Dell Streak Media Round-Up

In anticipation of it's US launch, Dell Streak has received much press coverage in the past 48 hours. Bellow is some of what's being said.

Business Week (article here) writes that the Streak holds up quite well as a handheld entertainment device, but doesn't quite cut it as a phone. The author concludes that, 'in the end, in spite of its unique design and appealing viability as a handheld media device, the Streak feels too much like last year's Android device.' The author says the price point will be essential to knowing whether or not to recommend the device.

CNET (article here) has a generally undecided opinion on the Streak. If it comes down to a battle of the Streak vs the iPad, the author writes 'the iPad makes a better map, better photo frame, better video player, better Web browser, and better repository for all things "app" with a seemingly limitless number of home screen pages.' Nonetheless, the author concedes that 'you can't fit an iPad in your pocket, or pop in your own SIM card, or shoot 640x480 video, or even take a crummy portrait on a front-facing camera. There's a lot going for the Streak, and it's safe to say Dell has created the best Android-based tablet we've seen so far.' The author concludes that he's waiting for more information on pricing and availability before making an overall decision, but warns that it's not a 'screaming deal' if the device retails at the rumoured price of $500.

USA Today (article here)--America's most largely circulated publication--gives the Streak 2½ stars out of 4. The author praises the device for being attractive and sturdy, having a five-inch touch-screen for videos, its maps, its navigation and browsing, and its front and rear cameras. However, the author dislikes the Streaks mediocre performance as a phone, its older version of Android OS, and its overall sluggish feel.