Recently Dell launched its Dell Mini 3i in China. It debuted during the launch of China Mobile’s mobile application retail outlet called the Mobile Market. After being lost in the gadget war with Apple’s MP3 player, Dell Inc. was working to sort out a comprehensive new consumer strategy for the last two years but it kept quiet and intentionally avoided any publicity about its forthcoming ventures. Though they are in the market for a few years now, still their market share isn’t that good and goodwill is far to achieve. Executives admitted that they needed a great re-launch, with something far more inspiring than its mostly me-too PCs. And it needed some innovative ideas to show how it could make money and at the same time compete with their arch rival Apple Inc.

And at last it came out with its new product Dell Mini 3i in the Chinese market. Former Motorola CEO Ed Zander, Garrigues remarked that, “They should be able to sell five million units with they’re eyes closed”.

But the biggest downside to the Dell Mini3i is that it is a 2G phone with no 3G or Wi-Fi capability. It has a 3.5-inch touchscreen with 360 by 640 resolution, mini USB port, SD card slot (no word on maximum storage size), and a 3.2-megapixel camera. Netease, A Chinese blog reviewing the specifications and performance of Mini 3i informs that it has no physical keyboard, and runs an Android-based operating system designed by China Mobile called Open Mobile System (OMS). Without 3G and Wi-Fi capability- the basic requirements for today’s GenX, Dell’s Mini3i has little chance to impress the Chinese consumers. There is tough competition with popular smartphones like Blackberry, iPhone, and Palm Pre which have flooded the Chinese market. Dell’s strategy may fall short this time too as what they intended for is not the choice for the consumers. Dell’s Mini3i has failed to woo the Chinese consumers.