The Dell Streak - some thoughts

[AndroidTabletFan]

So after a few months of surfing threads, watching videos and comparing tablets, I did not end up with the Gtab, but purchased a Dell Streak instead.

I liked the 5 inch form factor of the Archos 5, and really wanted something just a little bit bigger, and the only other 5 inch tablet (if you can call the Streak a tablet) was the Streak. I'm not using it as a phone, and have no sim installed (yet) so I can't speak to it's phone functions at all.

So this is what I like and dislike so far about the Streak.

Things I really like about the Streak:

Buttons on the casing. That way if I'm running something full screen I can still back out of it if I want or need to.

The size and shape of it. It fits nicely in one hand, and also fits in some pockets.

The video quality is great and the sound is LOUD! You have to turn it down to keep it from sounding a little tinny. A big switch from the Archos and my N1 that I needed earphones for all the time.

The speed of the unit. This thing is running 1.6, but with that lovely processor it's a lot faster than the N1. And that's pretty darned fast!


Things I don't like about the Streak:

The battery cover. Without a case of some kind, the battery cover keeps sliding off which automatically turns off the tablet. It's a total PITA.

And that's it for things I don't like.

I've rooted and installed Icon Change Widget lite and have changed all of those stupid looking icons with the black boxes around them to nice bubble shaped icons. Much better!

Honestly? This thing works great just the way it is. With Skyfire as a web browser I get flash videos too, so I really am not terribly worried about ever getting Froyo on it.

Any questions just fire away!

 

[AndroidTabletFan]

I have a few more observations to post.

Swype works very well on this unit.

The camera, while not the best, has an on board editing function and is really nice to have. I wish more tablets had this!

It works really well with a bluetooth unit.

In speed tests for browsing it was about 5 seconds faster to load then the N1 and the iPhone 3gs. It's s lot faster than the Archos 5IT. Downloading apps is about 15 seconds faster than the N1. Which doesn't seem like a lot until you've sat there waiting for it.

The problem with the back cover is easily fixed with a protective gel case.

 

[xaueious]

Are you planning using this as a phone at all? Seems like a lot of money to put down just for a tablet.

Not sure what you meant with the camera function.

You have a bunch of expensive devices I see

 

[AndroidTabletFan]

Well as far as the camera, when you opened it up to take a pic, you could adjust the wb, focus, effects, etc. Sadly that is gone after the 2.2 update.

I wasn't planning on using it as a phone, just a tablet. I did get a good deal on it, shall we say under 300? Unfortunatly I might sell it now, since I don't use it very often anymore.