Android News
Dell Mini 5: Awesome new details emerge
February 27, 2010 | by Ed Clark
Android, Android Devices, Dell, MID, Rumors
A few weeks ago, Androinica had a short post about the Dell Mini 5 tablet. We speculated that the machine would be a competitor to the iPad, but details were scarce and Michael Dell only confirmed a few features in the brief video shot by Tech Crunch. These included the fact that the machine would have 3G capabilities and an outward facing camera. Mr. Dell dodged questions about the processor, pricing, and launch date.
Recently, a few more specific details have come to light in a recent article by Wired magazine that should make Android fans even more excited. These include:
- Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity
- A Qualcomm Snapdragon 1-GHz processor
- 5-inch screen (16:9 ratio) with Flash included
- A 5-megapixel camera on the back, and a separate front-facing camera (for video conferencing)
- A standard 3.5-mm headphone jack
Of course, having Flash means the tablet will ship with the latest Android OS. So add Google Earth and Live Wallpapers to the things this little friend will be able to do for you.
Neeraj Choubey, general manager of Dell’s tablets division promises that the iPad is indeed a target, and that folks turned off by the small size of the Mini 5 (a plus for some) will have other options as well. “We are going to have a family of tablets. The first one is a 5-inch screen, but we want to scale that up to a variety of screen sizes.”
Wow. Get ready, iPad. It seems that all the critical things that Apple left off of their machine (besides a giant screen) will show up on Dell’s version. In the end, people will want to do things like make video calls to their friends and relatives, watch Flash videos (90% of video content on the internet), and be able to use multiple applications simultaneously. And the advantages of the gigantic iPhone app market is not so clear as it once was: the Android Market has over 30,000 apps already, and is growing faster than any other app market.
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
More about this app
sounds like its ticks all the boxes, whens release?
Sorry–all I have is the standard "in few months" timeline. I suspect that it might depend on when Flash 10.1 is ready for Android (just a guess).
All these companies trying to target iPad are stupid. You have to release your product before iPad with a better bang. Else only geeks like us will care about your products, and everybody else will go to iPad, altough it is much worse compared to all these Pads
. Just bad marketing. The only thing Dell can make is make it cheap, but I doubt they will.
Unlike the ipad, you can use this as a phone. 5" screen isn't a tablet in my opinion. It's a phone with a kick ass screen.
DD, no offense, but a phone with a 5" screen is a terrible phone. Most people doing video conferencing are going to do so over a LAN, not a cellular network.
Wooowww !! It can't get better than this for tablet form. Now as a smartphone will this do well on call quality, speakerphone, sms .. all things phone (since tablet stuff is clearly covered) !!?? Can't wait to see this side (smartphone) of the tablet-phone. iPad shouldn't even be compared because it comes under a different category … the iPad should, if at all, be compared to netbooks and here too I suspect it will lose.
As for Dell – its got a scorcher of a device. Brace yourself for this baby
I don't know if the Dell mini is big enough. It's not that much bigger than the iphone and with the iPhone I don't need to carry 2 devices with me, it's a phone and pda.
My recent post HP introduces new touch-enabled PCs
the mini 5 is a phone as well…not to mention the mini 5 has 2.5x the screen real estate of the iphone (by pixels)…i'd hardly call that "not much bigger"
Dell is aping Archos, not Apple. Get real you ignorant Apple fanboys. The iPad is dead before it even rolls out. Dumb form factor, no multitasking, no Flash, no ANYTHING. King Steve has lost his mind. Archos has a winner in the 5A (RELEASED – not ANNOUNCED or RUMORED)and is rolling out larger versions while getting the software cleaned up (past tense – the software works GREAT) getting behind on supply of the 5A.
If Dell doesn't release something soon to catch up, Archos is the new Apple.
no way… Archos has sh*t for customer service… they are in France!
Don't say Flash is 90% of the video on the internet. YouTube is probably more than 10%, is not Flash, and I'm quite happy without Flash on my little Android phone! (it stays cool too!).
I’m sorry but I don’t think archos will ever be the new apple. As much as I hate apple, I think there are way too many fanboys out there to say the iPad is dead before it even rolls out (judging by the numbers of preorders right now that is definitely the case). Archos hasn’t put anything out that has amazed me yet. And unless they pick up a lot better marketing campaign they won’t even come close to taking any kind of hunk out of the iPad. I think dell might have something here with the mini 5. I personally haven’t had a good relationship with Dell in the past. Every laptop I’ve had with them has completely crashed. But the specs on the mini 5 look very promising. If Dell can push it like they have the inspiron I think we will see Dell taking a huge chunk out of the iPad. And if they can consistantly deliver in this area in the future, I think Dell could overtake Apple in the portable computer realm in a few years.
I own a Archos Internet Media Tablet with android. Systems based off Open Source applications can be easily converted to personalized to your taste.I convert my own Dvd collection an a 16gig Micro. Archos allows HD playback. Total of 16 movies so far. Download flash games for free .Add a decent Web browser. The android aspect gives you options to use android apps by all developers. Copy music and Pics. Ebook reader. Added Audio Reader apps. Tethers phone wifi or Home/ office/public network . Voice recorder. Most archos owners would like to have phone options added and camera options . Archos gives you an oppurtunity to have decent entertainment system without trading in what you allready have . Phones with a camera. I dont have to spend money for a hight tech phone with Android because of my Archos.
The IPad and IPod are for consumers who dont mind spending there money on a Billion Dollor Co. that incorporates what they want your to purchase through them. I personally want a system that incorporates a little of all the developers. Archos incorporates some Microsoft ,Google and Iphone apps. All through Linux based operating system. The problem with Archos is what its capable of doing right out the box. You will have to purchase plugins . You will want to find a decent Dvd Copy program. A progam to convert dvd files to play on the Archos. You will have to search the internet for Flash games. You might have to convert flash files to play. You may want access to Google Market. You can find paid programs or free programs to assist you. Go and explore lets get out the Box people. Dell is tapping on a Market that has allready been opened by Archos.
It looks like Dell has a good product. Is it going to be as stable as Linux based operating systems? Iphone OS is stable user friendly. The IPAD is a blown up Iphone nothing new to offer. I might consider purchasing Dell Mini 5 but not for the Camera or the phone aspect. Those are perks of what I allready have. I might buy only because it will have better support because of the name. Price has to be decent. If the system has to puchased through a phone carrier. Thats a waste of my money. If the calls are made through Voip or Skype type software. This wont be any good until the community incorporates this for daily use. As for any product consumers are the best customer service take the time read product forums to fix your product issues.