Dell Streak Now Boasts Android 2.2 but Uneven Experience

by Nicholas Kolakowski

The Dell Streak received its long-awaited Android 2.2 (Froyo) update starting Nov. 15.

The 5-inch Streak straddles the line between consumer tablet and smartphone. In the United States, it retails for $300 with a two-year AT&T contract, and $550 unlocked.

The Streak’s 1,530-mAh battery seemed to sip energy, capable of more than a day’s use on a single charge.

The Streak’s 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. The device also includes a front-facing VGA camera, albeit with a notable lack of available video conferencing software.

The Streak’s home screen includes Android features such as live wallpapers, as well as a “tray” showing the most recently used apps. The device’s 1GHz Snapdragon processor seems generally capable of smoothly running apps.

The Streak includes integrated GPS.

The Streak’s default collection of apps. As with most manufacturers and carriers offering Android-based devices, Dell has included a few proprietary apps of its own.

The Sync app synchronizes multimedia content and contacts.

The Streak offers a standard set of buttons: Back, Menu and Home on the front; on the side, Volume, Power and Camera.??í

The Streak shooting video.

The Streak supports Adobe Flash 10.1, which opens it to viewing a number of Websites’ rich content.

During testing, the camera seemed to have issues shooting in less-than-ideal conditions, and frequently blurred shots unless placed against an immobile surface like a table.

The Streak makes phone calls. Those without a headset ear will need to hold the 5-inch, 7.7-ounce device close to their face. Given the Streak’s size, this can be uncomfortable.

Dell has baked in social connectivity onto the home page, with big-button access to Facebook and Twitter.

Dell is also marketing the Streak as a multimedia device.