Dell Streak to Sell in US for $500 Unlocked from Dell Website in July

The Dell Streak is a 5 inch capacitive touch screen device running the Google Android OS that is part Smartphone and part tablet. Though many manufacturers including Asus, MSI, and HP have announced tablet competitors for Apple's lauded and maligned iPad, the Dell Streak, however is the first tablet to make it to market as a true competitor to Apple's hugely popular iPad, which as of this week has sold over 2 million units.

Pricing for the Dell Streak was announced today at D8, the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital Conference.

The Dell streak will sell unlocked on Dell's website for around $500, a competitive pricing move aimed squarely at the iPad's minimum entry price of $499. Carrier subsidies may be available closer to launch.

But are the Dell Streak and Apple iPad similar enough for a consumer to consider one over the other?

The Apple iPad slots squarely into the content consumer entertainment device arena, whereas the Dell Streak with phone, text, and corporate email capabilities seems to be a large smartphone with an entertainment bent.

With Dell's competitive pricing, and the possibility of carrier subsidies, this little tablet come Smartphone, just may find its own niche. Below are some features of the Dell Streak vs Apple iPad. Which would you choose?

Screens Size and Resolution

With a 5" capacitive touch screen (800x400 resolution) the Dell Streak sits closer to the iTouch and iPhone in terms of screen size and resolution. The Apple iPad has both a larger screen size and resolution with 9.7" screen and 1024 x768 resolution. But with rumors of a 5-7" iPad mini in the works, and Dells announcements of future 7" and 10" tablets, there is sure to be a screen size to suit everyone.

Phone Calls

The Dell Streak has a sim card slot, allowing the device to be used as a phone, though a blue tooth headset may be advisable, given the Dell Streak's size.

Connectivity

With 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the $500 Dell Streak outperforms the Apple iPad on flexibility.

Storage

The Dell Streak has 2GB of internal storage that is expandable via the SD slot to 32 GB (though this may change before going to market in the US). The Apple iPad, though available in 3 storage sizes, in not expandable.

Cameras

The first generation Apple iPad does not feature a camera, whereas the Dell Streak has both a rear and front facing camera for video calling (though whether the device ships with a video chat app for the US market is yet to be determined).

Video Output

The Dell Streak will also have HDMI output capability via a specialized home dock, another update on the Apple iPad's VGA output.

Prestige

There is no denying that Apple has a reputation for producing stylish devices. Dell does not share Apples reputation for quality prestige products.

If anything, they are known for their cheap laptops of limited lifespan. This alone is one reason the Dell device needs to offer so much more at the same price point. Consumer sentiment cannot be underestimated.
Source:

http://d8.allthingsd.com/20100602/dell-demo/

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