We have spoken about the dell streak before, but having spent more time with it, we thought we would revisit it once more. For those of you who are a bit out of touch, the Streak is Dell’s smartphone/mini-tablet recently released into the wild.
It runs Android 1.6, with an update to 2.2 on the cards soon. The operating system is proving popular with the masses, partly because of its ease of use and partly because of the amount of applications currently available for it. Oh, and a few games too, most of them free.
The dell streak is big for a phone and small for a tablet, hence the smartphone/mini-tablet moniker used above. It has a high resolution 5-inch screen, and certainly wants to be a tablet. However, it’s more appropriate to call it a mini-tablet, as Dell’s consumer managing director for South Asia Andreas Diantoro says.
“One of the advantages of the dell streak is its perfect size,” said Andreas. “The Streak is large enough to serve as a tablet, yet small enough to fit into the pocket of your jeans,” he added.
Dell of course would say that, but the proof is in the pudding. It does indeed fit into your pants pocket, but it feels a little bulky there. I certainly wouldn’t call it comfortable. That said, it would be hard for someone to steal it without you noticing.
While Dell’s core expertise clearly lies in computers, the company has been pretty serious about the mobile device market. Besides the Streak, Dell released an Android-based smart phone called Dell Aero and a Windows Phone 7-based smart phone, the Dell Venue Pro.
What are the main selling points of the Streak? To start, it’s a 3G smart phone, with HSDPA data capability, giving us up to 7.2 Mbps throughput. The processor is easily up to the task being a Qualcomm Snapdragon qs8250 running at 1 GHz.
The 5-inch TFT screen runs at 800 x 480 resolution. It’s a multi-touch screen, which is great for watching YouTube videos, especially when horizontal. It’s also a GPS device, which is where the large screen comes in handy. One useful innovation is the use of special glass called “Gorilla Glass” for the screen, which apparently prevents scratches. Time will tell how effective it is, but it has a nice finish.
The phone itself is quite straightforward. There are three buttons for home, menu and a return to the previous screen. The buttons also control the volume, powers the device on, and switchesit to camera mode. The camera itself is pretty good. It’s capable of 5 megapixels, has an LED flash and a front facing VGA camera for video conferencing.
Battery life is good, the screen is bright, turn-by-turn navigation is excellent, and if you have an HSDPA contract, you’re laughing. All in all, the Dell Streak is a great phone done well. Once it finds its niche it’ll sell extremely well.
The dell streak was launched in June across the world, and has been relatively quiet since. As is our habit, we review new gadgets when they first appear, then revisit them a few months after to see how they fare. This give the manufacturer a chance to get a handle on bugs, issues and anything else that slipped through quality assurance before launch.
The big news at the moment is the new Dell phone, the Venue Pro. This new handset is set to compete with BlackBerry, and only time will tell how that one will go. However, the new phone looks to include lessons learned throughout the past couple of years, and seems a step up from previous releases. But we aren’t here to talk about that Dell phone, we’re here to revisit the dell streak.
The Streak is an awkward beast. It’s like the tall guy you knew at school, too big for class, too big for you, but really good at soccer or long jump. He seems awkward in some situations, but perfectly suited to others. That was my initial impression of the Streak, and it hasn’t changed much since.
The unusual form factor is what gives me pause. It’s a 10 millimeter thick lump of plastic, with a 5-inch LCD screen that looks not unlike a Sony PSP. This Dell phone makes a bold statement in a pocket, as it barely fit into my jeans. There is a nice lump in the front pocket that illicit a glance or two as I walk down the street.
It fits nicely in the hand and doesn’t weigh as much as the earth, despite how it looks. It has a smooth, reassuring feel to it. The Gorilla Glass front is clear and thankfully scratch resistant. There are four buttons along the side, a front-facing VGA camera and a headphone jack. There is also a USB port, which is nice.
The big battery is a 1530nmh, out of which we managed a little over ten hours continuous operation. Compare that to barely six for the HTC Desire, and things are looking good.
