Dell Streak official: exclusive to O2 UK (update: launches on June 4)
By Vlad Savov 
posted May 25th 2010 5:00AM
posted May 25th 2010 5:00AM
We got a chance to play with it during a briefing in London recently, and frankly, aside from the snazzier paintjob, there's nothing new to report. Just like the prototype unit we've previewed to exhaustion, the device on hand was running Android 1.6 and Dell's skinning team hadn't yet laid on the goodies that we've been promised. The battery is the same 1,530mAh cell as before, and we even managed to get the browser to crash in the exact same fashion that our own Streak exhibits on occasion. Now that's consistency. We're not being told the specific Android version that the Streak will ship with, but a couple of flavors are being mulled over right now. Till we get more info, we suggest sitting back, relaxing, and perusing the gallery below for the roaring red number that's currently on show. It won't be available at launch -- you can have any color so long as it's black -- but "a range of colors and designs" will swiftly follow to sate any aesthetic concerns. Video and full press release after the break.
Update: The Carphone Warehouse listing for the Streak shows Android 1.6 as the OS with an "OTA upgrade available soon." Pair that with word direct from Dell that Android 2.2 and Flash 10.1 are coming "later this year," and you can connect your own dots [Thanks, Azza].
Update 2: O2's website now has a precise date for us: June 4.
DELL STREAK TABLET ENTICES PEOPLE TO WATCH, SURF, CONNECT, LISTEN, AND PLAY ON 5" OF POWER AND PORTABILITY
· Streak to launch early June in the UK exclusively on O2
· Available at O2 stores, O2.co.uk, The Carphone Warehouse and later next month at Dell.co.uk
· U.S. availability to arrive later this summer
BRACKNELL, UK - May 25, 2010 – Today, Dell released plans for Streak, a 5-inch Android™-based Tablet designed to provide people the best "on-the-go" entertainment, social connection, and navigation experience. Early this June the Dell Streak will be available across the UK at O2 stores, O2.co.uk, The Carphone Warehouse, and later in the month at Dell.co.uk. Pricing and data plans for the UK will be announced by O2 ahead of availability. Later this summer, Dell plans to make Streak available in the U.S.
The Dell Streak is a compact and powerful companion for people who want to expand their ability to access their digital lives on the go, and realize tomorrow's technology today. The spacious 5-inch screen is ideal for experiencing thousands of Android Market™ widgets, games and applications, all without squinting or compromising portability. Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and available 3G connectivity brings easy access for downloading and listening to music, updating social networking status in real-time, and staying connected to friends and family through e-mail, text, IM, and voice calls.
On-the-go students, mobile professionals, and active families will find Streak's web-browsing capabilities as natural as a laptop. The 5-inch screen is large enough to present Web pages in their natural form, create a comfortable viewing experience, and make turn-by-turn navigation simple and safe. The Dell Streak leverages Qualcomm's Snapdragon™ solution with integrated 1GHz processor to combine basic functionality, performance, and benefits of a laptop in a pocket friendly size.
"The Dell Streak hits the sweet spot between traditional smartphones and larger-screen tablets," said Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions Group. "Its unique size provides people new ways to enjoy, connect, and navigate their lives."
The Dell Streak was designed with the future in mind and will support over-the-air updates including platform upgrades, Adobe Flash 10.1 on Android™ 2.2 later this year, video chat applications and other software innovations.
Dell is a member of the Open Handset Alliance™ (OHA), a group of technology and mobile companies working together to accelerate innovation in mobility. Together, the OHA created Android, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform to provide people a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience.
Key Features:
* Integrated Google Maps™ with turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views
· A full screen browsing experience with a 5-inch capacitive multi-touch WVGA display
· Easily integrated social media apps: Twitter™, Facebook, YouTube
· High resolution 5 MP camera, VGA front facing camera, removable battery, built-in Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth connectivity options
· 2GB* of internal dedicated storage provides plenty of space to access and download Google Android Market's many options
· Packaged with cushions made from 100 percent sustainable, compostable bamboo
Specifications:
* Android platform complete with Android Market and Dell user interface enhancements
* ARM-based Processor: Qualcomm's powerful and efficient Snapdragon chipset and software platform with integrated 1GHz processor
* 3G + WiFi + Bluetooth
* UMTS / GPRS / EDGE class 12 GSM radio with link speeds of up to HSDPA 7.2 Mbps* / HSDPA
* 5 MP autofocus camera with dual LED flash. Easy point, shoot, and uploads to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and more
* User accessible Micro SD expandable memory available up to 32 GB*. Store up to 42 movies* or 32,000 photos*, or 16,000 songs* with 32GB* Micro SD
Follow conversations in the blogosphere: #DellStreak
Key Links:
Images: www.dell.com/photos
Dell: www.dell.co.uk
O2: www.O2.co.uk
The Carphone Warehouse: www.carphonewarehouse.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dell
About Dell:
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to its customers and uses that insight to make technology simpler and create innovative solutions that simplify daily activities and help people stay entertained, connected and in touch. Learn more at www.dell.com.
How about a 4.3" dual screen clamshell design :) One app on each screen? A full screen keyboard on one screen with an app on the other... Someone will build it sooner or later, I just hope they put a 4000mAh battery in the thing.
