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By Sam Oliver Published: 09:00 AM EST Related AppleInsider articles: Apple's future iPhones may leverage ARM's v7... Apple's proprietary iPhone chips may not... Microsoft looking to launch iPhone rival on... Jobs active at Apple, still working on... First Google-branded Android phone to arrive... Dell, which has long been searching for an answer to Apple's iPhone and iPod touch handhelds, is reportedly in the intermediate development stages of a new pocket-sized gadget that will let users access the Internet on the go. The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday cited two people familiar with the matter as saying the device will run Google's open Android software and possibly employ ARM-based microchips similar to those currently found in Apple's multi-touch handhelds. Dell reportedly began developing the gadget last year with the help of engineers that were once tasked with conceiving a direct rival to the iPod. That project was aborted, and the Journal noted that there's no certainty that the electronics maker's latest efforts to develop a mobile internet device (MID) won't be similarly "delayed or scrapped entirely." Still, Dell is said to be exploring the idea of marketing its embryonic MID with the help of wireless carriers who would presumably supply the device with 3G or other connectivity. Those carriers would likely subsidize the cost of the gadget alongside lengthy service agreements. People familiar with the project told the Journal that Dell would ideally begin selling its new MID, which is slightly larger than an iPod touch, later this year alongside a series of mobile handsets that will also run Android software.

By Slash Lane Published: 01:00 PM EST Related AppleInsider articles: Stanford to publish free iPhone course on... iPhone 3.0 MMS, tethering rumored; Sirius XM... Yale business school dean picked to run Apple... Apple launches "Field Trip to the Apple Store"... New iPod touch hidden in firmware; Microsoft's... The Maine Department of Education said Tuesday that it plans to expand to high school students a program that has provided Apple notebook computers to all of the state's middle school students for the past 7 years, creating "the world's largest educational technology program of its kind." As part of the deal, the Maine Department of Education announced it has placed an order for more than 64,000 MacBooks for students and faculty in grades 7 through 12, and will place an additional order for up to 7,000 more notebooks in the coming weeks. The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), so it's called, has provided Apple notebook computers to all Maine middle school students since 2002 – making Maine the first and only state with a statewide implementation of notebooks for every student. The high school expansion will see the initiative become the world's largest educational technology program of its kind. "We have seen incredible success with our middle schools showing increased student engagement and achievement with MLTI in place and we want to bring this same opportunity to our high schools," said Maine Education Commissioner Sue Gendron. "Apple has been a great partner and consistently demonstrates that it understands the need to provide a complete solution that puts education first. We're very excited about the new school year." The notebook package provided by Apple includes a wide array of educational software, professional development, repair and replacement and technical support. In addition to learning how to use technology, students do research, write and edit, conduct online simulations, and take online tutorials. The high school expansion is an extension of an existing contract with Apple, which competed for and won both MLTI contracts to date, the Maine Department of Education said. “This expansion is helping Maine close the digital divide,” added Jeff Mao, director of learning technology for the Maine Department of Education. "About 2,000 public high school students in Maine attended high schools with laptops for all students this year. Next fall, the number will be 22,000 to 28,000."