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Dell Streak: Mini 5 tablet docs leaked; reveal specs, colors

By | March 10, 2010, 7:10am PST

Summary: The Dell Mini 5 tablet PC is coming to the U.S. as the Streak, according to newly leaked documents.

The Dell Mini 5 tablet PC is coming to the U.S. as the Streak.

The intrepid folks at Engadget nabbed internal slides this morning, which confirm that the five-inch, Google Android device will sport a WVGA (800 by 480) capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, front-facing VGA camera and 30-pin docking connector.

The slides also reveal that the device will arrive in an array of colorful finishes, including black, blue, pink, red and several custom Dell Design Studio finishes.

Darren Murph notes that the Streak will launch with an Amazon content partnership, meaning Kindle e-books and Amazon MP3s and video will stream to the device.

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Topics

Dell Computer Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Tablet, Camera, Dell Mini 5 Tablet PC, Keyboards, Hardware, Peripherals, Andrew Nusca

Andrew J. Nusca is editor of ZDNet and SmartPlanet.

Disclosure

Andrew Nusca

Andrew J. Nusca does not hold any investments in the technology companies he covers.

Biography

Andrew Nusca

Editor

Andrew J. Nusca is an editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet. As a journalist based in New York City, he has written for Popular Mechanics and Men's Vogue and his byline has appeared in New York magazine, The Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Editor & Publisher, New York Press and many others. He also writes The Editorialiste, a media criticism blog.

He is a New York University graduate and former news editor and columnist of the Washington Square News. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has been named "Howard Kurtz, Jr." by film critic John Lichman despite having no relation to him. He lives in his native Philadelphia with his wife, cat and Boston Terrier.

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memabe 6th Mar 2011
I hope to get one soon I was looking to get an Android and a tablet of some sort but now this is perfect I can hook up both and go thanks Dell. I always Loved Dell
View in thread
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Sounds like a great little device! But, I want a 10 or 12 inch tablet too.
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
Hopefully, this is just the start.

Also, they need to lose the docking connector. Just use USB.
0 Votes
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USB won't work
AttackComputerWhiz 10th Mar 2010
...Until they come up with a monitor that connects via USB.
0 Votes
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There are USB - VGA adapters, and USB HDMI adaptors.
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
NT.
0 Votes
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Adaptors galore, and software needed too
John Zern 10th Mar 2010
don't forget those adapter need software to send a "video" signal out thru the usb port, so someone will have to figure out a way to create software for the device that will do that with Android.
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And, how is that different from WinMo7 or WinCE?
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
Actually, given all the tablets being released with
Android, the manufactures are more likely to write
the Android driver FIRST.
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5 to 6 inch is the sweet spot for poketablility
nswprop 11th Apr 2010
10-12 inch Android devices will start making sense when they have near laptop spec and full os. Or else, it will just occupy lots of unnecessary bag real estate and do very little, just like an IPAD, being big and useless. It make more sense to bring along a 10-12 inch laptop rather than 10-inch Android or IPAD. But 5-6 inch Android phone is the ultimate sweet spot for such hardware spec, and OS, and its pocket-able too. So you don't have to lug around additional bag or 'murse' for the same level of hardware which perform nothing more than the one in my pocket.
0 Votes
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5" just does not make sense.
Bruizer 25th May 2010
@nswprop

5" will not fit in all my shirt pockets with out being super tight.

5" won't fit in any of my pants pockets without bulging. Or won't fit at all.

I just don't get a 5" phone.
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RE: Dell Streak: Mini 5 tablet docs leaked; reveal specs, colors
petem@... 10th Mar 2010
PLEASE..PLEASE..PLEASE tell me that this will hot be a windows powered device..!!! android would be perfect..!!!
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Yes, it is Android powered. Microsoft does not have anything for this form
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
factor worth a sheeeet.
0 Votes
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Missing one detail-
AttackComputerWhiz 10th Mar 2010
I don't see a projected price.
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RE: Dell Streak: Mini 5 tablet docs leaked; reveal specs, colors
doug_hutter@... 10th Mar 2010
"The intrepid folks at Engadget nabbed internal slides this morning, which confirm that the five-inch, Google Android device..."

