Dell to launch Android and Windows Mobile phones
New reports indicate that PC Giant Dell will be rolling out not one, but (count 'em) two new smartphone handsets in the short term – as soon as next month. Now here's the weird part, Dell is said to be preparing handsets for both the Android and Windows Mobile operating systems. Talk about hedging your bet.
Following rumors going back as far as July 2007, the Wall Street Journal announced this morning that Dell will introduce in February at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona two new mobile phones, set to go head to head with market leaders Apple and Research In Motion.
The MePhone (hopefully, that's just a code name) will come in all-touchscreen and slide-out keyboard versions, but what's not clear is which model will run which OS or if they're interchangeable. The phone is due to ship in September and carrier partners have not been announced.
Hopefully the latest competition to the iPhone will motivate Apple to continue to innovate and bring new features to market a little faster (nudge, nudge). It's been a while since anyone has trotted out the tired "iPhone killer" phrase, and I don't think that the MePhone will earn the distinction. Anyone remember Dell's DJ Ditty music player?
Update: I hope that it doesn't come out looking like the Alien Android concept pictured above.
What's your take? Can Dell get the smartphone right?