Dell Streak... almost... almost...

Wow, you resolution guys.. just wow.

The monitor you're staring at is probably somewhere around 130PPI but the streak is around 190PPI and it's too low because Apple told you so? That's awesome.
 
Actually my monitor is 147 ppi, but I digress.

I cancelled my order yesterday when a Dell rep from India decided to call me at 1 am saying they couldn't ship it to the APO address I specified. I'm not shipping it stateside and paying tax on something they could easily ship through USPS to me. They have no problem shipping me warranty parts, but they can't ship an order, screw that.
 
GhostDog said:
Wow, you resolution guys.. just wow.

The monitor you're staring at is probably somewhere around 130PPI but the streak is around 190PPI and it's too low because Apple told you so? That's awesome.
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Well, unless it's a laptop it's probably between 95 and 100dpi. Desktop monitors haven't really gone above that, and there are people here who argue against higher DPI desktop screens (though I have no idea why - higher DPI is awesome).

That said, there is a key difference, and that is how far you sit from the screen. It can be impossible to see the pixels on a 50 dpi screen if you sit far enough back, and if you hold it close enough you can still see the pixels on the iPhone 4's 320 dpi screen. My phone is much closer to my eyes when I'm using it than my 3x24" desktop displays are.

There is also the issue of limited screen size. Higher DPI screens on a phone allow you to have smaller text that you can still read - on a desktop monitor screen space isn't at such a premium, so simply zooming in or making the text larger is a perfectly reasonable option.
 
kllrnohj said:
Well, unless it's a laptop it's probably between 95 and 100dpi. Desktop monitors haven't really gone above that, and there are people here who argue against higher DPI desktop screens (though I have no idea why - higher DPI is awesome).

That said, there is a key difference, and that is how far you sit from the screen. It can be impossible to see the pixels on a 50 dpi screen if you sit far enough back, and if you hold it close enough you can still see the pixels on the iPhone 4's 320 dpi screen. My phone is much closer to my eyes when I'm using it than my 3x24" desktop displays are.

There is also the issue of limited screen size. Higher DPI screens on a phone allow you to have smaller text that you can still read - on a desktop monitor screen space isn't at such a premium, so simply zooming in or making the text larger is a perfectly reasonable option.
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This. DPI is much more important on phones where the viewing distance is around 1.5-2'.
 
Of course higher PPI is better. My point is that noone was having the discussion that anything less than 200 PPI was somehow unacceptable before the iphone 4. But using greater screen size to explain away why you can accept less than 100 PPI on a monitor then ignoring the increased screen size on the Streak strikes me as disingenuous.

I'm using mine as my primary ebook reader now. Before that I was using my wife's Galaxy S. I'm able to fit FAR more readable text on the 5" screen than I could on the 4" screen. It doesn't matter that her's is ~230PPI and mine is ~190PPI because the increased screen size more than makes up for it. Before either of those, I was using my iPad. You know, the one celebrated for it's display? Typical viewing distances on that are pretty similar to phones and it's ~130PPI.
 
GhostDog - Things get iterated past and what used to be awesome suddenly seems inferior. I still love that the iPad uses an IPS panel, but all I see now are pixels after getting the iPhone 4. I want a super high PPI display on that thing ASAP.

It is different with desktop displays that are 2'-3' away, lower PPI doesn't matter as much. Higher PPI makes tons of sense with devices that you hold in your hand. And how can you blame people for demanding higher PPI after having >300 displays in their hands? It isn't like Apple has brainwashed people into thinking that higher resolution displays are better, they simply are better.

Now size is a different subject, and one that falls into practicality and ergonomics more than anything. Some people are fine with larger phones like the Evo and the Streak, while others want smaller phones like the iPhone 4 or numerous Android and Blackberry devices. That gets into personal preference, what is right for one person may not be right for the other. However, I can safely say that all mobile devices would benefit from higher PPI displays.
 
Hey, I'll be the first in line for a 5" device at 1280x1024(~330PPI) and I'm not arguing that the iphone 4's display isn't superior. It is. I'd even go so far as to say that ios as a platform is superior. Unfortunately the tiny form factor no longer fit my needs. For my needs 330PPI on 5.6 square inches is inferior to 187PPI on 11 square inches.
 
The Streak just falls into the cracks between major categories without really making a convincing argument for where it sits.

If you really want a pocketable 3G device, you'll probably want a smartphone. You're not losing any resoltuion, and something like the Samsung Vibrant/Captivate is not only less expensive to buy but much easier to take with you and already at Android 2.1 where the Streak is stuck at 1.6.

But if you want something more like an actual tablet, you'd probably want something more meaningful, too. Given the contract-free price of the Streak, why not just get an iPad and get the higher resolution and longer battery life? You would miss the cameras, but then we're back to the smartphone argument again.
 
GhostDog said:
Of course higher PPI is better. My point is that noone was having the discussion that anything less than 200 PPI was somehow unacceptable before the iphone 4.
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The horse and carriage was unacceptable after the advent of the motorcar. Trilinear filtering was unacceptable after the advent of anisotropic filtering. Expectations advance as technology advances. You find this unusual?
 
