Dell has confirmed that their first smartphone sporting the free mobile OS from Google; the Mini 3, will be landing to AT&T. As you might remember, the Mini 3 Android handset was officially announced to go to China Mobile and Brazil’s Claro back in November.
AT&T had announced already their intentions to release 5 different Android-based devices on 1H 2010 with devices from Motorola, HTC and Dell. The Mini 3 will be Dell’s offering in the wireless carrier network, but there’s no word on the release date just yet.
Dell is not giving any information on the full specs of the Mini 3, but is only logical to assume that it will be similar to the Chinese Mini. What do you think folks, will you buy the Dell Mini 3 from AT&T? Or you don’t like the handset or AT&T’s service enough to jump ship?
Press Release:
DELL ANNOUNCES U.S. SMART PHONE DEAL WITH AT&T
· AT&T joins Dell’s growing list of leading smart phone carriers, including China Mobile and Claro Brazil
· Dell and AT&T collaborate on one of the first Android-based smart phones to run on AT&T and the nation’s fastest 3G network
· The Mini 3 smart phone reflects Dell’s continued focus on developing smart mobile products that answer the needs of today’s consumersLAS VEGAS, JAN. 6, 2010 – Dell today announced that U.S.-based AT&T will become the next mobile operator to offer a smart phone from the Mini 3 Android-based lineup. Over the past two months, Dell has established smart phone arrangements with leading mobile operators including the world’s largest, China Mobile, Claro in Brazil, and now AT&T with the nation’s fastest 3G network.
Mini 3 smart phones create an easy-to-use mobile Internet experience. The Android-based platform gives the Mini 3 optimal power, flexibility and customization opportunities for both users and operators. Collaboration between Dell and AT&T combines the very best in performance and style. And, with AT&T’s largest Wi-Fi hotspot network, and fastest 3G network, Dell and AT&T will provide today’s social media mavens with the ability to simultaneously Tweet friends, post Facebook updates, share pictures and browse the Web.
Today’s announcement builds upon Dell’s mobile strategy of delivering communications solutions for wireless operators and their dedicated customers. Dell works with select operators around the world to make the most of their customers’ mobile experiences – on any network and using any application.
The arrangement with AT&T is part of Dell’s continued focus on developing smart mobile products and services through value-added relationships with leading operators. Dell has existing arrangements with other leading global telecom providers, including Vodafone in Europe, Australia and New Zealand; AT&T in the United States; M1 and Starhub in Singapore; Maxis in Malaysia; China Mobile in China; and Claro in Brazil – each creating more opportunities to meet the needs of the connected lifestyle.
Dell has contact with and listens to the requirements of millions of customers. In addition, a recent Dell-sponsored study of more than 1,500 people provides keen insight to what makes for the best smart phone and mobile experience. Study highlights include:
· Eighty-two percent of those who own smart phones said they would not leave home without them;
· Eighty-six percent of survey respondents under age 35 say that personalized software and features on smart phones are important;
· More than half say they wish there were more smart phone options available in the marketplace;
· Seventy-six percent say they would consider new smart phone devices from a well-known technology brand; and
· Nearly 90 percent say they would consider purchasing a smart phone from a highly regarded technology company as an alternative to leading smart phone manufacturers.“Smart phones are an extension of Dell’s strategy to develop intelligent and more mobile products that meet the needs of operators and customers,” said Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions. “The Mini 3 is a result of listening to customers and creating products that allow people to do the things they want, whenever and wherever they want to do them.”
“As the leader in smart phones, AT&T makes a great match with Dell to introduce the next Mini 3,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We offer our customers what no one else can, the nation’s fastest 3G network, the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network and now, Dell’s first smart phone in the U.S.”
Details about Dell’s Mini 3 will be announced by AT&T closer to device availability expected during the first half of 2010.
[Via SlashGear]
ServerWatch has a nice article about Dell, its market position, and an in-depth look at the 11th generation of servers. The article details the entire PowerEdge line of servers, comparing target deployments, processors, operating systems, and pricing.
The Register discusses Dell’s “other server business” earlier this month by digging into the OEM Solutions Group at Dell. The Data Center Solutions (DCS) group within Dell is responsible for custom solutions sold to hyperscale data centers such as Yahoo, Amazon and Microsoft. The OEM Solutions group is apparently twice the size of DCS, according to Dell’s Rich Froehlich. Citing OEM deals such as medical equipment, kiosks, embedded controllers and various appliances, the OEM group has 1,300 customers in over 40 countries and leverages 6,000 engineers to work on design and six world-wide factories to deliver the finished goods.
Dell won the Google search appliance deal and there was a “container system in the works” reported in May 2008. That container data center was later confirmed to be used in the Microsoft Chicago container farm.
