use password when submitting (instead of accepting via email).

[dhowse @ Dec 18th 2007 4:32PM]

Was also looking forward to the XT. After seeing the price/processor I just ordered a Lenovo X61T. 1.8GHz Core Duo 2, 160GB 7200 RPM HD, Integrated Cingular WAN, WIFI, Bluetooth, Add-on ultrabay with CD/DVD, 8 cell battery all for less than $1,800. Dell really missed the boat.

[Jon Doe @ Dec 18th 2007 6:12PM]

We're Sorry


The page you requested may no longer exist on Dell.com


Guess Dell is having some glitches.

[Resolution @ Dec 18th 2007 8:23PM]

Only if you're a small business customer. Note that for health providers the shipping date is January 1, 2008.

[Jon Doe @ Dec 18th 2007 10:54PM]

Went to the small business location. It still gave me a no page.

[Rockville @ Dec 18th 2007 6:50PM]

After reviewing the configuration options...Dell needs to pull the stick out of their xss. The configuration options include slow speed, low storage hard drives. Not 1 7200 rpm option. The SSD's while cool are still hard to justify.

Dell, new technology does not have to mean premium pricing. Premium pricing in this case is not going to make this product sell. My advice, check your economics and understand that you can have a great product it just needs some attention to the marketing, pricing and configuration.

The excuse that your targeting verticals is an old tactic to attempt high price justification. Your basically telling early adopters that "we understand that this might be too much for you to handle $$ wise" sorry. When did Dell start implying a new tagline --- "Too Good For You!"

Ok, we'll wait for a company that walks the walk... Very dissapointing for a product that could be so good. I've been waiting for just the right product to upgrade my Toshiba M200 which is still running pretty good at 2GHz + Vista + 2GB Ram + 7200RPM drive...... It's like I just bought it yesterday... (Well almost, only 3+ years ago)..

I've been waiting for this product for quite somje time

[I.E @ Dec 19th 2007 9:34AM]

"I was about to pull the trigger on the Asus R1E after a lot of research as it is simply the most powerful fully equipped intelligently designed tablet on the market to this point (sorry Lenovo, I don't trust your build quality and your design is less than appealing - all ports on sides, no touchpad? Made and owned in China?)."

Where do you think ASUS is "made/owned"?

[Jon Doe @ Dec 20th 2007 9:47PM]

Zealot fanboi who has to spine to call BS on a bad decision.