Based on the excellent quality, specifications and highly desirable form-factor of the XPS 13 Ultrabook, one certainly hopes for the same high standards for Dell's Windows 8 tablets, which are expected later in 2012. The overall tech community reaction to the Windows 7 based Dell Latitude ST tablet, however, is a completely different story.

GadgetMix.com called it "quite chunky when seen next to an iPad2", saying that the Latitude's SSD (solid-state drive) "....helps lift performance to almost acceptable levels", and noted that: "Graphically-demanding suites do not run well on the Latitude ST and even YouTube videos can be choppy....tinny audio through the single speaker". They went on to say: "....the Dell Latitude ST would leave most businesses wanting. It’s a poor showing all in all". That's a big ouch when considering that Dell is aiming that device directly at business enterprise.

CrazyEngineers.com mentioned the Latitude ST is "....twice the weight of BlackBerry Play Book".

TabletCrunch.com headlined with: "Dell Latitude ST Tablet, Another Over Priced Windows Tablet Failure", and said: "This is all looking a lot like the HP TouchPad debacle that unfolded not too long ago".

Geek.com headlined with: "Would you really want Dell’s Windows 7 tablet in your office?", and went on to say: "Sure, Windows 7 will get the attention of IT managers. (Hey, our desktops run Windows, so having it run on tablets will only make everything easier!) This would appear to be the case, until you take battery life, price, and app support into account. Windows 7 was not designed to run on tablets". They continued: "The iPad has changed how we feel about tablets, but that doesn’t mean that running a desktop OS on one of them is any better of an idea now than it was two years ago. Windows 8 has a good chance to change that, but only after developers have optimized a strong library of touch-friendly apps for it. There’s a reason that tablets were a dead-end market before the iPad came along, and the Dell Latitude ST doesn’t appear to change much of that formula".

Assessment

Industry observers have noted that Dell seems to have focused more on corporate enterprise IT as primary customers, and lost sight of focusing on and satisfying individual consumers. That seems to be coming back to haunt Dell, because of the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), and Consumerization of IT trends. It turns out that individual consumers are the primary customers inside of corporations, and are driving IT purchase decisions.

Android-based mobile devices did not work for Dell, and a similar fate is playing out for the Dell Latitude ST tablet running Windows 7. Tony Parkinson, VP, Global Enterprise Services & Solutions at Dell, told Computer Business Review: "The Android experience has not been what we hoped for as a provider", and continued, "I think Windows 8 with the touch capabilities and the access to the installation base will be exciting".

Interviewed by TheAustralian.com.au, Dell said: "....with Windows 8 coming on you'll see some very exciting new tablets from Dell and probably others that make it a very interesting landscape....whenever Microsoft releases Windows 8".