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Hands-On With Dell's Streak Android Device
adeelarshad82 writes "Dell Streak, the Android-based 5-inch tablet (which has also been called out as a smartphone) is set to ship starting in July, both from a US carrier and direct on Dell.com for $500. Even though Dell has not disclosed the name of the carrier, some experts believe that it will be AT&T because the Streak is a 3G GSM 850/1900 device and AT&T is the only major US carrier that supports those frequency bands. According to a hands-on, Streak is a sharp-looking device with a black front and candy-apple red back that unfortunately shows fingerprints easily. On the upside, Streak's curved body is comfortable to hold. Streak runs a customized version of Android 1.6, but Android aficionados will have to get used to the unusual button layout. Its 800x480-pixel screen makes images look tight, and web pages will benefit from the horizontal resolution. The 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the same as in the HTC Incredible and Sprint EVO 4G, functions snappily. There's a 5-megapixel camera on the back, a VGA camera for video calling on the front, and a MicroSD memory card slot under the back cover."
Can someone please quantify "sharp" for me?
On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
Come on - how can anyone sell an Android 1.6 device with a straight face in this day and age?
No wonder it's going to AT&T. AT&T hates Android and so far has only carried the worst and most crippled Android devices on the market.
... while this "expert" have even seen a SIM card with AT&T logo on one of the photos in slideshow! :)
Paul B.
The picture in that article makes me think this is the exact wrong size for every use it's designed for, especially as a phone.
No Verizon - no buy.
A phone with a pathetic screen resolution on a pathetic carrier with a dog-old version of Android.
I mean, I want an Android tablet, but I'm simply not settling for this.
What are the earmarks of a true tablet? Is it size? I think a 5-inch screen is too small to be called a tablet. It's large enough to watch movies and fill the Android interface with app icons, but you still have to type with your thumbs. In my opinion, tablets are supposed to fill in for laptops when you don't want the bulk of a screen and physical keyboard. The iPad fits that model.
I look at it another way: The iPad is so big that it doesn't fit in my pocket, so I need to carry it in a case, so I may as well carry a laptop and get a proper keyboard and the myriad of missing iPad features that we've all been over. And I still have to carry a phone, too.
I don't know about the Streak yet, but it does seem to me that it would still be pocket-sized and would give me a larger screen than my phone. For someone who needs a phone, but uses it more for texting and surfing, it could be very suitable.
Come on Dell, Really?
They are going to have to update that or few will be interested in it.
a free Xbox 1 controller?
"The Dell Streak, however, represents the beginnings of a very slippery slope. Where does a phone end and a tablet begin?"
What difference does it make?
Some of my favourite people are from th US; Vonnegut, Chomsky, Bill Hicks.
The iPad is so big that it doesn't fit in my pocket, so I need to carry it in a case, so I may as well carry a laptop
That's where you lost me.
Because a laptop doesn't need a case. It needs a bags, with accessories and so on.
The iPad has long enough battery life you don't need to pack power cords "just in case", and really have nothing else to bring with it. It's still much more portable than a laptop and easier to drag around an office or into meetings.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Just got the EVO today, and while it isn't as large as the Dell Streak, it is significantly larger than most smartphones in its class. One of the things I noticed was that although it's a joy to type on, it isn't so nice holding it up to your ear. It feels bulky holding it up against your head - however I can still use a headset and keep the device in my pocket. The significantly larger size of Dell means that a.) I wont be able to keep it up to my head without it feeling awkward, and b.) I wont be able to keep it in my pocket and use a headset. I can't see a reason to want a device of this size. It's at the perfectly wrong size, in fact.
Anyone tried to use the n800/n810 as a phone?
If you like that, try using an iPad as giant phone.
That and Engadget broke the news from the Dell CEO last month...
I've seen a few devices of this size (the Archos 7 comes to mind; and I've seen them on the internet, not in person, mind you) and I think it's interesting to watch the industry try to figure out the correct form factor for this new niche that is emerging. Obviously it is going to be something larger than a cellphone and smaller than a laptop -- but what, exactly?
