Dell will boost its line of touch screen PCs with new models that are less-expensive than its competitors.
Multi-touch doesn't come standard with the Dell Studio One 19, but it's available as an option. The base model starts at $700, and a PC World hands-on says the touch screen will cost an extra $100. That price still undercuts HP's similar TouchSmart by $400.
The 18.5-inch multi-touch display supports media player applications, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Paint (presumably, more robust graphic design software will be supported as well). There are also a few oddball applications, such as a virtual drum kit, activated by banging on the screen. For customized styling, the fabric frame around the screen is available in several colors.
As for specs, the Studio One 19 runs on a choice of five processors, from Celeron to Core 2 Quad, and includes up to 4GB of RAM, up to a 750 GB hard drive and a choice of either nVidia's GeForce 9200 or GeForce 9400. A Blu-ray player can replace the default DVD player for $200.
There seems to be a proliferation of both touch screens and all-in-one PCs this year. Good to see someone offering a little bit of both. Japan is getting the Studio One first, starting March 23. Availability in North America and Europe is still up in the air. Dell only says the PC will launch "in many other countries later this spring."
