Dell Adds Multi-Touch Capabilities to Its Latitude XT

Dell has announced the release of a new software module that would add multi-touch capabilities to its Latitude XT tablet. Multi-touch commands similar to those featured by the iPhone and Voodoo Envy smartphones will also be accepted by Dell's mobile PC. According to the company, this is the first user-downloadable multi-touch update to be ever offered for a full-sized tablet.

A wide range of different new commands will be available via this update. The scrolling will be enabled through the simple dragging of two fingers across the screen. Users will be able to zoom in when spreading two fingers apart, or they can set the tablet to perform a special command for a two-tap gesture.

"We introduced the Latitude XT as a revolutionary product in the tablet space," said Jeff Clarke, senior vice president of Dell's product group. "Today Dell is taking that commitment to a new level with multi-touch functionality."

Dell is putting a lot of effort in heightening the capabilities of its new set of Latitude notebooks. The coming weeks have been set as the time frame for the launch of a new line-up. The company also announced that it looks forward to expanding the number of laptop models it currently offers by 50 percent or so.

Another announcement the company has made regards a 128 GB solid-state hard drive option. The price of the larger drive will add about $649 to the system's cost, but it will be made available only on XPS and Alienware systems.

The multi-touch capabilities the new update adds to Dell's Latitude XT tablet will be available for use on Windows XP and Vista. Users will be able to enjoy the new features on applications such as Outlook and Microsoft Office, web browsers, or the image viewers included in the OS.