hi all,

Situation is, i have moved out of home and found my MacBook use has dropped considirably! and looked into the resale value of it and £££ still!

Think its 1st gen Alloy body 13" macbook.

and was thining i could sell that on and replace it with something like a small L/top or a net book.

But then thought i dont use storage much ither!

So someone recomeneded the Dell Streak! that ticks ALL the boxes! apart from USB storage type thing but if i find it gets too much i can get an External HDD and a Cheep second hand Netbook! win win!

So Who has a Dell Streak? and what do you think of it??? would you recomend one?

I dont own one, but i have used one.

Didn't think much tbh, its too small to replace a netbook and too big to use as a phone. The larger versions may be better when they come out, but the 5" model i used just didn't cut it.

See i have had a play a couple of time and i liked it, but its real world use im looking for?

Personally I find a netbook is the smallest size that works for brousing the net, sure a hand held phone will brouse the net but the screens are far too small for it to be practical!

I use my iPhone for pages that don't have too much info on them, but for example Briskoda is a nightmare IMO on something so small - which is why I boiught a 10" netbook as well.

I really like the Streak and will be getting one in January, however, it may not make a suitable laptop replacement. First issue is that the mobile phone companies now specify data limits and with the Streak, this is 500Mb per month. You may be able to buy extra from O2, but not sure. For a mobile device, this is ok, but I think it may be a lot less than you need if the Streak is going to be your main computer. If you run it off your network at home most of the time, this is a non issue of course.

Screen size, I get by OK browsing on a 3.2" screen and using a slide out keyboard on the G1, however, it would not be pleasant if I had it as my only web access. 5" screen would certainly be better, but not having a slide out keyboard makes typing for any time a real PITA. I reckon you would end up with eye strain if it were your only web access.

The operating system as it stands still has no Flash support. Dell has released a version of Android 2.1 for the streak as a stopgap and they assure us that 2.2 will be available before year end. However, without Flash support, it is slightly hobbled and with it, you use more data.

I have just bought a netbook. Last Saturday, my ageing laptop decided its own fate by going pop and emitting smoke, so I had to get something suitable on the quick. I looked at a few in ****y World, interestingly, the ones running XP seemed considerably faster than the later OS Windows 7 machines. I was considering an Asus, but I needed the thing for a Monday morning meeting, so ended up with an Emachines (cheap brand from Acer IIUC) EM350 for £190. It runs the Atom N450 / 160Gb HD and 1Gb RAM and Widows XP.

It is primarily a work machine, where it is used for editing various Office documents. It works well for this and copes fine with hefty word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets etc, even with multiple items open. For web browsing, it is generally pretty good. Pages are displayed as quick as on any other machine and it seems to cope with Flash pages seamlessly. Having lots of tabs or pages open doesn't slow it down either. Where you do notice the shortfall in processing power is streaming video. It runs up to 480p ok, but 720p / 1080p are hopelessly hobbled, with frame rate dropping to around 1 frame per second. Battery life impressed me. Monday was a day of cross referencing various documents in a meeting and the little machine stayed up and running for 4 1/2 hours of intermittent use. The screen is reasonably sharp and easy on the eye, but if you are intending to spend a long time on it, again, eye strain is a possible worry. I thought the small keyboard could be an issue, but I have got used to it quickly and it is fine as long as I am not typing a novel.

Hope this helps with the decision, I would be tempted to stay with the existing laptop in your situation. You can enjoy the extra screen size and quality. By the time you take the hit on selling it, you will end up with more devices, but compromise to go with them.

Chris

Took the plunge and ordered it today

Took the plunge and ordered it today

Reckon you will enjoy it. Was having a play with one in the O2 shop today while waiting to get to talk to a staff member, i had forgotten just how nice that screen is. Roll on January. On the subject of data limits, there are two plans available, one for 500mb at £35 a month and one for 750mb at £40 month. Going over allocated data limit is 2.4 pence per Mb.

Chris

Reckon you will enjoy it. Was having a play with one in the O2 shop today while waiting to get to talk to a staff member, i had forgotten just how nice that screen is. Roll on January. On the subject of data limits, there are two plans available, one for 500mb at £35 a month and one for 750mb at £40 month. Going over allocated data limit is 2.4 pence per Mb.

