Dell's 5-inch Android Streak MID on AT&T in 2010?

It's not much to go on but after months of rumors and then the sudden appearance of Dell's 5-inch MID on video, well, even unsubstantiated reports from the Commercial Times can be taken with a degree of truthiness. The latest tattle has QISDA manufacturing Dell's Android 2.0-based MID (spotted with a 5 megapixel camera, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, 3G data, and WiFi) with the intent of ramping up for an AT&T launch sometime in 2010. Given the uptick in leaks recently, we'd expect a Q1 launch to be just about right.

[jareth86 Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:30AM]

This is what worries me. As the line between computer and phone becomes more and more blurred, are we moving towards a future in which computers are locked in to specific carriers?

[DrDr Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:32AM]

Agreed.

Personally I don't think I will ever buy a 3G device other than a cellphone or an ebook reader with no monthly fee. Why would I when I can wifi tether my devices to my phone? I can't use the internet on more htan one device at a time, so why should I be forced to pay for it?

[eminisp Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:35AM]

Agreed...

[zephxiii Posted Nov 17th 2009 9:04AM]

I'm scared :(

[android user Posted Nov 17th 2009 9:24AM]

This thing is too big to be used as a phone. See the picture in this mini review
http://gadgetmix.com/index/dell-phone-mid-review/

[cobaltage Posted Nov 17th 2009 10:24AM]

It's funny, because if a gadget like this comes out *without* a 3G modem, it gets criticized to some extent. But the reality is that the cost of cellular networking is prohibitive. That's probably why Nokia went with a phone for it's Internet Tablet line (the N900). People are already paying for broadband networking at home and increasingly for cellular data plans for phones. Unless there's a tax write-off or an employer paying for it, a cellular modem device is out of reach for the vast majority of people. If there were city-wide wifi, it would be a different story. But all those measures got sunk, for the most part.

[Banksta3 Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:57PM]

This is nice, but with rumors of Sprint releasing a 4G device early in 2010 It may be wise to wait.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:35AM]

Wow but as i say it is a Dell. But its good to see that Computer companies are deciding to venture in to the mobile market.

[DrDr Posted Nov 17th 2009 3:08AM]

Dell released the Axim X5 before the iPhone was even a glimmer in Steves eye.

I had the X30 and it was a very solid device. One of the best Pocket PCs at the time and definitely the best value.

[Atlantian Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:37AM]

if it where an animal and 3g was it's primary food the poor dear would starve to death if it wanders 10 feet to far from its watering hole(3g coverage)poor poor thing its a horrible way to go and then picked to death bye edge http://thewe.cc/thewei/_/images_1/sudan/donkey_carcass.jpe

[Hydra Posted Nov 17th 2009 3:10AM]

I really want a nice att android device, but if its not HTC then xda developers probably won't work on it. Sighhh

[uncola Posted Nov 17th 2009 3:21AM]

what is the point of carrying a 2nd device and paying for a 2nd 3g plan when the device is only like 1.3" bigger than your smartphone?

[Spiny Norman Posted Nov 17th 2009 12:53PM]

Well, some of us don't carry smartphones. I'm required to carry a crappy Nextel for work with no 3G, no data plan, no outbound text messaging, and no bluetooth. It's a decent phone, but I'm in gadget hell.

Since I don't need or want to carry 2 phones, and don't want to pay for a 2nd phone line, a 3G/(4G) equipped MID w/ a 4" to 5" WVGA screen is just what the doctor ordered.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 17th 2009 3:29AM]

soooo..... when Sony finally can the PS2 we'll suddenly see backwards compatibility, I presume ;-)

[Jeff P Posted Nov 17th 2009 8:31AM]

Comment this sense makes no.

[Shunnabunich Posted Nov 17th 2009 4:17AM]

Aw jeez, every time I scroll past one of these articles I'm like, "...the hell is an Android Steak?!"

[Banksta3 Posted Nov 17th 2009 2:59PM]

It's a lunch time special at Planet Google.

[oringal Posted Nov 17th 2009 7:17AM]

and with that special price at $199.(99) !

[TechHedz Posted Nov 17th 2009 7:39AM]

Mehh, I'm still waiting for the Zune Phone.

[jimscar Posted Nov 17th 2009 9:44AM]

@"android user" - I WANT to carry this as my phone. I'm living with an LG Incite right now. Nice and compact with a 3" 400x240 screen. (with plenty of support on xda, @digitallysick) Unfortunately, like the BB Curve 8320, BB 8830, & BB Pearl that I've owned in the last couple of years, it's ok for mobile communications, but slow, small, and barely acceptable. For mobile computing - seriously? Have you ever tried to edit a Word doc or Excel spreadsheet on these tiny screens? Pretty much useless. When there's enough of an emergency to try it, there's no time to deal with lag, scrolling around, saving, exporting, etc.

With a 5" screen and a modern (dare I wish... dual core?) processor, this will be a true unified mobile communications AND computing device. Hell, if you don't want to hold it to your face, use a corded or Bluetooth headset. At $199, I will buy it the day it comes out. At $299, I might wait for some reviews and user feedback, but would make the jump eventually.

Regarding "networks" - I travel a lot for business and have great reception with AT&T. I've had Verizon, TMo, & Sprint over the last few years. TMo's coverage was very bad. Sprint's was pretty good - when I didn't have reception, it would be in the middle of the desert or the like. Verizon's was very bad! I live in the western suburbs of Chicago and would constantly have dropped calls. No matter where I went, voice quality was terrible. Add in that Verizon store employees and sub-contracted store employees made a habit of LYING about contracts, service, etc, to me and I will never, EVER be on "the network" again, regardless of their great selection of phones.

[aeth Posted Nov 17th 2009 6:41PM]

The time is 4:20PM on the device a time to 'celebrate'.