Performance-wise, the interface is fast and intuitive. The newest Dell phone firmware has speeded things up considerably and now we can flip and slide to our hearts content. Media is handled well, with our test MP4 clip playing seamlessly on the large screen. Detail was good, sound was great and it didn’t kill the battery.
Call quality is also good, sound attenuation is effective, and it seemed to clear out a lot of background noise in our tests. The dull Dell dialer interface is still there though, but doesn’t detract much from the overall feel of the device.
While marketed as a tablet, the Streak is a smartphone in our eyes. Yes it might reflect the fact that society is getting bigger, but it’s capable, colorful and can handle everything you throw at it. The camera is good, call quality is good, applications are good, it’s just, well, good.
Android has seen itself get installed on a entire slew of devices but there’s just 1 problem. Google engineer’s work so quick that their Android releases outpace smartphone releases. This means that by the time a gadget gets pushed out, there’s usually already a newer version of Android on the market. This could be made evident with Android 2.2 (Froyo), the latest model, which has only been installed on a handful of devices thus far.
1 such gadget is the 5-inch touchscreen touting dell streak. Although this gadget features specs that several would consider high end, it ships with Android 1.6. Luckily, it was just created recognized that a beta version of the Streak’s Android 2.2 update was released these days. Nevertheless, seeing how it’s not official, you’re going to need to proceed at your own risk.
Should you take the plunge now, or wait for an updated Android?
Is it a phone? Is it a slate? Dell’s distinctive web communications gadget confuses and delights in equal measure.
It may weigh only 220g, be dressed in sober black and have attracted a fraction of the attention with the Apple iPad, but Dell is pinning a lot of hopes around the humble-looking Streak. And it undeniably has a charm all its own.
Designed to appeal
A 5in display dominates, having a thick black bezel on either side. Should you were feeling unkind you may call it an overgrown phone, particularly when held vertically, but most of the time you’ll be holding the Streak in landscape mode, and in that orientation it looks fairly neat.
Unlike the iPad’s chic minimalism, Dell dots a number of buttons around the Streak’s edge. The Home, Menu and Back buttons sit towards the right of the display. Menu is context-sensitive, showing commands such as Wallpaper when on the home screen and Voice Dial when within the phone app.
At the top (the right-hand side should you use it as a phone) you will discover the quantity buttons, the power switch, a 3.5mm audio socket and also the camera button. The bottom is home to a proprietary connector, which is how you link up with your PC and recharge the device.
The software
As has been nicely advertised, Google Android powers the Streak. But disappointingly, it is Android 1.6 – not 2.1 or the newer 2.2 (FroYo).
That indicates you lose out on support for native multitouch, Adobe Flash and over-the-air Exchange synchronisation.
Which you miss probably the most will depend on how you use the Streak. The absence of Flash indicates you can’t watch videos, or many on the web games for that matter.
The lack of native multitouch is not fairly as poor because it sounds: the majority of the other key apps, notably the web browser, do help it. One application that does not, however, is Google Maps, and that’s a bigger limitation. No pinch to zoom means you need to double-tap the show or use the small onscreen buttons.
To counter the lack of Exchange support, Dell bundles a 30-day trial of an app called TouchDown. It works well, but will price you extra if you would like the full version. Dell assures us it will release an over-the-air update for the Streak to Android 2.2. That sounds great, but as owners of the HTC Hero and other Android-based phones know, such promises could be broken.
This aside, we’re impressed by the work Dell has put in to create Android scale to the Streak’s 800 x 480 show. The neat house display has a search bar and six onscreen shortcuts to key apps such as contacts, messaging and also the web browser. Press the arrow in the top and also the installed apps spring into view.
The majority of these are predictable, but we’re just a little disappointed in the lack of a proper workplace suite. All you can do is view files with the QuickOffice viewer; fantastic for PDFs, annoying for everything else.
