| Dell on Tuesday announced it would ship its first | | | | Streak's larger screen brings more viewing |
| handheld device, called Streak, in June, but it is | | | | convenience to movies than traditional |
| also looking to develop devices with larger screen | | | | smartphones, said Will Stofega, program director |
| sizes as it tries to establish a foothold in the | | | | for mobile device technology and trends at IDC, |
| competitive mobile market (Sony Vaio VGN-FZ | | | | who has been using the device for a month. The |
| battery). | | | | device is small enough to fit in a pocket with its |
| The Streak has a 5-inch screen, and the company | | | | smartphone-like design . |
| is looking at developing handheld devices with | | | | However, battery life could be an issue, Stofega |
| larger screen sizes, said John Thode, vice | | | | said. He didn't measure Streak's exact battery life, |
| president of small devices in Dell's communication | | | | but said smartphone batteries have been slow in |
| solutions group. He said there is room for portable | | | | keeping up with the faster processing power and |
| devices with multiple screen sizes as technology | | | | growing screen sizes. |
| develops and new usage models for applications | | | | Streak is Dell's early entry in a crowded market |
| emerge (Sony VGP-BPS8 battery). | | | | dominated by Nokia, Apple, Samsung, Research in |
| Communication technologies like LTE (Long Term | | | | Motion and others. Sales of the device could partly |
| Evolution) are developing fast, data plans are | | | | depend on Dell's reputation and how carriers place |
| becoming cheaper, and consumers are willing to | | | | the device. |
| carry more devices, Thode said. Dell wants to | | | | What it's going to come down to for them is |
| create different consumer and enterprise usage | | | | marketing and channel. Can they get the right |
| scenarios as wireless data transfer rates get | | | | partner in the carrier space and can they get the |
| faster, he said . | | | | advertising?" Stofega said. |
| Streak is the first of what could be multiple | | | | Dell is trying to establish itself in a new market |
| devices from Dell in the fast-growing mobile space | | | | with a differentiated offering in Streak, but |
| over the next few years, Thode said. | | | | whether it succeeds remains to be seen, said |
| The Streak device -- which the company calls a | | | | Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. |
| tablet -- was developed as a pocket-sized device | | | | There is a going interest in Android devices, and |
| with a large screen on which content like movies | | | | Streak's larger screen and Dell's brand recognition |
| could be viewed, Thode said. Dell executives have | | | | could differentiate the device from a hoard of |
| described Streak as hitting the "sweet spot" | | | | other Android devices. |
| between smartphones and tablets with larger | | | | "I think in the short term, they will do well," Gold |
| screens . | | | | said. |
| The device runs Google's Android OS. It will first | | | | Dell also has a large PC supply chain and strong |
| be available in the U.K. through retailers Carphone | | | | channel that it could leverage to distribute the |
| Warehouse and O2 stores. Pricing was not | | | | products, Gold said. |
| announced and the device will be available in the | | | | Dell declined comment on its partners in the U.K. |
| U.S. later in the summer, according to the | | | | But the company has established strong |
| company. | | | | partnership with carriers like AT&T and |
| This market segment Streak serves was | | | | Telefonica, which has a strong presence in Europe |
| previously occupied by devices called MIDs (mobile | | | | and South America. Dell hasn't detailed what |
| Internet devices), which didn't take off because | | | | devices it would sell through Telefonica, but it will |
| there wasn't the right combination of hardware | | | | sell another smartphone called Aero later this year |
| and content, Thode said. Dell hopes to offer the | | | | through AT&T. The device comes with a |
| right hardware with Streak, and with Android, | | | | 3.5-inch screen and the Android OS . |
| hopes not to lock down users into proprietary | | | | The Streak comes with a Snapdragon processor, |
| stores to download applications and content, | | | | which runs at 1GHz. Over-the-air software |
| Thode said . | | | | upgrades will be available with the device, and |
| Tablets recently emerged as a hot-selling item | | | | users will be able to upgrade to Google's latest |
| with Apple's iPad, which comes with a 9.7-inch | | | | Android 2.2 operating system later this year. The |
| screen. But with the 5-inch screen, the Streak is | | | | device will also come with a high-resolution |
| an experiment that could set the stage for | | | | 5-megapixel camera, a front-facing camera and |
| development of pocket-sized devices that mix | | | | 2GB of internal dedicated storage. It also includes |
| voice with a heavy emphasis on content | | | | an Micro SD slot for expandable storage of up to |
| consumption, analysts said. Smartphones already | | | | 32 GB (SONY VAIO VGN-FZ4000 Battery). |
| come with screens in the 4-inch range, and there | | | | The device offers 3G connectivity through |
| is room for the screen size to increase, analysts | | | | HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) |
| said. HTC a few weeks ago launched the Evo 4G | | | | networks. It also includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth |
| smartphone, which sports a 4.3-inch screen. | | | | capabilities. |