Features

#TBT: Before the Samsung Galaxy Note, there was the Dell Streak 5

Published

August 4, 2016

Monch Lopez

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launched this week, and we were in New York City to witness all the hype and hoopla unfold. The critical consensus so far has been positive, and we think the new big-screen phone is the hat-trick score its makers had hoped for.

The Galaxy Note 7 has the right curves in all the right places; it isn’t afraid to get wet; it’s better at taking notes and making GIFs and translating; and it has a cavity to slot in a microSD card if you think 64GB of onboard storage isn’t enough. In a word: Brilliant.

So brilliant that it makes sense why Samsung is the only manufacturer that has found success where others could not. Armed with a stylus and a screen that acts like paper, Samsung scripted its own legacy in the tech world.

But the idea of expanding a phone’s screen to what some thought were comical proportions wasn’t Samsung’s to begin with.

It equally belonged to Nokia and HTC and a few others; but it belonged most of all to Dell.

In 2010, the same year the iPad was announced, the American tech company came out with the Dell Streak 5. The phone was meant to compete with both the Apple slate and smartphones that maxed out at around 4 inches by offering a 5-inch display, which was considered enormous at the time.

The Dell Streak 5

It was three inches tall and six inches wide and almost a third the thickness and weight of the iPad; it was pocketable only in the sense that it was possible to force it uncomfortably into regular-fit jeans. I thought the Streak was clunky as it was unwieldy.

But its biggest flaw had nothing to do with its obnoxious design, or the fact that critics and consumers couldn’t decide whether to call it a phone or a tablet. The Streak initially shipped with buggy, outgoing software that drew the ire of everyone.

Unable to recover from a rocky start, Dell discontinued the phone the following year. “Goodbye Streak 5. It’s been a great ride,” a post on the company’s official website read.

In 2011, Samsung made a huge bet on a phone bigger than the Streak 5 and hit the jackpot when it earned critical respect and public admiration.

The Verge gave the Galaxy Note a positive review and called it “one of the most potent Android devices to date.” It received a 7.6 out of 10 from Engadget, which described it as “one of those devices that you’ll either completely love or totally hate.” CNET gushed about its screen size. “The screen real estate is ideal for interacting with HD games and multimedia, and for reading websites and e-books,” the tech site said.

Two months after its launch, Samsung announced it had shipped over one million Note smartphones worldwide, excluding the U.S. The success of the Galaxy Note created massive interest and demand for devices of the same size.

So why the Note and not the Streak? I think it was because the Note was a more refined product that made the most of its size. Samsung didn’t just release another Streak with a bigger screen; it improved on it immensely.

When you look at today’s tech landscape, you’ll see a lot of firsts and superlatives and companies trying to be different for different’s sake. Which is fine and all. Failing is part of the process. But in the quest for the next Galaxy Note, or the next iPhone, the industry would do well to remember the lessons of the Streak.

Being first isn’t always what matters; but being the first to get things right usually does.

[irp posts=”9281″ name=”Dell Canvas is a 27-inch smart workspace for professionals”]

Related Topics:Dell Galaxy Note Samsung Streak 5 TBT

Hands-On

Leica virgin? Try the Xiaomi 13T Pro

Cameras powered by Leica

Published

September 26, 2023

Rodneil Quiteles

Xiaomi is going all in on their partnership with Leica making it the headliner even in the “T” editions of their flagships. The company is flexing it even more with the Xiaomi 13T Pro and the Xiaomi 13T.

The extra push is warranted. Just ask my colleague Vincenz who has refused to let go of the Xiaomi 13 ever since being handed the unit for review. Even myself was enamored with the photo-taking capabilities of the flagship released earlier this year. The thing made me look like a pro when I took it around Barcelona.

The Xiaomi 13T Pro isn’t that much different. You still get to choose between Leica Authentic or Leica Vibrant when you first launch the camera app. Don’t fret though as the choice isn’t final. You can easily toggle the selection by tapping on the upper-right area of the screen when using the camera app.

You also get the Leica custom photographic styles that add so much character to your shots when used appropriately. There’s plenty to choose from with the Leica BW NAT, F-50, and Gold Vibes being some of my personal favorites.

But talk is cheap. So, enjoy some of these photos taken over the past few days.

Leica Authentic

Filtered

Portraits

Photo-taking experience

You don’t have to think much when using the Xiaomi 13T Pro to take photos. Even after just a few days with it, I can say it delivers some of the best photos from the many smartphones I’ve tried this year.

It makes things easy too. The color science applied by Xiaomi and Leica does a lot of the heavy lifting. All you have to do is to learn how to compose better shots and you’ll look almost like a pro in no time.

Incredibly smooth

One of the first things I noticed when I started using the Xiaomi 13T Pro is how incredibly smooth the display is. The 144Hz refresh rate on paper delivers without fail. It’s super evident especially since I’ve been splitting my time between this and another smartphone. Although, to be fair, that one’s an upper mid-ranger that doesn’t have this high of a refresh rate.