Aurelius said:
Given the contract-free price of the Streak, why not just get an iPad and get the higher resolution and longer battery life?
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Had an ipad, loved it. But it didn't fit in a belt case to take with me anywhere, Since I also take a 6-year-old with me everywhere, not having to carry my tablet/reader really matters.
 
phide said:
The horse and carriage was unacceptable after the advent of the motorcar. Trilinear filtering was unacceptable after the advent of anisotropic filtering. Expectations advance as technology advances. You find this unusual?
Click to expand...

Not at all, but we may as well carry the argument to it's logical conclusion and say that every phone that isn't an iphone 4 sucks balls and that anyone who makes a different choice is a tool. After all, no other phone comes anywhere close to its pixel density,
 
No, there are always compromises. Either the compromise is acceptable or it's unacceptable depending on one's personal preference. It has nothing to do with Apple telling people that a lower DPI is unacceptable (because, to my knowledge, they haven't said anything to that effect). The bottom line is that it's perfectly reasonable for someone to feel that 190 PPI is "too low" because other phones on the market have displays with substantially higher pixel densities.

And, despite popular belief, there is at least one other phone that matches the iPhone's pixel density. It just isn't a particularly good phone. And many other phones do come fairly close to 326 PPI, depending on how you define "close".
 
obs said:
This. DPI is much more important on phones where the viewing distance is around 1.5-2'.
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lol I can't distinguish pixels on a phone from 2 feet away. I can't see the pixels on my U2410 from 2 feet away and it's less than half of pixel density of my Captivate. Some of you guys are just blowing it out your asses.
 
GhostDog said:
Wow, you resolution guys.. just wow.

The monitor you're staring at is probably somewhere around 130PPI but the streak is around 190PPI and it's too low because Apple told you so? That's awesome.
Click to expand...

Apple has nothing to do with this. :rolleyes: It is because of the plethora of Android devices with 4.3" and smaller screens having the same or higher resolution.
 
applebook said:
Apple has nothing to do with this. :rolleyes: It is because of the plethora of Android devices with 4.3" and smaller screens having the same or higher resolution.
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That's really weird. The 30PPI difference between 5" and 4.3" at 800 x 480 matters that much? Yet you chose to buy a phone at 230PPI when you could've gone with one at 330PPI. I guess there's no accounting for the things people will say or do.
 
GhostDog said:
That's really weird. The 30PPI difference between 5" and 4.3" at 800 x 480 matters that much? Yet you chose to buy a phone at 230PPI when you could've gone with one at 330PPI. I guess there's no accounting for the things people will say or do.
Click to expand...

I remember days when reviews of phone displays didn't require a microscope.
 
Quick update: I rooted the Streak and installed Android 2.1 on it (Euro). I don't know why Dell released the Streak here in the US with the horribly dated Android 1.6 when the 2.1 firmware running on the European Streak works perfectly. The difference is amazing. I'm lovin' this thing.
 
2.1 doesn't work perfectly. On my US Streak, if you put the SIM in the battery lasts 10 hours or less. At times when you press the screen off button the screen will dim and freeze but not turn off. At times when you exit an app or menu and return to the home screen the icons will be half way between one screen and another. The wifi has a tendency to not get an IP from an AP even if you are next to it and you have to reboot.
 
danman said:
2.1 doesn't work perfectly. On my US Streak, if you put the SIM in the battery lasts 10 hours or less. At times when you press the screen off button the screen will dim and freeze but not turn off. At times when you exit an app or menu and return to the home screen the icons will be half way between one screen and another. The wifi has a tendency to not get an IP from an AP even if you are next to it and you have to reboot.
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Are the problems you described happening to all Streaks running 2.1 or just the the US Streaks running the Euro firmware?
 
despite all the lol's about that size... I find it interesting

I just went from 3G iPhone to a droid x specifically for the size...

would love to see a side by side of the X to a Streak...

Love my X... but maybe if they were to improve the Streak Hardware wise..and get it to Froyo... I would definitly be in!
 
StryderxX said:
Are the problems you described happening to all Streaks running 2.1 or just the the US Streaks running the Euro firmware?
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Maybe all with 2.1 as it is a beta build. Even with the issues, I love my streak. Its the perfect size for browsing the nets, reading books, playing games. 5" is the perfect tablet size for me. As a phone, its too big.
 
Not everyone is having problems with it. There's a discussion about it here. I'm trying to hold out for the official 2.2 update.
 
I'm having no problems with Android 2.1 on my Streak. I installed my sim and have used the Streak as a cell phone for 2 full days. I find the battery life is really great (standby overnight shows almost no battery draw). I'm thinking that for people having problems it's possible that a market place app might be causing some of the issues.
 
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I am saddened to see its locked to ATT though. I just jumped from iPhone / ATT to VZW and Droid X.

I oould be interested in this, but grr... ATT for me..was hte sux0rz
 
XBarbarian said:
no... I'd rather Stay Verizon
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Even if the Streak was unlocked, you still wouldn't be able to use it on verizon. Unless you mean you wish this was a CDMA version, which was always unlikely.
 
true

I know theoretically, GSM is better, but (2) years of daily dropped calls with ATT.... of course it could have been iPhone, I know.. just the same...

since going to DX on VZW... not a single dropped call...despite regular travel.... Ill take reliable over occassionally faster...
 
