A few months back the Department of Defense certified its first Android device, the now (and then) discontinued Dell Streak 5. Now it looks like the rest of the armed forces are getting in on the action. The Pentagon has certified Android 2.2 Froyo for use on all Department of Defense projects, and the Dell Venue has been approved for use in military applications. Classified information and proxy access can now be granted to that model of phone. It’s likely that they’ll get them in bulk from Dell.

Though the Department of Defense’s long review process means it’s now three versions behind the latest Android release, this opens up a lot of avenues for development for both internal projects and defense contractors. For a start, you’re probably going to see at least a few Android-based machines and programs come out of DARPA, the DoD’s primary research arm. Maybe a smartphone-powered control app for the Big Dog robot – hey, a guy can dream.

Now that at least one Android OS and device has been approved, it should take less time for the DoD to review later versions. So far only Android and RIM’s Blackberry OS are approved for official armed forces use as far as smartphones go.  I’ll offer some beginner Android advice for all you G-men with shiny new smartphones: set up a PIN lock, buy a roomy MicroSD card, and take it easy on the homescreen widgets. I’d expound on the virtues of rooting and custom ROMs, but somehow I don’t think Uncle Sam would appreciate that…

[via AllThingsD]

Dell is the first company to produce a Yi phone, though they’ve released more subtly modified Android phones in the territory in the past. And just because it’s releasing to a traditionally low-income market doesn’t mean it won’t be impressive: the Streak Pro is aiming for the growing high end with a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen and qHD resolution. That’s enough to match most of the flagship phones in the US and Europe, and considerably more powerful than any ARM-based Dell products produced before.

Baidu apps are already commonplace on many Chinese Android smartphones, and the Yi platform will be an even greater integration with the company’s far-reaching services. It’s unclear how closely Yi will follow Android’s development path – they could simply update the modified Android code incrementally, as Barnes & Noble has done with its Nook tablets, or continue with independence development on their own. The latter seems unlikely, as apps published for Android would become increasingly nonfunctional the further that Yi’s code strays away from Android’s source.

[via Engadget]

The update is available free on the Dell site right now. StreakSmart reports that a change guide should be coming shortly. While the Streak 5 is getting its official update to Gingerbread, owners of the Streak 7 hoping for some ICS love on their tablets will be disappointed. Dell has officially confirmed that there will be no ICS update offered.

The question was asked on the DellCares twitter account and along with the answer was a link to the DJ_Steve video showing ICS running unofficially on the Streak 7. Dell discontinued the Streak 7 earlier this month so no official update to ICS isn’t much of a surprise for most of us.

[via SlashGear]

“Our tablet strategy today is an Android operating system,”  said a North American Lenovo executive in an interview with CRN, backing up the evidence of recent leaks. Lenovo’s S-series tablets and an upcoming quad-core monster labelled the LePad K2 are poised to launch in the first half of 2012, giving Lenovo one of the widest Android tablet lines this side of Samsung. It will also be one of just two PC manufacturers with a solid Android ARM-based tablet presence, sharing the stage with Acer.

Dell isn’t necessarily out of the game – there’s no confirmation that they’re done with Android. But given the vicious competition in the tablet space overall, it could be that the company is just looking to focus on its more traditional strength, a la HP. Dell still has some pretty strong showings for Android smartphones, though they only seem interested in the Chinese market at the moment. Is anyone really broken up about Dell’s probable exit from mobile tablets? Sound off in the comments.

We had heard back in September that T-Mobile would not be updating its 4G version of the Streak 7 to Honeycomb. I am sure we weren’t the only ones that thought that move didn’t bode well for the tablet. Dell didn’t issue a press release or any reasoning for ending the Streak 7 tablet’s run. It’s easy to assume that the tablet simply didn’t sell enough to justify making it though.

Dell pulled the listings for the Streak 7 from its website and left a note on the Streak 7 page saying it was no longer available online. That would seemingly hint that you might still be able to get a Streak 7 tablet in T-Mobile locations. The obvious downside to buying one at this point is that you will be stuck with whatever Android version is on the tablet when you get it. Perhaps they will be cheaper though since they are no longer being produced.

[via SlashGear]

To be fair, the Streak 5′s outdated hardware wasn’t what was being tested. Dell’s corporate software suite, Mobile Security for Android, is what was getting the real shake-down. I suppose that since the testing procedures take so long, older hardware is the only thing that’s available. Dell mentioned that the security suite will be available on “the next wave of Dell Android devices” set for a 2012 release. The company is eager to serve the government and military market, especially since it’s currently the only Android manufacturer to do so.

So what does this mean for government workers? More choice, for one – if you work for the Department of Defense or one of the branches of the U.S. Military, you no longer have to use a Blackberry to access sensitive networks and data. Dell’s security suite, developed with help from Good Technologies, allows for remote access to desktop PCs and servers, as well as command and control programs. Maybe you might even be able to use it on some current hardware, sometime next year.