This Dell Streak, I think, is the exact wrong size. It's quite a bit larger than a phone, and it doesn't look like something that you want to carry around all day in your pant pocket. One of the reason cellphones have become so popular is because they are so small (and light-weight). Remember that for several years, the major thing about cellphones is that they were getting smaller and smaller? Compare a phone from, say, 2000, with a phone from today. Why would anyone want to reverse direction on that? It's too large for a phone.
On the opposite end, it looks too small to do any actual work. A netbook-sized screen is good for emails and browsing, but it's not very useful for doing serious business. And this thing is much smaller than a netbook. I don't think that's the aim, of course -- I think it's more aimed to the niche that the iPod targets; gaming, "always-on" style internet access, etc.. But I have to wonder if the device is too small for these things, as well. I think it might very well be.
But the overwhelming thing we seem to be seeing is that there are plethora of devices being released, each being in some significant way different from the next; companies are trying to find out what consumers want in a device like this. Maybe Apple has proven it with the iPad, given its popularity; they did that with the iPod, and now the market is full of MP3 players which are essentially iPod clones. But remember when MP3 players were first coming to market, there were many different form factors, many different storage devices (Sony had that thing with the mini CDs, for example), until it became clear what consumers want. The same thing should/will happen here; and I believe it's quite possible it's already happened with the iPad, and anyone making anything substantially different will wind up falling behind.
Nemilar http://www.techthrob.com - Visit Me!
Can I sync it with my Dell DJ?
Verizon - No Buy.
fixed it for you.
An N900 running Maemo is way more fun.. and MeeGo will be more fun in the future.
In fact, I see tremendous value in pushing the screen real-estate for phones, sure some people won't buy the bigger phone, but you might hit that optimal size for many people.
That said, you'll never break into a larger screen size using only a virtual keyboard. Anyone who'll buy the oversized phone will require the real keyboard for more computer like functionality, like writing emails.
The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
Looks ugly.
Old customized version of Android. (have to wait for Dell to update it)
Too big to comfortably fit in your pocket.
Too small to use for an extended period of time.
And people wonder why Apple is doing well.
Streak is a sharp-looking device with a black front and candy-apple red back that unfortunately shows fingerprints easily.
Well at least it's name is somewhat descriptive.
If you want a device that size, chances are you'll also what the physical keyboard, well otherwise your probably writing kanji.
I'm also curious why people are attracted to Android. I've found that my N900 definitely has limitations, especially no printing. Yeah, I could always install cups and ghostscript just like Linux, but I'd need to micromanage the ghostscript driver installation, well plus the apps don't offer print buttons. How does printing work on Android?
I'm also not terribly happy with x11vnc on the N900. It'd rock if my phone's screen would just pop up on my desktop, but x11vnc is unbearably slow over wifi, making only usb networking pleasent for sharing screens. I'm obviously very happy the N900 has pdflatex svn, git, and rsync, but I've only actually used rsync. Android must have an rsync implementation, but what about svn and git?
Afaik, the N900's email program also lacks gpg integration. :(
The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
epic fail. fill up my pockets you bitches.
love,
steve jobs
The correct size is "all sizes". That way if you need one in a particular size, there is one for it. Your question is like asking the right number of blades for a razor, the ideal horsepower for a truck. This is wrong thinking entirely.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
All i need to know. Move along folks... nothing to see here.
Man, you must be a dickhead.
Anyway, peeps complain that 1024x600 netbook screen is too small for web page. How can justify 800 by 480? Stop insanity now!
Y
Thanks for the laugh. I had that on 8 track in the 70s.
Put identity in the browser.
