Dell Unveils 7-Inch Android Streak Tablet At CES

It's a few months later than originally expected, but Dell's 7-inch Streak device has appeared at CES 2011.

Dell on Thursday launched its new Streak 7 Android tablet, with access to T-Mobile's 4G mobile broadband network. The 7-inch Dell tablet follows a middle path between Apple's 9.7-inch iPad, whose success has spurred interest in the tablet market from a number of Apple's competitors, and the 5-inch Streak.

The Dell Streak 7 runs on dual-core, 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processors and version 2.2 of Android's operating system. The Streak comes with Gorilla Glass protection for its WGA touch-screen, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, built-in WiFi capability, and Adobe Flash support.

"Dell is continuing to create the very best in entertainment, mobile and gaming experiences," said Steve Felice, president of Dell's Consumer, Small and Medium Business unit, in a statement. "With Streak 7 on the blazingly fast T-Mobile network, families, students and mobile professionals will gather, share, and find new ways to interact and keep in touch."

Highlighting its emphasis on mobile connectivity and communication, the Dell Streak 7 includes a Video Chat application for calls over T-Mobile's network, and access to applications from the Android Market, including live television programming from T-Mobile TV. The device also comes with Dell's Stage interface, which the company says will begin allowing synching across devices that include Stage later this year.

Although the device targets the consumer space, Dell has stated its intention of bringing enterprise-oriented solutions to the Streak product line. In September, Dell said it planned to bring mobile medical and clinical technology to the Android-based Streak device, in order to attract more health-care customers with its smartphone technology.

However, the company has had trouble recently sticking to its product roadmap. In November, online reports said Dell's 7-inch tablet was set to hit the market over the ensuing few weeks.

Dell has also been rather ambitious in bringing several different mobile embedded devices, both tablets and smartphones, to both Windows 7 and Android 2.2 operating systems.

However, last month the company dealt with a major public relations problem while launching its Windows Phone 7 Venue Pro smartphone.

Next: Deal's Mobile Woes

Dell delayed shipments of pre-ordered Venue Pro devices -- leaving many customers dissatisfied with Dell's service and purported lack of communication -- in order to resolve unforeseen technical problems.

Also in December, Dell chose to discontinue its communications solutions group , and announced that the chief executive of the unit, which had been responsible for its mobile product line, will leave the company effective January 28.

Dell expects the Streak 7 Tablet to be available in the U.S. in the coming weeks at T-Mobile's online and retail stores, as well as direct from Dell.