Dell is being extraordinarily coy about the Dell XPS Duo 12 hybrid it announced at IFA Berlin last week, holding back key information like the pricing, specs, weight and release date. However, in a brief hands-on we were able to shoot some photos, film a video and get a feel for the keyboard, the screen and the rotating swivel mechanism.
The XPS Duo 12's aesthetic reminds us a lot of its siblings, the XPS 13, 14 and 15, with its black, soft-touch chassis and snappy back-lit, island-style keyboard. With a soft palm rest and good tactile feedback, typing on the Duo 12 should be a pleasure.
The 12.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen was extremely bright and sharp as we navigated around the Start screen and tapped on the Windows 8 Weather app. With its unique swivel mechanism, the Duo 12's screen flips around within the bezel just like Dell's 2010 Inspiron Duo.
While that netbook was a disappointment, with its sluggish proprietary touch software and short battery life, we have high hopes for the XPS Duo 12 which Dell Personal Computer Product Group VP Sam Burd said would have processors "up to Core i7" during Dell's press conference.
Without further specs or pricing, there's not a lot we can observe about the XPS Duo 12, but its soft-touch design, sharp screen and snappy keyboard give the system a premium look and feel. We look forward to learning more about this promising hybrid.
