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View Full Version : Dude! Are you gettin' a Dell?


Ed Hansberry
09-12-2002, 02:00 PM
<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-957565.html?tag=fd_top">http://news.com.com/2100-1040-957565.html?tag=fd_top</a><br /><br />Is Dell going to make a PDA soon or not? Well, you won't have a clue after reading this article.<br /><br />• Reports have said Dell is aiming to have handhelds on its shelves for the holiday buying season. <br />• "We are considering a PDA launch for several quarters from now, but it will be a small part of our business," Rollins (Dell COO) told Reuters. <br />• Dell representative told CNET News.com that Rollins was referring to a potential Brazilian launch and that a U.S. launch would precede the launch there. <br />• "We're not in a position to say whether we will or will not have something for the holidays," <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif" /> Thanks to Foo Fighter for the link.

Evee Ev
09-12-2002, 03:42 PM
I really just wanted to be the first person to post to an article.

But, I think Dell's venture into PocketPC'ing will be pretty cool.

E.

Jason Dunn
09-12-2002, 04:22 PM
I'm hearing Q2 2003, which is a long way off my from initial estimate of before Christmas. It would seem their waiting for whatever is beyond Pocket PC 2002 OS...?

Ed Hansberry
09-12-2002, 04:25 PM
I'm hearing Q2 2003, which is a long way off my from initial estimate of before Christmas.
:cry:

Jason Dunn
09-12-2002, 04:36 PM
Let's hope my info is wrong....!? :?

PPCRules
09-12-2002, 06:54 PM
I, too, find myself anxiously awaiting a Dell PocketPC on the market. But the thought struck me, what if the 'handheld' ends up not being a PocketPC? In neither this article nor another one I read yesterday is there anything that hints at OS to be used.

I know, the bidding on an "iPaq-like" device, and the supposed order for 1.5 million units, but these were associated with the "by holiday buying season" rumors. Then if the time frame changes suddenly, maybe that deal is off.

What if a Palm device manufacturer offered to make devices for Dell at a much lower cost, thereby boosting their margin so much Dell couldn't turn them down. I know, that doesn't solve their effort to not resell Compaq or HP products, but the threat of a low cost PocketPC from the PC sales leader may have motivated someone to get Dell to do a Palm OS unit, and it could make it to market first. Which, of course, wouldn't preclude a PocketPC unit later.

The main reason Dell needs handhelds is for package deals for enterprise sales. People like us assume that means PocketPCs, but if what Palm says has any truth, maybe Dell could sell enough Palm OS units to these accounts to make it worthwhile. I'm sure Dell doesn't really care one way or another (maybe it has to have an Intel processor), just so they get the deal, and making a little extra money on that component of the deal would be attractive.

Jason Dunn
09-12-2002, 09:05 PM
It's a Pocket PC. 8)

lspinellijr
09-13-2002, 03:02 AM
when was the last time dell innovated anything besides the "direct model"

like someone else posted, this device is going to be a cheesy OEM at a low-ball price. that is the dell way.

but hey, the commercials will annoy you and you can buy it 'direct'

Ed Hansberry
09-13-2002, 05:13 AM
like someone else posted, this device is going to be a cheesy OEM at a low-ball price. that is the dell way.
Cheesy? Dell makes excellent quality PCs and laptops. If their PDA is of the same quality, it will be a good device. Give Dell credit. Lots of people were cheaper than them but total crap and Dell buried them. Packard Bell, Acer, Everex, Zeos, etc. All gone. Dell is what it is today because of a combination of quality and pricing.

ThomasC22
09-13-2002, 05:47 AM
Honestly, this topic has tested my patience with Dell to the point where I'm almost ready to stop doing business with them.

You see, I order all our companies hardware from Dell - PCs, notebooks, switches, FiberUnits, etc... Now I'm looking to deploy PDAs and I find that, even though the fact that they are manufacturing a PocketPC is all over the place, their sales force is still pushing Palm. To the point that I can't seem to get an answer as to how I can even order a PocketPC (their selling Toshibas but shipping data is "unknown" on them unlike the m515 which they can ship in volume).

When talking to my Dell Rep. (in the preferred customers division no less) about this he seems to have no idea that his company has decided to even enter the PDA Market (and he's just in charge of peripherals).

Very frustrating...

jlp
09-16-2002, 12:34 PM
like someone else posted, this device is going to be a cheesy OEM at a low-ball price. that is the dell way.
Cheesy? Dell makes excellent quality PCs and laptops. If their PDA is of the same quality, it will be a good device. Give Dell credit. Lots of people were cheaper than them but total crap and Dell buried them. Packard Bell, Acer, Everex, Zeos, etc. All gone. Dell is what it is today because of a combination of quality and pricing.

Ed,

I didn't know Acer was "burried by Dell".

Whatever this means, even if not directly. From what I can gather Acer is doing quite well.

On the other hand AST is gone, but not Acer AFAIK.

As far as the Dell PPC release date, I was quite sure they couldn't reach the Christmas deadline of 1.5 even 1.0 million units. The deal was closed around Julyand that would leave 4 months (August to November) to manufacture between 250k to close to 400k units a month, provided the manufacturer has fully tested, ready to manufacture devices. And provided the manufacturer has plants that have no other manufacturing deals to take care of right away.

A little too short, I'm afraid, I think that's the main reason.