Dell Streak is a Hit

About three weeks ago I hit that magic "upgrade" date with AT&T Wireless on my personal line. I had been researching a number of devices and operating systems, and in the weeks prior had narrowed my choices down to the iPhone 4, Samsung Captivate, and the Dell Streak.

Each had its own pluses and minuses for me. With the iPhone, I had used the iOS since version 3.1, and had gotten to know it pretty well. I also felt I could always get the new iPod Touch 4th Generation for most of what I would get in an iPhone. I really wanted to try Android, and was intrigued by a screen larger than the iPhone's.

The Samsung Captivate looks like an excellent device. I like how thin it is, Android 2.2, and the bright high quality screen. But it does not have a front-facing camera, and I believe video chatting (at least over wifi) will become more popular as well as useful for me before my next "upgrade" date.

The Dell Streak with its 5" screen really interested me. I know it's only running Android 1.6, but the upgrade was promised in about a month. The large screen would be nice, and still pocketable. In fact, after carrying it around, I believe it's as large as you can get and still fit in your pocket. All the reviews seemed good, and I am an avid Google products fan.

So I settled on the Dell Streak, and have been VERY happy with it the last three weeks. There is so much more I can do on Android than the iPhone, like true multitasking, and widgets on the screen for my calendar, tasks, and weather. And the 5" screen is absolutely worth the extra size and weight. I love reading the NY Times and e-books in the Nook app, and web pages in general. My Exchange synchronization is still there in 1.6 with the Touchdown app.

I have also been impressed with the apps in the Market. There's really not much missing from what I used frequently in the iTunes App Store. There really is not nearly the selection of games in the Android Market currently, and I have yet to find an easy way to purchase movies, but again, I can always pick up an iPod Touch 4 for those things that I use much less frequently.

So if you or your organization is looking for a tablet/smartphone device that will still fit in your pocket or a sportcoat pocket, the Dell Streak is an excellent solution.