Tablets are very hot these days, especially after the launch of the iPad. Netbooks used to be quite hot, though there are signs that the market as a whole is slowing down a bit. Still, it’s not a surprise to see companies such as Dell working on convertible netbook tablets to offer their customers the best of the both worlds. Lenovo and ASUS have already shown how the concept would work. Dell seems to be interested in a similar device. At least if a leaked Dell product roadmap by Android Central is to be believed.

Credit: Android Central

Dell Athens will have a 11 inch screen and is likely to feature an ARM processor. Athens is expected to have a 1024 x 768 pixel screen, making it much for flexible when it comes to rotating the screen. Other than that, it’s tough to predict what Dell has up to its sleeves. That’s not the only product that Dell seems to be working on at this point. Dell Sparta, which also runs an ARM processor, is going to be in a more direct competition against the iPad.

Can Dell deliver big when it comes to innovating and challenging top dogs such as Apple? The company has not been that successful in the past, so it remains to be seen whether Dell can come up with a decent challenger to the iPad.