Dell unlocks its Streak

TIN BOX FLOGGER Dell is shipping its Streak tablet device direct to punters in a SIM-free, unlocked state.

The five-inch tablet that runs Google's Android operating system was launched by Dell earlier this month on the O2 network in the UK. It seems the operator's "exclusive" deal lasted all of three weeks, as Dell apparently decided to bypass O2 to get the Streak in the hands of punters. Dell is charging £450 to be free of an operator contract.

That sounds great, however the same unit can be had on O2's pay as you go tariff for £50 less and for free when signing 24 months of your life away. Nevertheless, Dell's insistance to sell the Streak direct to users is likely to mean that the firm is readying for a launch in the US.

With almost no attention being bestowed on its tablet that's also a phone, Dell must be hoping that its latest move will open the floodgates and that hordes of Apple fanbois disappointed at missing out on an Iphone 4 will decide to buy its oversized phone. That of course is unlikely.

The problem for Dell is that the Streak has nearly identical hardware specifications as Google's Nexus One or HTC's Desire, but with an unpocketable five-inch screen.

Consequently, Dell is yet to report any shortages of the Streak at this time. µ