Slides were leaked to Engadget early this morning, which revealed that Dell is preparing to launch four smartphones based on Android and Windows Phone 7 over the next four quarters. Unlike past offerings, however, Dell’s Lightning, Flash, Thunder and Smoke handsets feature outstanding designs and appreciable hardware.
Credit: Engadget.com
Dell Lightning
Kicking off the show, the Lightning is being readied for a 4Q10 launch, which dovetails perfectly with the official introduction of Windows Phone 7. As a premiere launch device, the Lightning gives us a glimpse of what we can initially expect of the device ecosystem surrounding Microsoft’s upcoming OS launch. Though we already knew those standards would be high (Microsoft has dictated very robust minimum specs for WP7 devices), something about the word “Snapdragon” still sends our hearts aflutter:
Operating System: Windows Phone 7
Processor: 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250
3G Bands: AT&T (850/1900/2100MHz) and T-Mobile (900/1700/2100MHz)
Display: 4.1″ WVGA OLED (at least 480×800)
ROM: 1GB
RAM: 512MB
Storage: 8GB MicroSDHC
WiFi: 802.11b/g/n
PAN: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Camera: 5MP (auto-focus)
Battery: 1400mAh
Other: GPS, FM radio, compass, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
Size: 2.5″x4.78″x0.58″ (WxHxD)
Weight: TBD
Credit: Engadget.com
Dell Flash
The Flash is a particularly interesting device because it sets the bar very high for what Dell describes as a “mid-range” phone.
For starters, the entire device is crafted from a razor thin slice of “curved glass” that will measure just .43″ thick. Moving on to the hardware, Dell’s definition of “mid-range” in the first quarter of 2011 continues to astound: a 3.5″ display running at 480×800 or better, an 800MHz Qualcomm CPU capable of HD playback, a half gig of RAM and ROM and a microSDHC support for up to 64GB.
It also happens to run Froyo, the next version of Android beyond 2.1.
You might, for a moment, compare these specs to what passes as mid-range today: HTC Droid Eris, Motorola CLIQ and the Samsung Moment. None of these devices run the most current version of Android, none of them have especially robust hardware and none of them have aggressive designs cut from a .43″ sheet of glass wrapped in machined aluminum.
The Flash is scheduled for a release in the first quarter of 2011.
Operating System: Android Froyo
Processor: 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230
3G Bands: AT&T (850/1900/2100MHz)
Display: 3.5″ WVGA LCD (at least 480×800)
ROM: 512MB
RAM: 512MB
Storage: Up to 64GB microSDHC
WiFi: 802.11b/g/n
PAN: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Camera: 5MP (auto-focus, LED flash, IS)
Battery: 1300mAh targeted
Other: GPS, FM radio, compass, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
Size: 2.28″x4.6″x0.43″ (WxHxD)
Weight: TBD (4.5oz targeted)
NOTE: The Qualcomm MSM7230 uses the same Scorpion processor found in Qualcomm’s QSD8250 SoC (what most call “Snapdragon”), but it improves audio support to 5.1 channels and significantly improves the GPU. In many ways, an 800MHz MSM7230 is superior to a 1GHz QSD8250.
Credit: Engadget.com
Dell Thunder
Less is known about the Thunder, but the device nevertheless impresses as readily as its cohorts in today’s leak.
For starters, the Thunder, too, is cut from a piece of curved glass for “cutting-edge style and premium finish.” Secondly, the Android 2.1 handset offers a 4.1″ WVGA display and Flash 10.1 support, which should go rather nicely with the Hulu application that comes pre-loaded.
Other known specs include an 8MP camera and a custom UI that feels reminiscent of HTC’s Sense UI, but strikes enough unique notes that it’s visually compelling in its own right.
If we had to hazard a guess about what we don’t know, we’d say that a Snapdragon and at least 512MB RAM and ROM wouldn’t be entirely out of the question–a 4.1″ WVGA display doesn’t exactly allow for many alternatives.
The Thunder will be headed to retail at the end of this year, with an LTE variant to follow in 2011.
Operating System: Android 2.1
Processor: N/A
3G Bands: AT&T (850/1900/2100MHz)
Display: 4.1″ WVGA LCD (at least 480×800)
ROM: N/A
RAM: N/A
Storage: N/A
WiFi: 802.11b/g
PAN: N/A
Camera: 8MP
Battery: N/A
Other: N/A
Size: N/A
Weight: N/A
Credit: Engadget.com
Dell Smoke
The Smoke is simultaneously one of the most interesting and boring devices of the entire roundup. It’s interesting because there is only one phone like it in the market: the Palm Pixi; it’s boring because it’s a stodgy corporate device.
The Smoke is a thin, portrait-oriented QWERTY phone that will run the next version of Android, codenamed Froyo, reskinned with a custom Dell UI.
We know that the Smoke is likely a corporate phone as the advertising materials highlight features all Android 2.0+ phones support, but only bean counters could really love: Exchange, push email, “native IM” (READ: Google Chat), IMAP, POP3, Word/Excel support and so on.
The Smoke’s destiny to rot in a cubicle is doubly proven by the staid livery of black plastic, the conservative design for boring companies everywhere.
Operating System: Android Froyo
Processor: 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230
3G Bands: AT&T (850/1900/2100MHz)
Display: 2.8″ QVGA LCD (320×240)
ROM: 512MB
RAM: 256MB
Storage: Up to 32GB microSDHC
WiFi: 802.11b/g
PAN: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Camera: 5MP (auto-focus)
Battery: 1170mAh targeted
Other: A-GPS, proximity sensor, accelerometer
Size: 2.28″x4.6″x0.43″ (WxHxD)
Weight: TBD
NOTE: The Qualcomm MSM7230 uses the same Scorpion processor found in Qualcomm’s QSD8250 SoC (what most call “Snapdragon”), but it improves audio support to 5.1 channels and significantly improves the GPU. In many ways, an 800MHz MSM7230 is superior to a 1GHz QSD8250.
What it all means
Inserting Dell as a premiere smartphone maker is an interesting shakeup to a picture otherwise dominated by HTC and Motorola, particularly for the Android ecosystem. While Dell’s presence will not reduce prices overmuch, the designs of the Flash and Lightning could trigger a “design war” of sorts, pressuring smartphone makers into a steeper battle of oneupmanship.
Another point worth keeping in mind is that the smartphone market is finally coming into its own with purpose-built hardware designed to drive mobile experiences that we could hardly conceive of in 2007 or 2008. When the G1 or the iPhone hit retail, we doubt few expected that they would be followed by phones with HDMI output, 1080p support, multi-core processors or 5.1 sound. Indeed, the smartphone market is moving very quickly, and these designs may quite representative of other devices that we will find in their respective launch windows.
Whatever the score come 4Q10/1H11, Dell is hard at work on some fascinating devices, and you owe it to yourself to stop by Engadget to read more about the Lightning, Flash, Thunder and Smoke.
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