Tough server market
In tough economic times and and an even tougher server market, Dell has held its own. Gartner reportedin September 2009 that second quarter worldwide server shipments dropped 28 percent year-on-year, while revenue fell 29.4 percentage points year-on-year. Gartner lists IBM with a 32.5 percent share, HP at 28.9 percent and Dell with 13.3 percent of second quarter server revenue estimates.
For server vendor shipment estimates Gartner puts Dell second, with 23.9 percent, behind HP’s 31 percent. Data from IDC shows third quarter server sales taking a steep decline. IDC market share numbers put Dell in third place as well with a 13.5% market share. Sun was listed in fourth but it was also noted that both IBM and Dell were taking market share away due to the prolonged delay in its takeover by Oracle.
Converged data center offering
Dell spent much of 2009 building partnerships and growing all facets of its business. Partnerships were inked with Brocade and Juniper and in September Dell acquired Perot Systems for $3.9 billion. Recently Ross Perot Jr. joined the Dell Board of Directors.
Dell also maintains 16 spots on the top500 list for November 2009. Dell maintains a partnership with Cisco, but also does not see the value in their Unified Computing System. Dell’s Praveen Asthana was quoted in The Register as saying that “there’s a difference between a proprietary stack and a reference architecture. Our approach is to offer reference architectures, but we don’t restrict you to buying everything from Dell.”
Social networking saves the day
Slate’s The Big Money site had an article last week explaining how “How Dell Got Out of Hell”. Dell has made great strides from former customer relations and support issues and now has been very active in social networking. The article explains how Dell has recorded $6.5 million of sales using Twitter, using more than 100 employees tweeting through 35 Twitter feeds. The LinkedIn page for a company is always interesting to read. Dell’s shows that career paths for employees before, came from HP and IBM, and after, went to Microsoft and HP. Dell employees are most connected to Equallogic, Microsoft, CSC and Oracle.
The server side of the business will have a little bit of that spotlight taken away though, as Dell is rumored to unveil an Android based tablet at CES and last month confirmed its smart phone plans.
Dell unleashed a deluge of products and information upon us today. First up is some clarification on Dell’s Mini 3 smartphone. Though Dell announced its Android-powered Mini 3 handset and AT&T announced that it was getting a Dell handset yesterday, neither company confirmed the obvious — that the Dell Mini 3 is headed for AT&T. Thankfully, Dell came to its senses and confirmed today that the Mini 3 is indeed coming to AT&T. Dell also confirmed that it is working on a prototype 5 inch tablet, which looks curiously similar to the previously leaked Dell Streak. Rounding things out, Dell refreshed its PC and notebook lineup by redesigning its Inspiron series of PCs, introducing the sweet new Alienware M11x — a netbook-sized gaming machine, debuting an updated version of its Studio 14 notebook, and replacing the older Core 2 Duo with Intel’s latest Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. Hit the jump for the full press release and a few press photos of the prototype tablet and the new Alienware M11x.
At CES Dell Unveils First “All Powerful” Ultra Mobile Gaming System, Next Generation Smart Phones, Tablet Concepts and a New Line of Design Inspired Laptops
- Provides sneak peek of Mini 3 smart phone and a 5-inch tablet concept
- Unveils Dell’s first ultra-mobile gaming laptop with the Alienware M11x
- Announces AT&T to be next mobile operator offering the Mini 3 Android-based smart phones
- Launches redesigned Inspiron, refreshed Alienware and Studio laptops featuring Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dell is responding to people’s desire to have mobile products that help them stay connected and leverage the latest tools and services for immersive digital experiences on the go.
Today at CES 2010, Dell showcased a broad range of new products including its first ultra-mobile gaming laptop. Additionally the company provided a peek at new products, including a 5-inch tablet concept and an Android-based smart phone for AT&T, both slated for launch in 2010. Dell also refreshed its Inspiron, Studio and Alienware systems incorporating the new Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors.
From a suite at the Palms Casino Resort, Dell gave bloggers, journalists and partners an early look at the upcoming devices, further illustrating how the company is using its unique relationships with people around the world to innovate consumer electronics to be more mobile, convenient and powerful.
“We are focused on technology and solutions that help people connect and share content virtually anytime and anyplace,” said Michael Tatelman, vice president of sales and marketing for Dell’s global consumer business. “Consumers are demanding enhanced mobility in high-quality devices, and want to know they have made smart choices with their purchases.”
Dell is expanding the personal-computing space with new products to respond to and best meet the expressed needs of consumers. The new products include:
- The Alienware M11x, the most powerful 11-inch gaming laptop in the universe — as easy to carry as it is powerful, making high-performance gaming accessible to all.