Well, I got to confess, I'm quite excited. Can't wait till the launch. June 4th 2010.
All happening rather quickly.
It's a phone pretending to be a tablet, that's manufactured by Dell... I'll stick to the iPad thanks.
I think 5" is blurrring the boundries between a tablet and a smarthphone. I'm getting the EVO, but that's as big as I'll go. I think that is the perfect compromise of size and screen. The Dell is too big for a phone and too small for a tablet. Next please.
I wanted this baby real bad but now I'm not sure....and this is why
http://www.o2.co.uk/dellstreak#tab-panel0_tab1
looking over the official specs for this baby I found a possible deal breaker dell some how in their infinite stupidity thought it would be a good idea to only put 256MB of ram that as far as I can tell leaves thing open to be crashy and suck at multitasking and it wont run flash properly.
I mean what the hell why put high-end parts except for ram it has less ram then its immediate android competitors.
Am I wrong for considering this a possible deal breaker?
@kamenwati
I think you may have a point - I was ready for this device until I saw the RAM. Dell what were you thinking?!
@jimmy1
Same here. Hope some one can do a proper review to compare with Desire to see how much difference this can make.
Do you call the users of this device streakers?
uhmm what the first guy said...
Too much bezel! If it had a bezel the same as the Evo, it just might be pocketable...
Ahhh no defintely not, and that photo of that woman holding it like that looks almost as ridiculous as an Ipad end user, using there device as a phone.
ITS TOOOOOOO BIG !!!
Doesn't seem so great. Too small to be a tablet, too big to be a cell phone, not enough ram. I could see going for a device smaller than the ipad, but this is quite a bit smaller. In that dell interview video on youtube, the dell homepage didnt fit well on that screen at all.
And I'm guessing cell phone capabilities = contract needed?
Apparently its landing with 2.1 according to Gareth Beavis of TechRadar.
Lol, I can just imagine people strapping this to their belt or using a man purse because it doesn't fit in their pocket. I'll probably just get a jacket with really big pockets because I'm completely against those two activities.
Shouldn't this be breaking?
Or is that only for articles about a CEO talking at his own company's conference?
When he places it up to the side of his face it's pretty damn hilarious.
This may be awesome, but as of yet I don't see the advantage over an iPhone or a 4.3" Android device.
Yeah........... i want one
My only concern is this thing only has 256M ram. Hope it won't be slow when multitasking.
Perfect example of Android not being fragmented. I'm was so excited for this device and bam - feeling gone. If it wasn't for Verizon and Droid 1.6 would be the dominant Android OS. Shameful.
@ddddd How much you pay for the iPhone? $120?
Actually I pay $80 for iPhone with ATT and recently $90 for N1 T-Mo.
@awesomerobot
According to Slashgear review, $110 is the premium that you have to pay per month for 2 years to get the Evo 4g. Or is that price for the UK I'm not sure.
http://www.slashgear.com/htc-evo-4g-review-2486586/
no fair.. i want!!! Why would you do that to americans dell???
10 days away and they wont tell us the price? I find that a bit worrying. Also interesting that O2 state "Not just a phone". So its officially a phone with tablet abilities then?
Too big for a phone for me.
Rip out the Cellphone bits and sell me a Wifi version for a good price and I will be interested. It is a nice size for MID/e-reader.
i want this SO bad ... i am a t-mobile user though ... we never get the cool stuff.
I can't understand dell... they wait for more than a year to release this device- who knows why- and now they can't wait for 2 more months before puting android 2.2 on it... I was so excited to get this streak but with android 1.6... with 256MB RAM... thats like buying a nintendo 64 for 500 euros when the ps3 is just 350 euros...
With 2.2 on it i would be the first to have a streak... but i ll be waiting for the release of 2.2...
If 2.2 is on it, I think it s the best device ever released in the wild!!! Let s hope Dell knows what they are doing...And let s hope they know what we want!!! AND WE WANT 2.2 ON IT NOW!!!
@Fishos You are so right. I dont understand why they took so long to release it the phone seems so dated now compared to its competitors. No HD recording, 256MB ram, small battery for the type of device, and android 1.6 this phone is so 2009 what the hell were they thinking. It makes me sad cause i wanted this so bad i was ready to buy it once it came out.
so sad dell you failed me hope my fears are proven wrong
Can't wait to see a custom rom for this show up on http://www.androidtechnical.info/romlib.html
This might be perfect for a data device to read books, internet browse, around the house use as well as long trips. Definitely interested in this.
Oh, I'll have one of these. Still pocketable - a man purse just doesn't cut it around these parts. We are not *nearly* metrosexual enough for that! And it will double as a phone - even better with a BT headset and voice dialling, so I can get by on one contract. Shame the OS it comes with is old, but I won't be screaming and writing hate mail to the family of Dell executives, as I suspect some of the raving lunatics on here would - if they had their addresses.
Oh, and it's free here on a £25pm contract - that's zero "dollars" for all the online reviewers who can't, or won't, tell subsidised from non-subsidised prices.
That battery door is horrible. If you slipped it your pocket it would easily slide off. In the june 6th review video he barely had to move it and it just flew off.