Dell Streak's Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video)

So we've been hearing rumors about the Dell Streak being some kind of a rugged bad boy. Word is, the Gorilla Glass display on this 5-inch slate is good enough to withstand pretty much anything a human would care to throw its way. Them's fighting words where we come from, so we did the only thing a responsible tech blog can do -- we put them to the test. Should you be brave enough to follow us after the break, you'll come upon our best efforts to destroy our own Streak prototype, albeit with little success. Then again, the end result might be less important than the journey there, which is not to be missed.

[Richard Lai Posted May 29th 2010 4:56PM]

@Engadgeteeer Viddler's working on it. ;)

[HoldenMccrotch Posted May 30th 2010 8:04AM]

@Engadgeteeer
or, you know, you could get whatever foolish phone manufacturer your using to support flash :)

[BlkBear Posted May 29th 2010 4:32PM]

While tests like this are fine, they are not exactly real world. Give it to a puppy for an hour or a toddler who is still teething. A few pocket drops on the sidewalk or Costco floor, during a free sample stampede on Sat. ;)

Only time I can see a phone getting stabbed like that, is a crazy ex (meaning it would be a knife or ice pick), or a toddler (meaning it would be a hammer or a phillips screw driver). Now stick that bad boy in a back pocket or a jacket pocket and try sitting on a curb, bleachers, plastic chair.

The nice thing about many of the newer phones is their screen size. That is also their weak point when it comes to a lot of everyday accidents that befall them.

[Mind the Gap Posted May 29th 2010 4:34PM]

thats not ink, its BLOOD!

[phillyguerrilla Posted May 29th 2010 4:34PM]

i wonder if they are using the same technology as car windshields... glass infused with plastic???

[JacaByte Posted May 29th 2010 6:23PM]

@phillyguerrilla

You're thinking of tempered/safety glass, which doesn't behave the same way; tempered glass is as brittle as pane glass, except it shatters into tiny little pieces all at once due to internal forces between the surface and inside of the glass. The glass used for car windshields has two layers of tempered glass with a layer of plastic adhered between them so it can take more shock and so you don't get pieces of glass in your face if your windshield gets hit by something at speed and breaks.

[constablepete Posted May 29th 2010 4:37PM]

Pretty Bad ass

[iamajim Posted May 29th 2010 4:38PM]

The only complaint is this isn't coming to Vz-crap! And yes, it does look like the Storm lol.

[simbr Posted May 29th 2010 4:41PM]

Really want to break it? Do you have a fish tank handy?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8450385.stm?ls

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:03PM]

I'm left handed. I keep my wallet in my left pocket and my keys and cell phone in my right pocket... There's NO way I could fit my wallet AND my phone in the same pocket(!)... Yes, the paint on my phones do get scratched up/ worn off over time, but it's manageable... You usually get a new phone after about a year (or two) anyways...

The main thing is to protect the screen... I used to prefer flip-phones because the screen was protected... But since there's almost NO good spec-ed flip phones these days, my last phone was a candy-bar (Nokia 3120c) and my current phone is a slider (Nokia X3)... I just put screen protectors on the screens to protect them from scratches and they're fine...

Anyone who puts their phone and wallet in the same pocket must either have:
a) really big pockets
b) a really small phone
c) a really small wallet, or
d) really bulging pockets

So you cell phone elitists can just shut your traps

[BigJayDogg3 Posted May 30th 2010 1:52PM]

@compking

lrn2backpocket

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:05PM]

OK next try an electric screwdriver(!)

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:05PM]

Nailgun!

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:06PM]

Try a saw blade!

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:06PM]

Yes, but is it waterproof?!... Let's try it!

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:07PM]

How 'bout running it over with a car?...

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:07PM]

Yes, but is it bullet proof?!... Let's try it!...

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:08PM]

OK I'm done now...

[compking Posted May 29th 2010 5:09PM]

So is the Streak a phone or a MID?... Looks more like a MID... I'm sure I could look it up but whatever...

[HoldenMccrotch Posted May 30th 2010 7:54AM]

@compking
its both, a tablet and a phone which can browse the internet :)

[nanosman Posted May 29th 2010 5:11PM]

i wish my phone had gorilla glass ):

[bustafone Posted May 29th 2010 5:16PM]

Do that to a Nokia and watch what happens......

