The Tale of 2 Tablets: Apple iPad Vs. Dell Streak

The following is a guest post by Trinity Nick. You can submit your own post by visiting our ‘Write for Us‘ page.

The Apple iPad is a revolutionary gadget. It created a stir even before it was actually seen or announced. And perhaps this is the only product to have had those many rumors and speculations being thrown from every nook and corner of the web world. It has been hogging the spotlight, since its release. Somewhere in its glare, people might have not really noticed a smaller tablet from Dell, called the Streak, which is on its way to the markets.

The Dell Streak has a 5-inch multi-touchscreen. It is much smaller when compared to the 9.7-inch iPad. However, there are certain features that this smaller tablet offers, which the iPad lacks. Then again, there are certain other areas, where the iPad emerges victorious.

Multitasking and Multimedia

The Apple tablet is a “One thing at a time, and that done well….” kind of device. It cannot multi-task. However, it offers a rich multimedia and gaming experience with its large multi-touch display. The Dell Streak, on the other hand, can multi-task. This is one of the biggest advantages it has over the Apple iPad. When you’re browsing the internet on the Dell tablet, and when a page is downloading you can have a look at your messages. Or have music playing in the back-ground. Although it cannot compete with the iPad when it comes to the movie/video watching experience, it can still play them all – music, videos and movies.

Adobe Flash

The Dell Streak supports Adobe Flash player, which is needed for watching many online videos. The iPad does not. Many of the apps and videos on Facebook use Adobe Flash. According to reports, older Facebook videos will not play on the Apple tablet. However, the newer ones are being made iPad-compatible.

Camera

The Apple tablet has no built-in camera. The Dell tablet on the other hand, manages to pack in two of them – a primary 5MP camera for shooting photographs and videos and a second front facing VGA camera for video calls.

Tethering

When it comes to tethering, the Streak is more flexible. It has a 30 pin port which can be connected to the USB port of a PC or laptop, via a specific cable. The iPad, on the other hand, has no direct USB compatibility. There is a special iPad dock, which allows connecting with an external laptop or computer via USB. The Streak supports microSD cards as well, which can be used for exchanging information with other devices. The iPad lacks memory card slots.

Portability

Dell’s tablet scores more when it comes to portability as well. The iPad is definitely light and sleek, but it cannot fit into your pocket. Plus, the Streak’s screen is made of gorilla glass, which gives it more ruggedness. An accidental fall will keep scratches or cracks at bay. While none have tested how rugged an iPad is, by dropping it till date, it does look like a ‘handle with care’ kind of device.

OS and Application Stores

The Dell Streak is based on the Google Android OS. The iPad uses the iPhone OS. Being an Apple product, the iPad offers access to its big App Store, which is brimming with all kinds of apps and games. There’s access to the iTunes too. Plus, it has the iBook Store for e-books, all to itself. The Streak on the other hand, offers access to Google’s Android Market. While this is a speedily growing application store, it still has a long way to go before it catches up with the Apple App Store.

iPad or Streak?

Surfing the web, emailing, watching videos, movies, listening to music and playing games – these are what the tablets are meant to do. The Dell Streak can additionally make phone calls as well. However, these devices have their own pros and cons. So which one should you buy? The answer to this question lies in personal choice. Then again, those who travel a lot and need to stay well connected, could go for the Dell Streak; while those who want entertainment at their desks, could buy the Apple iPad.

Author – Trinity Nick

Trinity is a blogger from the UK. She writes a number of blogs for sites related to Laptops and Mobile Phones. She loves technology and guest blogs for other technological websites as well.

Tagged as: apple, dell, iPad, streak