
Dell To Join Tablet Race: Tech Rumor
ROUND ROCK, Tex. (
) --
Dell
(DELL) - Get Report
is rumored to be planning its entry into the
tablet
market, unveiling an Android-based device at next month's Consumer Electronics Show.
The Web site,
Pocket-lint
, reports that Dell is preparing to launch a tablet with a 5-inch screen at the Las Vegas event. Citing multiple "black ops sources," Pocket-lint says that the device will run
Google's
(GOOG) - Get Report
operating system and will compete with
Archos'
Internet tablet and the soon-to-be-launched JooJoo from
Fusion Garage
.
Tablets are big news at the moment, with
Apple
(AAPL) - Get Report
readying its own
eagerly anticipated
version. Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner recently said that an Apple 10-inch touchscreen e-book could arrive as early as March, citing information from suppliers.
Apple's tablet, known as the iPad, is geared as a
to
Amazon's
(AMZN) - Get Report
popular
according to Reiner, who says that Apple will produce one million units a month.
If Dell unveils a tablet in January, it would get a head start over Apple, which is rumored to be eyeing a February launch for the iPad.
Dell has not yet responded to
TheStreet's
request for comment, although the No. 3 computer maker needs a PC boost. The tech giant recently posted weak
numbers and faces stiff competition from
Hewlett-Packard
(HPQ) - Get Report
,
Acer
and Apple.
The Texas firm is no stranger to Android and recently launched a
smartphone
, the Mini 3, which is based on Google's operating system.
Google, for its part, is on a mission to extend
its traditional search business into areas such as
,
, and
.
Dell shares closed up 11 cents, or 0.84%, on Thursday.
-- Reported by James Rogers in New York









