Dell Axim X3 Based on Samsung Design?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.brighthand.com/article/RumorMill_Axim_X3_Based_on_Samsung_Design' target='_blank'>http://www.brighthand.com/article/R..._Samsung_Design</a><br /><br /></div>"Last November, when Microsoft and Samsung unveiled a concept design for a sub-$200 Pocket PC, some wondered whether it would ever be anything more than a concept. However, according to an industry insider, this design is going to be the basis for the upcoming Axim X3, mentioned by a Dell executive late last year.<br /><br />On November 1, 2002, Anthony Bonadero, director of worldwide mobile products for Dell, told The Toronto Globe and Mail that his company plans to release a model with a color screen some time this year that will cost less than $150. Though Dell has said nothing more about this device, rumor has it that it will called the X3."<br /><br />Very interesting - I wonder if Dell can make the same margins going after the low-end of the market?

[Jonathan1]

8O I have officially drooled myself. :jawdrop: So small, so light, so sexy. I'm wondering if we can expect an announcement June 23rd?

[Gremmie]

I would say they could make the same profit margins. There was a series of articles outlining how dell was deligent on finding a cheap vendor.

[jpaq]

Give it a D-Pad and you've got something.......

[Chairman Clench]

Very interesting - I wonder if Dell can make the same margins going after the low-end of the market?

Sure... by selling accessories! It won't come with a case, cradle, extra stylus, etc. Look at the HP1910... $50 for a cradle? They have to be making like $35 on that. It takes a few months for 3rd parties to produce and sell accessories so Dell has time to make money without competition.

This is the same thing that printer makers are doing on the low end... the printers are cheap and the consumables are where they make their money. With PPCs, it is the accessories that allow them to make up the margins.

Also, remember that Dell doesn't have to share the profits with retailers, distributers, etc. They sell direct. They also push the extended warranties which equal more profit.

I hope the X3 is a good unit... I would like to see the cost of PPCs driven down even more. Entry-level at around $150, mid-range at around $299, high end at around $399.

[nosmohtac]

"
Very interesting - I wonder if Dell can make the same margins going after the low-end of the market?

That would be interesting to know, but I think that Dell has already shown, that it is easier to sell a milllion for a dollar, than it is to sell 1 for a million dollars. Even if their margin is less they will net more. Way to go DELL

[dh]

Also, remember that Dell doesn't have to share the profits with retailers, distributers, etc. They sell direct. They also push the extended warranties which equal more profit.

I think that is the key thing. Since all PPCs are made in the far east, the unit cost must be just about the same for all manufacturers, assuming similar specification.

The Dell distribution model with their "just in time" methods allows them to have the lowest possible selling price and they probably also keep a positive cash flow, getting the money from their customers (us) before having to wire anything to their suppliers.

The only disadvantage I see with their model is that they don't get the impulse purchases where the customer sees a unit on the shelf at a store and decides to buy it. Having said that, they seem to be doing well sales wise, so maybe that doesn't matter.

[denivan]

Very sleek, sexy and apparantly cheap design. I only wonder at what crowd this is marketed at. Even though this is really pocketable, I can't imagine a PocketPC user switching over to this and losing the D-pad, I've become so used to this that I sure would miss it (and I'm not talking about games). Maybe if it has a jog dial, that would at least make e-book reading more comfortable, I mean...who wants to tap the screen with a stylus everytime you've read a page ?

[MacBirdie]

According to my quite reliable source, the X3 will have an SD slot and probably Bluetooth or Wi-Fi built-in - either two versions or it hasn't been determined yet. :ppclove:
Some will love the X5i instead. :mrgreen:

[Timothy Rapson]

Brighthand has had lots of info on this Samsung innitiative, both in PPC and Palm OS model designs.


Hmmm... Samsung made another announcement in the past 6 months too. In March they announced that they would have an HAL for anyone who wanted to make a Palm OS model. Since many of the Palm buyers would be upgraders, they might get more people willing to buy online. I guess you could say it is an assumption that those already owning would be more likely to buy online, but I don't think it a stretch. Consider the converse, first time buyers are more likely want the security of a returns counter in case they just can't figure out how to work the thing.

http://www.brighthand.com/article/S...se_of_its_Chips


I am wondering if their proof of concept model gets manufactured nearly as originally designed with US sales by Dell, then what about the Palm OS work? Did Samsung just put that out for fun? No, add to this the comments by Dell execs at the Winter show (CES? COMDEX?) in January that their Axim was selling so well and that the X3 and X5 were coming along with "not ruling out a Palm OS model." Now, add into the mix that Samsung was surely at that same January show.

Could Dell ship the first ever PDA model what offered a choice of OS? OK, it is still such a stretch.

The original design had 32 meg of SDRAM piggybacked so that the model won't even need a place on the motherboard for RAM. I don't see support for blue tooth or wifi built onto the chip, but everything else is there. It must make for a very small package.

Wonder what happened to the phone plans? Samsung makes a ton of phones for the US market. If they offered a smart phone based on these chips and Dell or Gateway or any of their current outlets offered it for $200 with service what might that do to the phone/PDA market?


What is the bottom line?

1. Probably only 32 meg

2. It won't have the power saving features of the Intel X-Scale So it will get only 2/3 the battery life with same sized battery. That battery will almost certainly not be the 1400 mAh of the current Axims. I would not expect a swappable battery at the $150 price. Surprise me, Dell.

3. 203 MZ means that bus speed is not a factor, but this could do anything the original 32 meg Ipaqs did....those Ipaqs that some people paid $700 for...now available with an OS two generations newer and a SD slot.

4. Dell and HP selling virtually identically featured models, with Dell again at half HPs price.

[CharlesWilcox]

X5i, eh?? Do tell me more..... :D :D I have been hoping against hope that the bluetooth version will maintain the same form factor (one word, VAJA 8O ) and to me X5i sounds alot more promising in that regard than does X7.

[Chairman Clench]

Another thought...

Dell already has an established relationship with Samsung... they sell Dell-branded Samsung LCD monitors. I have one on my desk. These aren't Samsung parts that Dell bought and engineered around. They are identical to the Samsung monitors except for the Dell logos.

Sounds like the X3 could be the same idea... take a Samsung product and re-brand it as a Dell.

Dude, you're getting a Samsung!

[beq]

Bet Gateway will offer it too. Aren't the Dell X200 and Gateway (original) 200 twin ultralight models also both manufactured by Samsung (or was that someone else with an S-starting name?)

[jpaq]

In a forum earlier this week, I mentioned that MS might just be looking for a Samsung to play the same role that Sony does for Palm. Innovator with an ability to flood the market.

Maybe this was truer than I knew.

OK. Done patting myself on the back. Sorry about that.......


:bangin:

[sponge]

Why wouldn't the Samsung device not have the XScale power saving features? There's no reason that shouldn't be possible.

[MooseMaster]

I thought color screens were a standard requirement for all PocketPC2002 devices.