It's the year of the ultrabook, and Dell's entry into the market is now available.

It's XPS 13 laptop is now available for customers in the U.S. and Canada. Dell says it has seen ‘strong demand’ for the system ever since it was first announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, and early buzz about the unit has been overwhelmingly positive: CNET referred to it as the first “Very Important Laptop” of 2012. PC World proclaimed, “It may be the best laptop Dell’s made in years” among other positive reviews.

“We’re seeing strong consumer and business demand for the new XPS 13 – a system that is unlike anything else on the market today,” said Michael Tatelman, Dell Vice President and General Manager of Americas Consumer. “The XPS 13 demands attention, crossing the realm between work and play, packing powerful technology into a small, portable package and delivering enterprise-friendly protection and security. It’s the ultimate mobile device.”

Regarding the machine's business-ready features, Sam Burd, Vice President of Dell’s Consumer, Small and Medium Business product group said, “The uncompromising XPS 13 offers professionals the power to connect, collaborate and innovate with unique features and services – like Dell ProSupport, Trusted Platform Module and Configuration Services – that satisfy the needs of enterprise IT departments.”

Weighing less than 3 pounds,the XPS 13 Ultrabook is one of the most compact 13-inch products in its class. With its razor-thin bezel, the XPS 13 maintains a footprint similar to an 11-inch product and features bonded Corning Gorilla Glass for durability.
A full-size, backlit keyboard is another nice touch.

The XPS 13 is one of the first systems with Intel Smart Connect Technology, which keeps content consistently updated. A solid state drive and Intel Rapid Start Technology allow the XPS 13 to boot in seconds providing almost instant access, saving time and battery life.

The XPS 13 comes standard with Dell's Premium Protection Package, and is available now in the United States through www.Dell.com or in Dell stores or most Best Buy stores.

Starting price is $999 with an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD hard drive and 4GB memory.
The first 10,000 customers to purchase select XPS 13 devices in the U.S. will receive a free T-Mobile 4G Mobile HotSpot and 90

More details about the machine:
· Ultrathin laptop (0.24-0.71-inch/6-18mm) and light starting at 2.99lbs
· 13.3-inh HD WLED, 300-nit (1366x768) 720p; edge-to-edge hardened Gorilla® Glass
· Precision crafted machined aluminum with a carbon fiber base
· 128 GB SSD or 256GB SSD drive option with Intel Rapid Start Technology
· Intel Core i5 2467M and i7 2637M processor choices
· Intel HD 3000 video graphics
· 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333Mhz memory
· Full size, backlit chiclet keyboard
· Glass integrated button touchpad with multi-gesture support
· 47WHr 6-cell battery offering up to eight hours, 53 minutes of battery lifev; 45W AC adaptor
· Dell ProSupport[vi] for business customers, Dell Configuration Services and Windows Trusted Platform Module options for commercial models
· Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 802.11 A/G/N and Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity
· USB 3.0 (1) + USB 2.0 with PowerShare (1), mini DisplayPort, and headset jack (1)
· Built-in 1.3MP webcam (H.264 enabled via Skype) with dual array digital microphones
· High definition audio with Waves MaxxAudio 4
· Microsoft Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
· 100GB of cloud storage through Dell DataSafe
· 12-month Skype Premium subscription

Matt Myftiu can be reached at matt.myftiu@oakpress.com.