Dell adds new touch to tablet PCs

It is also the brightest in its category with an optional daylight viewing panel.

The Latitude XT is also the industry's only less than two kilogram convertible tablet with pen and capacitive touch capability. Capacitive technology senses the touch of a finger with no pressure required for the system to recognise input. It is also the forerunner to emerging multi-touch capabilities that allow the use of more than one finger for tasks such as zoom and repositioning a picture for example. Other touch features available on the Latitude XT include:

• Accuracy and speed - touch response times on the Latitude XT are faster than the Lenovo X61T;¹
• Advanced digital palm rejection technology, helping prevent inadvertent contact that disrupts pen input;
• Maintenance-free, no-battery pen with eraser and "right" mouse click functionality.

"We are listening and aim to exceed customers' expectations," said Sameh El Deeb, Client PC Product Manager, Dell Middle East.

"Until now, customers have been forced to make tradeoffs in tablet functionality to have usable systems. The Latitude XT will revolutionise the way customers interact with their systems, allow customers to take full advantage of tablet technology and enables customers to get more done with greater speed and precision."

Most competitive tablets on the market today rely on resistive touch that requires the application of force for the system to recognise user interaction. The older technology can be less accurate and durable than capacitive touch and may not support multi-touch. In addition, many customers who use resistive tablets that support both pen and touch functionality may disable the latter because the palm rejection technology is sub-par.

Market Impact of Dell Tablet PC

"Dell's plan to enter the tablet PC market will help promote the platform among its large number of customers and help facilitate the product category to go mainstream," said Doug Bell at industry analyst firm IDC.

The Latitude XT is designed with the future in mind the capability to support multi-touch. As the technology matures, the system will serve as a premiere development platform for applications that can take advantage of multi-touch.
"By integrating our DuoSense technology into the Latitude XT, Dell creates the ultimate machine destined to lead the tablet PC market," said Amihai Ben-David, CEO of N-trig.

"Customers using the new Latitude XT will find that the zero pressure touch combined with the accurate stylus changes the usability of tablet PCs. Once they try it, they won't want to go back."

As part of Dell's ongoing commitment to be the "greenest technology company on the planet," Energy Star 4.0-compliant configurations of the Latitude XT will be available in January 2008.