Dell Streak supports Bluetooth keyboards

It's a known issue that Android doesn't natively support the Bluetooth HID profile that is needed to connect Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and other peripherals to a device.

But the Dell Streak does! I paired my Think Outside Bluetooth keyboard (also known as the iGo Stowaway) with the Streak today, entered the passcode, and was amazed to see the two devices instantly connected. I thought maybe it was a fluke, so I opened up Gmail and started typing on the keyboard to see if anything appeared on screen.

And it did with absolutely no lag whatsoever.

Here's a quick video showing it in action. I apologize for the horrible video quality but I took it with my iPhone 3GS:

This really shows that the Streak isn't just an oversized phone, but an Android tablet/MID with phone capabilities. While this is fabulous news, it also makes the absence of a kickstand on the back of the device even more infuriating to me. Many Bluetooth keyboards come with little stands that will prop the Streak at a nice angle for typing, though, so I can get over it. Besides, I'd rather have Bluetooth HID support and no kickstand than the opposite of that (hello, HTC EVO 4G).

 

I was able to connect a Bluetooth mouse too, though it's completely worthless without an on-screen pointer.