A Dell smartphone? Pinch Me!

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123327385680231133.html' target='_blank'>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123...5680231133.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Dell Inc., aiming to rev up sales as its mainstay personal-computer business struggles in the recession, is preparing a move into cellphones as early as next month, said people familiar with the matter. The Round Rock, Texas, company has had a group of engineers working on the phones for more than a year from an office in the Chicago area, these people said. They produced prototypes built on Google Inc.'s Android operating system and Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile software, these people said."</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The rumours have been swirling for a couple of weeks now, but not with any authority behind them. Now that the Wall Street Journal has weighed in, everyone's picking up the story - I'll leave it to you to decide just how authoritative WSJ is (subscription required to read the full article). In addition, <a href="http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/is-dells-phone-called-the-mephone" target="_blank" title="AlleyInsider">AlleyInsider</a> (via <a href="http://www.unwiredview.com/2009/01/30/confirmed-dell-working-smartphone/" target="_blank" title="UnwiredView">unwiredview.com</a>) has a source that states a launch date of September 9 (09/09/09 - geddit?), and the device(s) will be called the mePhone. Around the web, we've got reactions from <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/5142507/dell-builds-prototype-android-and-windows-mobile-phones-may-finally-sell-them" target="_blank" title="Gizmodo">Gizmodo</a> and <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10153106-1.html" target="_blank" title="CNet">CNet</a>, which basically pick up on the WSJ story while <a href="http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/01/dell-to-launch.html" target="_blank" title="wired">wired.com</a> in an earlier article has additional analysis. Can we hope for an announcement at MWC (Feb 16-19)? Not long now!</p>

[benjimen]

Didn't realize WSJ Online was so 'locked-down' -- almost worth the $104 annual subscription (for the online version, not print) just to read the rest of this story ;)

[JesterMania]

So it would appear that Dell is probably evaluating using either Android or WM... It would be nice if companies made a device that offered both as a choice (i.e. flash an official ROM containing your OS of choice ;)). Wouldn't that actually work better? Imagine having a Touch HD or an Xperia X1 and flashing Android or WM at your leisure...

Either way, I'm hoping this will be a pretty powerful and impressive device. I remember their Axim X51v model had some of the best hardware at the time (VGA screen, 3D acceleration, 624MHz processor, etc.).

[ucfgrad93]

How many times are we going to hear rumors of a Dell smartphone? Quite honestly, at this point I'll believe it when I see it.

[Pony99CA]

So it would appear that Dell is probably evaluating using either Android or WM... It would be nice if companies made a device that offered both as a choice (i.e. flash an official ROM containing your OS of choice ;)). Wouldn't that actually work better? Imagine having a Touch HD or an Xperia X1 and flashing Android or WM at your leisure...
At least one of the stories I read about this said Dell would offer both Android and WM versions, not that they were evaluating both and going to pick one. That would work well for Dell if either WM goes into decline or Android fails to take off as expected, plus it allows selling to both WM and Android fans.

There's also at least one Chinese phone I've read about that will have both and the Exeda is supposed to have both, I think.

Personally, forget flashing the phones, let's have dual boot. :)

Steve