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Dell Streak review

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Verdict

We love the screen, we like the hardware, and Dell makes a fine first stab at making Android work in slate form – but until the Streak runs Android 2.2, we can’t recommend it

Review Date: 9 Jul 2010

Reviewed By: Tim Danton

Price when reviewed: Free, on a £25.00 per month, 24 months contract.

Overall Rating

Features & Design
4 stars out of 6

Value for Money
3 stars out of 6

Performance
4 stars out of 6

It may only weigh 220g, be dressed in sober black and have attracted a micro-fraction of the attention of the Apple iPad, but don’t be fooled: Dell’s pinning a lot of its hopes on this humble-looking device. While we haven’t been blown away by its powers, the Dell Streak has an undeniable charm all of its own.

The charm stems in large part from its physical design. A 5in screen dominates, with a thick black bezel on either side. If you were feeling unkind you might deride it as an overgrown phone, particularly when held in a vertical position, but for the majority of the time you’ll be holding the Streak in landscape mode, and in that orientation it starts to look quite neat.

Unlike the Apple iPad with its chic minimalism, Dell dots a number of buttons around the Streak’s edge. The three most important sit to the right of the screen: Home, Menu and Back. Menu is context-sensitive, showing commands like Wallpaper when on the home screen and Voice Dial when in the phone app.

At the top (which becomes the right-hand side if you do decide to put the Streak to your ear and use it as a phone) you’ll find the volume up and down buttons, the power switch, a 3.5mm audio jack and the camera button. The bottom is home to the proprietary connector, which is how you link up with your PC and recharge the device.

The software

As has been well advertised, Google Android powers the Streak. But prepare yourself for disappointment: this isn’t Android 2.1 but 1.6. That means you lose out on native multitouch support and support for Adobe Flash.

Which you miss the most will depend on how you use the Streak. The lack of Flash means you can’t watch videos on PC Pro’s website, for instance, or the BBC’s videos for that matter. No native multitouch isn’t quite as bad as it sounds: most of the other key apps, most notably the web browser, do support it.

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Comments

User comments

Tim, are you sure about no sat-nav on Android 1.6? I've got free turn-by-turn sat-nav on my Sony Ericsson X10 which also uses Android 1.6 - so I'd be surprised if this doesn't support it as well. I'll point you to PC Pro's own review of Google Maps Navigation at http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/software/357655/goo
gle-maps-navigation - which clearly states that it runs on Android 1.6 and up... so the Dell Streak should have it available, though you might need to download it from the Android Market.

However, I'd agree that the the lack of flash and native multitouch support is disappointing on such a large device.

By thewelshbrummie on 9 Jul 2010

Is Android a disaster in progress

If I buy a Dell PC with Ubuntu installed (OK, an unlikely event!) I can just type two commands to update to the latest version. If I buy an Apple iSomething, I can update to the latest release. Android is Linux base and should be update-able independent of the particular hardware vendor. Google need to sort this out.

By milliganp on 9 Jul 2010

Does have google navigation

It annoyed me reading the repeated reference that the streak doesn't have google nav. In the 3 weeks of owning it I've driven over 1000 miles with google navigation and maps (street view is great on it). Standard O2 streak, nothing special, came with 1.6. Was the review unit the final product?

By streaky on 9 Jul 2010

Satnav correction

@streaky and @thewelshbrummie Thanks for your comments and apologies for this mistake. I've updated the review and we'll be taking the Streak out on the streets to test its satnav capabilities.

By TimDanton on 10 Jul 2010

Harsh

I think this is a rather picky and harsh verdict on the Streak. Yes, it could do with an OS update, but after using it for a week now I find that the larger screen and snappy CPU make a huge difference to the web browsing and email experience. Noone would buy this as a phone, after all, but it's nice to have the option of sending texts or using some of the phone features when required.

By stefani on 11 Jul 2010

Blurred Tech

Slates are becoming Phones and Phones are becoming Slates.I would bot be surprised if Sony joins in next and makes the PSP Games system a slate with Phone capabilities.Where will it all end.In one Mass Convergent machine that can make the Tea?.Great till you drop it/Loose it or sit on it.Loosing that lot will really bugger up your day.

