Dell Streak: New Android based tablet

Austin (ip-192.com): Dell will launch a new tablet device called Streak early in June in Europe. The Austin, Texas, based computer manufacturer and IT Consultancy Company says that the new Mini 5 will be the first of a number of planned products.

The tablet runs on Google's Android operating system and marks Dells return to the handheld computer market. The Streak features a 5 inch (12.5 centimeter) screen and is what Dell calls a hybrid or a device that fills the space between smartphones and larger tablets or netbooks. "That's why we packed the Dell Streak with a lot of features," says Lionel Menchaca on the Direct2Dell blog. "We'll utilize that flexibility via over-the-air updates for platform upgrades, Adobe Flash 10.1 on Android 2.2 later this year, plus other enhancements like video chat applications and more."

The tablet devise, built around a fast 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon ARM-based mobile processor, features a 5 MP front facing camera with dual LED flash. The unit can communicate over integrated 3G or 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and features a user-replaceable battery. The Micro SD slot is expandable to 32GB, and the Streak sells in Europe with a 16GB card and 2 GB of internal storage.

"The Dell Streak hits the sweet spot between traditional smartphones and larger-screen tablets," said Dell's Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions Group. "Its unique size provides people new ways to enjoy, connect, and navigate their lives."

The Dell user interface allows access to over 38,000 applications via the Android Marketplace. Google Maps and Google voice can be accessed, and access to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is integrated.

The tablet will be released in the U.S. later in the summer.

A demonstration that shows most of the features available on the Dell Streak is available via YouTube here.

Photo: Dell