Dell will announce a high-end, customizable phone that runs either the Linux-derived Google Android or Windows Mobile operating system, says a report. The phone could ship as early as next month, and be available with or without a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the report claims. According to the Wall Street Journal report, Dell representatives spent much of last year meeting with suppliers of phone components, phone software companies, and Asian phone manufacturers. The company has now produced prototype phones, in both Android and Windows Mobile versions, the newspaper says. Citing "people familiar with the matter," WSJ writers Julian Scheck and Yukari Kane say Dell may unveil these prototypes at next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. "Dell hasn't finalized its plans and may still abandon the effort," the authors concede. What could Dell bring to an already-crowded smartphone marketplace? A separate report on the Silicon Alley Insider website, citing "a few tips from someone who claims to be close to Dell," says the manufacturer will distinguish itself by making the devices highly customizable, just as it does with its PCs. There's no word on whether customization on Dell's phones would involve their software, their hardware, or both, SAI writer Dan Frommer adds. ( www.linuxdevices.com )Source
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