Dell’s Android gamble should pay off, if they pitch it right

I can’t tell you how bored I became with Dell Mobile when i read, a little while ago, that they were head over heels in love with Windows Mobile.

Even today I still can’t quite bring myself to love Windows Mobile. It is most definitely improving. But based on current levels of improvement, it should be something to behold by version 10 or 11.

So the various rumblings around the industry about Dell Mobile handsets… gahhh. Please. Next.

But Android.

Now you’re talking.

The rumblings, they continue.

Jose Vilches of TechSpot posted this picture of an apparent leaked Dell device sporting Android.

If you ask me, the top bar on the screen looks very Windows Mobile to me.

Let’s move on from that, for a moment, and take a look at the possibility of a series of Dell Android handsets.

What’s good about that?

Well, Dell is a brilliant manufacturer. They’ve got it down to a T. You really can’t critique their equipment at all. Indeed the Dell M1330 laptop I took to that desert island (remember?) proved to be a thoroughly brilliant workhorse.

I like the fact that Dell machines typically *just work*. I like the fact that they work hard to get the base prices down to very reasonable prices. So reasonable that I’ve bought a lot of Dells myself — most recently for my mother in law. I knew she needed a laptop and that she’d most probably react well to a ‘big’ one. So I ordered one from the site and it was in her hands within a few days. Brilliant.

And if they screw up, just phone up the hotline and they’ll send you out another one, usually without much quibble — because it’s quicker and more cost effective to send you out another than arse about writing you letters.

So when I think about Dell Android handsets, I get rather excited at the sheer commotising that Dell would bring to the marketplace.

I like to think of Dell placing orders from their suppliers for a few million units and retailing four basic models at $99, $159, $249 and $599.

Would it be too much to expect the ability to configure your own Dell Android handset online?

e.g. Choose your memory: 16gb with options up to 100gb?

Choose your camera size: 2MP default; with optiions up to 12MP?

What kind of battery? 6 hour normal one? Or flippin’ huge massive 28 hour battery?

What kind of screen? Normal? Flippin’ top ‘o the range?

I like the idea of taking a $149 basic handset and kitting it out, online to a total bad-ass cost of $899.

With laser etching of my name on it. And in Mobile Industry Review red.

I’d like to see this kind of revolution in the handset marketplace and Dell are the kind of company who could potentially make it work.

The good thing about Dell is they sell to you and me. WE are Dell’s primary customers. Their primary outlet is their website.

Of course they serve corporate customers, but you, me and the guy next door can all go on to Dell right now and get a brilliantly competitive deal.

Take a glance over at Nokia for a moment. We, my dear readers, are not Nokia’s customers. They sell to Vodafone, T-Mobile, Telefonica … they don’t work for you or me.

Which is why the market is so screwed. We’re all walking about the place screaming at the complete lack of innovation. Indeed, I’ve seen a lot of people criticising the N97 recently. It’s not our place to do that. It’s Vodafone, T-Mobile, Telefonica. They’re the ones placing the orders — to then flog to their contract customers.

Push back on Vodafone and they’ll tell you their business is in selling minutes and data, not flogging ‘terminals’. Indeed, flogging ‘terminals’ is a necessary evil for the operator. Years ago the devices were so stupid expensive it was necessary for them to subsidise them for their customers.

Now it’s necessary for them to buy the cheapest possible bollocks they can from the manufacturers (see yesterday’s MOTOROKR rubbish) and sign you up to massive multi-multi year contracts as a result. They also have to buy high end devices to keep their high-end customers satisfied.

But the operator doesn’t *really* want to be in the ‘terminal’ business.

And, well… I’m willing to bet that you — or your company — purchased the machine you’re reading this site on, right? It purchased the hardware, in full. Why can’t we start doing that with our mobile handsets? Can we finally disassociate our mobile telephony and data services from the ‘terminals’ we use?

Putting this all together, I wonder if the stage is set for Dell to enter the marketplace and revolutionise it, just like it did the PC business?

Of course the stage is set. I could see it working really well.

Admit it, you’d take a close look at a range of Dell Android handsets that offered some kind of ability to configure online? And that were as cheap as the components reasonably allowed?

But, well… one shouldn’t hold his or her breath.