Dell, one of the largest suppliers of PCs in the world, on Tuesday introduced its Inspiron duo convertible tablet that sports a unique flip-hinge design and can be nearly simultaneously transform from tablet into netbook and vice-versa.

“The new Inspiron duo’s dual purpose delivers one-touch access to great content and yet offers the functionality of a full keyboard for more intensive applications. We are excited to offer such an innovative and unique design to our customers,” said Sam Burd, vice president of Dell's consumer, small and medium business product group.

Dell Inspiron duo is based on dual-core Intel Atom N550 (1.50GHz) microprocessor with integrated graphics core and memory controller and it equipped with 2GB DDR3 memory, 250GB  or 320GB hard drive. The convertible netbook comes with 10.1" screen with 1366*768 resolution, 1.3MP webcam, Wi-Fi, 4G, Bluetooth, USB 3.0 and other. Optional Inspiron duo Audio Station dock features 7-in-1 card reader, JBL speakers, two additional USB 2.0 ports and an Ethernet adapter.

The system is powered by Windows 7 Home Premium and comes with Dell's exclusive duo Stage software that provides easy touch access to music, video, an e-Bookstore through the BookStage application, games and the Internet in tablet mode, with its screen facing outward. After opening the lid and flipping the screen inward reveals a keyboard making traditional, productivity applications like e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. Apart from other things, the Dell Inspiron duo is among the first tablets powered by Microsoft Windows 7.

“The work done to develop Dell’s innovative new Inspiron duo is evidence of our close partnership efforts, combining the versatility and adaptability of Windows 7 with the creativity of Dell’s unique flip hinge design to create a distinct and exciting new form factor. And, given that the Microsoft Store has been named the exclusive retail partner during the holiday season, we’re excited to extend this collaboration to offer this one-of-a-kind design to holiday shoppers," said Brad Brooks, corporate vice president of Windows consumer marketing at Microsoft.

The Inspiron duo starts at $549, $649 with optional dock, and is available today on the company's web-site in the United States. Through the holiday season, Inspiron duo is also available in retail, exclusively at Microsoft Stores.

Dell hopes that the Inspiron duo will be among gadgets that differentiate Dell on the market and increase the value of the brand.

Tags: Dell, Microsoft, Windows, Intel