All of that said, it's easy to imagine why Dell would want to position the Streak as a tablet: are hitting the market rapid-fire-style these days, and it's tough for any one device to remain the "hot new item" for long. Just ask the Motorola Droid: Despite its , the device is now eclipsed in coverage by newer, more powerful models such as the and the aforementioned EVO 4G.

The tablet world, in contrast, is still ripe for the taking. Sure, you've got Apple's iPad, but that's about the only high-profile contender so far. And compared to -- no unapproved apps, , no removable battery, and so forth -- it won't be hard for the Streak to set itself apart and attract ample attention. (Personally, I think the would make a great marketing tool, but I'm not sure Dell will go for it.)

The problem, though, is that the iPad is simply a different beast. Its screen is 9.7 inches, nearly twice that of Dell's Streak. I'm not saying the iPad is a better device -- anyone who reads my stories with any regularity knows how I feel about vs. -- but in this instance, it just isn't a realistic comparison.

Once true large-screen Android tablets start hitting the market (and yes, ), the iPad will have some serious competition to contend with. The Dell Streak looks to be one hell of a device, but a tablet, I'm afraid, it is not.