Rumor: Dell prepping smartphone for Q4 2007

Dell may have unceremoniously dropped its Axim PDA like it was hot (which it clearly, was not) but rumor has it that the company is hard at work on a smartphone heir to the throne. The somewhat unreliable DigiTimes is reporting that Quanta Computer, the Taiwanese contractor that builds Dell laptops, is prepping a Dell-branded smartphone for a late 2007 launch. The usual "industry sources" describe a device running on "the Windows Mobile 6 Professional platform and supporting HSDPA. It probably will feature a QWERTY keyboard, though feature details have yet to be determined." It's not out of the question, since Dell could use a killer consumer product to help bolster its flagging image. Unless done right, however, the Round Rock, TX company could have yet another mobile stinker on its hands. I wouldn't put too much stock in this one, for the time being, at least.

For more on the rumored smartphone:
- see this DigiTimes article