Dell Gets Aggressive On Pricing Of New Wi-Fi Handheld

The new wireless handheld from Dell, equipped with an Intel XScale processor and a Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC operating system, is the first update of the popular handheld line from the Round Rock, Texas-based company.

The model includes a 400MHz processor, 64 Mbytes of SDRAM and 64 MBytes of ROM, a SD slot and a 3.5-inch transflective TFT color screen.

IDC research shows that during the second quarter of 2003, Dell held about 7 percent of the handheld market, just behind Palm, Hewlett-Packard and Sony. Dell is putting emphasis on the Axim X3i's low price tag, particularly when compared with competitor's products such as the Palm Tungsten C--a similar handheld that also has built-in Wi-Fi but sells for about $499.

Dell also announced Wednesday two additional models without wireless. The first is priced at $379 for a 400MHz processor, 64 Mbytes of SDRAM and 64 Mbytes of ROM. The second model is priced at $229 for a 300MHz processor, 32 Mbytes of SDRAM and 32 Mbytes of ROM.

Dell has lately earned high marks from some mobile solution providers for its aggressive price points and an increasing willingness to work with the channel. The company did not respond to calls for more information about the new products.