One of the downsides of being an early adopter is the lack of good accessories for your new device. When the Streak was released, Dell seized the opportunity to fill in the gap and issued their own leather wallet case for the Streak. Given the limited options available so far, I purchased Dell’s Leather Wallet Case to protect my Streak when we recently went on a family vacation. While the simple cloth bag that comes with the Streak is okay when I’m carrying the Streak in a dedicated pocket in my briefcase, I needed something with a little more strength to it when throwing it into my travel bag for vacation.
Featuring a leather exterior and a suede-like interior, Dell’s Leather Wallet Case for the Dell Streak is one of the few case options available currently for the 5″ Android phone/tablet.
The Streak slides into center bracket that holds the device securely in place. It’s a nice, snug fit, so there’s almost no concern that it will slide out. There is still good access to the controls on the top of the Streak and the charging port on the bottom.
There’s a hinge built into the back of the center section that is designed to act like a kickstand and prop the Streak up at a good viewing angle, which is great for watching videos. It’s a great idea, but the plastic hinge feels a bit rickety and I feel compelled to treat it with kid gloves.
I had difficulty typing on the Streak while it was in the case. The Streak’s screen works primarily in landscape orientation, so the front cover keeps getting in the way when trying to type. It’s possible that as the case breaks in and becomes more flexible, I’ll be able to fold the front cover behind the Streak while typing, but at the moment it’s too stiff to do that.
Inside the front cover there are slots for business cards and two micro SD cards.
Overall, Dell has included a number of nice features for the Leather Wallet Case. I’d really like to recommend it, but there’s one thing that holds me back. Despite the amenities, the case just feels cheap. The leather is rigid and just doesn’t feel, well, real. It wouldn’t be a big deal, but the case costs $39.99, so it seems like it ought to have a higher quality feel to it. Not that a forty dollar case should feel like Argentinian leather or anything, but gosh, this doesn’t live up to expectations.
What I Like: The design of the case includes several nice features and holds the Streak securely
What Needs Improvement: The leather cover feels cheap and rigid
MSRP: $39.99