Dell to Produce Android Mobile Internet Device

Is this going to be the week of smartphone rumors that just won’t die?

Yesterday we had the update on Sony and Ericsson’s plans for a PSP phone and today we have more news on Dell’s long rumored foray into the smartphone market. At the beginning of March there were rumors flying around that the company would release not one but two smartphones -- one running on Android and one on Windows Mobile.

More rumors followed except these ones said that both devices had been put on hold due to lack of interest from carriers, and while it’s likely phone companies were already offering enough smartphones and didn’t feel like taking on another, at the time analysts said carriers felt Dell’s prototypes were too boring and didn’t offer anything wasn’t already possible with another device. Around the same time (the next day), Michael Dell confirmed that the company was looking into devices with smaller screens and told everyone to stay tuned for developments.

Today all of those rumors are being dragged back out because, according to a Wall Street Journal report, Dell engineers have been developing a pocket-sized internet device that will run on Google’s Android operating system. Anonymous WSJ sources who claim to have seen the device say it looks like a slightly bigger version of Apple’s iPod Touch. Development reportedly began last year as Dell endeavored to come up with an answer to Apple’s iPod.

As for the guts, the same source said that while Dell doesn’t currently use any ARM chips to power its devices, it is considering doing so for this one. Another person who was briefed on the company's plans spoke to WSJ and said that Dell may begin selling the device later this year. However, the source added that the plan could be delayed or scrapped entirely.

Would anyone buy an Android-based ARM powered Dell smartphone? Let us know in the comments below!