Dell to sell Windows CE device?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-946651.html?tag=fd_top">http://news.com.com/2100-1040-946651.html?tag=fd_top</a><br /><br />Rumors have been flying about Dell possibly selling a Pocket PC device in the coming months. It appears they may have changed course, <i>slightly</i>. "Dell is looking for a manufacturer to supply about 1.5 million devices, First Albany analyst Walter Winnitzki said in a note to clients. Winnitzki cited sources as saying that Dell will turn to Taiwan's Compal for the device, which will likely go on sale in the fall and use a variant of Microsoft's Windows CE operating system."<br /><br />This doesn't mean it won't be a Pocket PC. In fact, the Pocket PC could be considered a variant of the Windows CE OS. But it could also mean they will grow their own, similar to what Casio did with the BE-300. For a company looking to get into the PDA business with a sub $300 device, going the CE route versus the Pocket PC route could make sense. As I understand the Pocket PC license, Microsoft has some minimum hardware requirements such as a microphone for voice recording, a speaker for rich audio, a 240 X 320 screen, a stereo headphone jack, 32MB flash ROM, etc. While it makes for a standard platform, it drives the price up.<br /><br />So, maybe it is a Pocket PC, and maybe it isn't. What do you think? Source: Peter West

[Andy Sjostrom]

Dell didn't build fame and fortune on building their own non-compatible PC. I interpret their success as a smart high volume implementation of using an established hardware and software standard. I don't believe Dell would have become the Dell it is today had they invented their own PC.

So, judging from history, Dell will bring a Pocket PC to market. At least that is what I am hoping. I mean how not exciting is the third party market for the BE-300...

Dell! Please, build a Pocket PC!

[JMountford]

If they're smart it will be a PPC If they aren't it won't.

It is all a moot point anyway.

My whole thought... Wjo cares? It's Dell.

I am less than enthusiastic about this.

[pradike]

If I have to watch that moron pitch a Dell PocketPC, it may first make me vomit, then get me to get rid of mine!

Seriously...my guess its a stripped-down PocketPC, and will end up costing a little more than the price point target they had hoped for, but still much lower than the mainstream $500-$600 range.

This will also (most likely) cause a price war on PocketPCs (or so I predict), just like PCs have been going through for 18 months.

Since Dell tends to have smaller drives, slower chips, and other components in their desktops, I would NOT expect a screamer in their PocketPC,...maybe they'll come with 206Mhz chips only, to keep the cost down, especially since the prices on those has been dropping.

[JMountford]

"Dude you're gonna get a Dell...Pocket"

I would love there to be a PPC Price War. This will not result in one though. I agree with Pradike. This will be a 206 MHz machine. There are already so many of those now, one can barely keep track. The PP on these is already hitting the 300 mark so this will not matter.

Now when different companies start making the same components like Processors then we will see Price Drops.

[ThomasC22]

Dell didn't build fame and fortune on building their own non-compatible PC. I interpret their success as a smart high volume implementation of using an established hardware and software standard. I don't believe Dell would have become the Dell it is today had they invented their own PC.

So, judging from history, Dell will bring a Pocket PC to market. At least that is what I am hoping. I mean how not exciting is the third party market for the BE-300...


I think you hit it on the head here. I mean, Dell has no experience making a PDA whatsoever and their going to design their own Operating System? Doubtful. Dell barely has any software development experience if you think about it (just enough to make their restore CDs) and as much as they might want to own this market I doubt they're going to hire a whole new staff to make it happen.

Bottom line: Dell is a copy cat manufacturer, that IS their business model and I doubt they'll change their religion for the PDA market.

[Sven Johannsen]

Microsoft has some minimum hardware requirements such as......a speaker for rich audio

By whose standard is a 1/4 inch speaker ever going to deliver rich audio? :roll: They should at least require two of them....for stereo :)

[Steven Cedrone]

Does anyone know just how well the BE-300 is selling?

If Dell is getting into the PDA market, it is because they smell a good profit. I think they are looking at Pocket PC sales volume vs. a BE-300 type device sales volume. Because of this I would tend to think it will be a Pocket PC.

Just my .02

Steve

[Ed Hansberry]

By whose standard is a 1/4 inch speaker ever going to deliver rich audio? :roll: They should at least require two of them....for stereo :)
Well, it is rich compared to what many other PDAs have to offer. "beep" "beep" "ding" :lol:

[Foo Fighter]

I would bet money that Dell's handheld will indeed be based on PocketPC.

