Dell Inc. on Thursday unveiled several new tablet-style computers and a smartphone, part of a strategy to attract more consumers and move beyond its corporate customer base.
The Round Rock, Texas, computer maker introduced a tablet PC with a seven-inch touch screen display that it calls "Streak 7" at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The new Streak tablet follows the release of a model with a five-inch screen that Dell launched last summer.
The newer version will include 4G wireless Internet connectivity from Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA unit and carries a dual-core processor by Nvidia Corp. The device, which weighs less than a pound, runs a version of Google Inc.'s Android operating system for mobile devices.
Dell also unveiled a 4.1-inch smartphone that it calls "Venue."
Both the smartphone and Streak will be available in coming weeks, the company said. The Streak initially will be sold exclusively in the U.S. Its pricing will be disclosed in the future.
The computer maker said it also plans to release a tablet computer with a 10-inch screen, and is also aimed at consumers. That tablet, which will be available later this year, is part of an effort to challenge Apple Inc.'s popular iPad computer.
The new tablets come as Dell struggles to spread beyond its roots in corporate technology, which has historically been the largest driver of profits for the industry.
Recently, the tech industry has become more reliant on consumer sales, an area Dell has had difficulty cracking in the past. The company's consumer and retail businesses have struggled to remain profitable.
It's unclear whether the original Streak has helped raise the company's profile with consumers. The device has been approved by more than 300 communications carriers around the world, but the company has not released sales data, and Chief Executive Michael Dell in the past has called revenue from the Streak "immaterial."
The new version speaks to Dell's broader strategy for the consumer market, said John Thode, who manages Dell's handset device group. For example, the company has focused on design to appeal to consumers, he said, referencing the company's Inspiron duo notebook PC, which has a touchscreen that flips to reveal a keyboard underneath.
The Streak 7 is designed to play graphics-intensive games and wirelessly surf the Internet at high speeds. Mr. Thode didn't provide specifics on battery life but indicated it would be robust.
"We want to be able to fly from New York to Los Angeles and be able to watch a whole movie without a battery recharge," he said.
Dell also showed a second 10-inch tablet PC optimized for the company's corporate clients. That device also will be available later this year.
Though it carries a different name for branding, the smartphone is closely related to the Streak series, Mr. Thode said.
"It's everything you see in a Streak 7, but in a smaller form factor," he said.
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