It makes doom scrolling feel extra fine. Yes, the world is burning on the Internet but hey, you’re seeing it through a Full HD AMOLED Display that slides effortlessly each time you scroll. It’s all good. I guess.

I also watched my fair share of short videos on this thing. Particularly, some fancams from TWICE’s Ready To Be Tour that happened over the weekend in Bangkok. I’ve yet to watch any HDR-capable content, but I can say the general viewing experience is enjoyable. It helps that the speakers aren’t too shabby either. The sound is clean and does not distort even when pushed to maximum.

The audio was enjoyable too when listening to my favorite tracks. One night I put Yena’s “Love War” on repeat and I was jamming to it until I fell asleep. I also listened to some of my favorite hoop podcasts on the Xiaomi 13T Pro. And well, no complaints here. I got my NBA fix through The Lowe Post and The Hoop Collective all while playing them on the phone.

Battery and charging

It’s only been a few days so I can’t say anything definitive here. Plus, my usage varied so much and I haven’t been keeping track of it completely. I can say I felt the 5,000mAh capacity drained faster than I expected, especially after a night of intense doom scrolling.

However, topping it up was fast and easy. With 32% left, I watched a couple of anime episodes on TV and found the thing already fully charged after.

Between upper-midrange and flagship build

The unit we have in particular is the Meadow Green that has a glossy finish. And while it’s slightly heavier than its Alpine Blue sibling, it still felt so much lighter than what I’m used to using. For context, I rock an iPhone 14 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and HONOR Magic5 Pro when I’m not reviewing a smartphone.

I’m personally not a fan of the glossy finish and that’s a fact for any smartphone. It’s not completely a smudge magnet but you’re probably better off using a case with this one. I’ve been rocking it in its birthday suit since it feels tough enough on its own. But if you’re forking out your hard earned cash on a smartphone, my general advice is to always use protection.

Experience Leica

The main draw of the Xiaomi 13T Pro, without a doubt, is how it lets you experience a Leica camera without it costing you an arm and a leg. We all know how expensive Leica cameras are but Xiaomi is giving you the chance to experience it at a fraction of the cost. Now, I’m not saying you get the exact same photo quality. But output-wise, this is about as close as you’re going to get.

Elsewhere, the Xiaomi 13T Pro is also a winner. The silky smooth display catches your attention immediately, and its general size and overall build makes you feel secure. You just have this peace of mind that what you’re holding is made with care and won’t break easily. There’s also something about it that’s hard to describe or quantify. You just know, you’re using a device that’s better than most.

Xiaomi 13T Pro Specs

Display — 6.67″ FHD CrystalRes AMOLED display. Up to 144Hz refresh rate, Pro HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Processor — MediaTek Dimensity 9200+
RAM+ Storage — 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+1TB
Battery and Charging — 5,000mAh, Xiaomi 120W HyperCharge
OS — MIUI 14 based on Android 13
Connectivity — Dual SIM, Wi-Fi7, NFC9, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G
Cameras:

LEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.2/15-50mm ASPH.

24mm Leica main camera

50MP wide angle camera
1/1.28” sensor size
1.22μm pixel size, 2.44μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
f/1.9, 7P aspherical lens, OIS
Supports HDR10+ video recording for up to 4K at 30fps
Supports 8K video recording at 24fps
10-bit LOG video recording, supports LUT import

50mm Leica telephoto camera

50MP
f/1.9, 5P aspherical lens

15mm Leica ultra-wide camera

12MP
f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens

20MP front camera

f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens
Night mode
Portrait mode
HDR

Price and availability

The Xiaomi 13T Pro retails for PhP 37,999 for the 12GB+512GB variant and PhP 39,999 for the 16GB+1TB variant.

Accessories

Apple Watch Series 9 + Watch Ultra 2 Unboxing

Featuring the bundled bands plus the new FineWoven and Nike Sport bands

Published

September 26, 2023

GadgetMatch

Apple’s September 2023 “Wonderlust” Event isn’t just about the new iPhones. They’ve also announced updates to the well-loved Apple Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 may not look so different from their predecessors, but the new features cater to older Apple Watch users to upgrade.

Aside from the upgraded S9 SiP (System in a Chip), this also enables new features like having a built-in Siri and even Double Tap using your two fingers and wrist.

And thanks to Apple’s Carbon Neutral goal by 2030, the new Apple Watches (at least the Ultra 2 and aluminum-cased Series 9s) are now more sustainable for the environment.

This also means saying bye-bye to our good ol’ leather Watch bands — but wait until you see what Apple has to offer.

Watch our latest unboxing of the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9 (in Aluminum and Stainless Steel), plus a plethora of bands to try out!