Tablet Wars: Episode V - Dell Strikes Back at CES?

A few days ago in a land a few time zones away, one tablet became another and, just for a moment, stopped everyone speculating about Apple's entry into the decidedly fledgling market segment. According to Pocket-lint Dell is similarly jumping aboard, said to be set to unveil a five-inch tablet running Android, specs that would put it right up in the Archos Internet Tablet's grill and, thankfully, should mean a much lower price-point than the Joojoo. Word is we'll all be getting a glimpse of the thing at CES next month, and knowing Dell it'll probably be a very fleeting one. We're guessing this is the Streak, but would love to be surprised by something entirely new.

[luck7 Posted Dec 10th 2009 6:40AM]

pretty good

[PEZ Posted Dec 10th 2009 6:57AM]

I really don't like these tablets with smaller screens. I know there is an interest segment, but I think people who have iphones, or androids and otehr higher end smart phones may not be interested. The x-crunchpad, and other larger screens, I think have a purpose, if only to be able to use them easier due to teh larger face. They should at least be 7-9.

[Bjay Posted Dec 10th 2009 7:10AM]

@PEZ
Seconded

[dystroglycan Posted Dec 10th 2009 7:12AM]

@PEZ
e books are basically tablets with smaller sceens, just add wifi and a browser and its a considered buy

[ChaoZ Posted Dec 10th 2009 10:33AM]

@dystroglycan

Not really. Ebook screens, at least the better ones which have good readability, aren't meant for multimedia and at this point don't even have colour.

Sure the Kindle has a web browser, but it's pretty rudimentary at best

[POZ Posted Dec 10th 2009 1:47PM]

@ChaoZ Thank you and agreed.

[dystroglycan Posted Dec 10th 2009 7:05AM]

i find the tablet format more practical when executing the simple tasks meant for a netbook, and though not likely, it would be cool if it could double as pen tablet, but that would be entering cintiq territory ...

[stutenberg Posted Dec 10th 2009 7:37AM]

I think the input method will be most crucial for the success of tablets.
I cant imagine to type a text on that thing...

[ngko Posted Dec 10th 2009 7:41AM]

Dell did a great job and to tell you the truth I hesitate between the Dell and the Samsung Mondi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LT25XtfPyk

[Ryan Trevisol Posted Dec 10th 2009 8:09AM]

At 5 inches, it's only marginally too big to be a phone. People carry around the Touch HD2, which is only .7" diagonally smaller than this one. The problem I see with the Streak is the bezel. The bezel could kill pocketability.

I actually did a size approximation for These Are The Droids a while back, and I think we can expect the device to be about 5.25 inches long and 2.65 inches wide. It's not THAT huge and if they curve the edges right it could slip in and out of a medium sized pocket fairly easily.

[Ryan Trevisol Posted Dec 10th 2009 8:10AM]

@Ryan Trevisol
http://www.thesearethedroids.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/34adebfa10a8d9.jpg

[Ineed911 Posted Dec 10th 2009 8:44AM]

Very confusing market segment. You are calling this a tablet, yet it has a 5" screen. You call the Apple product (to-be-named) a tablet and it has a 10.1" screen. You call some products MIDs, others slates (because they have voice capabilities), then there is this ambiguous tablet group. The analyst that spoke about the Apple tablet also speaks to that device causing issues for sales of eReaders.

I think that eReaders will die out when true tablets (Joojoo, Apple) come out and can display HD video, surf the web, and display e-books. I also think that devices with a 5" screen should simply be called PMPs again - or MIDs like they were going to be called starting at CES in 2008.

Do you think this will get sorted out anytime soon?

[Ryan Trevisol Posted Dec 10th 2009 9:43AM]

@Ineed911 You're right, and I think this is a "slate" by your definition. The pics we've seen of it before clearly have an earpiece and it can be used as a handset. Albeit a shockingly huge one.

[9ooyan Posted Dec 10th 2009 2:26PM]

@Ineed911
there's no way the eReader will die out compared to these devices. The E-Ink screen is a completely different technology with a totally different user experience. from extended battery life to readability, it's for a different market alltogether. now, that being said, i'm sure there are people who will sacrifice that experience to get a more web-saavy device.

[Showbiz Posted Dec 10th 2009 9:22AM]

This is not a tablet. it's an annoyingly large phone, without phone parts.

[technogecko6 Posted Dec 10th 2009 9:38AM]

The naming conventions are definitely all over the place now. We need the big players to put their foots down ;)

[willowtwf Posted Dec 10th 2009 9:55AM]

as long as they put pure android on it and don't mess around like Archos has (making you buy the ability to play formats, surf the web, etc.) this could be a great device.

almost makes me wish i was hitting Vegas over CES instead of between Christmas and New Years.

[Rick James Posted Dec 10th 2009 11:19AM]

Is it me, or does this thing resemble the BB Storm? Not trying to hate, just saying it looks like my phone...

[Pingles Posted Dec 10th 2009 11:29AM]

If Archos can try to recover some of its tech-cred I think they have a pretty good product line-up already in place in the Tablet market. Their Android 5" tablet ($350) and their 9" Windows 7 tablet ($550) seem to be pretty good deals.

[shompol Posted Dec 10th 2009 11:49AM]

I trust Archos trademark much more than Dell. I have seen more than enough faulty Dell laptops to pay some premium for Archos.

[masso Posted Dec 10th 2009 12:03PM]

@(Unverified)
Wait, what? Have you actually have an Archos? They are notoriously faulty.

I really regret buying Archos 5 so early, but then again, there aren't really alternative for 200GB+ portable video player. Should have wait to see what Dell has to offer.

[Jroc Posted Dec 10th 2009 12:39PM]

And of course the obligatory 4:20 on the demo unit. Those Dell stoners!

[senorproducer Posted Dec 10th 2009 2:38PM]

かさなた

[Justin Glow Posted Dec 10th 2009 2:41PM]

@senorproducer I agree.

[senorproducer Posted Dec 10th 2009 2:43PM]

@senorproducer
Now in Spanish: hola chicó

[senorproducer Posted Dec 10th 2009 2:56PM]

Hello Andy and Josh

[Samuelwolff Posted Dec 10th 2009 7:20PM]

this looks very motorolla-y, gotta admit.