The rumors are circulating that Dell will launch a smartphone, perhaps as soon as February. Strategically, could there be a worse time?  This would put them directly in the path of Apple, RIM and Android. Possibly the Pre from Palm may also be a direct competitor. Dell will fail miserably if they do. What OS is it going to run? What about apps? Has Dell ever been successful with a product other than computers, where they crank out industry standard boxes and spend virtually nothing on research? Is Dell recognized for creating good design or buzz, which is essential in a consumer product (e.g., TVs, mp3 players, retail stores)? Nuff said.