Dell Mini 3i Making Its Way To America?
| by Rob Jackson on October 7th, 2009 |
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There was a lot of talk about Dell’s first Android devices earlier this year, but after it got sent “to a little corner called China” the majority of people chose to forget about the device, assuming the company’s first North American challenger was further away. But CrunchGear has word that after a few revamps it WILL be coming stateside.
What some are calling a plasticky phone should be upgraded before it comes to the United States and could possibly get a better camera (5MP instead of 3MP) as well. Unfortunately the software doesn’t enjoy the same fortune:
Interestingly, Dell is splintering the Android stack and shipping the phone with modified or missing Android libraries, making it a bit harder to program. The tipster reported that some apps won’t work on this version.
That is a wonderful way to ensure the phone absolutely fails, Dell… great job. When you’re trying so hard to edge your way into an intensely competitive market, why would you purposely provide shortcomings? The phone has potential but if Dell limits the software it is D.O.A. – even if the hardware is improved.
1. lordhong wrote on October 7, 2009
Dell Mini 3 is based on crippled China Mobile’s OMS.
The version coming to America might as well load up android 1.6 or no one’s gonna notice it.
2. toots wrote on October 7, 2009
agreed
3. Jim R wrote on October 7, 2009
Totally agree. I’ve been hoping this phone may make it to North America as it may be a relatively inexpensive Android phone. However, if Dell cripples it with a gimped Android, then I will have no choice but to give it a pass.
4. Drizzle wrote on October 7, 2009
Its a Dell…I wouldnt want it for that reason alone. Every Dell computer I have ever owned or known anyone else to have owned has failed at the same rate as the Xbox. Keep that mess in China.
5. Brak wrote on October 7, 2009
umm this isnt a computer… its practically a PDA of which theirs are pretty good.
6. Jim R wrote on October 7, 2009
FWIW, I have 3 Inspiron desktops running Linux which have given me zero trouble. One of them has an uptime of 340 days.
7. Dell Android Phone Headed To AT&T? | Android Phone Fans wrote on October 7, 2009
[...] ago we passed along word that the Dell Mini 3i Android phone, or something very similar, could make its way to the American market. Surprising considering we heard that pretty much every carrier dissed the Dell Droid to itty bitty [...]
8. AGx-07_162 wrote on October 7, 2009
Let them ship the thing unlocked and we can use it on GSM carriers. I dont have anything against Dell and have had no problems with my Dell PC’s/Laptops either. If the thing has excellent hardware thats enough for me as long as it can be modded like the HTC devices can.
9. Weiman wrote on October 8, 2009
Can it be modded? I’m having trouble missing the DSTL1