Is Dell Prepping a New Fancy Line of Notebooks to Tackle Apple?

Gadget sites are speculating that Austin computer maker Dell may be prepping a new line of fancy machines, marketed under the name "Adamo," to compete with Apple in the luxury computing market.

The system maker, currently known more for its business-friendly desktops and notebooks rather than its design sensibilities, quietly shared some "early marketing collateral" to a publication about luxury goods. When NYTimes blogger Ashlee Vance queried Dell VP Michael Tatelman about the possibility of the company unveiling a Macbook Air-type product, Vance claims that "Mr. Tatelman’s mouth gaped open and his eyes darted away from my face."

After regaining his composure, Tatelman was reported to have hinted, "I think we need to get some iconic products out there, so people associate Dell’s brand with other things."