I have an iPhone now (after bailing on my G1 after a month) and I'm thinking of this type of large display phone when my contract is up this December. After using a 3.5" 3x2 screen, I can appreciate wanting a much larger one. Some have said the Dell is too big - it's too small to do real work on, but yet too big to fit comfortably in your pocket (or up to your head if you don't have bluetooth handy). This may be true, but the larger form factor (say a screen at least 4.7" - the Dell Streak was often quoted to have 4.8", but O2's sheet (http://www.o2.co.uk/dellstreak/dellstreakspec) says 5", anybody know the real answer? also, a 800x480 screen is not 16x9 unless the pixels are not square - is that the case?) does have its advantages when using onscreen keyboards or viewing maps, photos, or web content. My eyes just can't focus much closer than 10" anymore, so I appreciate a good angle of view at that distance. In the future, I hope these size devices can pump up the resolution - by the time you get to 4.7 to 5", it really is meaningful to go all the way to 720p (1280x720). The video camera of these devices will capture at that resolution and of course a lot of youtube content at 720p is available.
The things that disappointment me on this phone are a) there is too much margin from the screen to the edge,b) it's kind of heavy, and c) Android 1.6. Assuming it is a 5", square pixel, 800x480 screen with case dimensions 153x79 mm, that results in borders of 11.5 mm on the sides and 27 mm top and bottom. My iPhone has 6 and 21 mm and I want to see this dropped to 5 and 12-15 (depending on how much of a constraint the mic and speaker are). I want a big screen, but I still want to get a slim profile in my pocket. It's nice they got the thickness down to 10 mm, but I'd rather take a 1 or 2 mm hit on thickness to shrink the other two dimensions. I suppose the big device with Gorilla glass had to weigh that much, but holding 220 g in my pocket might take some getting used to. Finally, the choice of a modded 1.6 OS is ridiculous. Just give me the stock Android already. I wish Google would market the advantages of using a standard stock OS (like easier updating) and more of the manufacturers would offer stock models. I'm not interested in any of modifications (regardless of the success HTC has supposedly had), the whole point of Android for me was to have companies differentiate themselves on hardware (like a PC), not on software.
I hope they are many 4.7"+ devices available by the end of the year.
Hate to do this, but:
1. Too big to be a good phone, too small and slow to be anything else.
2. Resolution is no good for a "tablet."
3. AT&T blows.
4. Many people still hate touch-screen keyboards.
5. Android 1.6. Are you serious? No, really. You are serious? Oh. Wow. And it's a non-standard version. M'kay.
Haven't seen one yet, don't need to. The Streak will be another big brown streak for AT&T and Dell. FAIL
This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
AT&T junk tends to work on Tmobile, so here's hoping. I am a big fan of physical keyboards, but I can live with a shitty onscreen keyboard if it's on a 5" screen. The fact that it supports voice over traditional cellphone networks is a plus too, for when I absolutely have to make or receive a phone call. I'm guessing Skype service is in the cards for this one. I think a 5.5" screen would have been better but it's a great start. $500 might be a little steep though, Dell. Drop it down to $350 or $400 and now we're talking. LCDs are cheap as hell and it's just a traditional android phone inside, there's no reason to jack the price up to iPad prices without an iPad OS to go along with it.
moox. for a new generation.
If you can hold the whole thing in one hand and fit it in a shirt pocket and it has a speaker at top and mic at bottom that is a phone. Sheesh.
The stupidest part of them calling it a tablet is at $500 it costs more than an iPad, which has a bigger screen, more storage, glass and aluminum instead of plastic, twice or more bettery life, and much more sophisticated software, including native C apps. Why invite that comparison? If you just call it a phone you see its reason for being is for those who want a big nerdy phone.
Android v1.6 ... classic!
Of course We can not do it, because the file type is different/not match each other. Xtreme No
"Too large for a phone" is a matter of opinion. This is exactly the size of phone I've been waiting for. I want as large a screen as possible, without making it impossible to hold it to my ear for my (very occasional) voice calls, or conveniently carry it in a holster or (less often) a pocket.
For me, a phone being tiny is of little value. Give me vast amounts of screen space, a large physical keyboard with hard keys with spacing and some travel distance, and a huge battery that won't run out even if I spend all day using it heavily in areas with poor signal. The Dell Streak isn't what I want, having only the screen space but not the physical keyboard and an unknown battery (and an obsolete OS), but the size? Perfect.
