Reports are hotting up that PC manufacturer Dell is set to enter the smartphone market, with the Wall Street Journal claiming it could be as early as next month.

Its report has plenty of details too, saying that Dell has had a team of engineers working on prototypes for a year now, under the leadership of former Motorola man John Thode.

However, it seems Dell may still be torn between rival operating systems Android and Windows Mobile, having produced prototypes for each.

The article suggests one is an iPhone-esque pure touchscreen handset, while another is slider phone more akin to the G1.

Dell itself is playing its cards close to its chest, telling the paper "We haven't committed to anything".

Would Dell smartphones be big for mobile gaming? The jury is most definitely out.

You might not expect the company to make 'sexy' phones, but even business users have to wind down now and again. And of course, whichever OS Dell chooses will come with its own application store.

Dell isn't the only PC firm eyeing the smartphone market hungrily. Acer is launching its first handset at next month's Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona.