Say the words “tablet computer” and ten bucks says it’s Apple’s iPad that springs to mind. But that doesn’t mean other companies aren’t busy building their own version of a touch-enabled, multimedia-sporting, slab of portable computing goodness.
Dell’s first effort at a tablet will be the Mini 5 (a name that is still in beta) — a slice of plastic and glass with a 5-inch capacitive touchscreen that according to Michael Dell will debut “in a couple of months.”
The Mini 5 will sport a 5-megapixel camera on the back, a separate front-facing camera that can be used for video conferencing, a standard 3.5-mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1-GHz processor.
The 5-inch screen also means it will be be closer to the Sony PSP in its form factor than the longer legal notepad design of the iPad.
The Mini 5 will run the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, version 2.0 or higher. And instead of the 4:3 aspect ratio of the iPad, Dell’s tablets will support the 16:9 ratio. Widescreen films anyone?
One major drawback – it’s a Dell.
Sounded interesting until the OS and screen size were mentioned….
Nothing to see here, move along please . . .
Dell wouldn’t comment on pricing
Of course not, that would be useful information. This would have to be a real value for me to purchase it from Dell. I don’t think that is going to happen.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/dell-mini-5-we-have-it/
Review
They lost my interest at Android OS. I guess I’ll keep waiting for the Windows 7 device from HP.
It’s first generation and that means a lot of room for improvement.
I agree with 7 in that I want a full blown OS and something bigger. This is more like a smart phone without being a smart phone. Maybe a PDA?
Get a magazine of standard size. Pop Sci, Sci Am, Time, Nat Geo—your choice.
Take out the Big Scissors and cut it in half at the equator. Now the hard part: interleave each up/down/next up/down… pages together and read the magazine.
It’s amazing how companies can shoot blanks time and again.
I’ll wait for the mini-8 and hopefully someone besides Dell to sell it. I’m actually hoping Asus will go for it, soon.
#4 – thanks for the link but is that the absolutely worst video ever? Can’t Engadget afford a tripod? The demonstrator holds the camera with one hand while he admires the device though he says it’s scratched. Then we get to watch thirty seconds or so of the device booting up. Wonderful. Then we get maybe 5 seconds of the phone screen which he obscures with his hand to touch buttons. Video over. Thank you. Go home.
# 6 deowll said,
“I agree with 7 in that I want a full blown OS and something bigger.”
.
Well there is the Archos 9:
Intel ATOM Z510 1.1 GHz
8.9” LED backlight touch screen
Windows 7 OS (Starter)
1GB RAM, 60GB HD, webcam
tinyurl.com/ybdoq3j
#10 steve got it..
Archos has ben doing it long enough and has allot of options..
AS WELL as being a DVR, and it has TV OUTPUT..
Archos 9 really is a sweet little toy but I have two major complaints: one you’ve got to upgrade Win 7 from the silly “Starter” edition and then you’ve got that pesky little 3 hour battery life.
Not ready for prime time.
By the way,pardon me for posting twice in a row but can someone tell me why Microsoft is STILL limiting these small form devices to one gigabyte? It “kinda” made sense when they were trying to wean people off XP but now?
When I see people use the word “tablet” for these devices I chuckle and finally LMAO. There are tablets out there that are very usable. These devices are oversize smartphones. When they can compete with Tablet PCs, which I doubt to lack of keyboard, then you can call it a tablet.
Otherwise, STFU and and STOP calling them tablets. Goddam sheeps, someone should skin you and slaughter you all.
I feel personally Dell would never be able to overtake iPad. Apple has built a brand over years by offering unique products and offering unique features (like video conferencing) and stuff which would never be overtaken by anybody.