Dell today entered the cellphone world for the first time with the release of its first handset in China. Supporting leaks, the mini3i is based on China's Open Mobile System variant of Google's Android platform and has an iPhone-like front interface along with a China-specific app portal. Its centerpiece is a 3.5-inch, 640x360 capacitive touchscreen which is both the largest and highest-resolution display of any Android phone.

Despite these advantages, the mini3i is relatively basic elsewhere with no 3G and, due largely to government restrictions, no Wi-Fi. A 3-megapixel and microSDHC storage address its media features.

The cellphone hasn't received specific launch information but, in current form, will likely remain limited to China regardless of its support for North American GSM calls and EDGE data. Dell earlier this year was believed to have tried offering a phone to Western carriers, but was reportedly rejected for having a overly derivative design that would have created too many overlaps with existing devices. Instead, any North American product is more likely to be a small tablet or Internet-focused media player. [via Engadget]