The $300 Dell Streak, an Android OS device available August 13 from AT&T in the U.S., is having an identity crisis. The pricing is far below its closest tablet competitor, the Apple iPad, and the device’s five-inch touchscreen display plus a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3G and WiFi connectivity, microSD-expandable memory up to 32GB and turn-by-turn navigation from Google all make it rather smartphone-ish.
In fact, some analysts are putting it in a category all its own: The Superphone.
In contrast, pricing for the Apple iPad, which features a 9.7-inch multi-touch display, a 1GHz Apple A4 processor, and various memory and connectivity options starts at $500and stretches to $830 for the fully loaded model.
This straddling of the fence between tablet and smartphone is no accident, says Ken Hyers, an analyst with Technology Business Research. Dell considers the Streak a hybrid device, Hyers explained, with the large screen and Web capabilities of a tablet, but a smartphone’s calling capabilities and measurements small enough to fit into a pocket, albeit a large one. However, he said, consumers are more likely to compare it to smartphones.
For more, read the complete eWeek story, Dell Streak Pricing May Determine Its Fate.