"Not useful for serious business"? Depends on your business. Much of my business is coordinating employees via email and text message, keeping records in spreadsheets and simple text documents, and occasionally consulting and searching through previous emails and web-based resources. A smartphone with a 5" screen, a reasonable array of apps, and a keyboard that lets me do 50wpm, is just fine for this.
Even my T-Mobile Sidekick was adequate for most of my business needs, despite the dubious browser and poor screen, thanks to the ultra-quick app switching and utterly fabulous hard keyboard unmatched by any other device. If Microsoft hadn't bought the platform, stripped it of development resources, and left it to die, I might still be using it.
Sure, this large a phone isn't for everyone. But that's one of the lovely things about an open OS - you have choices in hardware. I'd rather use iPhone OS, it's a far smoother user experience, but where am I going to find an iPhone with a 4-5" screen? or a physical keyboard? or running on a carrier other than AT&T?
Sony Ericsson did that as well for there Android smart-phone: create a customised experience on top Android 1.6. Probably to create a “unique selling point”. When they where finished with tweaking the Donut everybody already had a 2nd Eclair ;-) . Sony at least promised everybody to supply Eclairs later in September :ROFL:
I hope they learn the hard way that the best “unique selling point” is the having the new version ready at max one month after release day. In the mean time I have some Froyo on my Nexus-One.
Martin
Bah, was looking forward to this. For me, that form factor is fantastic. /really/ force you to use it's Landscape mode, not Portrait. It makes their UI look better I supposed, but seems odd you don't get the option when it's still more phonelike than tablet. That feels...artificial?
But 1.6 and a Dell 'experience' UI? Oh dear Dell.
I'm not a fan of the soft-touch buttons either, prefer to have solid buttons to press for home/back. They're very fiddly on the NexusOne, the HTC Desire's button configuration is alot better.
And the power button on the top near the camera? Hmm... Odd choice. Should be more obvious (unless you can configure the Camera button to power up!)
In the breakdowns of the hardware, not seen where the Notification light is, that's odd (don't mind no trackball, I can't recall where I've used it).
To try and get it to fit the tablet mode, it seems to want to
I really did want one, but I'll wait and see how long it takes to get 2.2, if it's longer than 3 months, I think I'll pass for now and wait for other solutions as I don't want to be beholden to Dell for other vital upgrade
Dell /really/ needed to deploy standard Android 2.2 with this.
Waiting for an amusing sig.
There is a T-Mobile version according to the FCC filing.
http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/comment/5-inch-dell-streak-to-hit-t-mobile/
Zoid.com
bah, youre all a bunch of crabby old men. almost everyone thats tried this device has fallen in love with it. the resolution is not low. i remember using 800x600 on a 14 inch monitor. this is gonna be very small pixels on this device. also it comes out at the end of july in north america with an android 2.2 update in september. thats less than 2 months to wait, not a big deal. it fits in a pants pocket. they made it as big as they could while still being pocketable. thats the magic size for me. the htc hd2 and evo have 4.3 inch screens, this has a 4.8 inch screen, only 0.5 inches bigger.
It's horrible how you have to change carrier to get the devices you want. A really bad , consumer unfriendly system were the carriers can walk all over you.
The shitty thing is that some manufacturers try to import that bullshit system to Europe too (England has had it for long). I won't name names, but _APPLE_ eg. is one of those companies. You had to initially choose binding to one carrier up here in Norway, and a little later, you had the choice between the two biggest carriers.
Most Norwegian prefer the voluntary binding to carriers, but with the option of bying the device without.
Streak is a sharp-looking device with a black front and candy-apple red back that unfortunately shows fingerprints easily.
Man, you can't have a single article about a mobile device on Slashdot without Apple being mentioned these days.
Damn -- it's first concern in half the mobile-hardware reviews these days. Do these people actually turn the phone on or just hang it around their necks as jewelry? Wipe the scary prints off on your overpriced shirt awready.
Why haven't we seen an Android device that doesn't require a cellular network? Seriously, a standard-sized Android device with WiFi capability would be very good competition for the iPod Touch.
Sent from my CR-48