Post your first Impressions from the UK on the Dell Streak

Does anyone know:
1) Why pinch and zoom doesn't work on the browser? (The only option I could find was to make the text larger all the time under settings).

2) By default youtube videos play in low def. There's a menu opton to play in high def. But you have to select it for each video. I couldn't find a way to set it so that it always plays hi def on a wifi connection. Any one know if there's a way to change this?

Thanks

Pinch and zoom doesn't work on 1.6. Once the Streak is updated, we should be able to use all the multi-touch features.

lithiumliger said:

Pinch and zoom doesn't work on 1.6. Once the Streak is updated, we should be able to use all the multi-touch features.

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That explains it. When I was playing with the Dell Streak I was sure that some of the pages supported zooming. But that explains a lot- thanks. I was suprised there was no magnifying glass either to zoom in or out. I installed the Dolphin browser and that's just the same- no zooming.

lithiumliger said:

Pinch and zoom doesn't work on 1.6. Once the Streak is updated, we should be able to use all the multi-touch features.

Click to expand...

Hate to disagree but I have multi touch working fine on the stock browser on my Streak. Can't tell you if its a feature that Dell added onto Android 1.6 or your fact is wrong? (if you are on a mobile site they predominately don't allow zooming at all and nothing to do with multi-touch. It may sound stupid but try when you have a full desktop version of a web-site open?)

The guy from dell also briefly demo's it in this video (approx 3:34 in):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ski1hOvDbKg (there are probably better examples but bed is calling!)

@ oatikodi: Can't tell you why you have no multi-touch but on the youtube app; once I had chosen high quality in the settings it became the default setting thereafter.

Good luck in getting your browser working. I can only suggest clearing all cache and data, sadly that is where my technical knowledge/ability finishes.

Pinch to zoom is working fine for me in the stock browser to. As is tap to zoom. Have you guys rooted or changed your default settings alot?

And yep my youtube defaults to hi def also.

Rhysd2 said:

Pinch to zoom is working fine for me in the stock browser to. As is tap to zoom. Have you guys rooted or changed your default settings alot?

And yep my youtube defaults to hi def also.

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Nope this is the non-rooted Dell Streak. I've tried it on 2 different Dell Streaks available to play with (and install apps!) in different O2 shops. I tried a couple of different sites. Some did work for pinch and zoom. But most did not (eg Wikipedia - which was displaying a non-mobile URL). Also with Google maps pinch and zoom does not work (mentioend elsewhere in this forum).

I was ready to part with my money for a Dell Streak but O2 had system problems - so I'll try another day. (Though I am tempted now to wait until Froyo comes out and it's confirmed that pinch and zoom will work properly. Without pinch and zoom, browsing on the sites that I like will be a real pain. I installed Dolphin HD browser and pinch and zoom didn't work on that either. So I presume it's not the default browser that's the issue).

One problem I did find was putting in a new URL or searching for a site. As far as I can see there isn't a dedicated hardware search button (like on the Desire). And the address bar in the default browser only has voice search. So, to type in a new URL I had to delete the URL that was already displayed- pressing the backspace button for a while. Surely there's a quicker way?

I think I figured out the hi-def vs low-def setting. In one O2 store the phone was showing a HSDPA/3G but no wifi connection (possibly someone had turned it off). This was showing youtube in low res. To see hi-def I had to change the settings for each video. In a different O2 store the phone was showing a wifi connection and all the youtube videos were being shown in hi-def. In hi-def the videos look great.

(Oh, and I saw the price of accessories on the Dell site. Not sure how they can justify

Well the good news is that I have got my Gmail working. It took the slightly unusual workaround of downloading the rooted gmail app from a HTC hero and installing it over the current version; all whilst the phone is warning you that it REALLY isn't a good idea.

Slightly worrying but luckily it worked out well so now pretty happy. Now the wait for Froyo!