Your wish is my command...
0 Votes
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I don't get it....
joudbren 10th Mar 2010
It doesn't seem that much bigger than an iPhone or current Android based smartphones for that matter so what's the point? If it's intended to be a media device to compete with the iPad or the Kindle then the screen is just too small in my opinion for that purpose. Just sayin'...
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The jump from 3.5 to 5.0 is huge, so, there is a lot more you can do
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
comfortably. Myself, I want 9 inches minimum, and I
imagine this is only the first Dell model.
0 Votes
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Looks More Like The Love-Child Of . . .
Whyaylooh 10th Mar 2010
. . . an iPhone and a Nokia N800, than necessarily a competitor for the iPad. Not saying that's necessarily a good or bad thing, though I hope that it's marketed and supported more like the former than the latter. Definitely intriguing from a technical aspect, though.
0 Votes
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Well, the screen is 5 inches compared to 3.5 inches for the iPhone.
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
So, you can definitely do more with that size,
though, I hope they will have some bigger sizes,
later, say 8 inches and 11 inches.
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It Gets That From Its Mother's Side
Whyaylooh 10th Mar 2010
The Nokia N800's screen size is a little bigger at 4.1". More importantly, it "inherits" the N800's 800x480 resolution, as opposed to the iPhone's craptastic 480x320. At a little under an inch bigger than the N800, and an inch and a half more than the iPhone, this should be quite usable. (Though, like you said, a bigger screen down the road would be nice.)

Technology-wise, it seems to combine the best of the two platforms, for the most part, hence the reference. I just hope that it doesn't also "inherit" the problems of the companies and user bases behind them, particularly that of the N800 that really seemed to fall over itself to make sure it wouldn't get widely adopted, and would remain a niche device. (Thankfully, this seems to have somewhat improved with the new N900. Somewhat.)
0 Votes
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I would buy one of these today...
Garrius 10th Mar 2010
if the price point is under $250.
0 Votes
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With a 2 year contract. Perhaps (nt)
Bruizer 25th May 2010
@Garrius
0 Votes
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Where's the Cell? Where's the Bluetooth?
panzrwagn@... 10th Mar 2010
This form factor + a GSM or 4G voice/data duplex phone and Bluetooth means I can keep it in my coat pocket or on my desk and talk via the headset.

It also means I can attend meetings via phone and view the presentation on the screen. That's why GSM or LTE. Can't do that on CDMA - deal breaker.

Absent those capabilities, it's a toy. Value=0
0 Votes
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It's all in there!!
lepricon29@... 10th Mar 2010
You might want to check the proposed specs - 5-inch screen, 800?480 resolution, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 5MP camera with flash, front facing camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G and a 1530mAh battery. It will also likely have a 30-pin connector so it can be docked, also enabling HDMI Video Out.
Also it's supposed to have VOIP capability.

Value=Total
0 Votes
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I think you just mean LTE
stano360 10th Mar 2010
CDMA is technically superior to GSM (maybe not
practically if your going to Europe), LTE is an
incorporation of an advanced CDMA technology into
a mutually agreed upon standard between the
carriers.
0 Votes
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Except CDMA does not do simultaneous voice/data.
Bruizer 25th May 2010
@stano360

In general, I prefer CDMA but it is not technically superior in all ways, just some.
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First of many
tgschmidt 10th Mar 2010
I am really looking forward to all the new devices coming out. This is a great addition to the choices when you are thinking of getting an iPod Touch or an Archos. Gonna be some cool stuff! Lets just enjoy instead of critisizing!
0 Votes
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5" is intriguing...
Graham Ellison 10th Mar 2010
But ask anyone and they'll tell you 7" is interesting and 9" nails it every
time.

Yes I'm being smutty, but who told Dell there was a market for a device
that barely improves on the iPod Touch screen experience?


And in that yawning great gap, lies the truth that they still think it's about
sticking bright shiny plastic on things to make them sexy and making
dumb TV ads.

