Dell switches staff from BlackBerrys to smartphones

Computer manufacturer Dell has removed thousands of BlackBerrys from staff and will be moving them onto Dell smartphones, the company has announced.

The decision, which is an attempt to save costs, will affect about 25,000 Dell employees. The company will also attempt to move its business customers onto Dell smartphones.

As reported by Reuters, Dell will be handing out Venue Pro units for its staff, which will run the Windows Phone 7 software.

Dell is a relatively new player in the smartphone market, and will struggle to take on more established manufacturers. However, the company says it will use its devices to promote and sell other services.

The decision is a blow for Research In Motion, but a win for Microsoft, which is attempting to fight back against Android and iOS with its new Windows Phone 7 platform.