Intel Atom Delays Dell, HP, Windows 8 Tablet

  • Dell moves date to January 22
  • HP moves date to January 9
  • Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs are responsible for the holdup

Testing inside Microsoft's quality assurance lab is holding up the arrival of Intel Atom Z2760-based tablets, including the Dell Latitude 10, pushing the launch to late Januar

  • Dell moves date to January 22
  • HP moves date to January 9
  • Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs are responsible for the holdup

Testing inside Microsoft's quality assurance lab is holding up the arrival of Intel Atom Z2760-based tablets, including the Dell Latitude 10, pushing the launch to late January.

Originally scheduled to ship in mid-December, early Latitude 10 buyers are being told their 10-inch Windows 8 tablet won't ship until the new year, with Dell's website now estimating a ship date of January 22, 2013.

Moreover, Dell customer service are notifying would-be buyers that the tablet has not even officially launched yet, despite the company accepting pre-orders since November.

To add even more damage, the delay is also affecting HP, who is now showing a January 9 ship date for its ENVY x2 11t-g000 convertible tablet with a twisting touchscreen, also previously expected in November.

According to reports, Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs are responsible for the holdup, with Intel unable to get approval for the Clover Trail processors used on the Atom Z2760. The issue is reportedly related to device drivers used with the Clover Trail processors, which have caused stability headaches for Intel. Without approval, the Windows 8 tablets in question cannot be legally sold as part of Microsoft's licensing terms for its OEM partners.