Is it a huge smartphone, or something more like a small tablet computer? The Dell Streak has many people wondering …

You can make phone calls from it (in fact the mouthpiece positions nicely to your mouth because it is so large!), take photos with the front-facing camera and a powerful 5-megapixel lens with autofocus and a dual LED flash, it’s small and skinny enough to slip into your suit (but not trouser) pocket, plus it has a really excellent capacitive touchscreen which lets you browse photos, view movies, surf the web, read emails and ebooks.

Basically, the Dell Streak is really a hybrid between a smartphone and a tablet, using the older version of Google’s Android OS (Dell say that you can upgrade easily to Froyo). The Streak’s 5-inch WVGA display has a 16:9 ratio optimised for websites, and will display up to 4 home screens. The Android notifications bar remains effective as usual but doesn’t take up the whole of the bar.

Commonly used functions like the browser, phone, contacts, Gmail, email and the Android Market (for third-party apps) are featured in a favourites menu when you press the menu button; another press opens the full menu. Dell also includes its own Facebook and Twitter widgets. You can also use the tablet as a full sat nav device - its large, crisp screen makes landmarks really easy to spot.

Dell Streak is around $699.00 to buy outright.

Find more tablet computers on Lasoo.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of days, you’ve no doubt heard about the Apple iPad - the manufacturer’s much anticipated tablet.

So far, the iPad’s reception around the world has been mixed, to say the least: from people questioning the name to those asking if it’s really just a giant iPod Touch. In any case there’s no doubting the Apple Army will get behind this latest release when it becomes available.

At the iPad’s heart is a 9.7-inch LCD touchscreen display (1024×768 resolution), complete with on-screen QWERTY keyboard and an accelerometer to adjust the orientation as required - just like the iPhone and iPod Touch. The screen can play back high-definition video (720p). All models come with a 30-pin dock connector plus Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) , while a second generation of iPads will be released shortly after the first with a 3G modem also included (the 3G models will be slightly more expensive).

As for apps, the iPad will be compatible with any apps currently available for the iPhone and iPod Touch - although because the screen is larger, the resolution of these apps, which are designed for smaller screens, won’t be very good. Apple has already developed several apps specifically for the iPad, including a version of iTunes, Safari, Google Maps, YouTube, email and more. Most significant is the updated iWorks software, which comes as three paid apps. Several other developers have already produced optimised iPad applications, including the New York Times.

Last but not least when it comes to apps, the iPad will also be the first Apple device to run iBooks. iBooks is an e-reader that offers content from publishers such as Penguin and Harper Collins. You’ll be able to preview books then pay to download them if you’re interested in reading the whole thing.

The Apple iPad will be released in Australia on April 24. Each version of the iPad will come in three capacities - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Local pricing is yet to be confirmed, but will start from $US499 overseas for the 16GB Wi-Fi iPad.

Buy cheap Apple products on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

The Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch is an inexpensive tablet that can be integrated with your PC to be used with creative work.

Tablets are generally the domain of designers and anyone who uses programs such as PhotoShop and Illustrator professionally, and they’re generally fairly expensive. But the Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch is in reach of non-professional creative-types, carrying a recommended retail price of $159.

The device can be used instead of your mouse to operate your computer, though this may take some getting used to for everyday functionality such as browsing the web. You do this by touching the tablet and gesturing what you want to do. This is particularly handy for rotating photos and the like.

When you need to do something that requires more precision - for example, editing photos - you can use the pen to draw on the screen. You can even use it to mark up word documents or make sketches.

Wacom has also equipped the Bamboo Pen & Touch with the Bamboo Dock, which holds all the device’s widgets and applications. One of the cooler ones allows you to draw a sketch then upload it to Twitter.

The device comes bundled with a range of software including Adobe Photoshop Elements 7, which adds to the value of the $159 price tag.

Buy a cheap Wacom tablet on sale

By Caroline Warnes