Dell confirms rumors, will build tablet PC
Dell confirmed Friday that it will sell a tablet PC before the end of year.
Jeff Clarke, senior vice president and general manager of Dell's business product group, made the announcement in a short video posted to the company's Direct2Dell blog.
"I'm here to end much speculation in the industry about our plans in the tablet marketplace," says a casually attired Clarke, while holding the tablet. The device will be a Latitude tablet PC designed specifically for the education, health care and corporate markets, he said.
On the video, Clarke gives a brief demo and offers a few details. It will be one of the lightest tablets on the market and will have a pen and touch-screen interface. He demonstrates how it will open like a notebook, and will have a screen that twists and shuts to become a tablet.
Intel and Motion Computing recently announced a slate-style tablet PC specifically for the health care field. It will be priced at just over $2,000.
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
