Dell Likes Tablets Going Forward, Wearable Computing in the Further Future

As the computer market continues its downward spiral, thanks in part to the rise of tablets and other mobile devices, no PC maker has been a better example of the new hard-luck paradigm than Dell. But the computer manufacturer is hoping to jump start its own recovery, by betting on the new, but untested wearable computing market.

Google Glass has certainly made a splash, even though it is essentially only in beta testing with its Glass Explorers program, Sony just unveiled the SmartWatch 2, and meanwhile, Apple's rumored "iWatch" is stirring up considerable buzz as well. So, why not Dell?

In an interview with the Guardian, Dell's global vice-president of personal computing, Sam Burd, went into detail about the possibility that Dell may be making computing attire in the near future. "We're exploring ideas in that space," he told the Guardian.

Burd sounds optimistic, though not overly so, about the prospect of Dell getting into wearable computers. "There are challenges in cost, and how to make it a really good experience, but the piece that's interesting is that computers are getting smaller. Having a watch on your wrist - that's pretty interesting, pretty appealing."

Of course, other technology companies have already gotten a head start on wearables, especially smart watches. Apple, earlier this week, filed for trademark protection for the name "iWatch" in Japan, and later several other countries, including Mexico, Chile, Columbia, Turkey, and Taiwan. Pebble, a Kickstarter Bluetooth smartwatch that tethers wirelessly to iPhones and Android devices has sold over 85,000 units for $150.00 a piece, and has started being carried by Best Buy. 

And of course, there's Google Glass and all of the publicity it has garnered. 

"Looking ahead five years, we expect devices and form factors to continue to change. There will still be a need for 'static' computing on desktops, but there will be a real need for mobile devices," said Burd to the Guardian. Of course, with tablets and other mobile devices expected to surpass laptops (or the entire PC market) within a year or two, depending on which forecast you believe, it appears that the need for the types of "static" desktop PCs that Dell used to specialize in has already slipped away.

No wonder Dell has seen poor returns recently, and has decided to buy out its own stock and reprivatize, in order to avoid any more threats of hostile take-overs. "Michael Dell believes we are on the right page for transformation," said Burd about Dell's re-privatization. "The view is that we can get ourselves out of the quarterly reporting process where you can't make hard decisions to speed up that transformation."

But now it appears Dell is looking to do more than just damage control. "There's a lot of discussion about how that fits into wearable devices like we've seen with Google Glass and watches. We're looking at a world of lots of connected devices," said Burd. "I don't see any magic new form factor like the iPad - I don't think anybody saw how that was going to change devices. But the number of devices per person is exploding."

While Burd and Dell are interested in the possibility of wearable Dell devices, Burd is also cautiously optimistic about the future of their Windows 8 tablets as well. "IDC's numbers says that Windows 8 on tablets is still far smaller than the iPad, but there are successes. Maybe in a few years when we get to Windows 8 tablets being a third or 40% of tablet volume we can feel it's happening."