Dell centers its products on industry standard platforms and technologies. A generic CE derivative is not a standard. Just look at the "success" of Casio's BE-300. That should be enough to scare off any vendor. My only real concern is how good Dell's first attempt will be? They have fallen flat on their face in some markets, like the Internet Appliance space. Anyone remember WebPC? That was total bomb.

Dell may learn a very hard lesson: PDAs have more in common with the cell phone market than the PC market. In handheld space, design, style, ease of use, and price are all decisive factors in who lives..and who dies. Batten down the hatches Mike...you're in for a bumpy ride!

[Ed Hansberry]

Batten down the hatches Mike...you're in for a bumpy ride!
Dude! Who's Mike? :scatter:

[ThomasC22]

Batten down the hatches Mike...you're in for a bumpy ride!
Dude! Who's Mike? :scatter:

God Ed, Basketball player, bunch of championship rings, what cave have you been living in! :onfire:

P.S. I think he meant Michael D.

[Foo Fighter]

Dude! Who's Mike? :scatter:

Oh...just some filthy rich Jewish guy from Texas. I think he owns a computer company, or something. :P

[GadgetDave]

Dell's not dumb. They're not a technology company - they'll tell you that themselves. Their specialty is making good products efficiently and cheaply --

I'll bet it's a PPC device, and has enough bells and whistles (64MB, slots, maybe Xscale, maybe WiFi?) to compete with the IPAQs of the world. They'd love to beat the "Compaq" device at it's own game. At the very least, it will be as good and it will also be cheaper. That's the way they work.

[dochall]

Whether Dell do a Casio-alike or not (thought I would think not - why would they want to support a non standard os) I think the problem here is that they could.

Imagine the scene in a retail store (ok won't happen for dell but could or another OEM). Customer goes through a Handspring (that runs PalmOS), Palm (that runs palm os), Clio (that runs palm os). Nice and simple. Turns to this not-quite a pocket pc. 'Well this isn't quite a Pocket PC but it's based on Windows CE which is like the base of pocket pc, but that next one is a Pocket PC which is another Windows CE variant.'

I think that such a conversation can only confuse the customer and probably make them question these different platforms that this microsoft has. Ultimately possibly forcing them into the one that has the standards (palm).

I understand the flexibility of CE and can perfectly understand Microsofts strategy in being able to deliver variants across a range of different types (wrong word but Auto, PDA, etc) of hardware but allowing variants within type will ultimately hurt them in the consumer market which they may care less about but is a market that does need to be looked after.

[Ed Hansberry]

P.S. I think he meant Michael D.
DOH! I thought he was talking about his buddy Steve! :oops:

[cwharper]

I'd like to see someone like Dell come in with a "minimal" PocketPC that you could afford to give to a high school student. Kind of a starter model. Think along the lines of Apple all those years ago - get 'em started early and then they'll want the real thing when they grow up....

[Foo Fighter]

I'd like to see someone like Dell come in with a "minimal" PocketPC that you could afford to give to a high school student. Kind of a starter model...

I agree 100+%. This could be the deal breaker that pushes PPC into the mainstream; a really nice, credible, entry level category. So far, the only "affordable" PocketPC hardware we've seen are old discontinued models. That's not going to cut the mustard...especially when the market is beginning to heat up with low-priced color PalmOS hardware.

It's time for Microsoft and its partners to put up...or shut up. :x

[Take1]

Yeah, make a low end unit and get some sit-com brat to sponsor the release and do a Palmish contest thing with Doritos or Pop Rocks or something. If Dell makes it able to play .mp3s, they could include an Eminem song on an 8 MB MMC card with 'Parental Advisory' stuck on it and you'll sell 'em like hotcakes.


Dell should also do a revolutionary 'limited edition' PDA that will have more features than the competition. Do something that will create a splash like the iPAQ did when it first came out -- how much free press did Compaq get simply because the media loved the way it looks (even though they still thought it was a Palm 'Pilot').

[Kirk Stephens]

I personally love Dell computers, I buy all of my desktops through them. What I like about them is that they make quality products. If Dell were to produce any handheld I would expect a well-made, quality device.

