Dell preparing to release a smartphone affectionately called the MePhone?
Dell smartphone rumors surface again, this time courtesy of the Wall Street Journal. People “familiar with the matter” claim that Dell is poised to jump into the mobile handset market as early as next month. The company has reportedly been working on two prototypes, one a full touchscreen and one a slider that runs either Windows Mobile or Android. Dell’s is rumored to have spent much of last year contacting suppliers, carriers and Asian handset makers in order to prepare for a smartphone release. At the same time the Wall Street Journal published its article, SAI published its own inside information on the Dell smartphone. According to its sources, the Dell smartphone will be known as the “MePhone”, which hopefully is the code name and not the final product name. The Dell phone will focus on customization and is expected to be released on September 9th, 2009 (9/9/09).
Though the idea of a Dell-branded smartphone has been downplayed by Dell in the past, the rumor does have some credence as the company has experience in building mobile devices. The Dell Axim, in particular the X50v and X51v, were groundbreaking when released in 2005/2005 and that line is still widely popular amongst PocketPC enthusiasts even though Dell ceased production almost two years ago. Dell also has Motorola’s Ron Garriques, former head of Motorola mobile handset division, on their smartphone team. Let us also not forget Zing, a encompassing tool to deliver multimedia to your mobile device. Dell also purchased Zing in 2008 and has failed to utilize this asset in any of its devices. What better place for it to be used than on a new smartphone? Though the evidence is compelling, don’t get your hopes up too high as these plans are supposedly tentative and Dell can scrap them at any time. We will have to wait until MWC 2009 or even CTIA to see if Dell makes a surprise appearance and wows us with what we hope will be a stellar offering.
[Via Silicon Alley Insider]
Hope they are as nice as the PDA’s they use to make.
That sound is Apple shaking in their boots.
LMAO – if Dell isnt bankrupt by year-end that will be the even bigger news.
Mephone = iPhone
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Dearborn MI, 48126
Why does it take so long to get a phone to market? Are they so clueless they have to float ideas to see what people think?
MePhone? I guess “DittyPhone” and “SuperSuckPhone” were already taken.
lmao @ “mephone”……..
Oh please. And no doubt Rob Enderle is consulting with them, as he did for their MP3 effort that never made it to market last year?
He will no doubt convince them they can beat Apple. Then when the horror of reality hits them shortly before release, they’ll drop it. Knowing they can never compete with Apple or RIM. Windows Mobile is dead in the water. What hope is there for them? Android? Might be their only chance to get a small slice of the pie.
^Dell + Android _could_ be a great combination. Will it happen? I’m not even thinking of holding my breath!
A Dell Phone will not suck…
Just as long as it:
1.) is not using Windows Mobile
2.) is not tied to T-Mobile or Sprint
3.) doesn’t look like a toy
4.) is thin
5.) has MMS, Video Recording, Copy/Paste, Universal Contact Groups, etc…
I’m actually hoping for a WM Phone. I wonder if any of the people yelling for Andriod has ever used it. It’s pretty shitty. IMHO
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Huntsville AL, 35805
I don’t think it will be a WinMo device. They seem to have taken to Nokia Devices. It more than likely will be an open source device that will be competitive in todays mobile world. As well as something that will be a different area and out of the range of most competitors.
There are many WinMo devices. Android and Linux are getting alot of rave now. Symbian is the only device that alot of people are looking at and is versatile to any PC but, so far only Nokia is making and backing the devices. Not to mention Nokia for years has been number one in mobile sales although, the Symbian OS has not been widely adopted in the US.
Makes for a good candidate. The US just needs someone with a large and trusted brand name to back in the PC World. Who else is better at this point?
Will it be compatible with a Zune?
What I would really like to see is instead of another iWannabe clone or iWannabe killer that we added features to spike the iWannabe maker. I want something that “breaks the mold” like the iPhone did – but better and pushing the limits more.
1.) 100% true 64bit architecture multicore platform.
2.) 4″ 16:9 OLED screen with 720p resolution.
3.) Silver-Zinc battery.
4.) Custom OS, full 64bit, QNX’s modularity and permissions with BSD’s panache.
5.) 100% Standards compliant.
Dell should make both CDMA and GSM variants running Android and bundle them with their computer/monitors. They could even incorporate charging docks into their desktops as an additional cute touch. If the phone was even reasonably competent they could clean house.
Scott has a point, don’t alienate a specific network or brand but after seeing the success on other carriers I don’t think that’s likely
very original Michael “mephone”
The first company to produce a REALLY good looking Android device…for a reasonable price…is likely to sell boatloads…Dell included!
Dell’s Sept date seems a bit late though. HTC, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Asus, Lenovo, Huawei, Garmin and others also have plans to deliver Android devices in 2009, so Dell really needs to get moving.
^Agreed! If Dell wants to assume a leader position where Android is concerned, they cannot sit back and watch others enter, hoping they can learn from others’ mistakes. Time to suit-up and LEAD, not follow, Dell. This is not a time for the faint-at-heart.
Coincidentally, that’s the same lesson WinMo needed to have learned _yesterday_.
should be the ‘meetoophone’
I would love to see some real competition in the smart market. No one really has right yet. I’d like to see the following in a smartphone:
1) At least a 3.5″ VGA or better display.
2) Quad Band GSM and Quad band UMTS 850, 1700, 1900, and 2100. In this way the phone could work on AT&T and T-Mobile in the USA and Europe and elsewhere.
3) A QWERTY keyboard that slides out the bottom or the side. Keys should give tactile feedback.
4) Size about the size of an I-Phone.
5) Battery that can be replaced without removing the back (look at the HTC Blue Angel).
6) 3.5mm Headphone jack near the top.
7) Should be able to run two operating systems – Android and Windows Mobile.
If someone comes out with an unlocked phone asI describe, it will blow away all other phones.
I definitely didn’t see this one coming. Well Dell, if your going to make a phone, I really hope you look at all devices out currently and just make a better product. Because it will be extremely disappointing if you dont.
Does anyone know what cell carrier will have this new phone?
As announced recently, Dell will start with China Mobile (500 million customers) and Claro (41 million customers in Brazil, and presence in most Latin America countries). Not a clue about the U.S. Carriers yet.