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Dell's PDA Plans Slip Out

Pocket PC device will use Intel CPUs, support several storage types, Web site reveals (briefly).

Matt Berger, IDG News Service

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Details of Dell's plans to offer a handheld device have slipped out on a rumor Web site in France, although the vendor is confirming the reports along with squelching them.

According to information on PDAFrance.com, Dell's handheld will run Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system and use 300MHz and 400MHz XScale processors from Intel. The device will also include slots for CompactFlash and Secure Digital cards.

The Web site also posted images and internal Dell documents that provide details about the company's yet-to-be-unveiled handheld. Dell representatives on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of the documents, although company spokesperson Jess Blackburn said the product specifications revealed online are not final.

Preview Pulled

"I'm not suggesting that it is final or absolutely reflective of the product we will be launching," he said.

At Dell's request, the documents and images have since been removed from the site. "Given that it was information that we would deem confidential and internal, we did ask that it be removed," Blackburn said.

Dell officially announced its plans to enter the crowded PDA market in August, during its earnings conference call with analysts and reporters.

The company confirmed plans to release a product before the end of the year, but has been largely secretive about the details.

Early Tidbits

Some reports have surfaced that the PC vendor has been working with manufacturers in Taiwan on the device.

Dell already resells a number of PDAs from other vendors, including Palm OS-based handhelds from Palm and Sony. It also markets Pocket PC-based devices from Casio and NEC, and it resold Compaq's IPaq until the vendor merged last spring with Hewlett-Packard. HP is phasing out its line of Jornada handhelds, and selling Compaq's IPaq line.

Dell is also among a handful of vendors preparing Tablet PC devices that will run a tablet edition of Microsoft's Windows XP upon their introduction this fall.

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