Dell Inspiron Duo review

It makes us sad, but the Inspiron Duo is far from being that perfect tablet / netbook hybrid we've been waiting for. As a netbook, it has a number of redeeming qualities, including a stellar keyboard and solid build, but it's heavy and its battery lasts half as long as some $299 netbooks out there. And then there's the Duo as a tablet, where it not only lacks a decent LCD, but the software and its sluggish performance make it incredibly frustrating to use. Don't get us wrong, the Inspiron Duo's form factor and swiveling screen are still incredibly intriguing, and for $550 we expect some will pick it up for that novelty alone, but the Duo ends up being pulled in too many directions and suffers from its own unique mobile identity crisis. Ultimately it feels like Dell should have continued to tease the Duo at a distance while refining the concept in its labs -- but then again, we suppose there's always generation two.