[via InformationWeek]

Android users are more than familiar with long delays for current software, but this denial of service will sting just for T-Mobile users, who are apparently plain out of luck, while the rest of the Streak 7 userbase enjoys Android 3.2. The snub is probably because T-Mobile hasn’t sold enough of the HSPA+ tablets to warrant the development time for an update – not that that makes the people who spent the most on the hardware (after two-year wireless service contracts) any happier.

A port of Honeycomb from the other Streak 7 hardware is likely if I know the good folks at XDA, but that’s not the point. It shouldn’t have been necessary for users to hack their tablets to receive functionality that’s been available in other tablets for the better part of a year already. This latest bit of news makes it more and more important to pay attention to the version of Android that’s on a device you buy – neither the manufacturer nor the carrier has any obligation to upgrade the Android software within, and unless you’re willing to throw your warranty out the window, you could be stuck.

Some users are claiming to finally be receiving the update to 3.2 Honeycomb for the Dell Streak 7″ Tablet. Over at the Dell support forums there is some chatter that more than a few have already received the OTA update and are giving it a try as we speak. One mentions all user data was wiped during the update and he lost everything, while another user reports just the opposite and that the update did not wipe the entire device. Either way I’m sure a few Streak users are excited to give the tablet OS a try.

With reports that the hardware menu button isn’t working in select situations, and of course that low resolution not looking its best, I’m sure we’ll be hearing more soon but at least this is a good sign. For now it seems users across the pond and outside of the U.S received the update and we still have no further details for the U.S. market or those running with a T-Mobile Streak 7.

As soon as we hear more regarding an official statement from Dell, or confirmation on the OTA update we will be sure to update with more details.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Streak 7

Manufactuer : Dell

Carrier : T-Mobile

Announced Date : January 06, 2011

Release Date : February 03, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 7.00 Inch
• Resolution : 480x800
• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 7.87 Inch
• Width : 4.72 Inch
• Depth : 0.49 Inch
• Weight : 498 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Capacity : 1530 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 75 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 2.2.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• 3GP
• MPEG-4 (MP4)
• WMV

Messaging:
• SMS

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 2

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 512 MB

Internal Storage : 16 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

External Storage:
• MicroSD
• MicroSDHC

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 2.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

Using the app Android owners can shop from anywhere and at anytime and offers many of the features from the main site. With the app users can browse products and compare different products from Dell as well as read reviews. Once the product is chose the user can buy what they are looking at securely directly from the mobile device.

All the same products and options are available on the app as the main Dell website. This might be a cool app for the corporate IT person that has to order products for multiple people within the company. Dell is also pushing the app to be a shopping hub for the holiday season. Dell and Baidu have been in the news lately. Dell and Baidu recently joined up to build an Android-based OS for mobile devices in China.

The storyline in this game is essentially that some space jerks have knocked free some rocks from an asteroid belt, these asteroids are now falling toward a planet where a bunch of water aliens are living in their huts. These huts are going to be set on fire by the rocks which of course have caught fire as they flew through the atmosphere. These little aliens happen to have a way to bust up the fires, but there’s only one way for them to run the machines: your giant fingers. Make the water go!

Put out all the fires by finding out what pieces of rock, ice, and wood and metal gears go where so that you’ll be able to splash the water at the fire and put the fire out! Because the game is simplistic, as simple as Angry Birds, if I might be so bold, I’ve gotta guess that this game is aimed at kids. On the other hand, just like Angry Birds, this game is going to latch on to the addicted fingers of many a folk across the land.

This game is going to be able to be purchased SOON, and it’s optimized for Tegra 2 devices. NVIDIA-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (aka the device this review / hands-on is filmed on,) Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Asus Eee Pad Slider, Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet, Viewsonic G Tablet, Acer ICONIA Tab A500, Acer ICONIA A100, Lenovo IdeaPad K1, Dell Streak 7, Motorola XOOM, Toshiba Thrive, and the LG G-Slate – and that’s not even the smartphones: Motorola ATRIX 4G, LG G2x, Motorola Photon 4G, or the Motorola DROID X2. Look at all those crazy options!

I’d link each one of those NVIDIA devices individually, but why would I do that when I could just link you to the most handy guide in the world: http://device.ac/nvidia/ — find everything you need there!

The Streak 5 was already over a year old, having been initially released in the UK on June 4 2010. It arrived with Android 1.6, which Dell had reskinned, but was later – and after some delays – upgraded to Android 2.2 Froyo. Despite vocal support from a minority subset of users, the Streak 5 failed to achieve mainstream success, perhaps because of its “tweener” scale – falling in-between a phone, the functionality of which it offered, and a tablet – and non-tablet-centric OS.

