

Product Type: Dell Smartphone
Newest Review: ... means that there are a host of apps available which integrate nicely with the Dell Stage, Dell's own widgets/interface that they hav... more
Is it a tablet? Is it a phone? No it's the Dell Streak!
Dell Streak

Member Name: thunder_hammer
Product:
Dell Streak
Date: 18/07/11, updated on 19/07/11 (11 review reads)
Rating:
Advantages: Huge 5inch screen, 1Ghz processor, nice design, 16gb sd memory included
Disadvantages: Heavy, short battery life, average camera
+ is for my edits
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The Dell Streak, a 5inch screened behemoth that feels too large to be a phone and too small to be a tablet (although on the packaging it is stated as a "tablet") Ahhhh schizophrenic gadgets!
Quickly I will add: If you buy this or have this update it straight away to Android 2.2
With phones getting larger and many running Android OS the distinction between phone & tablet is difficult to figure out. I would say, if you're holding it up to your ear and it's the main way to speak to people then it's a phone, if not it's a tablet.
The Dell Streak is big but not too big for your pocket and not too big to hold up to your ear so it's my primary phone. The 1Ghz processor inside feels zippy for most tasks but compared to a LG Optimus 2x or Samsung Galaxy 2 it feels sluggish.
+First things first, the speaker on the phone is far from brilliant, it's often difficult to make out what people are saying at the best of times. I'm fairly sure that it is the speaker that is at fault here and not the connection or the other persons microphone but this is difficult one to figure out nowadays.
The battery life isn't brilliant, until I figured out how to turn off background data updating the battery life was quite short to the point that it would go from 70% to 20% overnight when I wasn't even using it!
The camera is average I would say. 5 mega pixels is all most really need but the quality of the images lack due to the lens/ccd.
At first I was feeling a little bit cold towards the Android OS compared to IOS (as found on Apple devices) as it felt a little undeveloped and rough around the edges. After much use though I would say with a bit of patience, Android is a a great OS for mobile devices and will only get better.
The Dell comes pre-installed with Dell Stage which is basically the home screen and app drawer; how it looks and functions. I have no problem with using Dell Stage but it's easy to install something more customisable like "go launcher".
I love the 5 inch screen. It will be difficult to go back to using a smaller screened phone now. I find the screen to be sharp and vibrant.
To my surprise my Streak came with a 16gb sd memory card which I find to be more than adequate for my every day needs (thanks Dell for shipping a large capacity card and not a 512mb one like some companies do!)
I really love my Dell Streak, it might have flaws but the size of the screen alone makes it fun to use and a conversation point with strangers who are always stunned by this huge shiny black device you'll be wielding!
+ As a tablet the Dell Streak works really well, it's above average in terms of speed, the controls are well placed and the screen is very responsive. As a phone however, the call quality lacks and the reception sometimes drops (although again that might be a problem with my network) but texting works fine. I use the swype keyboard that it comes installed with and sometimes switch to T9 like the good old days, I'm undecided which keyboard I find works best.
+For me the less than average use as a phone isn't really a problem. I would say I use it for daily tasks, browsing and doing work on more than I use them to call or text people.
+A quick tip: When in your pocket, place the phone with the screen facing away from your leg. Either the static or the heat makes the screen less responsive. I believe this is a problem with other smartphones too but the problem appears to be worse with the Dell Streak.
Summary: A good phone/tablet not without it's flaws but great for anyone with big hands or poor eyesight
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