07-03-2002, 08:57 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
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Dell aims at volume consumer market
http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2002/07/02&pages=01&seq=2
This article provides some rumorous, unconfirmed information about the bidding to put Dell on the PDA bandwagon. It looks like Dell is aiming for a retail price below $300, which would position their Pocket PC in a low-end volume market. I sincerely welcome that approach, since we have zero players there. The article names iPAQ maker High Tech Computer (HTC) as well as Wistron, Compal Electronics and Mitac International as bidders. Bidders are said to have backed off initially because of the low margins a sub-$300 device would bring.
Is it possible to build an attractive sub-$300 Pocket PC, that can sell in volume and not getting a bad rep for low quality? What would its specifications be, do you think? (Thanks to Michael van Oosten and Duncan for the link!)
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07-03-2002, 09:20 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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Dell have been arrogant - pure and simple! Waiting around while everyone else builds up the market then asking other companies to do all the thinking for them on this Pocket PC - not a good way to do business.
Yes - I know Dell are huge! But Michael Dell has poured scorn on every new idea that's come along - and then promised people only what his company does already! 'Decline and Fall of the Dell Empire' - coming to a bookshop near you in, say, 3 years...
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07-03-2002, 10:42 AM
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07-03-2002, 10:59 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
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Oh, please! Not another Register article...
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07-03-2002, 01:38 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 335
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What I'd like for $300...
Before we get into character assaination....
Here's what I'd like to see in a $300 machine.
* Screen
3.5" to keep down cost - Cleartype compatible.
* Memory
32MB minimum - 64MB if at all possible
* Expansion
Multiple SD card slots (2 minimum) to cover Bluetooth, WiFi (Soon)
CF would cost too much in size/cost/complexity of build
* Case
Keep it small - small border around display.
Plastic is fine. I have my iPaq in a leather case at all times.
Make buttons a simpler touch panel rather than physical buttons.
Add a side mounted scroll/select/cancel controls.
Integral screen cover would be nice.
* Battery
As larger a capacity as you can make...
* CPU
XScale running at 200+MHz
* Remove IR, and MIC (Microsoft may complain... so make them an add-on).
Just my 2c
PS. This is being typed on a very nice DELL laptop.
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07-03-2002, 02:37 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 19
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At this point I think a low end PocketPC should have the following:
* 3.5" 4k color reflective screen
* 1000 mah battery
* Low end x-scale chip running at 200 mhz
* 1 SDIO slot for expansion
* 4 hard application buttons, record button, and a 5 way cursor button to meet PocketPC standards
* Built-in speaker and microphone to meet PocketPC standards
IMHO a low end PocketPC should not have all of the bells and whistles of the higher end models (i.e. 64k color transreflective backlit screen, dual expansion slots, higher capacity battery, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPRS, etc...) but it still needs to meet the minimum PocketPC specs.
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07-03-2002, 02:54 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 481
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I'd say the size and specs of the Toshiba e310 are the minimum requirements. With retailer discounting, I think that price could get close enough to $300 that something less of a machine than that would not be accepted well.
I think 206MHz StrongARM would be fine on a first offering, if it arrived by the end of the year. Xscale excitement is over until units with new version OS come out.
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07-03-2002, 02:55 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 974
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Duncan! Never knew you had such harsh feelings towards Dell - you are right on innovation, but there is a certain strategy that Dell has used to exploit the market and that has to be applauded - whether you like Mike or not;
They sit and wait and watch and then pounce - and when they pounce they usually (more than othrs) have their act together which is more than others can say (and do).
Having said that I would put a new device like this at where HTC's o2 device is now - without the phone edition of course.
Dell is known for their configurability - build your own system - so I would certainly start with a base and then allow for increased internal memory, upgrade to a X-Scale and upgrade to a higher screen quality...
Still waiting for the LOOX... *sigh* :?
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07-03-2002, 03:39 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 121
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Can you say Audiovox Maestro?
Sub $300 that rocks!
heyday
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07-03-2002, 04:52 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,466
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Duncan
...then asking other companies to do all the thinking for them..[snip]...not a good way to do business.
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Well, this is exactly how the notebook PC market works! Dell doesn't build PC portables, no PC maker does. They are all designed and built by Asian firms...usually Taiwan based companies like HTC and Wistron. In fact, Dell's Inspiron models are built by the same company that builds Apple's iBook.
I often laugh whenever someone claims that Dell's laptops are more reliable than a Compaq, when in fact they are made by the same manufacturer.
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