Dell still offers the Streak 7, it’s 7-inch slate, and is expected to release further Android tablets in the near future. They will likely run Honeycomb, Google’s tablet-specific OS, rather than the phone build that the Streak relied on.

[via SlashGear]

The tablet is about an inch thick and has all the features we expect an Android tablet to bring. It boasts WiFi, Bluetooth, and has an NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor inside. The tablet also has a memory expansion slot and can be had with up to 16GB of onboard storage. Dell claims that the tablet has up to 12 hours of battery life.

The screen of the tablet is 10.1-inches and the operating system is Android 3.1. The resolution of the screen is 1280 x 800 and it has Gorilla Glass over the top. The front camera is a 2MP unit and the rear camera is 5MP. The tablet has 1GB of RAM, stereo sound, and supports up to 10 fingers on the screen at once. The tablet sells for RMB 2,999 in China, which works out to about $461 in the US.

Update: Even more interesting is the photo above seems to show Honeycomb running on the Dell Streak 7 too, either that or a new 7″ version that could be coming to market. Interesting photo because that would make it Android 3.2 on the Streak 7.

The Dell Streak Pro 10″ is just like most tablets at the moment. Running on Android 3.0 Honeycomb as we can clearly see in the photo. It will feature a 5MP camera on the rear and 2MP on the front, 10″ 1280×800 resolution screen with that all powerful, all knowing NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core CPU speeding in a 1 Ghz.

Last we heard it should be shipping to stores in China starting next week but we still have nothing regarding a price, or a U.S. launch. The Streak 7 didn’t do that well with the low resolution screen and what not and it was right before Honeycomb started making a big impact for buyers.

Most likely we will see this device in the States eventually but for now that is still up in the air according to Dell. Hopefully we get more pictures and a full list of details to update with shortly.

[via Unwired View]

The idea is that the software update will allow the user to enjoy their content anywhere they happen to be. The Stage Remote allows the streaming for content between Stage-enabled devices and from a Stage device to a DNLA TV or speakers. The Streak 7 Android tablet can be used to control the entire experience by calling up new content no matter where it is stored on the network and allows the user to choose where the content plays among available devices.

If the free 2GB of cloud storage isn’t enough the user can buy up to 100GB of storage with an annual subscription. Dell Stage will also give the user access to Noisey, Blio, and Zinio in addition to their own content. The latest version of Stage started shipping installed on Dell devices on July 7. Stage can also be updated OTA by users as of now. The software can also be downloaded on the Streak 5 and Streak 7 from the Android Market.

Now don’t ask me why people were changing the listed LCD density in their build.prop, but the fact stands its a weird “Easter egg.” It’s unconfirmed why Google included this in Honeycomb, but my personal guess is this is a relic of attempts to make Honeycomb portable to phones. Obviously this was never implemented, but maybe it was left in as a backup in case anyone tried porting Honeycomb to a phone against Google’s wishes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8m_Qawds9o[/youtube]

As you can see in the video above, the UI is actually an unholy combination of Honeycomb, Gingerbread, and FroYo. The unlock screen seems to be Gingerbread, and the system app icons are the familiar green ones from phones running stock 2.3, but the launcher itself, as well as the status bar and notification tray are definitely FroYo, featuring the rounded corners and gray theme of 2.2. Even more confusing is that, at least when powering down, a Honeycomb style menu is presented to choose airplane mode or shut down.

A neat trick, but far from the fix that we all await anxiously for Ice Cream Sandwich to bring. Good to know Google has been working on a solution unifying tablets and phones already though.

[via XDA]

That’s 5-megapixels on the back and 2-megapixels up-front, matched with either 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of flash storage (and an SDHC memory card reader). The 10-inch display runs at 1280 x 800, and there’s WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and the possibility of AT&T 4G LTE support.

Dell will apparently offer different black, pink, blue or red skins for the slate, which has a brushed aluminum back panel. Accessories will include a media dock, in-care charging adapter, a “productivity” dock and a folding cover with integrated keyboard. Dell’s Stage 2.0 software will be preloaded. The Dell Streak Pro is expected to go on sale in June.

In case you hath forgotten, this is a 7″ screen having Gorilla Glass covered NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core toting Android tablet that runs Android 2.2 Froyo. How can it possibly survive in a post-Froyo world? Simple. Most people don’t know the difference. That said, why don’t you have a peek at a gigantic review of the device as it stands over here in the USA.

If you’ve got a need for a relatively small tablet computer that’s basically a bit more powerful than the Galaxy Tab and has a little bit more hefty form factor, then this is for you. If you’re looking for a dual-core experience on a device that’s meant to blow you away with its awesomeness, you’re looking for the Motorola XOOM or the LG G-Slate. Have a peek at those. Meanwhile, here’s the Streak 7 again!