Then again, that’s when the strength with the Android Market comes into play. Most apps adapted well towards the larger display, and you can download the third-party Workplace app DataViz Documents To Go for close to $20.
Dell also includes the Amazon Kindle app, which suggests it considers the Streak suitable for eBook reading. While it is never as comfortable to read a book on a backlit device as it is on a dedicated reader, it feels surprisingly natural to read a page around the Streak’s 5in screen.
Strengths and weaknesses
We have mixed feelings about the Streak’s onscreen keyboard. 1 nice touch is the separate quantity pad if you’re typing in landscape mode, but it’s fiddly to enter text at speed. We found mistakes kept creeping in, and the auto-correction is no match for that found on HTC’s Android handsets or the iPhone 4.
Consequently, we wouldn’t want to use the Streak as an email gadget, and if you make frequent calls nor will you want it to be your main phone. Although you don’t look ridiculous with the Streak clamped to your ear, you do not appear entirely sane both. You can use the hands-free set to make and take calls, and call high quality is fine, however the biggest hurdle will be the size. You are able to squeeze the Streak into a jeans pocket, but we suspect most individuals will prefer to keep it in their bag.
Entertainment on-the-go is great
Where the dell streak excels is as an entertainment device. Video appears fantastic around the 5in screen, and YouTube clips had been beautifully smooth thanks towards the 1GHz processor. There’s 16GB of storage as standard, but this comes in the form of a microSD card instead of built-in flash memory. The only room for expansion is to upgrade to a 32GB card.
The hands-free set consists of a pair of high-quality earphones that slip into your ear canal and block out most background noise. There’s no volume control, but a pause button allows you to accept incoming calls.
The 5-megapixel digital camera on the rear takes decent photos in bright conditions. Under much more subdued lighting, twin LEDs help to illuminate your subjects, however the effect does not come close to a correct flash. We were also a bit disappointed by the video digital camera. It only shoots at 640 x 480 and at 20fps.
Searching bliss
The Streak excels when browsing web sites. As long as your connection is strong, even websites that aren’t optimised for mobile browsers load rapidly. And more than Wi-Fi it’s even quicker, with the BBC website displaying in fewer than 11 seconds. It completed the SunSpider benchmark in a extremely respectable average of 25 seconds, although a 91/100 score within the Acid3 standards check is acceptable. But it is hamstrung by the lack of Flash help.
To fully take advantage with the Streak’s GPS capabilities, you need to purchase Dell’s car docking kit, which we expect to retail close to $115.
We took the Streak out onto the streets with out the kit and, as ever, were impressed by Google Maps Navigation. The visual directions are clear and its mapping solid, but in some methods it isn’t ideally set up for the 5in display. Yes, the street mapping is big, but if and when you do require to press a button you will find they’re uncomfortably small.
The other problem will be the built-in speakers. To create certain you can hear what the synthesised voice just said more than the background hum of the road, the volume must be set at three-quarters or above. And also the speakers start to distort at that quantity. It is fine the majority of the time, but if the street name is not familiar then it is easy to mishear.
Battery life
The Streak’s generous 1530mAh battery retained 60% of its charge after our 24-hour test (this includes polling for e-mail every 30 minutes, playing back audio for an hour, making a 30-minute telephone call, and hooking up towards the internet for an hour using the screen on). That puts it on a par using the iPhone 4 – pretty great for a device having a screen this big – but heavy users will require to recharge it every day.
You can do so either by way of the supplied USB adapter plug or by plugging it into your pc. Should you do the latter, you are able to also synchronise your Outlook contacts and calendar by way of Dell PC Suite (which you load direct from the Streak)! It is not probably the most polished software program in the world, with some suspect English to negotiate throughout setup, but it works.
Conclusion
We cannot suggest the dell streak yet. For it to become the natural option for browsing the internet, it must support Flash. And for this, it wants its promised Android update.
You will find other problems with the Streak too.
It is just too large for most pockets, so you will miss the always-there convenience of a phone. On the other hand, its screen isn’t as big or as stunning as that of the Apple iPad, which rules out the much-heralded rebirth of digital magazines.
