China Mobile's Dell Mini 3i due this month

Ben Woods

Dell has announced that the Mini 3i multi-touch smartphone will hit Chinese shelves before the month is over

Published on Nov 24, 2009

The result of a year-long partnership between China Mobile and Dell is nearly at fruition, with the launch of the Mini 3i due this month in China.

Dell recently unveiled slightly broader details of its intended launch plans for the Mini 3i range just last week and this announcement is confirmation that China Mobile will indeed be the first carrier.

Packing a 3.5-inch (640x360) touchscreen display and China Mobile's homebrew OPhone OS (based on Google Android) it's due to hit Brazilian provider Claro soon after, though we're not sure if each provider will be putting its own stamp on the OS.

The camera on the device looks a little on the weak side at just three megapixels, particularly if comparing it with the megapixel monsters that have launched recently, and the complete exclusion of any high-speed internet connectivity means that EDGE is the best it'll have.

It does have Bluetooth and microSD expansion up to 32GB, but the final omission of Wi-Fi is a step too far in our book. Even a mid-range model needs at least one high-speed option.

A Dell spokesperson has confirmed that the Mini 3i will be shipping to America, but possibly without the Android OS. Release dates for Europe and the US are still unconfirmed.