Also, I think that if Dell produced a Pocket PC, it could really push Pocket PCs in general into the limelight. I can already picture that annoying kid Steven on TV preaching to people about how they should get a dell Pocket PC. :lol:

[Will T Smith]

I would be willing to bet alot that Dell has some VERY SPECIFIC feedback from large corporate consumers regarding exactly WHAT they will pay for large PocketPC deployments.

If Dell cannot sell these across large enterprises, then they really aren't interested.

My guess is that it will look ALOT like a Jornada. Practical, basic, functional, professional aesthetics.

[ThomasC22]

I would be willing to bet alot that Dell has some VERY SPECIFIC feedback from large corporate consumers regarding exactly WHAT they will pay for large PocketPC deployments.

If Dell cannot sell these across large enterprises, then they really aren't interested.

My guess is that it will look ALOT like a Jornada. Practical, basic, functional, professional aesthetics.

Actually, not only big companies, yours truly was given the 20 question treatment by his Dell rep just the other day (My company has about 200 computers so we qualify for the Prefered customer program but we aren't big as far as Dell is concerned).

I was encouraged by a lot of the questions he asked and especially encouraged when he said almost every respondent had listed an integrated screen cover as one of the main selling points.

[GadgetDave]

Dell should also do a revolutionary 'limited edition' PDA that will have more features than the competition. Do something that will create a splash like the iPAQ did when it first came out -- how much free press did Compaq get simply because the media loved the way it looks (even though they still thought it was a Palm 'Pilot').

Dell's splash will be price and "enterprise" features (deploy tools? something else?). You can bet they've done their research and would love to beat on Compaq (I mean HP) in this market, too ...

[HR]

What I like about them is that they make quality products.Hmhh???

Have you used a Dell laptop recently? Mine is built so cheaply. But I got it not for the quality, but because of their service; I don't care that I had to send it 5 times in 2 years. I got it back within a day.

[Foo Fighter]

Have you used a Dell laptop recently? Mine is built so cheaply.

It may have something to do with the fact that Dell doesn't build laptops.

[Ed Hansberry]

Have you used a Dell laptop recently? Mine is built so cheaply.

Inspiron? Sure. that is built for price. I have a 3.5 year old Inspiron 3500 and its quality is OK.

Latitude? That is a different story. I have a 5 year old Latitude that still sees service, though its aging P-233 processor and 128MB RAM limit has relegated it to occasional use for people without laptops in the office.

I am on my third personal Latitude (512MB, 1.2GHz) and refuse to by anything but Latitudes for the office. Fantastic product.

[HR]

Toshibas and IBMs are way superior to Lattitdue. Just look at the materials and fit and finish - no comparison (And don't get me stated on the sound system...).

[mscottsimon]

Toshibas and IBMs are way superior to Lattitdue. Just look at the materials and fit and finish - no comparison (And don't get me stated on the sound system...).

Ack! Then you haven't looked at any recent Latitudes. The fit-and-finish is top notch. Also, ask any IT professional who's used IBM laptops what his falloff rate is, then ask the same of one who uses Latitudes. I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader. :wink:

Scott

[Ed Hansberry]

Toshibas and IBMs are way superior to Lattitdue. Just look at the materials and fit and finish - no comparison (And don't get me stated on the sound system...).
Don't know about the sound system. The Latitude has plenty adequate for presentations and if you need better, use external speakers anyway.

I got rid of my last toshiba several years ago except for one still used in the plant, and our last IBM left the building last summer.

[HR]

A good friend of mine got a top of the line Lattitude (as of half a year ago). I am not impressed and he is far from happy with it. Just my opinion. Generally, I like Dell. As I mentioned before, I will always buy a Dell (especially desktops). Now let's see how many iterations they'll need before they can produce a great PPC.

[Dell Dude]

Duuuuuudes! Dell is in the howwwwze! I've been itching to tell everyone about this new Dell Pocket PC but my handlers wouldn't let me out of my cage. But now you know the truth my funky brothers! Dell rulez! :D

[Foo Fighter]

Ok, thanks Ed, Jason, Marlof..or whomever else may have registered that user profile. That was so funny, I almost laughed. :?

Now I am overcome with nausea. :P

[Ed Hansberry]

Ok, thanks Ed, Jason, Marlof..or whomever else may have registered that user profile.
I thought it was you Foo. :lol: