Need a reason to rethink your small smartphone screen? With more and more of the web being consumed on mobile devices (most of which are less than 4 inches), it’s true that we need something bigger in order to enjoy the web on the go (no pun intended).
Dell seems to have figured that it would be a good idea to stuff a 1GHz Snapdragon processor into an internet slab and stuff Android 1.6 as well as Wi-Fi, GPS and WCDMA radio. Was it? Well that’s yet to be decided as the device has not gone on sale yet but from our first impressions this thing is looking pretty darn awesome.
The only cellphone in recent times to have done something close to the Dell Mini 5 is the HTC HD2 which boasts a 4.3 inch screen. And even though both phones run a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the underlining software is different.
Other than software and processor features the phone features 1.63GB internal storage as well as 405MB of RAM. The screen is capacitive (means stylis will not work) and the screen boasts 800 x 480 pixels of screen real-estate.
Dell Mini 5
It was first thought that the Dell Mini 5 was a tablet, but after further inspection, it has been proven that it is indeed a full-fledged cellphone. In fact, it runs on CDMA networks although it is yet to be confirmed whether or not a GSM version will be available by launch.
As mentioned before, the device sports Android 1.6 which is pretty old by todays standards and Dell has made it clear that when the device does launch later this year, a newer version of Android will be available. Performance wise, the Dell Mini 5 performs beautifully. Thanks to the 1GHz Snapdragon processors, apps load fast and surfing the web is very enjoyable thanks to the 5 inch screen. The onscreen keyboard however could use some work as it is a little buggy, but seeing this is a preproduction unit, we’re sure these are things that will be fixed by the launch time.
Of course, one of the biggest concerns with the device has been pocketability. We’re not dealing with an iPhone or even an HD2. Rather we’re dealing with a freaking 5 inch tablet. That said, we were surprised that it fit comfortable in most of our pockets. If you’re dealing with smaller pockets there might be a bit of an issue with fit but most pockets can more than adequately fit the device without creating an unattractive bulge.
So while it’s too early to make a final decision on the Dell Mini 5, we will say it’s a nice experiment and while not a radical rethinking of the smartphone form factor, it does address one of the major problems with smartphones these days, screen size. So with all sincerity, it’s nice to see something that bends the rules and succeeds at it so far.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice revview…..thanks for the info…..
The Mini 5 is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for!
I will always have a laptop for full-feature portable computing, so I’m not looking an ipad-sized tablet, and I certainly don’t want to bother with a device that has no camera and doesn’t make phone calls. And, in addition to other shortcomings such as lack of flash, I find the iphone’s screen too small to be an effective intermediate computing device, and with the ipad’s 10-inch screen, well, you might as well bring your laptop/netbook.
I’ve seen comments that suggest the Mini 5 is “too big” for people to want to use it as a phone — frankly, I believe that to be a ridiculous assessment. The Mini 5 is the perfect size for easy portability (it will easily fit in my jacket’s inside pocket), and with phone capability, it allows users to replace a device instead of forcing them to add one. Moreover, we now have a hands-free law here in Ontario, so I’ve had to get a bluetooth headset anyway, which I use all the time, even with my tiny clamshell.
The one issue I’d be interested in hearing more about is RAM: while approaching double the size of the iphone’s 256MB, will 408MB suffice for the apps developed for the Mini 5?
Great article! I have a Dell laptop now, and I think this Mini 5 looks great. I even want to buy one.
Nice mobile device. So which is the expected price? i hope is has a long-lasting battery