Chris

Are there only 2 plans on o2? there are always boltons if you are conserned about data usage

Go for the £35 one add the bolt on normally £5 then makes it the £40 Unlimited (fair useage)

I am currently on orange and ordered the Streak Sim Free direct from Dell so i will be going into town at lunch to talk to them about removing my BB bolt-on and replaceing it with more Data.

(EDIT) no bolt on for extra data! there is always £60 P/M and get unlimeted txt n phone with 1Gb data?

Edited 26 October, 201015 yr by vRSsunroof

You got an unlocked Streak, so you can shop around for a deal with other providers. I think T-Mobile give you something like 600 mins, 500 texts and 1Gb per month for £15. They do a 3Gb deal somewhere too. You may be able to negotiate yourself a favourable deal with your current service provider's customer retention team too if you are shopping around. O2 look uncompetitive from the quick look around I have had. Now the Streak can be had unlocked, I am likely to stay with T-Mobile.

How you finding it generally?

Chris

You got an unlocked Streak, so you can shop around for a deal with other providers. I think T-Mobile give you something like 600 mins, 500 texts and 1Gb per month for £15. They do a 3Gb deal somewhere too. You may be able to negotiate yourself a favourable deal with your current service provider's customer retention team too if you are shopping around. O2 look uncompetitive from the quick look around I have had. Now the Streak can be had unlocked, I am likely to stay with T-Mobile.

How you finding it generally?

Chris

I have had it all of a couple of days and the only problem i have had is Angry birds dosent work.... that game rules

its a little large and i feel like a little bit of a p***k when i get it out, but that goes after you start playing with it..... android is soo much better on a larger screen. its soo much easyer to use and its soo smooth, i have had times where i havent closed bits down propperly and its gone a bit slow but just went into applications shut them down and smooth as ever.

Oh my only other niggle - the back, home, and menu button, when you tap them the phone vibrates and you cant turn it off..... but thats the only anoyance......

I am on orange and have to stay with them for another 12 months but they did not quibble when they changed my contract:

From - £45 P/M - 500min - 1200txts - 500mb and BBserver

To - £20p/m - 100min - Unltd txts (fair useage of 3,000) and 500mb.

So moving to the Streak as saved me £25 pm even if it did cost me £390 for the device, but i got a lot of phone for that money....

I would say get it from Dell, they are the cheepest sim free, your resale will be higher as its sim free, and you can choose red or black (i went red )

All in all if you are looking at an Android Phone, and do more txting and surfing then go Streak!

I ave just downloaded a copy of a keyboard called Sywpe. you dont type on it you run your finger over the keys in a constant motion to input text and had make the txts soo much quicker

Chris, if your going to the next SE Meet i will have it on me if you want another play and a look at the Red one.

Yeah, I like the look of the red one. Should be at the meet, see you there..

Chris

Yeah, I like the look of the red one. Should be at the meet, see you there..

Chris

My first thought after odering a red one was! oh know what if its sparkely and gay! then im going to be gutted........... but its not its a nice metallic red.

.... i have had times where i havent closed bits down propperly and its gone a bit slow but just went into applications shut them down and smooth as ever.

Did you download Android 2.1 or are you running 1.6 until 2.2 is released?

Android will multi task, so if you go back to the home page, you can be leaving many apps and web pages open in the background. Good thing is while they are in the background they wont drink power unless they are running ongoing processes, but if you have too many things going on it will slow down.

Chris

Did you download Android 2.1 or are you running 1.6 until 2.2 is released?

Android will multi task, so if you go back to the home page, you can be leaving many apps and web pages open in the background. Good thing is while they are in the background they wont drink power unless they are running ongoing processes, but if you have too many things going on it will slow down.

Chris

na im still on 1.6 as the phone wont update itself to 2.1 im going to have to force an update.

this is me posting on the streak its a bloody good brouser!

na im still on 1.6 as the phone wont update itself to 2.1 im going to have to force an update.

this is me posting on the streak its a bloody good brouser!

