Folks have been clambering over themselves to praise the new 7 inch Samsung Tab after its launch at IFA last week, but I have been playing with Dell’s 5 inch screen entry in the tablet game for a month already, so I thought I should get a few notes down for context.
Pros
- Display – truly outstanding. I have an HTC Desire with its amazing AMOLED screen and the Streak is comparable.
- Rugged- talking of screens – I had a portable hard drive and the Streak in the same pocket in my bag when I went on holiday. Somehow the drive got all bent to hell, but the Streak is fine. Funnily enough I dropped the Desire and cracked the screen on the same holiday. Seems the Streak was the only gizmo to come back whole. That said I know some UK users have had problems with the screen.
- Performance – the specs of the Streak are such that even though its only running Android 1.6 it runs FAST. Very responsive, no sluggishness between a gesture and a function. Hardware does the trick.
- Specs – 1GHz Snapdragon ARM-based mobile processor from Qualcomm (see 3. above)
- Android – Dell has got hammered for making a machine based on an older Android version – but companies like Dell don’t sell beta technology, and they have to integrate all kinds of partner stuff. A Dell tablet that didn’t do a good job with Microsoft Exchange would always be a non starter, for example. Anyway – I understand that if I go to 3G today O2 is provisioning Android 2.1 to the Streak.
- Design- the device is pretty yummy looking.
Cons
- That said about design, The sharpness of the lines on the device are not ideal for holding and typing. It seems to me that the Dell designers could learn from the PSP with some bevelling and angling to make it more natural in the hand: rounded edges might seem “weird” on a tablet screen. But how you hold the device is just as important and rendering the Wide Screen Web. Just because the screen is a rectangle doesn’t mean the device have to be.
- Unfortunately the device bricked during the OTA update, so I have some fun ahead fixing that. I actually don’t blame Dell or 02 for the problem. I will finish/rewrite this review when I fix it, and I will be more of an Android dork by the time I have worked it out. Android at Modaco here I come.
All in all I like the Dell Streak quite a bit so far. It makes a good TV companion. I like the form factor. But then I don’t wear skinny jeans (I thought this was a pretty good gag but it seems so did everybody else).
Considering this is one of Dell’s first such devices I am pretty impressed with the design and build. Disclosure: The streak is a loaner from Dell, which is a client.
monkchips says:
September 6, 2010 at 4:46 pm
James Governor’s Monkchips » On The Dell Streak: I like the form factor but then I don’t wear skinny jeans. http://monk.ly/djTdKD
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
andrewfeeds says:
September 6, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Thoughts On The Dell Streak: I like the form factor. But then I donât wear skinny jeans.:
Folks have been clam.. http://bit.ly/aFurvH
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Mark Cathcart says:
September 6, 2010 at 6:08 pm
let me know if you have problems, we went to the labs the other day and they re-did Jays with the O2 upgrade fine…
Chris Bird says:
September 6, 2010 at 9:04 pm
I don’t have the same breadth of experience with the device as @monkchips has. However, I did get to play with one for the afternoon. I couldn’t really figure out what to do with it. I already have an Android Incredible, so am happy in the Android space. I was running Android 2.1 on the Incredible, so maybe I already got used to some things that the Streak couldn’t do.
Bottom line for me, the device is neither big enough nor small enough. Sometimes Goldilocks is wrong!
So I will pass on this generation and await a device with a bigger display, runs froyo (although that will soon be out of date – what’s next gigolo?).
I certainly hope Dell makes one and soon, because in general I find Dell’s products to be of very high quality and useability.
Evan says:
September 7, 2010 at 1:40 am
I am finding the Streak to be just what I had hoped. I did not want to lug around both a tablet and a smartphone, so the Streak hits the sweet spot for me. I find the 5″ screen plenty big enough for the tablet tasks I need, and I have a phone when I need that. After using the Streak for a while, I find it odd that people would settle for smaller phones! I am now wondering if 5.5″ would still fill handy as a phone.
Chris Dalby says:
September 7, 2010 at 12:10 pm
A thought about the sharp edges. A thin rubber jacket could fit on the outside of the streak and would make the device more tactile and sit in the hand better.
monkchips says:
September 7, 2010 at 12:19 pm
what do i think of the Dell Streak other than the brick issue? @chrisumbel wants to know. my answer: http://monk.ly/djTdKD
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
The Open Sourcerer says:
September 7, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I’ve had the Streak since it’s launch in the UK. I think it is great. Just the right size and extremely useful. My mobile usage profile is more data than voice. The Streak fits this bill perfectly.
I did the OTA upgrade to 2.1 the other day. I think they released it too soon – it’s a bit flaky. Not a disaster but not as good as the earlier 2.1 Beta code.
Roll on a decent Froyo release 🙂
Alan
opensourcerer says:
September 7, 2010 at 12:38 pm
♺ @monkchips: “What do i think of the #Dell #Streak: http://monk.ly/djTdKD” Been using it since launch. I love it! It’s a great format.
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
monkchips says:
September 7, 2010 at 12:43 pm
@surajluke http://monk.ly/djTdKD Dell Streak
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clara vargas says:
September 13, 2010 at 5:30 am
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sscullion says:
September 15, 2010 at 7:12 pm
@gblnetwkr multiple devices for pers vs bus & fashion play a large part. check @monkchips “I don’t wear skinny jeans” http://bit.ly/ahiZQb
This comment was originally posted on Twitter