@ oatikodi I tried the streak on wikipedia and the site lets me pinch and zoom fine. What it also did was port me to the mobile site after choosing the english version from the home screen. This, as I have found with all mobile sites, does not support zooming. Scrolled to the bottom and there is a link to use the desktop version and presto; pinch and zoom is back!

I do find that a lot of sites recognise that I am using a Android/mobile device and automatically forward me to there mobile site. Rather irritating when the desktop versions shows up perfectly on the 5" screen.

On searching: Very easy. Just type what you are looking for in the address bar and if it isn't a website it will use the content in a google search.

Lastly if you think the battery is a rip-off what about the USB cable. That is some margin they have got there!

ahh that'd explain it. Yea I tend to go to the main sites rather than the mobile ones so pinch to zoom works fine on those.

As for deleting urls like any android device, hold yer finger down! heh ie do a long push inside the url bar and it'll bring up the menu to delete/cut/paste/etc

theres also the standard search widget you can have on a home screen so I personally dont feel a need for a search button when I have the widget right there.

perpetual121 said:

...

@ oatikodi I tried the streak on wikipedia and the site lets me pinch and zoom fine. What it also did was port me to the mobile site after choosing the english version from the home screen. This, as I have found with all mobile sites, does not support zooming. Scrolled to the bottom and there is a link to use the desktop version and presto; pinch and zoom is back!

I do find that a lot of sites recognise that I am using a Android/mobile device and automatically forward me to there mobile site. Rather irritating when the desktop versions shows up perfectly on the 5" screen.

On searching: Very easy. Just type what you are looking for in the address bar and if it isn't a website it will use the content in a google search.

...

Click to expand...

Ok thanks for that. I guess this is an Android 1.6 'feature'? I visit the same sites on my HTC Desire (android 2.1) and the pinch and zoom works fine on the sites that don't work on the Dell.

On Wikipedia (and quite a few other sites I tried) when trying pinch and zoom the Dell does come up with a message saying "This page cannot zoom"- not sure why Dell didn't just code it so that if this happens then go to a version of the site that does support pinch and zoom (maybe a setting hidden deep down somewhere). Hopefully sorted in 2.2 (September?)

Rhysd2 said:

ahh that'd explain it. Yea I tend to go to the main sites rather than the mobile ones so pinch to zoom works fine on those.

As for deleting urls like any android device, hold yer finger down! heh ie do a long push inside the url bar and it'll bring up the menu to delete/cut/paste/etc

theres also the standard search widget you can have on a home screen so I personally dont feel a need for a search button when I have the widget right there.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I have to admit I've grown very used to the HTC Desire search button. It's context senstive so the search button looks for people in Contacts; for videos in youtube; for google web searchs by default. The only search icon I have installed is Google's gesture search which allows you to draw letters and finds the corresponding thing- very handy.

I believe you can change the search box so it includes stuff like contacts, but for the life of me I cant find the option to do it at the moment. perhaps it was a froyo feature on my nexus one and im getting mixed up.

Rhysd2 said:

I believe you can change the search box so it includes stuff like contacts, but for the life of me I cant find the option to do it at the moment. perhaps it was a froyo feature on my nexus one and im getting mixed up.

Click to expand...

The voice automated search widget does search contacts etc. its a bit weird that the typed search doesn't offer the same results?

@ Rhysd2: do you know how to turn off the screen flashing when the phone rings? its pretty annoying trying to answer the phone trying to catch the screen whilst on and also when it decides to jump between portrait and landscape!

Exopolitics said:

Hi, Just picked up a Dell Streak today on O2 on the data only tariff, I already have an iPhone and this thing would be way to big to use as a phone.

It is an excellent piece of kit so far! I do have a few gripes though, one of them being the battery life is very poor but that is to be expected on something like this.

The screen is simply amazing, on par with iPhone in terms of sensitivity and smoothness. The keyboard is a dream to type on in landscape. It is however a shame they didn't release it with V2.1 to support multi touch but 2.2 on the way in the near future so that's not so much of a problem.

