Dell business client refresh promises Windows 7 tablet this year

Dell has announced several new client systems for business, including a refreshed laptop line-up, updated workstation and desktop models, and a Windows-based business tablet coming later in the year.

The new systems, set to be available at various dates over the coming months, are designed to meet the needs of an evolving workforce that is increasingly mobile, according to Dell.

However, customers "still have a requirement for products that are stable, secure and manageable", said James Jones, UK client solutions marketing manager for Dell.

Dell confirmed that it will ship a Windows 7-based business-ready tablet by the middle of this year, but otherwise gave away few details of the device at this time.

Jones said that the 10in slate system will have all the management and security features of Dell's Latitude laptops, and feature stylus and touch-screen input. A stylus is required by NHS and education customers for handwriting input.

The new Latitude laptops are split into two groups. The E5420 and E5520 are aimed at budget conscious professionals, while the new E series 6000 models are designed with "business rugged" durability, including a tri-metal casing that meets US military MIL-STD-810G specifications.

All the new models are based on Intel's latest Core processors, but the 6000 models have the full set of Core vPro technologies, while the E5420 and E5520 have only AMT management support.

One notable feature is pre-integrated support for virtualisation, such as Citrix XenClient that allows users to run separate corporate and personal Windows images on the same system.