- A refreshed Studio 14 laptop for individuals who create and consume digital content, combining powerful technology with features that deliver a rich multi-media experience like enhanced audio solutions and high performance high definition displays.
- New versions of the popular Inspiron PC line continue to deliver on value and personalization while incorporating Intel’s new Core i5 processors and its “smart” features such as Turbo Boost technology.
- Dell expanded on Wednesday’s announcement saying that U.S. based AT&T will become the next mobile operator to offer the Mini 3 Android-based smart phone.
Dell shared interesting results from a study of more than 1,500 people about their smart phone experiences. Among highlights: 82 percent of those who own smart phones said they would not leave home without them, while more than half of those surveyed said they wanted to choose from a wider variety of smart phones options from additional providers. For more information on the survey highlights visit Dell Official Flickr page.
The News
Alienware M11x
The Alienware M11x demonstrates the graphics power of a 15-inch laptop in an 11-inch form factor
Play all of your games and media, whether at home or away, at HD 720p resolution
With the Alienware M11x, gamers can enjoy the feel of the gaming without compromise anywhere they go
Alienware OptX™ AW2310 23″ 3D Full HD Widescreen Monitor
The 23″ Alienware OptX™ AW2310 provides an immersive stereoscopic 3D experience that takes gamers to a whole new level of extreme, ultrarealistic game play*
Enable intense stereoscopic 3D effects on hundreds of PC game titles with NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ technology
Price for monitor is $499 (NVIDIA 3D Vision Kit not included)
Alienware M17x, M15x
The most powerful 17-inch and 15-inch Alienware gaming laptops ever created
The M17x, the most powerful 17-inch gaming laptop in the universe, now offers Intel Core i7 processors combined with dual graphics to deliver extreme frame rates at HD resolutions while maxing out game settings.
The M15x delivers exceptional HD video and audio editing, 3D animation and high-end PC gaming
M17x start at $1,799 and the M15x start at $1,399
Inspiron 14, 15, 17
Redesigned Inspiron laptops full-featured and ideal for on-the-go media consumption
Now with new, thinner chassis, 16:9 aspect HD displays, SRS Premium Sound™
Available today with new turbo-charged Intel® Core™ i5 processors starting at $849.
Systems featuring the Intel Core i3 processor will be available later this month, starting at $569.
Inspiron 580, 580s
Ideal for consumers looking for great, high-value desktop computers
Best-selling desktop line gets a boost from new processors, and many models may be personalized with color choices. Prices start at $269.
Studio 14, 15, 17
Refreshed Studio laptops feature Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and are perfect for sharing photos, music and videos with friends and family.
Portable Studio 14 available in North America later this month with prices starting at $699.
Studio 15 has high-definition, 15.6-inch LED widescreen design and is rich with multimedia technology, like True HD resolutions that show off content crisply, starting at $849
Studio 17 features beautiful 17.3-inch display, with unbelievably realistic audio. Prices start at $949
Studio XPS 8100
Knock-out features for families seeking a high-performance, multi-purpose desktop computer
Replaces Studio XPS 8000 with juiced-up Intel Core i5 processor technology, new theater-quality THX® TruStudio PC™ sound and cutting-edge design. Prices start at $749
About Dell
People worldwide can buy Dell online, by phone and through more than 50,000 outlets.
*Stereoscopic 3D requires optional NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ Kit and a desktop system with Dual-Link DVI Ports and a compatible NVIDIA graphics solution. For a full list of system requirements please visit: http://www.nvidia.com/object/GeForce_3D_Vision_Requirements.html.
Yesterday, we saw Dell's Slate concept for the first time. Today, we got to actually play with it. And it's called the Mini 5.
(Btw, if you want to read yesterday's stories on the slate, check here.) Specs that we know: custom Android, SIM (it makes calls), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. And the 5-inch screen supports full multitouch. In your hand, it's very light and comfortable to use. The screen is responsive, and Dell's icon interface makes for intuitive presentation of Android. It feels a bit more like plastic than, say, the iPod touch. But it was perfectly solid from what we could tell. Making a phone call turns the Mini 5 into a gigantic phone, almost like a handset out of a Carrot Top routine, but Dell expects most consumers will opt to use a headset. The unexpectedly awesome feature? The 5MP camera. The Dell Mini 5 has a 5-inch screen, and your subject fills the entire frame. It's an oddly satisfying implementation of a camera, in a super sizing kind of way. My model wasn't connected to the web, so I didn't get to test the browser. And my hands-on time was more than limited (and frankly, a bit frantic), so I can't really speak sincerely on much else. But let me say this: I like the Mini 5. And I dare say that Dell's software—their version of Android onboard—may be equally or more impressive than the hardware itself. I'm not sure I have a need for this or any 5-inch tablet, but you know what? I'm going to give em a shot all the same.