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18 months ago I purchased what Dell marketed as the first multi-touch tablet pc. It was largely regarded as the most future-proof tablet . Now that Windows 7 has arrived, according to @RichardatDell, the XT is considered a Legacy system, and Windows 7 won't be supported.
They have no Windows 7 drivers on their support site.
This is an issue for many reasons: 1) without proper touch screen drivers, Windows 7 multi-touch won't work. The available touch drivers are Vista specific only, and if they are installed on a Win 7 machine, they will damage the digitizer - trust me - it happened to me. Imagine the irony- the first multi-touch system on the market and Dell won't support it on Win 7. 2) Since the only drivers available are Vista based, they have to be installed using Vista Compatibility - otherwise they won't install. Drivers written for Vista don't take advantage of Windows 7 improvements / changes, thus will create stability issues. 3) What do shops that have deployed hundreds of these systems going to do when they rollout Win 7 and find that not everything will work because Dell deemed it a Legacy system even though they were just purchased a year and a half ago.
About a year after releasing the XT, Dell released the XT2 - very minor changes to the platform. Windows 7 support is on the XT2, but not on the XT.
Lenovo has Windows 7 drivers for their X61 Tablet PC - now THAT is a legacy system.
Some Links:
http://www.twitter.com/robbushway
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2009/10/28/dell-latitude-xt-drivers-held-hostage-day-7/
http://www.gottabemobile.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8319&title=trouble-with-win7-and-quick-set
RobBushway510.0
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N-Trig isn't answering their e-mails about this either, I tried.
http://bit.ly/PjsgS
They are not on the Dell support site, yet, though.
Here is another interesting thing: The XT2 got a BIOS update last month for, get this: Windows 7 Enhancements. Now, everyone knows the XT and the XT2 are essentially the same machine, hardly any changes under the hood. Where is the XT's BIOS update for Windows 7? Is this a result of "legacy" status?
This is why it is important to push Dell to fully support the XT under Windows 7. Vista level drivers are not acceptable, legacy status is not acceptable - especially for a premium machine like this.
Rob Bushway
Microsoft Tablet PC MVP
http://bit.ly/1vxcEB
I really really hope DELL gets its act together and treats us as DELL customers and not as DELL “consumers”; I was an early adopter and purchased the XT1 when it was just released, with the Media Base, two different Batteries, Vista Ultimate, 5 year Extended Warranty and 4 year Complete Care theft and accident coverage. I ended up paying more than 4.000 usd. So then Dell comes out with a product “revision” (XT2) and the XT1 is relegated to “legacy product”? I feel like I´ve been used as a Beta Tester and for that I´ve had to pay thousands of dollars, and now I don´t even have the right to get proper support for it.
Dell was very happy to sell me a 5 year extended warranty, but it seems that won´t matter much because now I have a legacy product? This is a computer, not office supplies. If Dell feels that several changes were needed for the XT1 fine, come out with a revised product, but don´t leave me out in the dust. This is the prize for being an early adopter and paying top dollars for supporting DELL in the development of a new technology (NTrig digitizer).
DELL, if you give Windows 7 support to the XT2 it can´t be that more difficult to do it for the XT1. This is a computer whose main attribute is the screen´s dual input technology. Now finally a proper Operating System is developed for it and we don´t get support. I used to like DELL, but lately that feeling has changed significantly.
DELL please, give us Windows 7 Drivers and BIOS Support.
Frustrated and angry,
David
Thanks Rob, I’ve added my vote. I echo your post and the comments above, and like David I went for many options and as much support as I could buy. I was prepared to be a bit of a Guinea Pig AND to pay a premium when I bought the XT, but if it goes on to be nothing but a very expensive mistake, then my next computer purchase is likely to be my first non-Dell machine.
ARgh!
The other leader in the college market for tablet PCs is HP. I was considering an HP, but when I weighed my options, and spoke to Dell, I decided the XT was a better choice. But now, with the lack of support for System 7 I'm wondering if I made a mistake. I'm very angry about this. If Dell does not support the XT1 I'm going to be contacting every institution that uses tablet PCs for teaching and warn them about Dell's lack of support. In fact, next year I'm taking a sabbatical to research the use of tablet PCs for teaching. Are you listening Dell? Do you want colleges on your side? Keep in mind that many of us use your computer in front of thousand of students, many of them potential future customers. I just can't believe you will turn a blind eye to those of us who helped you bring the XT1 to the market place just over a year ago. Now that System 7 is out and designed to more fully impliment touch technology, I just can't believe that you won't support us.
Ignor this and you will regret it.
I just checked, the domain name, dumpdell.com is available for purchase. Perhaps this would be a way to start our protest?
Dell then tried to massage the specs with a sales pitch. It didn't work. But the Microsoft faithful bought the thing anyway. Now you've been burned. Learn the lesson. When you buy from Dell or any company for that matter. Do your research. Get involved with the blogs. Lurk in the background. Educate yourself.
This is not the first time Dell has shelved a system like this. When it became clear the W2600s had a manufacturing fault Dell sold the remaining stock off cheap and hid a support notice in their forums. The only people who would stand a chance of being able to take advantage of that extra support were the regular forum users.
When the XPS 700 gaming desktop was released Dell promissed an upgrade path. That upgrade path never materialised until comsumers got together and preasured Dell into making good on their promises. In the end we got a XPS 720 systemboard upgrade with an optional discounted Core 2 Quad. It wasn't the upgrade path Dell initially promissed. But in the end it wasn't a bad deal either.
So if you Microsofties want this upgrade to happen you will need to organise. Close ranks and apply preasure. If Microsoft got it working then why can't Dell?
Of course you could all just get to know your hardware better. N-trig are the makers of the touch sensor in the Latitude XT. Check out their web site people.
Beyond this, it is simply in Dell's best interests to offer Win7 applications and drivers for the XT. As others have pointed out, the XT was marketed as a business platform, and businesses expect their hardware to provide service over years, not months. I work for a massive user of Dell products (and I mean massive) and we use hardware for at least three years before we consider upgrading or replacing it. This period of performance is, I think, fairly reasonable, and Dell's active support for their products should be at least tha long...
http://www.n-trig.com/CONTENT.ASPX?Page=Multi_touch