Nevertheless, there’s a lot to like. Thinking about its display size, battery life is good. Dell makes the the majority of Google Android, having a slick user interface married to thousands of apps, many of which are totally free. And the hardware is rather attractive as well.
The dell streak comes out on October 1, for $649 outright, or $0 upfront on a $59 per month plan from Optus.
On May 25, Dell announced that the dell streak tablet device would be available to UK customers in early June. It will be available to US customers later this summer.
The dell streak is a hybrid device that lives in the space between a smartphone and other larger tablets or netbooks that you might be using right now.
Dell designed it to provide a wide range of users flexibility to do what they need with a mobile device.
As Joel pointed out back in January Michael Dell showed a glimpse of the Dell Android tablet then known as the Dell Mini 5. The device launched this past week on O2 in the UK and is officially known as the dell streak. The folks at Engadget picked one up and posted a full review of this 5 inch display tablet. The dell streak should be launching here in the US in July for around $500. With my new Sprint HTC EVO 4G sporting similar specs and a 4.3 inch display for $200, I have to wonder if the slightly larger display will appeal to many looking for an iPad alternative.
Key features and specifications of the Dell Streak included:
Google Android 1.6 OS (should get an upgrade to 2.2 this year)
5 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and VGA front facing camera
3G/WiFi/Bluetooth radios
HDMI out
2GB internal storage and microSD expandable memory card support for up to 32 GB
Most all of the specs of the dell streak are the same as the HTC EVO 4G (processor, display resolution, HDMI out, microSD card) with the display size, camera resolution, and current operating system being the major differences. Personally, the higher resolution camera and 2.1 Google Android operating system are more compelling to me than the slightly larger display. The display size makes this much less like a smartphone while the EVO 4G is still very pocketable. Engadget shows Google Maps Navigation on the Dell Streak compared to the Nexus One, but I would like to see how the HTC EVO 4G looks instead.
The Dell Streak will be an interesting tablet device, but I personally think making the jump to a tablet over a smartphone requires a display size of at least 7 inches. Is there enough appeal in the Dell Streak over Google Android smartphones?
The iPhone 4 has arrived with all the fanfare of Gollem launching a new model of Precious, but does the Apple attack look likely to thrash the other smart phone big boys once more?
We’ve taken five of the hottest new and upcoming smart phones (and one wild card) and thrown them in the ring for a clash of the titans. Screens will shatter and hearts will be broken as we sort the phones from the fools.
We’ve put the iPhone 4 is up against the Dell Streak, the HTC Desire and the Samsung Galaxy S — and just for kicks, the old iPhone 3GS too. If we haven’t matched up your favourite heavyweights, let us know in the comments, and let battle commence. Fight!
The dell streak is part of a huge-phone trend that includes the HTC HD2. The focus is on surfing the Web, rather than making calls, and with the Android OS on board, the Streak is well up to the task.
Big and beautiful
The Streak flaunts a 127mm (5-inch) screen, which backs up its claims to be a tablet computer rather than a phone. But you can still make phone calls on it, and even slip it in your pockets if you wear baggy jeans. Add that to a sleek, good-looking case and you’ve got a great smart phone for people who’d rather chat on Facebook than talk on the phone.
Lagging behind
The Streak runs the older, 1.6 version of Google’s Android operating system, until an update to version 2.2 comes later this year. When it does, the Streak will go from good to great, because right now it’s missing some key features, such as native support for Outlook email.
The HTC Desire has been around for a while compared to the other box-fresh contenders, but time hasn’t dulled this smart phone’s charms — and best of all, a few months on the market tends to bring prices down, making the Desire the most affordable of these phones.
Android with benefits
The Desire runs Android 2.1, covered with HTC’s own special user-interface sauce, which we think adds handy features and makes the robot better looking. It sounds like a perfect world, but the customised version of Android could mean you have to wait longer for updates, as HTC Hero users have discovered — they’re still stuck with Android 1.5, and are starting to miss out on new apps that don’t support older versions.
