Dell has been planning to give an early surprise to the consumers who are waiting for the festive season to kick off. Just before the holiday shopping season, Dell had announced that they are launching the new edition of their laptops: Inspiron Duo.
Previously in the market we had witnessed the presence of convertible laptops which rotate up to the extent of 180 degree horizontally. However, this brand new edition, Inspiron Duo rotates 180 degrees vertically rather than horizontally. It has been hooked in the middle with a lid which allows it to rotate easily. The best feature which leaves behind everything is the touch friendly interface. When you rotate your screen and close the lid, it becomes more like an entertainment center in your hands. The touch interface allows you to play music, videos and photos. However, once the screen is rotated back to normal, the windows would return to its desktop mode.
The product has been priced at $549 which isn’t on the higher side considering the new innovation it has to offer. However, most consumers feel that there is something lacking. There has been criticism about the speed of the laptop as it often becomes slow. The reason being blamed for this is the added hardware for rotating the screen. The laptop comes in built with the latest dual core Intel N550 Atom CPU and has 2GB RAM.
Furthermore, users have termed this laptop as more of a netbook. Users derive maximum satisfaction out of product only when it’s paired with its optical dock which provides much better sound quality because of better speakers. Thus listening to music, watching videos and streaming online becomes a better experience. Below are the specifications as reviewed:
| Price as reviewed | $549 |
| Processor | 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 |
| Memory | 2GB, 1333MHz DDR3 |
| Hard drive | 320GB 7,200rpm |
| Chipset | Intel NM10 |
| Graphics | Intel GMA 3150 |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium |
| Dimensions (WD) | 11.2 x 7.7 inches |
| Height | 1.0 – 1.1 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 10.1 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 3.0/3.5 pounds |
| Category | Netbook |
If we compare this brand new edition with the previously launched laptops, there isn’t much difference which you could distinguish at first sight. The only difference which users might notice is how the screen is rotated.
Since rotating the screen is something very sensitive, thus Dell advises you to be careful. Once you rotate the screen, you need to make sure that you are rotating it in the correct manner. To start with the rotation, you would have to push through the top of the screen. However, once you’re flipping it back, make sure the system is open to an extent that you don’t damage your screen by hitting the bottom of the screen.
The Good: Innovation being offered at a minimal price, user friendly touch interface, new technology.
The Bad: Very low battery life, often becomes slow due to the added hardware, no SD cart slot.
The Bottom line: For those who wish to enjoy the innovation, this product might suit your needs. However, if you’re a heavy user then you might consider other options.