Michael Dell pulls Mini 5 Android tablet from his parka, offers to put one in yours in 'a couple of months' (video)
By Tim Stevens 
posted January 29th 2010 7:04AM
posted January 29th 2010 7:04AM
[Thanks, Mark O.]
posted January 29th 2010 7:04AM
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I'm really liking this thing, Yes i know it's big, but it's nothing compared to a iPad.
Hope this thing gets some good community support. Bring on the Hacks!
@n0ne
/s?
@n0ne
/s?
@Giac
He meant big compared to an iPad
@NickNick no, it's small compared. Forget it you ruined it.
@n0ne
A bigger Touch would have made me happier than what we got yesterday... I like the size of this.
@Gregorian the size makes you happy?
@SewerShark
5 inches makes me happy. Sure.
I'm easily pleased.
(TWSS)
@Gregorian
Remember, it's not just the size that matters, but what you can do with it...
@n0ne After LG called the monstruous (4,8"!) GW990 a "smartphone", the Mini 5 isn't big anymore.
@n0ne this has my money waiting!
@n0ne we have a pretty benchmark of what these things should do, this doesnt look bad when compared!
@n0ne
I also like Michael Dell a whole lot more than I do Steve Jobs. One of the two is a jerk, and the other doesn't tell you what you should and shouldn't do with what you buy from his company.
This does look VERY nice. (decisions , decisions)
@n0ne
*chants prayer* Divx divx Divx Divx Divx
@n0ne
I'm way more excited over this than the iPad. It wouldn't make a great reader but for everything else, its well suited. This seems to be the device that fits well between a smartphone and a laptop or even a smartphone replacement if you have big pockets. I hope it comes to Verizon but it won't.
@crazacool Yeah, it's nice when you see that a powerful man like Dell is still just a decent and accessible regular guy. Dell feels that way; Woz feels that way; and Gates feels that way, and that's why I like that so much.
@n0ne
Michael Dell in a parka = WIN
Steve Jobs in the same contemptuous mock turtleneck = FAIL
I wonder which of these guys is more concerned with image and which is more concerned about function.
@n0ne Agree, this video only makes you want one. And the size had me concerned but seeing it in Michael's hands make me rethink that. I *do* want a bigger screen for web browsing, but it still needs to fit in my pocket and not look stupid if I hold it up to my head. Unless Michael Dell has huge hands, it seems like this might still be reasonable.
@n0ne - Is it me or does Michael Dell and Scott Brown (Ma-R) look like brothers?
@One Love I don't know. How can you compare this to the Slate that Ballmer showed which has Windows 7 on it and a 10" display?
This just looks like a big phone. If I'm going to carry around 2 devices, I want it to be worth my while and I need more real estate than that. Something that I can actually do some work on. Something I can type up reports on - browse a webpage on in comfort without having to scroll horizontally. Know what I'm saying.
This is slick, but I mean - sorry - too small.
@n0ne Those processors surely made anyone's senses perked up. If you think dell mini 10 price is a bit too much for you, its tablet version mini 5 which boast might fit into your liking. It's an oddly satisfying implementation of a camera, in a super sizing kind of way.
This will be dell's flagship for their tablet device. More Details: http://bit.ly/dell-mini-5-features
@n0ne
i know a perfect way to get downranked: you said "nothing compared to an ipad", which is meant about size, but the way i quoted it, it sounds like it sucks... anyways, mini 5 ftw, im getting one as soon as it comes out
Maybe this will have a USB port and an SD card slot. Unlike a certain other device.
@greenmonkey
I don't care! It has removeable batteery, I'm sold! :)
@greenmonkey
you forgot to mention it has flash plug in too
@greenmonkey
Even if it lacks the USB ports, I'm not complaining. My cell phone doesn't need USB ports. MicroSD on the other hand is a necessity.
Though still, if this in fact ISN'T a cell phone, I'll probably pass.
@greenmonkey It also has a front facing camera. I'm in too!
@BigJayDogg3
It is a cell-phone! Why after the iPad does everyone suddenly think nothing is a phone! arg!
@Chroma
I remember seeing posts about it having cell phone capabilities, but A) sometimes things change between prototype and shipping model, B) in no post was it said explicitly, and C) Dell has never officially said it's a phone.
Quite frankly, until Dell officially announces this thing as a cell phone, while it is high on my list, my hopes aren't outrageously high that this device won't be nerfed in some way, shape, form, or fashion.
@BigJayDogg3
In a couple of months, when Google is done with it's unification process of Gizmo5 tech and Google Voice tech, you should be able to make free phone calls when connected to a WiFi network basically blurring the line between cell phone and smart-devices (tablets, slates, netbooks, notebooks, computers... basically anything with google voice access and blue-tooth or another way to have a speaker+mic combination) more.
@d3sc3nd3ncy
That would be extremely cool, but unless I can also do this over 3G, and 3G coverage was as widespread as voice coverage, I'd still have to carry a cell phone for if/when I need to make a call on the road. And I'm still trying to reduce the number of devices I'm carrying at one time (currently carrying my iPod Touch with a camera aka iPhone 2G, and my HTC Fuze), so I'd still probably buying a mid-range to high end smart phone.
@BigJayDogg3
Dell has already announced this is a phone and the previous break downs have already proved this. This post is NOT the first info we have received on this PHONE, as we had info form late 2009...FYI.
@BigJayDogg3
Yes, actually Dell HAS said it is a phone (or has phone capabilities) in the CES interview. And looks at the guys response to carriers and the phone questions...it's a phone!
CES Interview Referenced - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf5EsGs-y4g
Go Dell!
@Verythrax
DAM RIGHT!
You know something, they should have put an Alienware look and feel to it. It wold have made us go even more nuts.
@Verythrax He's so funny! "It's got 3g, Android,....everything you want (turns it off with a magicians wave).
He knows it's the heat and he's got a winner on his hands.
After apple fail those android tablet. Are getting more interesting,just add more apps to the android
@(Unverified) If it does not exist already - what someone needs to do is make a compiler that will take iPhone developed apps and allow you just to compile them for Android. I am sure the majority of iPhone developers are using pretty clear APIs, so all that would have to be done is maintain the same API interfaces for each device.
@Anatidae - Java & Objective C have way different APIs and different programming paradigms. Cross-compilation without any manual work is pretty much impossible...
I've enjoyed my iPod Touch over the past couple of years.
A good quality Android substitute could be nice.
Work on giving it a good media player and I'll give it a serious peek when it comes out.
@Gregorian
Have I heard that it has 3G? Probably it will be doing something more that replacing your iPod Touch, don't u think?
@cherryboom : Yeah!, unlike Apple, they just use their "genius" stuff for their own profit don't they?
@notung Read what he wrote. The Android media player app still isn't very good. Its a perfectly reasonable request.
@cherryboom What's the iPad? Oh, Apple's sucked you into a big shiny screen so that they can sell you four iPod Touch's stuck together with no multitasking, camera or flash. Wow. What a concept.
Just saying that there's no sarcasm in my post. If this thing has the right software elements and the right price, then I am genuinely interested in it.
Told you PDA isn't dead!
Its nice. lets hope for removable battery
@chrislevin yea it does.
but those big icons with black background are retro looking, Dell, change that.
@chrislevin Just get some themes. :)