The Skinny On Dell's 'Adamo' Laptop

While the company told The New York Times that it won't comment on rumors or speculation, reporter Ashlee Vance said a Dell executive's reaction to the buzz painted a different story.

"Most telling of all might have been the reaction of Michael Tatelman, Dell's vice president in charge of consumer sales and marketing, to my question about whether or not Dell had an Air-like product in store," Vance wrote. "Mr. Tatelman's mouth gaped open and his eyes darted away from my face. If looks could reveal product dimensions, then I'd guess that Dell's going even thinner and lighter than Apple."

"After a couple of moments, Mr. Tatelman said, 'I think we need to get some iconic products out there, so people associate Dell's brand with other things,'" Vance wrote.

Code-named Adamo, the sleek laptop will go head-to-head with Apple's MacBook Air, reports Engadget. It is black and silver, similar to the XPS 13, but has a different overall design.

Adamo is reportedly is going to be marketed as the "world's thinnest laptop." The laptop had been set for a fourth quarter 2008 release but is now expected to be unveiled in February.