Shame it's not a good speller though!

Shame it's not a good speller though!

:clap: :clap:

Wow aren't you amazing you can point out that i dont know how to spell!

You didnt think i may have a learning difficulty which makes spelling a challange for me, and may have turned off the dictonary as it auto fills the words which gets on my nerves when it tries to put someing in i dont want.

Coming from someone who has a french car................. oh wait thats my opinion of them i REALLY SHOULD KEEP THAT TO MYSELF!

Apologies to anyone who thinks this is a little harsh but i am sick and tired of the constant digging of spelling errors here! we have had threads and random posts about it! enough! We have an agreement with the site to try to be a grammatically correct where we can...... they understand we are not perfect so mistakes will crop up. more some than others..................

Edited 29 October, 201015 yr by vRSsunroof

Oh get a sense of humour - did you not see the smiley he put on the end??

Screen's too small on the Streak to make it a competent all-rounder, IMO.

Would be interested in something iPad sized, but not made by Apple. Running Android. With some form of USB support. With Flash.

I might be waiting a while

Also can't believe it's been shipped running 1.6. 2.1, while not yet supporting Flash, is noticeably better.

Oh, and we're back on-topic and everything! How good am I?!

Best wishes,

Steve.

Screen's too small on the Streak to make it a competent all-rounder, IMO.

Would be interested in something iPad sized, but not made by Apple. Running Android. With some form of USB support. With Flash.

I might be waiting a while

Also can't believe it's been shipped running 1.6. 2.1, while not yet supporting Flash, is noticeably better.

Oh, and we're back on-topic and everything! How good am I?!

Best wishes,

Steve.

Wardy,

Check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab. comes in 7" sim free for about 600 of your hard pounds

7"

Phone

Text

MMS

GPRS

3G

Android

Wi-Fi

Due out on the 5th IIRC

Yep, have seen that. Far, far too much money, however.

Don't need half of those features anyway. I have an Android smart phone that handles the majority of those, and does it very well. To me, a tablet would be for web-browsing, video playback and photo viewing.

Steve

Edited 29 October, 201015 yr by Wardy

they are still only being shipped with 1.6 becasue the amount of bugs 2.1 for the streak had they had to pull it and sort it.

What you all want to get is the new Dell Inspiron Duo coming out at the end of the year. Its a netbook that has a swivel lid to change to a tablet PC.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/dell-inspiron-duo-tablet-netbook-hybrid-unveiled-with-rotating/

I'ts going to be awesome and so much better than the streak!

Windows 7....................

What's the issue with Win7? Too 'fully fledged' for such a product you feel? I certainly think the 'instant on' of such a product is a real bonus, for which Android would be perfect. See no reason for a full OS on something like this.

Needs to have the same screen size and spec as the iPad, i.e. 9.7" and LED backlit.

Steve

I think that when buying something like this, you need to think seriously about what you want from it.

Something like the Streak or the HTC Desire HD running Froyo are primarily phones (big ones, but not too big to be useful) and communication devices. Email and web access are excellent and the screen is big enough for on the go use. No flash capability hobbles the web access for most other devices.

Tablets are bigger and as such they are not the sort of thing you would carry around like a phone. Screen area is bigger, but the big downside is that you get no keyboard, so although it mostly does the same as a big smart phone, it is more optimised as a desktop / home use device. Unless you never leave your car, when you go out, you would be unlikely to use it as a phone and you will look like a **** standing in the pub with it all night. Galaxy Tab is AFAIK the only device of this sort running Froyo at the moment, which makes it a better bet for web browsing than the ipad, but the ipad has other functionalities in its favour. Thing is, a net book and usb BB connection will do a better job for similar space and weight, but you get a keyboard too.

I really don't think the tablet devices and smart phones are aimed at the same market and lets face it, if you are a gadget freak, you will probably have both anyway. For me, the tablet is more a net book competitor, the big format smart phone is more a phone that does tablet stuff while being portable. Not to mention the fact that most tablets don't do phone calls.

Chris

Edited 29 October, 201015 yr by Chris GB