Dell's plans for the future, leaked, have created quite a storm. Their roadmap for mobile devices for 2010 has found its way into the hands of editors at Engadget, one of the top gadget blogs. Details of the upcoming tablets, Android devices and a Windows Phone show that there is enormous potential and opportunity in "slate" devices. This is definitely one form factor that all top handset manufacturers are itching to make.
 
Dell Lightning is going to be one of the first few devices to run Windows Mobile 7, the brand new Windows Mobile user experience from Microsoft. Phones running this new platform will have powerful processors and a completely revamped user interface, unlike anything that the earlier Windows Mobile devices had. This phone has a large 4.1-inch OLED screen, a 5-megapixel autofocus camera and is powered by a 1GHz processor. It is equipped with 512MB DDR SDRAM and has support for storage via a MicroSD card slot. The Lightning is a 3G device capable of high speed Internet access and in addition offers connectivity via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB. It also boasts a lot of other sensors including a G-sensor, a compass, a proximity sensor and GPS.
 
The leaks contain details of upcoming Dell mobile phones that will be running Android, the open source operating system. Android platform is popular among technology enthusiasts and those who like more control over their gadgets. Most top handset manufacturers like HTC, Motorola and Samsung are releasing phones that run Android, and that’s a clear sign that this OS is gaining momentum. Two of the phones in Dell's roadmap generating the maximum amount of interest are the Dell Smoke and Dell Thunder.
 
Targeted at early adopters, heavy users and influencers of technology, the Dell Thunder is a great looking phone with a big, bright, 4.1-inch WVGA display. Likely to be tightly integrated with social networking sites, it promises to offer easy access to content both online and offline via high speed Internet connectivity. It comes equipped with an 8-megapixel camera and supports editing images on the device itself.
 
Dell's Smoke seems to be targeted at those who like the form factor of Blackberry devices, but want something more social. This phone will allow the user to sync work and social calendars, contacts and tasks. It can also sync with Microsoft's Exchange server which is used in many companies and organizations.
 
In addition, to make these phones easier to use, Dell has also developed a customizable user interface with features like a Shortcut Bar, an Application Drawer and a Notification bar.
 
The year 2010 has been full of news about Tablet computing devices right from day one, with Apple's iPad being the most popular device yet. And with major enhancements in touch and processors, 2010 can safely be assumed to be known as the year of devices of this form., The leaks also contain details about two tablets — the Streak and the Looking Glass, both running Android.
 
The Streak, previously known as the Mini 5, is a tablet with a 5-inch wide multi-touch screen. Powered by a 1 GHz processor, this device has a 5-megapixel camera and an additional VGA front facing camera. This tablet is expected to be released around September.
 
The Looking Glass, equipped with a 7-inch wide display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixel,  is going to be a great device for consuming content. Along with provision for connectivity via 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB, it supports a wide range of video formats including Adobe Flash. This multi-touch tablet weighs just 500 grams and has a G-sensor, a compass, GPS and a 1.3-megapixel front facing web-cam.
 
Disclosure: The author is an employee of Microsoft. However, the opinions in this article are entirely his own and do not reflect those of his employer. Read a full disclosure.