Dell will release its Android-powered Streak tablet for $500 unlocked on dell.com, though the device is also expected to be available through AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) sometime in July.
Ron Garriques, Dell's president of communications solutions, demonstrated the 5-inch tablet at the AllThingsD D8 conference. Garriques did not say which carriers might sell the device, and said that pricing via a carrier will be that carrier's decision. However, Dell CEO Michael Dell said last month that AT&T will launch the device this summer. AT&T has declined to comment on Dell's remarks.
The Streak runs Android 2.1, has a 1 GHz Qualcomm (NSYE:QCOM) Snapdragon processor, support for 3G and WiFi and 2 GB of internal memory. The device is the company's latest attempt to make a splash in the mobile industry. AT&T also is launching Dell's first Android smartphone, the Aero. Several other computer makers, including Acer and Lenovo, are also trying to push into smartphones.
In other Dell news, the company appears to be refining its Android strategy by seeking talent to customize Google's mobile platform. According to a Forbes article citing an online job listing posted June 1, Dell is seeking a "software engineer strategist" with at least five years of experience to head a new "mobile software applications and services team," which will "lead the design and development of value-added software for all Android-based mobile products." The job will require the development of a "custom Dell Android launcher experience across multiple mobile platforms," according to the posting.
For more:
- see this NYT blog post
- see this Forbes article
- see this CNet article
- see this PCWorld article
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