I can say anecdotally that I'd much prefer to be on a GSM network, even if it is AT&T's. I recently moved over from AT&T to Sprint for the Evo and CDMA sure does seem to suck for wall penetration. I get horrible reception indoors no matter where I am. This is a large city, you wouldn't think cell signal would be an issue here.
 
Flashed 2.1 on my att streak and loving it. Much better with 2.1 And yes the 2.1 is not official so theres bound to be problems. I have seen my camera go to black and white only until i soft reset. Theres no way to switch to the front camera in the camera app. Fring works though. Phone standby taking up most of the battery. Haven't had any dropped calls. Always had a reliable data signal (madison,wi). Everyone ive shown the phone off to has loved it. For those with a streak, get the game Sky Siege. Loads of fun.

tablet vs smartphone...its all about how you want to use it and what fits your needs. i use my laptop less now for browsing but still use the phone functions as much as my old touch pro 2. ive gone from motorola razr -> motorola q -> htc mogul -> touch pro 2 -> iphone 3g -> dell streak. streak has been the best phone ive used so far.
 
Bahamut, AT&T broke my Dell Streak order (locked to AT&T? no other 3g option? FU), and my Axim X51v is a bit long in the tooth (3 years w/out a screen protector), so..

What's next? I can easily pocket Axim+1.5" wide and +1" taller, I need a whole truckload of battery life and a true hardshell.

So.. what now?
 
I've never had a screen protector on my X51v and rarely have it in a case, it has zero scratches on it... go figure. ;)

I had hoped Dell would have released a non-phone enabled version of the Streak or something like it, basically an Android-powered "PocketPC" if you will but, alas, nobody cares about such devices anymore except companies like Archos, etc.

The problem with Archos is they're just as bad as Dell in the respect that they've had the Archos 5 Android Tablet on the market since last August (a damned YEAR now) and the device still ships with 1.6 on it too. And they're only up to 1.7 so far, at last check with their updates - it's been out for basically a freakin' year and they STILL don't have a 2.x build available. That shit is insanely ridiculous.

They confuse the hell outta customers because there's an Archos 5 Internet Tablet (A5IT)- the original one from over 2+ years ago, with a custom Linux-powered OS on it, and now the Archos 5 Android Tablet (A5AT)- obviously Android-powered - and it's the same device from the outside. The only difference is the name on the front bezel and I know of many people that go to buy the A5AT and end up getting home with the damned thing only to realize "Hey, where's Android?" because even the people selling them don't know the difference (Best Buy and Radio Shack carry them in retail outlets).

I think if Archos would put all their time and focus behind that one product, and maybe the 7" Home Tablet (A7HT) they have now and get them done meaning get the Android builds up to Froyo and stand behind them, they'd do really well in the marketplace. But, they don't, and in the time that they've wasted - the past year or so - instead of creating better more solid and more up-to-date builds of Android for the A5AT and A7HT they've introduced like 15 to 20 new products... they've splintered themselves so badly they can't support the damned products they already have out that people are having problems with. :(

Oh well, the days of a non-phone enabled device are fast approaching, sadly. This Axim X51v I have has stood the test of time and I still consider it superior to all comers, believe it or not. I made a long pros/cons list a few years ago when the iPod touch first came out and the Axim just ran over it in pretty much every category from replaceable batteries to multiple power options to expandable storage, larger screen, higher resolution, Bluetooth (it lost having 11b vs 11g wireless but it's irrelevant in the big picture), etc.

Pretty amazing that a 6+ year old device can so thorough trounce "the latest and greatest" devices, ain't it? :D

Anyway, I've got a cell phone, and it's not locked into a contract and I've yet to drop a call in 5 years of owning it so, I have no beef with the carrier or the service, not interested in starting over again on a contract model at this point. The Zune HD is most likely a one shot - I don't expect to see a Zune HD 2 anytime soon; I think Microsoft's focus now is strictly Windows Phone 7 - they dropped the "Mobile" moniker and I knew what that meant the first time I saw the official press release of the name change:

The PocketPC is dead. Long live the PocketPC... there will be imitators, for years to come, but nothing will ever take the place of the devices and the OS that started it all.
 
Got my streak last week and like any self respecting HardOCP'er I rooted it and flashed it with the 2.1 beta. I too have a few minor issues like wifi not shutting off (so I have to turn off the phone twice at night). Could be the results of mixing Beta 2.1 UK OS on a US Streak I am thinking. Other than that things have been pretty nice. I am 6'4" with large hands so I find the size to be almost a perfect fit :) I do agree its not for everyone. Its a change getting use to Andriod as I had been an iPhone user for the last 3 years..... Dam you dell for not having 2.1 on the US Streaks out of the gate!
 
There's a new beta out 8023? that fixes the wifi issue. The problem with it is that the menu have significant lag.

The official 2.1 update comes out Wednesday.
 
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