Dell dumps Android tablet - at least for now
Dell's uneven history in the tablet computer business registered a new setback on Monday when the company said that its its Streak 7 Android-based tablet would no longer be available online. The announcement follows by only a few months Dell's decision to cancel its Streak 5 tablet.
The Streak 7, which came with a a 7-inch display and dual-core processor, was in part a victim of bad timing. Despite positive reviews, the product found itself up against a line of unannounced Android 3.0 tablets as well as Apple's top-selling iPad. Perhaps the final knell came when Amazon this fall introduced a competing seven-inch Kindle Fire tablet, which cost less than $200.
But this may not be Dell's last try. The announcement fired speculation that the company may be planning to reenter the U.S. tablet business when Microsoft introduces its next version of Windows next year. Windows 8 is going to run on mobile ARM processors and Intel chips. It's also designed for touchscreens.
Dell continues to offer its Dell Streak 10, a 10-inch version of the tablet, in China. As for the suddenly moribund Streak 7, here's Dell's official statement. (If you read between the lines, there's enough wiggle room to believe that the product may very well stage a Lazarus-like comeback, though perhaps in a different wrapper.)
Dell remains committed to the mobility market and continues to sell products here and in other parts of the world. Streak 7 delivered a unique experience for customers who wanted a larger screen-size yet the freedom of staying connected to their personal and professional content while on the-go. It continues to be available in many markets through retail, distributors and carrier partners such as Optus in Australia. A 10-inch version of the tablet, Streak 10 Pro, is currently offered in China, offering the ultimate digital divide between work and life. The Venue and Venue Pro devices, as well, continue to earn accolades for performance, design and functionality around the world. We also recently launched the Latitude ST, a 10-inch Windows 7-based touch-screen tablet designed for vertical markets such as education, finance and healthcare in November of this year. We remain committed to expanding our reach beyond PCs with a targeted set of open, standards-based mobility solutions and services designed for commercial and mobile professional customers.