Michael Dell does/doesn't confirm Dell smartphones

Depending upon which source you believe, Michael Dell either directly commented on Dell's smartphone plans or just hinted at them. DigiTimes has Michael Dell paraphrased as saying in Taipei that Dell will not delay its smartphone lineup and is on schedule to release devices in line with its internal roadmap. The IDG news service, however, has him in Tokyo just hinting at smartphones. "It is true that we are exploring smaller screen devices," said Dell, adding, "We don't have any announcements to share today but stay tuned as when we have new news we will share that with you." Mr. Dell also mentioned Dell's carrier agreements already in place for the 3G radios Dell ships in it laptops. As such, "it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect that we would have smaller mobile Internet devices or smartphones in the future." Look Michael, just spit it out. We don't care how dull they look -- we know you're probably going after the big, fat chewy center of corporate market share here. Just don't call it the Ditty Talker and we're cool.

Read -- Dell on schedule with smartphones
Read -- Dell hints at smartphones

[Darrell @ Mar 24th 2009 8:00AM]

I don't see why you'd want to enter the cellphone market. Its filled with competitors and you would have a tough time taking on Apple, HTC, RIM, etc. on name alone, let alone dell's name. If the rumors are true, and cellphone carriers really turned them down, then I don't see why you'd invest the R&D to make the phone.

[KarlW @ Mar 24th 2009 8:23AM]

Agree. Especially as it appears Dell has nothing to offer the phone market.

The key to making a successful product is not to make a bland product and hope branding power will sweep it to money-printing heights. It's about quality - you have to do something well - RIM did email really well, the iPhone did web browsing and media really well.

If you don't offer anything new, you're not getting my money.

[Dave95 @ Mar 24th 2009 10:28AM]

It really should be an embarrassment to DELL that the carriers turned them down (rumored). This is a market that they won't be able to just enter only to water-down, with me-too cheapo quality smart-phones.

[RoboDan @ Mar 24th 2009 7:39PM]

Does it have a user-replaceable battery?

$100 on No

$500 on No one will buy it or use it even if it's won in a contest

[ben @ Mar 24th 2009 8:02AM]

Remember when dell got into the mp3 player game? Yeah, same thing's going to happen here--crappy derivitive products that are going to mostly ignored and phased out as a failure in a couple of years. For some companies, being able to slap together parts in a computer doesn't exactly translate well into being able to make a good portable device.

[Freakin Ijit @ Mar 24th 2009 8:05AM]

I don't see why folks simply don't believe apriori that Dell is/has been talking to Taiwanese ODMs for quite some time about making smartphones for them.

Seriously, do people REALLY believe it is more cost-effective to spend multiple BILLIONS of dollars on a company like Palm rather than to simply contract with Foxconn or HTC or someone?

Really?

[Carl @ Mar 24th 2009 8:16AM]

I can't imagine anyone who would want a Dell phone. Maybe the people with axioms but thats probably it.

Ugh, now i keep noticing the dell logo on my monitor. There we go, sticky note to the rescue.

[mcatrage @ Mar 24th 2009 8:21AM]

This article so needed a Schrodinger's cat reference.

[chaosrain @ Mar 24th 2009 8:46AM]

I don't understand how everyone's been calling Dell's efforts derivative and not interesting enough. I don't know of another handset that runs WinMo side-by-side with Android. I'd love such a platform because it would allow me to continue to have the rock-solid foundation of WinMo letting me RDC/TS into my home PC's and install older programs I've already purchased while opening up the phone to the Android app store, etc.

Oh, and I do have an Axim. One of the best mini-PC's ever made. Good power, nice memory, very flexible.

[Peter @ Mar 24th 2009 11:23AM]

Wow. I guess there's a market for everything. Talk about Innovators segment...

[robmclaughjr2000 @ Mar 24th 2009 9:45AM]

Maybe he can sell them to Russia.. Then again, he should buy Apple and give the money back to it's shareholders first.

[blurry @ Mar 24th 2009 11:23AM]

He cant afford it remember.

[lookoutmtnak @ Mar 24th 2009 12:42PM]

haha I still have a Axim x51v that Dell dropped support for. Now why would you want to buy a dell hand held if you know they will stop supporting it when its not convent for them anymore.
I wish they just kept up with giving us support for moblie 6.+ BUT NOOO i have it laying around cluttering my desk to remind me how i got screwed... i love the article pic.
Its like a r e m i n d e r .
Engadet you rock Ty

[Travis @ Mar 24th 2009 2:45PM]

Looks pretty poor

[HektikLyfe @ Mar 24th 2009 2:49PM]

Just don't dial 411...I'll tell you exactly where your call will be redirected...

(trolling.)

[HektikLyfe @ Mar 24th 2009 2:51PM]

I'm just bitter about that 51v brick I have in my collection and the Dimensions with swollen capacitors.

Their latest laptops are nice enough and I'm currently eyeballing the Mini. I guess I didn't learn my lesson.

[gerrrg @ Mar 24th 2009 3:16PM]

Well, if it's priced like Adamo, I can see why phone companies would balk.