Dell Inspiron Duo Hits UK On December 2

Dell is slowly filling in the blanks about the Dell Inspiron Duo convertible netbook which we played with yesterday, confirming that the hybrid tablet will begin shipping in the UK on December 2. There, the Duo will be priced from £449 with a 250GB HDD, £499 with the optional dock, or £479 – later in the year – with a 320GB HDD.

US pricing, meanwhile, has been confirmed at $549, while the dock will be another $49. Availability in the US hasn't been announced, beyond early December. More details in our hands-on report.

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Press Release:

DELL INTRODUCES THE INSPIRON DUO – A CONVERTIBLE UNLIKE ANY OTHER

· Go from Touch to Type to Dock Mode in Seconds with One-of-a-Kind Design

· Unique Design Lets Families & Students Switch Seamlessly Between Entertainment and Productivity

· Available December 2 on Dell.co.uk

· Inspiron duo Joins Growing Family of Dell Mobility Products

BRACKNELL, UK, 23rd November, 2010 – Dell today introduced another industry first for design – the Inspiron duo convertible tablet. Sporting a unique, flip-hinge design, the Inspiron duo combines the simplicity of a tablet, the functionality of a full keyboard and the convenience of a dock so you can switch seamlessly from touch to type to dock mode in seconds. The tri-mode functionality is perfect for those who crave productivity yet also want the fun, interactive nature of a touch screen offering easy access to movies, TV shows, social-networking sites and more.

The Inspiron duo is the latest in Dell's growing portfolio of mobility products, which includes the Streak 5, the five-inch, go-anywhere device that fits perfectly in your hands, purse or pocket. With Streak 5, and now the Inspiron duo, Dell is demonstrating its commitment to mobile innovation and meeting the needs of today's on-the-go lifestyle, allowing people to stay connected to their friends, family and favourite content.

"Dell is changing the shape of computing, with products that usher in new experiences and allow people to stay connected to each other and the content they love from almost anywhere," said Sam Burd, vice president, Dell Consumer, Small and Medium Business Product Group. "The new Inspiron duo's dual purpose delivers one-touch access to great content and yet offers the functionality of a full keyboard for more intensive applications. We're excited to offer such an innovative and unique design to our customers."

The Inspiron duo, loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium and a dual-core processor with 250GB hard drive starts at £449 including VAT and delivery, £499 with optional dock, and is available starting December 2 on www.dell.co.uk. The Inspiron duo with a 320GB hard drive will also be available at select retailers at £479 including VAT in time for the holidays.

"The work done to develop Dell's innovative new Inspiron duo PC is evidence of our close partnership efforts, combining the versatility and adaptability of Windows 7 with the creativity of Dell's unique flip hinge design to create a distinct and exciting new form factor, " said Brad Brooks, corporate vice president of Windows consumer marketing at Microsoft.

From Touch to Type in Seconds

In tablet mode, with its screen facing outward, the duo is the perfect entertainment companion. Dell's innovative new duo Stage software provides easy touch access to music, video, an e-Bookstore through the BookStage** application, games and the Internet. The bright and gorgeous 10.1-inch high-definition display is also perfect for viewing videos.

Opening the lid and flipping the screen inward reveals a chiclet keyboard making traditional, productivity applications like e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and presentations a breeze. Additionally, a built-in Web-cam, integrated Wi-Fi and optional connectivity choices such as Bluetooth and 4G mobile broadband make it even easier than ever to stay in touch with friends and family.

For even more fun and versatility, Dell offers an optional Inspiron duo Audio Station dock with built-in media card reader, JBL speakers, two additional USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet adapter and battery charger. When docked the Inspiron duo serves as the ultimate alarm clock, digital photo frame or top-notch music player.

For kids, the Inspiron duo is great for play as a touch tablet. Flip the screen and it's ready to help mum and dad organise their calendars. Students can watch videos or listen to music in touch mode on the way to class before flipping the screen to type notes or write a term paper in type mode. Also great for travellers, the Inspiron duo is a perfect on-the-go companion – watch movies or surf the Internet in touch mode, and organise itineraries, write a blog post or manage photos and music in keyboard mode with pre-installed Windows 7 Home Premium.

You Can Tell It's Dell

Dell is supporting its strong product portfolios with a new consumer marketing campaign, "You Can Tell It's Dell." The campaign, which began rolling out earlier this month, highlights the differentiated experiences and benefits of Dell's consumer products. "You Can Tell It's Dell" is part of the company's overarching "Power to do More" branding effort that emphasizes the company's commitment to deliver products and services across all segments, including large enterprise and public, that help customers grow and thrive.

"We are bringing the differentiated aspects of our products to life in new creative as seen here in this viral video for the new Inspiron duo, which has garnered more than a quarter-million views in its first 72 hours," said PH Ferrand, Chief Marketing Officer for Dell's CSMB business. "We're committed to delivering the best products and the best customer experience, and we are bringing those twin aspects to life in our marketing campaigns, so our customers will see, hear and feel the Dell difference."

Dell Inspiron duo Specifications

• 10.1-inch HD (1366x768) display with capacitive multi-touch and HD accelerator for smooth HD playback; flips from touch to type

• Windows® 7 Home Premium installed

• Dell duo Stage software

• Integrated 1.3MP Webcam and digital microphone

• Two USB 2.0 ports; one headphone port

• Intel® AtomTM N550 dual core processor (1.5GHz)

• 250GB, 5400 RPM and 320GB, 7200 RPM hard drive options*** (vary by region)

• 2GB RAM DIMM DDR3 800 MHz****

• Optional Inspiron™ duo Audio Station dock with 7 in 1 card reader, JBL speakers, two additional USB 2.0 ports and an Ethernet adapter; charges battery while displaying photos or digital alarm clock

• Additional details provided at product availability

duo Stage: The Perfect Keep-In-Touch Interface

Dell's new user interface, duo Stage, makes using the Inspiron duo in tablet mode even better. Dell duo Stage lets families and students quickly access their favourite content as well as a collection of creative applications.

The new interface presents instant access to collections of music, photos, videos, games, e-books** and other applications. For instance:

· Touching the MusicStage tile reveals an individual's personal music collection.

· The VideoStage organises personal videos and downloaded TV shows and movies.

· The PhotoStage includes integrated social networking capabilities through Facebook and Flickr so people can upload their latest photos or view pictures of their friends.

· BookStage** provides a central location for storing and purchasing e-books.

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