[burnduck Posted May 29th 2010 5:19PM]

hey do the nexus one as well!!

[DubDubber Posted May 29th 2010 5:19PM]

I believe many here would love to do this with an iPhone...

Also note how Engadged tries to tell us that they are also in posession of this new iPhone 4 :) (put your attention on the background when turning around the Dell in the vid)

[HoldenMccrotch Posted May 30th 2010 7:56AM]

@DubDubber
yeah, i wondered what was on the mac keyboard...

[pankomputerek Posted May 29th 2010 5:27PM]

When I saw the phone next to it I thought he'll try it on them too.

[Greg7388 Posted May 29th 2010 5:50PM]

That gorilla glass is just impressive.

[d3sc3nd3ncy Posted May 29th 2010 5:53PM]

How well does it hold up against a baseball bat or Golf Club in case your insane wife... I mean golf partner misses.

-Tiger Woods.

[fivs Posted May 29th 2010 6:22PM]

@d3sc3nd3ncy

awesome

[weinerschnitzelboy Posted May 29th 2010 5:55PM]

I want to try this on my iPod touch, but i don't want to cry while going to the apple store.

[sweet Posted May 29th 2010 6:19PM]

i tap my iphone with my fingers harder than that guy is hitting that phone with the pen.

[HoldenMccrotch Posted May 30th 2010 7:58AM]

@sweet
really?
you have anger issues
(plus a pen has a much harder and precise stabbing point than your finger, dont believe me? try stabbing a man with your finger then try it with a pen, then note the difference...)

[ounkeo Posted May 30th 2010 4:20PM]

@sweet

I don't know man... unless you're a master of kung fu or something, I don't think your finger can really compete against the penetrative force at the tip of a ballpoint pen.

[ITSpecialist Posted May 29th 2010 6:22PM]

Try some Sand or little Stones...! ;)

[fivs Posted May 29th 2010 6:23PM]

ah dont care... i guarantee you 5 minutes with a toddler and the damn thing will be in pieces

[anotherworld Posted May 29th 2010 6:32PM]

Too bad the 256 megs of ram is a major fail on the Streak...

[kamenwati Posted May 30th 2010 1:32AM]

@anotherworld Yup so sad so sad why would they do that so silly.

[Keanedi Posted May 29th 2010 6:36PM]

ouch, it hurts. haha

[derekdevine Posted May 29th 2010 6:45PM]

I was scared watching.

[k1ng617 Posted May 29th 2010 7:16PM]

I think I heard the Moto Droid has gorilla glass is that right?

[rogobono Posted May 29th 2010 8:52PM]

@k1ng617 google.com

[xdanelliott Posted May 31st 2010 1:52AM]

@k1ng617 Yes the droid has Gorilla Glass.

[j0sh1130 Posted May 29th 2010 7:17PM]

im getting the evo 4g, and at 4.3 inches the screen is wonderful but also my main issue. its huge. and the phone is borderline when it comes to size & heft. this thing, at 5 inches, just seems like its pointless.

[Jorn Jelmer Posted May 29th 2010 7:19PM]

That's what she said

[XChrisX Posted May 29th 2010 7:38PM]

This phone with Froyo would simply dominate!

[(Unverified) Posted May 29th 2010 8:39PM]

I want a phone that big....do you hear me Verizon?

[rogobono Posted May 29th 2010 8:51PM]

LOL thats some funny sh*t

[coopere Posted May 29th 2010 10:31PM]

it was indeed painful to watch. i would not dare to this to any of my electronics my hard earned money paid for. damn. but after this demonstration that dell streak is looking pretty good.

[prithviraajhotmailcom Posted May 29th 2010 11:32PM]

Dell Streak has it all and I think its the device of 2010 - lot of reasons to buy it apart from my obvious one which is smartphone capabilities. Please test this for its phone features and capabilities as well.

[Richard Lai Posted May 30th 2010 8:55AM]

@prithviraajhotmailcom http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/19/dell-mini-5-prototype-impressions/