Dell aims to take bite out of Apple |24 September 2010

Michael Dell gave brief information on the new product during the annual Oracle meeting in San Francisco, but neither he nor the Dell spokesperson would provide information on a possible launch date.

The new tablet will run Google’s Android operating software and will be an attempt by the company to pick up some of Apple’s iPad sales. Despite some scepticism within the IT industry ahead of the launch of the iPad, 3.3 million of the devices were sold in the first quarter it was available.

Although the iPad is a fairly rare sight in Seychelles, its smaller cousin the iPhone has successfully generated a dedicated following, with a number of trendsetters already sporting the recently launched iPhone 4.

An expensive addition to even the most tech-savvy household, iPads are not yet on sale locally, possibly because importers remain wary of the high price tag.

The expected launch of the Dell device would be the company’s second attempt at denting the iPad’s market share, after the poorly received launch of the Dell Streak earlier this year.

Equipped with Google Android OS, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, built-in wi-fi capability and 3G connectivity, the Streak lost out primarily due to its size. It slipped through a crack in the market as, with a 12.5cm touch screen, it was too big to be a phone and too small to be a laptop.

Number switch recognises rise of the web

The upcoming switch to a seven-digit phone number has been welcomed by local internet industry insiders as an acknowledgement of the growing importance of web-based communications.

The switch from six to seven-digit phone numbers will be made in stages, with services offered by Kokonet among the first to add an extra digit.

“Kokonet pioneered the use of VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocols) in Seychelles as we recognised the tremendous potential for high-quality, low-cost communication it offers,” said Kokonet’s Romano Laurence.

“I think that moving to seven digits, which will enable us to provide more focused VOIP services, is an entirely welcome move.”

Through Kokonet’s Kokotalk, a range of internet-based call services allow users to cut the cost of everything from normal local calls to international roaming. And the flexibility and options provided by the web enable users to take advantage of everything from low-cost international conference calls to call forwarding and remote office IPBX services.

“We’ve already been providing our services to customers using the existing calling codes. I hope that the switch to seven digits will make it even easier to use and give our technicians the additional scope they need to develop even more service options and cost savings for our customers,” said Mr Laurence.

Sponsored by Kokonet