Michael Dell hints at small screen internet device

During a speech Tuesday in Tokyo, Michael Dell hinted that the company that carries his last name is interested in producing a small screen internet product like a smartphone or a mobile internet device. Dell pointed out that his company has had deals in place with the cellular carriers for the last three years relating to mobile netbooks. Dell has placed 3G radios into their computers, so producing a smartphone or mobile internet device would not seem so unreasonable according to the computer maker's founder. There already has been stories reported about Dell smart phone prototypes being turned down by the networkers due to lack of differentiation from other handsets already produced by manufacturers like HTC, Nokia, Samsung, LG and others. Dell didn't comment on that story but did comment on rumors that Dell would acquire a smartphone producer like Palm. He said that while such an acquisition remains an option for Dell to use to expand into the smartphone arena, the company's acquisitions focus is somewhere else at the moment. He also did not comment on reports in the Commercial Times that Dell has placed an order with the world's biggest electronics contract manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision Industry, to produce handsets for Dell. It looks like the computer company has been written off too soon and that with Michael Dell himself talking about getting into the business, we could soon see a line of smartphones branded with the Dell name.

source: InfoWorld