Where is the Opus One, supposed successor of the Dell Streak?
There has been a lot of talk recently about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note, but are we forgetting something? A little device called the Opus One, Dell's rumored successor to the Streak 5.
When the Streak received it EOL status in the Americas and was subsequently pulled from Dell's US website, many of us were left with a feeling loss. But even with the demise of our beloved pocket tablet, we current owners should not fret because a fresh face may be just around the corner.
Earlier this year, Dell's tablet and mobile phone roadmaps leaked with information pointing to a Q1 2012 release of the Honeycomb-equipped Opus One. If true, this falls right in line for a CES 2012 announcement. CES has often been a platform for Dell to launch new products and services, and is usually its biggest day of the year (as far as announcing new products go). Another important note to take away from these roadmaps is the listed update for the Streak 7, which could shed some light on the recent product shortages and delays that have been seen lately.
Back to the Opus One. Rumors suggest that it will be a dual-core 1.2 to 1.4GHz device with an upgraded screen and possibly running Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.
While exact specs will be few and far between until an official release, a January announcement does give Dell the opportunity to make any last minute changes in hardware it sees fit, possibly to stay competitive with future products from Apple and other manufacturers that will be released towards the end of this year.
In the end this might be a win-win for those of us playing the waiting game. Especially in light of the delayed release of the fifth-generation iPhone, if Dell truly intends to compete we might see a bump in specs that we otherwise might not have seen.
Recently there has been some negativity regarding the Opus One, with many in this community making reference to what they wished it would be. Yet, there has been no indication by either Dell or any other outlet that the it has been discontinued or the plans scrapped.
Dell has a history of pulling products before there is a proper replacement; did anyone go looking for an All-in-One PC earlier this year? So far all the roadmaps and information we have still points to an Opus One release sometime early next year. For many this wait is going to be too long and they will have to make a switch earlier. I personally have already placed my preorder for the Galaxy Note, but I will have no problems passing it off for an Opus One on launch day.
So before we go running off and abandoning the company that pioneered the 5-inch tablet-phone form factor, let's remember that Dell seems rather intent on going forward with its tablet line. Even if we don't see future Dell releases stateside in the beginning, it still doesn't mean we won't see them ever. I remember anxiously waiting to pick up a Streak while drooling over them listed on UK sites.
I still believe that the Opus One is on its way. What it will be when it gets here and whether it was worth the wait remains to be seen.
Do you plan to wait for the Opus One or are you already looking at the Galaxy Note for your pocket tablet needs?