The main thing I will be using the device for is Internet browsing and media. I've downloaded the skyfire beta and its speed is fantastic.

Another gripe would be lack of customisation in terms of first party themes. I've seen HTC and Samsung do amazing things with skinning android and making it look fantastic (I work in the mobile phone industry and was blown away by the Desire and Nexus One in terms of that) Again it is maybe something that Dell well pick up in the future and there is always the Android market place.

Another plus for me would be that I encode a lot of videos for my iPhone, I put a few on the streak and they play without a hiccup and look fantastic. Saved me alot of time re-encoding videos.

Another fantastic feature for me would be the music player Dell have installed on the phone. It's very swish and reminds me of very basic iTunes UI which isnt a bad thing at all.

I would not however, recommend this a phone as it is far too big and you would just look daft. To summarize I love this tablet so far and look forward to future updates

Click to expand...

Hi,

What is your method for putting video onto you Streak?

Cheers!

perpetual121 said:

The voice automated search widget does search contacts etc. its a bit weird that the typed search doesn't offer the same results?

@ Rhysd2: do you know how to turn off the screen flashing when the phone rings? its pretty annoying trying to answer the phone trying to catch the screen whilst on and also when it decides to jump between portrait and landscape!

Click to expand...

not quite sure what you mean by flashing. When I receive a call my screen stays solidly on until I either answer the call, ignore the call, or it goes to voicemail.

Rhysd2 said:

not quite sure what you mean by flashing. When I receive a call my screen stays solidly on until I either answer the call, ignore the call, or it goes to voicemail.

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LOL it seems that my gmail app wasn't/isn't the only little unintended curiosity I have on this phone. I did wonder how dell released the phone with such a annoying phone app!

Now just to find a new phone.apk from a rooted working dell..........

I'd suggest you go onto modaco mate. On there it'll tell you how to root it, and they have a link to bake yourself a rom on the android kitchen with what apps you do/dont want. I'd imagine that'll fix alot of your issues

I finally parted with my money and got a Dell Streak.

First impressions:
This is an amazing phone for:
a) Reading ebooks, PDFs, powerpoints... the size of the phone is ideal - holding it in one hand.
b) Reading rss feeds, newspaper sites...
c) Doing my emails- press a button and I have a tablet computer in my hand.
d) Taking notes eg with mindmapping software (and especially with a swype keyboard).
e) For watching youtube and videos.
f) Once the pinch and zoom is sorted in Android 2.2 this will be brilliant for web browsing. For now, for me, I'd only say it was good/very good for browsing.
g) The screen is very good

oatikodi said:

I haven't tried video calling using the forward facing camera.

Click to expand...

I would love it if you could try using fring to video chat with someone on skype or gtalk and let me know how that works.

Thanks

irus said:

I would love it if you could try using fring to video chat with someone on skype or gtalk and let me know how that works.

Thanks

Click to expand...

It worked for Engadget.

lithiumliger said:

It worked for Engadget.

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yes but that was fring to fring. I'm talking about fring to skype or fring to gtalk.

nb_mitch said:

You don't think the Streak can do all your tasks (phone and camera aren't up to par with your HTC Desire?

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The Streak' s camera seems slightly better than the Desire's. Phone is fine on the Streak -perhaps not quite so good sound quality as the Desire but they are on different networks and I haven't switched sims yet. (And I'm still comparing battery life). However, while the Streak's size is an advantage for somethings, the smaller HTC Desire is more pocketable (and it's track ball is handy).

I'm writing this reply on my Streak- something that I wouldn't do on the Desire. I'm using the Streak in preference to my PC for a lot of situations now- and preferring using the Steak rather than lugging a laptop around.

Hi folks,

I'm on my third week with the Streak. It's the best mobile device I've ever owned and I'm fast approaching fan boy status!

You can read my first week review here - you'll also find a number of Streak related posts on my blog, as I've got a bit carried away telling the world how great it is

Cheers,

Mark

Two words: ****ing insane.