Blinded by the light
The Desire’s AMOLED screen is stunningly bright and vivid indoors, but outside on a sunny day, it’s so reflective you can hardly see it. Luckily, we don’t get too many sunny days here in Blighty, but if you fancy making a call from the beach, get ready for some touchscreen trial and error.
The iPhone 4 doesn’t launch until 24 June, but that doesn’t stop us craving its curves. The networks are lining up to offer Apple’s latest creation, but despite the competition, this is likely to be the priciest phone in the punnet.
Refresh and renew
Unlike the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 is a new design compared to its predecessor. An epically high-resolution screen should be just the thing for reading e-books from Apple’s new store and watching video filmed in 720p with the new 5-megapixel camera. A glass front and back looks slick and should be more scratch-resistant than plastic — but the moment before your dropped phone hits the concrete will feel like an eternity of pain.
Blast from the past
We’re excited about the limited multi-tasking and other new features of the iOS 4 operating system, which will be on the iPhone 4 as well as the iPhone 3GS, iPad and third-gen iPod touch. But video calling didn’t tempt us when it came out five years ago, and we’re even more indifferent when we can only do it between iPhone 4s.
The Samsung Galaxy S is slated to be released by the end of the month, but that won’t stop us from speculating about this crave-worthy phone. A huge 102mm (4-inch) touchscreen means the Galaxy S is another option for those of us with clown pockets or roomy handbags.
Super duper AMOLED
The Samsung Galaxy S is yet another phone in our battle that’s running Google’s Android OS, but it’s the only one with a Super AMOLED screen. It’s far less reflective than the AMOLED type, so unlike the HTC Desire, we should be able to see the Galaxy S when we’re strolling in the sunshine.
Android anticipation
Samsung has been slowly warming up to the Android OS with two other Galaxy phones — the Galaxy Portal and the Galaxy i7500. Both were solid efforts, but we’re still waiting for Samsung to blow us away with something special, and with a 1GHz processor, a 5-megapixel camera and HD video, the Galaxy S has real blowage potential.
The iPhone 3GS may be old news with the launch of the iPhone 4, but it’s still a great smart phone — especially now the price is certain to drop.
Still getting better
The iPhone 3GS will receive the iOS 4 software upgrade, which means many of the features of the iPhone 4 will go to 3GS users too. Basic multi-tasking, wallpaper and room for more organised apps are all in the cards for the update. That’s on top of a phone that’s so powerful and fun to use, it’s been sitting on top of our mobile phone reviews table since the day it came out.
The cool factor
The iPhone still won’t be cheap, and buying an older version of a top of the line gadget just feels wrong. If you want to blow your bonus on the latest thing, you can go the whole hog with the iPhone 4 — otherwise, an HTC Desire will save you a good deal of money on your contract and pricy iPhone apps. On the other hand, if you can get over your gadget envy for the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS remains a phone that’s well worth having.
Some genuinely nice Dell goodies are offered for you to pick from as an article from Engadget.com reports.
If you’re a Dell generating mobiles forever fanatic then the device your almost certainly extra interested in acquiring a hold of is far more than likely being the Streak which was previously recognized as the Mini 5, and we know you’ve been patiently waiting for really some time.
Now we have some interesting news or you, the Mini tablet is reported to become receiving Android 2.1 later this year in September. Sadly there isn’t any update on the rather vague summer launch window for the actual device.
For that reason there’s no knowing how much much more time you’ll need to suffer without having 2.1 holding on patiently and being told that it’ll all be okay. Should you were for some reason concerned that you simply wouldn’t be able to kit the point out with accessories by checking out the collection within the gallery ought to put your mind at rest.
pushed out, there’s usually already a newer version of Android on the market. This could be made evident with Android 2.2 (Froyo), the latest model, which has only been installed on a handful of devices thus far.
