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Technology Stocks : Dell Technologies Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JGoren who wrote (176159)	1/30/2009 2:18:37 PM
From: John Koligman	Respond to of 176387

Possibly, although it seems as if most of that corporate crowd is already hooked on the 'Crackberry'!! Regards, John

To: JGoren who wrote (176159)	1/30/2009 3:22:43 PM
From: John Koligman	Respond to of 176387

Here is the reply I got from Eric on the Nokia thread... Regards, John To: John Koligman who wrote (5978) 1/30/2009 3:10:09 PM From: Eric L. Read Replies (1) of 5982 Dell Smartphones Hi John, << Eric, there were some wire service and WSJ stories about Dell getting into the smartphone business yesterday. Unless it's about them thinking they will be able to 'commoditize' the space, can you think of any good reasons why they would do it based on their past history with MP3 players and other products? >> That's a good question. I do think it's something of a logical and not unexpected move for Dell who has a very strong online sales presence for both the consumer and business (large and small) space, and is used to operating on thinner margin than the more successful handset manufacturers (particularly Nokia, and pure smartphone players RIM, and Apple). With annual sales approaching 200 million total units smartphones themselves are no longer the niche they were a few years ago and since their growth outpaces PC sales growth and since MIDs and netbooks (a niche they'll definitely play in), are still very much a niche product comparatively and command MSRP no higher than smartphones, it seems a natural. They are already in the space as a business channel partner for Nokia, and are currently supplying unlocked Nokia (and other's) smartphones. Dell's smartphone website here ... tinyurl.com I think it's wise to keep in mind that Nokia, Apple, and Dell, or Apple Nokia, and Dell, generally head all lists of excellence in supply chain management (and manufacturing themselves in the Nokia/Dell case) so manufacturing a branded smartphone line of their own given numerous reference designs available for Symbian S60, Android or WinMobile from TI, STMicro, Qualcomm, et al, or offering a branded design on an ODM to OEM basis, should not be overly difficult for them, could increase or at least help maintain their top line and allow reasonable operating profit. Last July Michael Dell was quoted as saying ... "We are certainly looking at the whole smartphone category, but I wouldn't expect anything anytime soon. What you’ve got [are] industry-standard platforms upon which applications are being built and ecosystems are being created, and that kind of building-block architecture gives us all sorts of opportunities." Wise also to consider that my fellow Boston University alum, Ron Garriques, former head of Motorola's cell phone division fled Moto for Dell to escape Fast Eddie's guillotine before Zander himself was beheaded. A contractual Moto non-compete evidently restricted him from dabbling in mobile devices at Dell it is said that restriction goes away in February. I think its natural that Ron (as well as Michael) would want to play in this fast growing space as something other than a distributor of ancillary electronic gadgets and peripherals. Best, - Eric -