Dell is calling its new Streak device a hybrid gadget that's part smartphone, part tablet computer. But is it more of a tablet, or more of a smartphone? Should you buy one if you're in the market for a new mobile phone? Here's what you need to know about the Dell Streak.

Price and Availability

Dell will be selling the Streak, but is offering it with cellular service from AT&T. If you opt to sign a new two-year service contract with AT&T, you can get the Streak for $299.99.

If you don't want to sign the AT&T contract, the Streak will cost you $549.99. That price does not get you an unlocked device, however; the Streak still comes with an AT&T SIM and cannot be used on another carrier's network. Dell says that price is for existing AT&T customers who'd like to switch to the Streak, or those who want to use it as a Wi-Fi-only device.

How does the Streak's pricing compare to today's best smartphones? AT&T charges $199.99 for the 16GB iPhone 4, and $299.99 for the 32GB iPhone 4. Verizon Wireless, meanwhile, charges $199.99 for the Droid X and the Droid 2, and Sprint charges $199.99 for the HTC EVO 4G.

And how does the Streak's price compare to the iPad, today's most popular tablet? Apple charges $499 for the cheapest iPad, a 16GB, Wi-Fi-only model. A 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G iPad costs $629, and while this device also uses AT&T's cellular data service, it does not require that you sign a service contract with AT&T. It does require that you pay for a monthly service plan with AT&T if you'd like to use its data capabilities, however.

To use the Dell Streak on AT&T's data network, you'll need to sign up for a data plan from AT&T. The carrier offers two data plans for new users: the $15-per-month DataPlus plan and the $25-per-month DataPro plan. For more information on what these plans include, see AT&T's Data Plans: What You Need to Know.

Design

The Dell Streak is bigger than your average smartphone, but smaller than most tablets. It measures 6 inches wide by 3.1 inches tall by .4 inches thick, and weighs 7.7 ounces. That size is likely to make it slightly awkward to hold next to your ear during phone calls, but you do have the option of connecting a wired or wireless (Bluetooth) headset instead.

The Streak features a 5-inch touch-screen that comes with support for multi-touch. Dell says the display is made of "high-quality scratch-resistant Gorilla glass," so it will stay clear. The display offers a resolution of 800 by 480, which is comparable to the high-resolution displays found on many of today's best phones.

Software

The Dell Streak runs Google's Android operating system. At launch, the Streak will ship with Android version 1.6, which is an older version of the OS. Most of today's newest smartphones ship with at least version 2.1, and version 2.2 of Android is already available on some newer devices, like the Droid 2. Dell says that the Streak will be updated to Android version 2.2 later this year as an over-the-air upgrade.

For more details on Android, read my full review of the mobile OS.

Camera

The Streak sports two cameras: a 5-megapixel shooter on the rear for capturing photos and videos, and a VGA resolution camera on the front for video calls.

Tech Specs

The Dell Streak's specs include:

• Android 1.6
• Support for GSM/EDGE/HSDPA networks
• 1-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• Support for 802.11b/g Wi-Fi networks
• Bluetooth 2.0
• USB 2.0
• GPS
• 512 MB ROM, 512MB SDRAM
• MicroSD card slot (16GB card included)
• Playback of videos in H.263, H.264, .3GP, MPEG4, and WMV formats
• Playback of audio in MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR, Midi, and WAV formats
• Support for SMS, MMS, Email, and IM
• Webkit Browser