Dell announces Mini 3 smartphone for Brazil and China

After Apple and Acer, Dell is the latest computer manufacturer to try its hand at producing a mobile phone.  The Texan firm has just unveiled its Mini 3, a smartphone destined for the Brazilian and Chinese markets that will be available there at the end of the year.

We don't know that much about this phone, or rather, these phones; Dell's press release uses the plural, and it's not just a question of different coloured finishes, as the photos (right) show two very different handsets.

If you're not keen on playing spot the difference, then the logo is in a different position on the two mockups, and the one at the top has a silver trim round the outside.  The photo lens and speaker also switch positions, and the bottom half of the two phones also seems to be a different shape.

So, will there actually be two different versions of the Mini 3, or are these shots from Dell just designed to create some hype?  Well, the one on the top looks more like the prototype that was leaked back in the summer, while the one at the bottom seems closer to the official photos of Michael Dell and João Cox from the Brazilian network Claro.

It seems, then, that the first version will end up with China Mobile, which will announce pricing at the end of this month, while the second will be available on Claro, which will have more details in December.  We'll no doubt find out more then, but for the time being, all we know is that the handsets are 3G compatible and will run Android.

For the time being, Dell isn't planning on releasing them in any other countries, despite the fact it has agreements with networks, including Vodafone in Europe.  Even if it does turn up closer to home, we don't think you'll be able to buy a Mini 3 in 2009.

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