Rumor Mill: Dell coming out swinging with Android, Windows phones

Dell is moving aggressively into the smartphone market with a range of high-end devices, according to leaked slides and information posted on the blog Engadget. According to the blog, Dell is planning several more phones based on Google's Android platform as well as a phone running Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 software.

The most intriguing device is likely the Windows Phone, which is code-named "Lightning." According to the blog, the device is a portrait slider that features support for the 3G bands of AT&T Mobility (NYSE: T) and T-Mobile USA, a 1 GHZ Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 4.1-inch OLED touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel camera, 8 GB of storage on a MicroSD card, GPS, accelerometer, compass, FM radio and full Flash support including video playback. The Lightning is expected to begin shipping in the fourth quarter--with an upgrade to LTE technology scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011.

Additionally, the leaks include several Android devices, the most high-end of which is code-named the "Thunder." The device is said to run on Android 2.1 and have a 4.1-inch WVGA OLED display, an 8-megapixel camera and on-device image editing software. The device is also rumored to run on a custom Dell user interface called "Stage," and is said to have support for AT&T's 3G network. Like the Lightning, it is expected to begin shipping in the fourth quarter with an upgrade to LTE scheduled for the end of 2011.

Another Android phone, called the "Flash," is said to run on a next-generation version of Android. According to the blog, it has an 800 MHz Qualcomm processor, a 3.5-inch WVGA TFT touch screen display, a 5-megapixel camera, and Flash 10.1. The Flash might also feature Dell's custom UI, and is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2011, perhaps through AT&T, according to the blog.

And finally, the blog reported the leak of a device called the "Smoke," which is a candybar phone with a full Qwerty keyboard and the next-generation version of Android. The device features an 800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7230 processor, a 5-megapixel camera and a microSD card that supports up to 32 GB of storage. The device is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2011.

Dell declined to comment directly on the leaked photos and specs. "Dell continually develops and tests new products that extend the mobile experience," Dell spokesman Matt Parretta told FierceWireless. "We have not made any product announcements and do not comment on speculation, rumor or unannounced products."

Dell, like PC makers Acer and Lenovo, has targeted the smartphone market. AT&T plans to launch the Dell Aero in the first half of this year, but has not provicded pricing or release date information.

For more:
- see this Engadget post on the Lightning
- see this Engadget post on the Thunder
- see this Engadget post on the Flash
- see this Engadget post  on the Smoke
- see this Engadget post on the Aero

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