DELL UNVEILS STREAK 7 AS THE ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE

BRACKNELL, UK, 14 April 2011 -Dell ‘s new
feature-rich seven-inch Android(tm) tablet, the Streak(tm) 7
is now available in the UK. The sleek
compact form factor preloaded with Dell Stage, Dell’s unique user
interface, makes Streak 7 the ultimate entertainment hub for families
and consumers craving a rich multimedia and web experience both at
home and on-the-go. With a wealth of features, Streak 7 adds to Dell’s
rapidly expanding mobility portfolio, which also includes the
acclaimed Streak 5 pocket tablet.

Portable, passable and easily shared, the Streak 7′s smooth, fast
performance makes Web browsing, video streaming and game playing an
enjoyable experience. Its brilliant seven-inch WVGA touch screen with
Gorilla ® Glass makes Streak 7
ideal for watching movies or reading books and magazines.

In addition to a rich entertainment experience, the Streak 7 easily
captures and shares life moments with the rear-facing 5 megapixel
camera for high-definition stills and video recording. With a Wi-Fi +
3G model of the Streak 7 coming later this spring, capturing
spontaneous moments with family and friends will be even easier.

Featuring Google’s(tm) Android 2.2 operating system, a dual core 1GHz
NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor
and full support for Adobe® Flash® Player, Streak 7 gives users access
to more than 100,000 applications, games and widgets from Android
Market ™.

“Dell is continuing to create the very best in entertainment, mobile
and gaming experiences,” said Aongus Hegarty, vice-president of Dell’s
Consumer, Small and Medium Business unit for EMEA. “With Streak 7,
families, students and mobile professionals will gather, share, and
find new ways to interact and keep in touch.”

The new Streak 7 will feature Dell’s innovative Stage
user interface, which provides a
seamless and unified experience for accessing all your favourite
content. Later this year, Dell will add syncing to Stage so people can
keep their photos, contacts, calendars and other personal content
synchronised across their Dell Stage-equipped devices, from tablets to
PCs, connected through their home network.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING INFORMATION:

The new Dell Streak 7 Tablet with Wi-Fi is available now, starting at
£299 including VAT and delivery at http://www.dell.co.uk/streak
.

The Streak 7 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available later this spring.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS:

· Brilliant seven-inch WVGA (TFT) touch screen
display with Gorilla Glass

· Android 2.2 (Froyo) with Android Market

· 5 megapixel rear camera and 1.3 megapixel front
facing camera

· Stage User Interface – easy access to the stuff
you care about

· Connectivity over Wi-Fi, with Wi-Fi + embedded
3G version coming later this spring

· Dual core 1Ghz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor

· SMS/MMS, SWYPE ® virtual
keyboard and stereo Bluetooth 2.1 capable

· Support for Adobe® Flash® Player

· Support for Microsoft® Exchange e-mail, contacts
and calendar

· 16 GB of internal memory and SD Card slot with
support for expandable memory up to 64 GB

· Dimensions: 7.87″ x 4.72″ x 0.49″

According to the article the slate is to be expected possibly as early as June, but that is yet to be confirmed in any way. We also heard about this tablet and saw a demo model briefly at CES2011. We talked about this earlier in February and you can read about that here.

For now they are still not saying if it will be a part of the “Streak” branding and ship with T-Mobile, or any specs. So for now according to Dell the device is “unbranded”. If you’d like to see the CES2011 demo unit see the video below.

[via Forbes]

This source also appears to have noted that September is the earliest this 10-inch whallop of a device will be released. This is sure to pump up the hoards of Windows fans looking for that bridge between laptop and mobile, Dell having hinted at a device like this since back in October of 2010. Of course, they’ve already got some choices from HP and Asus, but it’s Dell! Some people swear by such a brand name in their Windows electronics.

Or perhaps they ought to wait for Windows 8, which as you know is said to be suited for tablets as well as desktop machines – this may be an early 2012 affair, with Dell again hoping to release another new tablet at about that time. Of course, all this might be moot if BlueStacks has their way – Android support on Windows 7 tablets? Sounds pretty wild to me.

[via Forbes]

Talking to Android Community at a Streak 7 pre-briefing, Dell revealed that the Stage roadmap includes intelligent sync functionality which will automatically move new photos, videos and other content from your smartphone to your PC when you enter the home network. Remote access tools and streaming are also envisaged.

Those without Dell computers won’t be left out in the cold, however. Dell is planning to release a version of Stage for other PCs, though it will be functionally limited in comparison to the original. Still, enough to wirelessly sync. Unfortunately, Dell’s Windows Phone range won’t get included into the syncing fold, at least not initially. The company told us it was looking at the possibility, but right now Microsoft’s limitations on OS modification mean it’s not allowed.