Gizmodo
While we sorta groaned at the Latitude XT's $2500 base-model pricetag along with everybody else (cause it's expensive!) we didn't piss and moan too much because we knew that the DuoSense technology making it the only input device on the market that combines a pressure-sensitive pen with multitouch into a single surface is new, hot shit. And that's never cheap. But Dell is a little touchy about the feedback, so they've publicly defended the price on their Direct2Dell blog, with a chart showing how much more awesome it is than other tablets and quips like "we are talking about cutting-edge technology here."
The sorta interesting claim about the price itself is that it's only "a slight premium to our competition (emphasis on the word 'slight')," which is based on the math its "non-standard features" only carry a 13 percent premium over the competition. If you're still not convinced it's worth it, they're going to be following it up with more posts explaining why you're wrong.
The problem is that however much it surpasses other tablets, when you come down to it, $2500 is still two-and-a-half grand, and that's just for the base model. You bump the processor to dual core, the RAM to 2GB and expand the hard drive to 80GB, you're talking closer to $3,000 for what's really the acceptable spec configuration. And that kind of money makes most consumers antsy, however fancy your wares. We know we'll be waiting for it to plunge to more plebian prices, though we do appreciate the tech inside, Dell. [Direct2Dell]
Comments
Super.
-but the killer app that utilizes this expensive tech is...?
See, that's the trouble.
@strider_mt2k: Starcraft 2? (is that reference getting old?) $3K will probably buy you the apple tablet when\if it hits (this one too?). With better specs I'm sure.
@STRIDER_MT2K: I've said it before, I'll say it again "OneNote".
It's not the best tool for every job, but for those of us with a job which it IS the tool for, it's excellent, and ALMOST worth the $3k.
OneNote makes having a tablet worhtwhile. I consider it to be my favorite note-taking or working application ever - and possibly the best app Microsoft makes.
Only thing that makes me boot in to Windows...
On topic, the Dell is pretty expensive. My brand new Gateway tablet is 14", has a great tablet, and way better specs, but only cost $1700.
I don't know if the technology is worth the premium yet.
@strider_mt2k:
um, duh! ever heard of something called "Brain Age"? it's only the most best video game of all time, EVER, so i can see how a twerp like you woulda missed it.
fuck starcraft. i want tablet fallout!
oh yeah and those wanky flash games where you have to get some cartoon girl off in her sleep without waking her up...
*rub rub rub rub*
sounds like apple and the iphone. "it's so expensive because it's THREE devices in ONE!"
when really it's a half assed ipod, slow internet communication device, and ok phone.
but with apple it's "omg the iphone!"
and with dell it's "dude, you're getting...wait, what the hell is that?"
I don't see how this is overly expensive. My Fujitsu Tablet cost my $2500... and this Dell is SO MUCH BETTER that the extra $500 is MORE than worth it. Stop COMPLAINING!
@mlmorg:
Oh really?
And if you can find one on the store shelves in May, I'll give you $15,000.
How the hell does an ATI x1250 constitute "...talking about cutting-edge technology here."?
How about a real video card for 2.5+ Large.
@kyanges:
no im just on one of those off days with apple...its that month prior that you really hate not knowing what's going to come out but hoping it's something you want/need...when really deep down you know it won't be
Oh who gives a Flying HILL BILLY!
In 3 years, for some "unknown" reason the processor will start running at 100% for no reason at all. If it has a fan it will race, to mislead you into thinking that, that perhaps is the cause...
I am sitting on 400+ Dell computers, that dont work because they either used a Cheap capacitor, Cheap heat Sync, or need a Secret Bios upgrade to suddenly makea acomputer that was functioning fine, back to its original operating parameters!
Dell can Suck my mothers Cucumber!
"-but the killer app that utilizes this expensive tech is...?"
well if it had more levels of pressure sensitivity: Photoshop and painter.
@bpatten and daniel92: Yeah, OneNote is great for tablets, but $2.5k is really expensive for a tablet, even, and I don't see how having multitouch integrated into the single digitizer level will enhance the OneNote experience, so to speak. Give me some tilt and bearing and sensitivity. Or, preferably, give me a price cut.
One note, is a nice app, but for this to justify the price, it would need a suite of killer apps. That said, the price seems ok from a technology standpoint.
@loremaster101: wow. i support close to 800 dell desktop and laptops, and have since the optiplex gxa. there was a problem with the optiplex gx-270 and some early 280s with bad caps on the motherboard. this is the only major issue i've ever had with them. dell has replaced *every last one of these motherboards* for free, *even after they were off warranty* without any hassle and the program is still good until february 08. if you are too uninformed or stupid to get them fixed, then you don't belong in the IT field. either that or you're just being a troll.
The IBM Lenovo X60/X61 also has "duo-touch" for quite some time, except they call it "multi-touch".
Its an option, it works fine, but the Wacom input is blows the doors off anything else (256-levels of sensitivity and eraser functionality).
@firesign:
I agree with you on dell's excellent support ... the next day on site service is really pro (even if its a subcontractor )knowing that there is next day service when your supporting 400 laptops is critical .
I wonder how long the screen will last with out breaking ?
I definately think this tech is cool. But its not something that would get me to spend the extra money.
It definately would get me to buy a tablet PC, which i'd never consider doing before...
@geek 101: thats what the completecare warranty is for. :) oh, and i'm also a certified dell tech so we do the work in house, and i don't usually have to deal with the sub-contactors. :)
oops, hit enter too soon. anyway, they use tablets for teaching purposes where i work. now i can stop buying overpriced, underpowered toshibas. oh, and one reason i didn't go with lenovo is because i could never get the sales rep to call me or even email me back. screw em.
@nutbastard:
Wait.. you have a link for this?
I don't understand the rush to move on new tech. Let another company dabble with DuoSense and it'll drive down the price a little...
@bpatten: I love me some OneNote, but 3k? Now you're just being crazy. Unfortunately, there's no support for this sweet new technology, either.
Yet.
The real problem with the Dell tablet is that it's a multi-touch capable device without software support for multi-touch. I think multi-touch is worth a premium, but only if it is usable. Worse yet, what they plan to do for software (as seen in their video demo) is less impressive than what Apple is offering right now.
Yeah 3k is pretty crazy.
I paid $2500 for my first tablet back when tablet tech itself was totally new. I just wrote it off as early adopter tax.
$2500 for what most would consider to be a pretty small update is pretty crazy.
I'm guessing tablet tech itself is only useful to 30% of laptop buyers, to every one else it's just "ooh, that's neat". The pressure sensitivity is only useful to 10% of those people, that's a pretty small niche for $3k.
@Scaramanga:
Yeah, see, the problem is, it's a RESISTIVE touch screen for the "duo touch"
That tech can only sense one push at a time, not two or more fingers trying to do different things.
Think laptop touchpad. try using two fingers in diff directions, mouse goes crazy. Now, do that on an iPhone (not supporting it, merely an example of a multitouch interface) and it reads and interprets both of those touches at the same time.
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