By Jaberwocky on 12 Jul 2010

Niche Market

I, like David Bayon claims to be, am Johnny No-Mates. This is a great bit of kit for us unsociable coves. We can surf the internet with something pretty usable and yet make that odd phone call (or, worse still, receive one) if we absolutely have to without carrying any more kit or having more than one contract. The usable sat-nav screen is a great bonus. As soon as Orange sells it (the only 3G service available in the town where I live) then I'll be off to get one. The perfect 'phone' for me ...

By PatMartin on 12 Jul 2010

who remembers the PalmPilot?

I am old enough to remember how HP/Compaq used their corporate sales presence to topple the (very clever, beautifully minimal, widely loved) PalmPilot off the top spot, by seeding corporates with the very first (very nasty) iPaqs. Having seen a Streak today and looked at the Citrix client on it at Dell TechCamp, I think this could well put another horse in the race. It's not as comparatively bad as the iPaq was to the Palm...

By Steve_Cassidy on 14 Jul 2010

Worried

Listening to your initial review of the Dell Streak of the PC Pro podcast, I was extremely worried by the clear lack of hands on before going to judgement.

I've always had the greatest of respect for PC Pro's reviews but you clearly uninformed review was clearly a mistake.
Missing the fact the browser had pinch to zoom etc, the fact that Android 1.6 has Google navigation were serious errors. By the way you can tap to zoom the maps.

Personally I think the Streak is best hand held computer/mobile I've had access to. The screen gives a fantastic browsing experience linked with its excellent mobile entertainment experience. As an E-book reader it's a much more friendly experience than either a too small screen on a smart phone or the arm achingly uncomfortable experience with an IPad.

You've said in your review that you will be withholding final judgement until the Streak receives Android 2.2 and Flash yes that would be good when it arrives and gives users another plus over Apples locked in and property IPad, but as its exists now the Streak is a great experience . Please next time review items properly before rushing to judgement.

By bloke1960 on 15 Jul 2010

Re: Worried

Just to clarify - we never said that the browser didn't have pinch to zoom (indeed we specifically mentioned it did), and we also prefaced the podcast by saying the product had only just arrived so our all our comments were initial reactions.

I agree about the mistake re Google Navigation, which I've already confessed to above!

I'm interested in your comments about the Streak as an eBook reader. How much have you read on it?

By TimDanton on 15 Jul 2010

Worried ...Reader

Tim, So far I've read a Victorian novel of around 250 pages, and a series of sizeable chunks of academic journals and books(anything from 25 to 100 pages) I had knocking about.

Used "Aldiko" and "Calibre".

Comparison with smart phones I've tried and a Sony E reader I borrowed for a couple of months very good.

By bloke1960 on 15 Jul 2010

Re: Worried ....Reader

Thanks for that feedback. The Streak has now gone back to Dell, but I tried Aldiko and Calibre (WordPlayer 3) before it left and they do work well.

I've updated the review to mention its book-reading abilities.

By TimDanton on 19 Jul 2010

V good but battery-wise......

I've had mine 3 weeks. Love it. Only disappointment is battery life. I was surprised the review said it was "good". I find it quite poor and to get another for a spare (currently) costs a fortune. Shame cos it lets down an ideal device for me.

By dwb790 on 23 Jul 2010

Update

Dell streak will have android 2.1 next month. tests online indicate that the update significantly increases processing speed in most applications. oh and google maps has pinch zoom! this seems to cover about 99% of the PC pro criticisms of this device... :-)

By stefani on 8 Aug 2010

Battery life

I've not had any complaints about battery life on the streak. actually its rather good. I can geta whole day of constant push email and web browsing out ofa single charge. when using only wi-fi the battery lasts two days. only thing that chews through the battery is GPS but even then I find it lasts long enough for any of the long distance journeys I've done so far.

By stefani on 8 Aug 2010