Dell Joins Smartphone Parade With Venue Pro Windows Phone 7 Device

At the Windows Phone 7 launch event Monday, Dell showcased its upcoming Venue Pro smartphone and said it'll be available through T-Mobile this holiday season.

Dell didn't offer a more specific launch timeframe for the Venue Pro, nor did it reveal what the device will cost. Dell did, however, talk about the Venue Pro's features, which include a 5-megapixel camera with flash, a camera key, and a Micro-USB port. Connectivity features for the Dell Venue Pro include Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS.

The Venue Pro also comes with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass protection that's built to withstand sudden physical impact. As with the other Windows Phone 7 devices so far, the Dell Venue Pro's screen resolution is 800x480 pixels.

The Venue Pro is one of several new Windows Phone 7 offerings powered by a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, which integrates CPU with 3G and multimedia capability on a single chip.

Next: Pricing And Release Date For The Dell Venue Pro

Other Windows Phone 7 devices include a Qwerty keyboard that slides out from underneath the phone, but Dell's is unique in its portrait slider design. The keyboard slides out lengthwise and not from the side.

As a result of this variation in design, Dell's keyboard makes for easier one-handed use and the device itself has substantial heft when combined with the large 4.1 WVGA AMOLED multitouch screen. Dell is playing up the slender form factor and convenience of use.

"It’s about mobile productivity ... doing more in fewer steps," said Bill Gorden, Smartphone General Manager for Dell’s Communication Solutions Group in a blog post.

"Dell designed the Venue Pro to be a multi-purpose always-connected device to help people be more efficient, always connected and entertained."