Dell plays the part of Scrooge with Venue Pro delays

Today is 14 December and I expected to have already received a shipping notice with delivery originally scheduled for tomorrow for my Dell Venue Pro. However, visiting the Dell website to check my account now shows that the order is "in production" (which it has since day one) with a new estimated delivery date of 6 January 2011. I am beginning to wonder if the Dell Venue Pro is a device that looks better on paper than in actuality and think I will go ahead and cancel my order and keep my HTC HD7 as my WP7 device.

Buyers could pick up the Dell Venue Pro back on Windows Phone 7 launch day on 8 November at local Microsoft Store locations. However, I understand from those who purchased them that there were issues with the device and many of these people returned them. The problems with the hardware are documented in this Dell Venue Pro support forum. There were issues with the SIM card, WiFi radio, and more.

I used to buy Dell Axim Pocket PCs and understand that Dell shipping estimates are never very accurate with them usually delivery before the date they state on the website. We are now a month and a half past the first date of availability of the device and it will be two months past launch day before the first orders from the website are scheduled for delivery. This tells me there are some major issues with the device and I am not willing to play the beta test game with this device for $500 given that the HD7 is a fine alternative and I am sure we will see more about WP7 devices at CES in a couple of weeks. How come Dell is having so many issues while HTC, Samsung, and LG are able to get Windows Phone 7 devices out and into the hands of buyers?

Anyone else throwing in the towel with the Dell Venue Pro?