Dell, Tablet Computer | featured news

Dell is buying Quest Software for $2.4 billion to expand its offerings as its personal computer business weakens in an era of smartphones and sleeker devices like the iPad. The deal announced Monday capped off a bidding war that began last month when Quest revealed a mystery suitor had made an offer trumping a $2 billion sale that had been worked out with Insight Venture Partners in March. The secret bidder turned out to be Dell Inc., the second largest PC maker in the U.S. behind Hewlett-Packard Co.

Dell Inc intends to launch its first consumer tablet computer in late 2012, marking its entry into a hotly contested and increasingly crowded arena that has already claimed arch-foe Hewlett Packard.

We estimate Dell will sell around 700,000 tablets in 2011, capturing nearly 5% of Android tablets sold in the market, and will increase sales to close to 2.3 million units by 2013.

Dell will launch its seven-inch tablet in the next few weeks, the company's Greater China president said.

Dell introduces Windows tablet that comes with a keyboard and may be essentially turned into a standard laptop.

The PC maker hopes to sell its new tablet computer to the public sector as well as consumers.