Dell, India’s biggest computer brand, has taken the extra-ordinary step of tweaking its first phone before launching it here.
The Dell Aero, launched on Letsbuy.com, has been upgraded from Android 1.5 to Android 2.1 (Eclair) before being launched in India.
The phone will debut in India at the lower end of the big screen Android market, costing around Rs 12,000.
The 3.5-inch model will compete with the Samsung Galaxy Pop — perhaps the best mid-range Android smartphone from an international brand in India. However, the Dell Aero may have to drop its price considerably in the coming days as the Samsung Galaxy Pop costs just Rs 8,250, around 30% cheaper than the Dell model.
Like the Galaxy Pop, Dell Aero too does not have a front-camera, but does have high speed 3G. It runs on a 624 MHz processor, similar to the Pop’s 600 MHz chip. Both phones have 0.23 megapixel displays and could be mistaken for twins, if they were from the same brand.
The Dell Aero was released in the US nearly a year ago and was highly anticipated as it was the first smartphone from Dell. The phone, sadly, was ripped by reviewers because it ran on the very first version of Android, the Cupcake. It was said that Dell took too much time customizing the operating system and by the time they were done, Android had released not only 1.6 but also 2.1.
Fortunately for the Indian customer, the Aero hitting Indian stores does run on Android 2.1. Unfortunately for Dell, the model is priced too high when compared to very similar offerings from others. The phone also suffers from time-delay, as it has come to India a full nine months after being released in the US.
Many have disputed the Aero’s status as Dell’s first phone, as they point out that the 5-inch Dell streak, though the company may call it a tablet, was the first phone from Dell. The Streak, which suffers from poor battery life because of its large screen, is available for around Rs 22,000.
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