The iPad is gaining some competition in the tablet market. Not yet from Microsoft, which we’ve been writing about recently at Windy City Strategies. But, Dell has officially announced that pre-sale orders for its new Dell Streak Tablet start today.
The most interesting thing about its advertised pricing structure… is that there’s a pricing structure. They’re taking the iPhone route and have hooked up with AT&T. Buying the Android-run Dell Streak along with a new two-year AT&T contract will cost you $299.99. Without it, the price skyrockets up to $549.99.
I just don’t get it. Yes, the Dell Streak is a phone, too. But it’s a tablet competitor more than a phone competitor, isn’t it? And I’m not sure an expensive data connection is so important for the average consumer. After all, Wi-Fi comes standard on the Dell Streak. And while it would be nice to have 3G connectivity at all times, is it worth buying a new wireless contract just to get it?
It’s almost as if Dell is trying to create a new space between phones and tablets. We’ll need to see some user experience testing before we make a verdict on this one. If anything, all these new “tablets” are surely going to keep Apple on their toes.
The Dell Streak Tablet features:
- 5 in. widescreen display optimized for mobile web, video and movies
- Android Market-ready for widgets, games and applications
- Built in Wi-Fi and bluetooth capability
- Turn-by-turn satellite navigation with integrated Google Maps
- Social-media integration with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
- High resolution 5 MP camera
- 2GB* of internal storage