Dell Mini 5 tablet: Dell's answer to the Apple iPad?

Is Dell preparing a Mini tablet to challenge the recently-announced Apple iPad and forthcoming HP Slate?

According to Shenzhen-based PC Online, it just might be.

Called the "Dell Streak" or "Mini 5" tablet, the device -- officially model M01M -- has a 5-in. 800 by 480-pixel touchscreen, Google Android 1.6, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G mobile broadband, a 5-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, another front-facing camera, and a 1530mAh battery.

Really, this device is more in line with a MID than an iPad competitor -- but it shows that Dell is already trying to move into this space, riding Google's open source wave.

The price for this BlackBerry Storm-like tablet device? ¥7,500, or approx. $1,098 USD.