Dell is developing its second tablet PC which will be larger than its Streak crossover device and run Android, founder Michael Dell says.
The company head revealed plans for the seven-inch unit at an Oracle event yesterday, but wouldn’t give any more details about the device that could establish the firm as a serious rival to Apple’s iPad, WSJ.com reports.
Leaked information reveals the device will be more powerful than the Streak, running a dual-core nVidia Tegra 250 processor and Android 2.2. A HDTV tuner or other streaming TV receivers could also be included, Electronista said.
The site added that Dell hoped to ship the tablet by the end of the year, but that the date may slip due to delays in launching the Streak, which finally hit shelves last month.
Dell said sales of the Streak will soon be expanded to Best Buy’s stores, and launched the unit in Hong Kong on Tuesday – it’s first Asia Pacific market.
The news follows hot on the heels of reports RIM plans to launch a tablet during the fourth quarter, as vendors rush to meet growing demand for the new-style devices.
Research firm BMO Capital Markets predicts the demand will drive tablet sales to 40 million units in 2011, Reuters reported.
Michael Dell expects his company to continue its run of 20% revenue growth in the current quarter, and said it is tracking to earn more than $60 billion (€44.8 billion) in revenue this year.