Android OS 2.2 Upgrade for the Dell Streak Starting to Go Out Now

An upgrade to Android OS 2.2 has begun rolling out to the Dell Streak. Those who have the unlocked version of this tablet phone will get this upgrade very soon, but those with carrier locked devices will have to wait.

According to Dell, devices that were not locked to a carrier at the time of purchase will get the system software upgrade this week. These models all have a baseband and OEM version that ends in "00".

All other models will get Android OS 2.2 starting in early December,

New in Android OS 2.2 (Froyo)
With this release, Dell is dropping the proprietary user interface that was on the Streak when it first launched. Instead, it will use the new Dell Stage Interface, which is close to the standard Google UI with a set of widgets developed by Dell added on top. This should make it easier for Dell to release operating system upgrades in the future. 

Because the Dell Streak is making the jump from Android OS 1.6 to OS 2.2, this new version will include a large number of significant enhancements:

• Adobe Flash 10.1 support
• Enhanced Microsoft Exchange support
• Ability to create a portable Wi-Fi hotspot
• Support for Live Wallpapers
• Improved performance & memory management
• Support for more apps like the native Twitter client, Skype for Android, and the Firefox Beta browser
• An improved more-responsive phone dialer interface

Downloading & Installation
Users of this tablet phone will be sent a notification when they can download the version of Android OS 2.2 for their device.  Dell strongly recommends this be done over Wi-Fi.

Installing this system software will erase everything on the smartphone, so Dell is providing users with a free backup tool.

Overview of the Dell Streak
The design for Dell's tablet phone is centered around its 5-inch, WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) capacitive touchscreen. This device has a slim tablet shape and its casing comes in one color: black.

The Streak runs Google's mobile operating system on a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 512 MB of RAM.  On top of Google's standard user interface is a UI developed by Dell.

In addition to support for AT&T's voice and 3G service, this device sports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. plus a GPS receiver.

It comes with 16 GB of storage in the form of a removable microSD memory card. Users have the option of switching this out for a 32 GB card.

The Streak includes a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera on its back, and a front-facing one for video conferencing. In addition, it has a 3.5-mm headphone jack.

The tablet is bundled with a suite of entertainment, communications and productivity software, including a highly-capable web browser, email software, turn-by-turn navigation app, and much more.

Overall, the Dell Streak is 6 inches x 3.1 inches x 0.4 inches (153 mm x 79 mm x 10 mm).

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