Dell Announces New 'Mini 5' is the matriarch for future 'family of tablets'

We speculated last month that the Mini 5 might be Dell’s answer to the Apple iPad. It looks like Dell isn’t interested in releasing just one tablet computer - they’re ready to start a whole collection.

According to Wired, Dell’s general manager of the tablet computer division, Neeraj Choubey, said the computer company is going to produce “a family of tablets.”

He also doesn’t seem to be showing any fear of Apple and its hyped tablet computer, referring to it as a gadget for people who “have a handbag or a murse or whatever.” (I happen to respect the murse, but maybe that’s just me.)

One weakness for Dell is that the Mini 5 tablet computer will come with only a 5-inch screen, compared to the iPad’s 9.7-inch display. Wired reports that Dell plans to scale up the screen size with future editions.

But the Mini 5 has some features that the iPad doesn’t have, namely a built-in camera and it can make phone calls. So much for the iPad being an extra-large iPhone.

One point we can’t compare yet is price, as Dell hasn’t specified any figures yet except that it will be “competitive.” If the iPad is coming out in April (late March in the UK), Dell come up with some definite information fast if they really want to stay competitive.