Dell launches Streak 10 Pro Android tablet – in China

Dell Streak 10 Pro — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Computer maker Dell is continuing its strategy of launching its mobile and portable products in overseas markets, with word coming today that the company has launched the Dell Streak 10 Pro in China. The Streak 10 Pro marks Dell’s first 10-inch Android device intended to compete directly with the likes of the Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy 10, and Motorola Xoom—but it’s not clear whether Dell ever intends to launch the product in North America.

“The fact that we’re launching it in China first underscores the importance of China to Dell overall,” wrote Dell’s VP for consumer sales and marketing Michael Tatelman, in a statement. “More people are online in China than anywhere else in the world, and IDC estimates that more than 900 million people are expected to come online in China alone in the next 10 years. ”

The Dell Streak 10 Pro is priced at 2,999 yuan (about $465) for a version with Wi-Fi and 16 GB of storage, and features a 10-inch 1,280 by 800-pixel display, a five megapixel rear-facing camera, a separate 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat, and 1080p video playback capabilities (including HDMI output). The tablet is based around Nvidia’s Tegra dual core processor, and spots USB connectivity, an SD slot for removable media, Wi-Fi, and an option dock adds Ethernet, more USB ports, and the ability to add PC emulation capabilities in separate monitors. The device runs Android 3.1 Honeycomb, and Dell claims the device gets up to 12 hours of use on a battery charge.

The tablet also features an application called “Dell Divide,” enabling users to create a strong differentiation between work and personal uses of the tablet.

It’s not clear when (or even if) Dell intends to launch the Streak 10 Pro outside China, including markets like North America, Australia, or Europe. One impediment is that, aside from the enterprise-oriented docking capability, the Stream 10 Pro is more-or-less in line with every other Honeycomb tablet on the market—and those have had serious trouble gaining tracking against the Apple iPad. In June, a Dell VP told CNet the U.S. market exhibited “a bunch of inhibitors and barriers” that would stand in the way of a successful Android tablet introduction in the U.S. market. Presumably, that situation hasn’t changed. Dell does offer a 7-inch Streak tablet in the United States, although T-Mobile recently axed it from its product lineup.

Dell is widely expected to aggressively pursue Windows-based tablets in conjunction with the launch of Windows 8.

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