Whoever Arrives First (Nearly) Wins

Dell announced the availability of the Streak thingy on Friday. I say “thingy” because Dell and some reviewers are calling it a tablet, although by an objective industry standard, its 5-inch screen is too small for that designation. And it’s way too big for a smartphone—where on earth would you carry a device this large? There’s no shirt or pants pocket large enough unless you’re wearing cargo pants. You can watch Dell team member Kevin Andrew tries to explain the size and capabilities of the device in a 7-minute video. He tries real hard, recalling his several months-long use of the Streak in his daily life. But he’s sitting in a chair and never explains how he carried it around in his daily life. At one point he ludicrously holds it up to his head as a monstrous phone, but admits that he usually uses a Bluetooth headset (but doesn’t explain he does so because of the embarrassment factor). The problem, of course, is that Apple has already established the “proper” sizes for a smartphone and tablet. Not that Apple’s vision or decision is perfect, of course. But it certainly sets up a certain standard that others must deal with—and alibi. The Streak may be nice, but so far Dell hasn’t been able to explain its size. And they haven’t been able to to find a pocket for it, either.