Dell�s Streak Tablet Is Priced Like a Phone

Dell�s Streak Tablet Is Priced Like a Phone   After a false start last month, Dell has announced that the Streak will be available to U.S. consumers starting Thursday. The Streak will cost $300 with a two-year contract on AT&T and $560 without one.

The Streak is targeted at smartphone users who crave a larger display but at the same time need a device that�s portable and could potentially replace their phone. The Streak has a 5-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, phone, browser and access to Android apps. (Read Wired.com�s review of the Dell Streak.)

But does the Streak deserve the �tablet� tag attached to it?

With its 9.7-inch display and a monthly data plan that requires no contract, Apple iPad doesn�t draw direct comparisons against a smartphone.

So far with the Streak, Dell has done everything that it would with a smartphone�including pricing the device on a long-term contract. The only thing that sets the Streak apart from other Android-powered smartphones is that the home screen on the Streak is locked in the landscape mode.

Meanwhile, Android smartphones are getting bigger�the Motorola Droid X and HTC Evo have a 4.3-inch display. The Streak with its 5-inch screen is not a big leap forward.