And while we're in this mode, what's with the ludicrous name? "Is that a
Streak in your pocket, or are you just...?"? Streak??? W T F ever possessed
them to go with that name? It doesn't even track on any level.

This is what happens when you build a business model based on minimal
profits, supplying government and big con-gloms. You loose not only
your imagination, creativity and vision, you lose your very soul - if indeed
you ever had one in the first place.

You also lose any connection with what's actually going on in the real
world. You end up just playing catch-up with devices that have cheap
screens [the best you could afford] and shiny plastic... and then more
dumb TV ads.

I actually think the iPad's biggest problem is its size. It's maybe too big.
7" really is still a pocket device. But somehow I'm sure we're going to
learn to live with more than we expect in terms of pixel real-estate.

And please don't tell me this isn't about the iPad. It's ALL about the iPad.
In 12 months time, when Apple show us their market share, you'll have
the evidence for what is already inevitable.
0 Votes
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5 inch might be good for some things, but, I would prefer 11.5 inches
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
for reading and browsing the web. I imagine that
Dell will be offering larger screen sizes later.
0 Votes
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The sweet spot...
CowLauncher 10th Mar 2010
for these devices I imagine is what fits well in what peeps are carrying
around on their shoulder. Lots of messenger bags out there...how big are
those? I typically carry a backpack, so the size you are talking about
would work well. So the 5 incher is kind of a weird size...too big for a
pocket and not big enough for a bag.
0 Votes
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iPad? What's that?
Narg 10th Mar 2010
Go Dell Go!!!

Can't wait to see other itterations of this product. maybe a 11" version next?
0 Votes
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I am holding out for an 11 inch model with SD slot and USB connectors.
DonnieBoy 10th Mar 2010
Ok, I would settle for 10 inches.
0 Votes
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Is Ray Stevens Doing The Launch?
itanalyst2@... 10th Mar 2010
wink
0 Votes
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No,
Graham Ellison Updated - 10th Mar 2010
Stevie Wonder!
0 Votes
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RE: Dell Streak: Mini 5 tablet docs leaked; reveal specs, colors
s4ndm4n 11th Mar 2010
The fact that its mentioned you can get kindle books on it is no big deal. Considering you can get the kindle app for blackberry and even Iphone now anyway... (downloaded it for my wife's touch and it works great).. it becomes a moot point.
0 Votes
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The Good and The Bad
blueryan 25th May 2010
Google Android is a good OS because of choice of hardware. Its still not as open source as Palm, unfortunately, and apps are still behind Apple. AT&T, like Apple is a mediocre choice, especially since, they're network and coverage are inferior to Verizon and Sprint.

This phone will most likely compete with Apple against the iPhone and the iPad, since it is right in between them, with size closer to iPhone but specs similar to iPad. No new ground is covered. They will also be competing against AT&T customers. I believe most people who want to pay AT&T prices, support a corrupt, fascist company, who has failed and flailed at most endeavors (such as phone and broadband) prior to successfully bidding for the iPhone, but is good at marketing and even better at lobbying congress, will already be on an iPhone and the only reason for the jump is if they want Google OS.

It will be interesting to see how it does. I think it will make a small splash and hopefully it will be good for Dell, and not drag it down with marketing and bug fix development costs, without realizing significant market share.
0 Votes
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RE: Dell Streak: Mini 5 tablet docs leaked; reveal specs, colors
blueryan 25th May 2010
@blueryan Also what will the battery life be like with a 1 GHz processor and a big LED screen, and fairly light battery at 1530 battery. It will be interesting to see. Thats where hardware and software design will really determine the usefulness of the device. The iPad battery life is impressive. The iPhone and the Palm Pre are anything but. For people who need a dependable phone or don't want to be glued to a desk/power source, a phone replacement this is not.
0 Votes
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RE: Dell Streak: Mini 5 tablet docs leaked; reveal specs, colors
kingfish20815 30th May 2010
I hope this thing is not sold bundled with some telcom's contract.
0 Votes
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size
memabe 6th Mar 2011
I hope to get one soon I was looking to get an Android and a tablet of some sort but now this is perfect I can hook up both and go thanks Dell. I always Loved Dell

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