The Mini 5, Dell’s answer to the iPad?

While Apple strive to convince the world that the next big gadget is the iPad, a device that attempts to wedge itself into the market between a smartphone and a laptop, Dell have declared that a gizmo sized between a smartphone and a tablet is the true portable of the future – a Mini 5.

The device, which features a five-inch, multitouch screen (at 800×480 resolution) and built-in 3G and phone features, also stands tall on the shoulders of two of the giants of Google’s Nexus One smartphone: the Android operating system (offering thousands of downloadable apps) and the 1Ghz Snapdragon processor (offering very quick loading times for low-power usage).

The device also boasts two cameras, a front-facing one for video calls and a 5mp camera on the rear, with two microSD card slots for storing hordes of images.  Hands-on reports reveal that the Mini 5 is also very light and comfortable to use, with the Dell icon interface providing a pleasant graphical overlay for the usually athsetically lacklustre Android core.

While Dell may not be famous for their technological innovation or must-have products, the Mini 5 looks set to please those that the iPad failed to wow. In contrast to Apple’s device, the phone is far more portable, has cameras for taking pictures and video conferencing, offers a full phone experience and presents the ability to have multiple applications open at once – as well as promised support for Flash 10 from Adobe.

While the price has yet to be confirmed, initial reports suggest that all this goodness will set the user back $1000 for an unsubsidised model – more expensive than any alternative. However, others note that Dell are renowned for cheap goods, and point out that if Apple can offer a iPad for $629, then there is no way that Dell can price themselves above that if they hope for the device to succeed.  If that proves to be true, then there is a real possibility that the Mini 5 is both small and powerful enough to fight its way into the gap in the market that the iPad was trying to squeeze into.