Have to say HTC can deliver great 'premium' feeling devices. This is one of the main issues when competing with the ipad as some of the android devices have felt plastic/cheap.
Shame there is no dual core though as this would future proof it more (given that phones are coming out with dual core now, and no doubt the apps will want to utilise the extra power)
D
http://www.joots.co.uk
I honestly didn’t give much consideration to the HTC Flyer when I heard it was going to be the first HTC Android tablet. I had my Samsung Galaxy Tab and an iPad at the time and thought it was just another tablet. I was wrong and after using the evaluation model for just a couple of hours on Friday I went to Best Buy as soon as they opened on Saturday and purchased my own HTC Flyer. I posted some initial thoughts on how to use it Sunday and wanted to get more of my thoughts out there for you all to view as you consider this device and what it has to offer.
James posted some quick thoughts on Friday and I read on Twitter about others picking up the Flyer as well. I have an extensive image gallery that includes photos and screenshots, along with a video walk through and detailed written thoughts about my experiences so far. The more time I spend with the HTC Flyer the more impressed I am about all that HTC was able to pack into such a nice device.
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In the box and initial hands-on
The HTC Flyer comes in a sturdy white box that matches the quality of the device. Inside the box you will find the HTC Flyer, A/C adapter, USB cable, and some pamphlets. There is no stylus or case, which is a shame. However, you can buy a stylus for $79.99 and I ordered a leather case with stylus holder from Expansys. In Europe HTC includes a stylus and case with the Flyer, but I am not clear if that is for both the 3G and WiFi-only models or just the 3G one. I wish the stylus was $50 or less, but you can honestly use the HTC Flyer without one too (just check out Jenn’s post).
When I first pulled the HTC Flyer out of the box, I could tell it was a high quality device. The aluminum shell felt great in my hand and the Flyer weighs in at just under a pound so it was not too heavy for me. The width is perfect for my hand, especially when compared to the BlackBerry PlayBook that is just a bit too wide. The display looks great and the curves give it a nice feel in the hand.
Specifications
The specifications for the HTC Flyer include the following:
- 7 inch 1024×600 pixel resolution capacitive touchscreen display
- Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) operating system
- HTC Sense 2.1 for Tablet UI
- 1.5GHz single core SnapDragon processor
- About 4GB internal application memory and 9GB usable internal tablet storage memory. Total is 16GB internal.
- microSD memory card slot
- 802.11 b/g/n WiFi
- Bluetooth 3.0
- Internal GPS receiver and digital compass
- 5 megapixel rear camera and 1.3 megapixel front facing camera
- 3.5mm headset jack
- 4,000 mAh battery
- Dimensions of 195.4 x 122 x 13.22 mm and 420 grams (7.77 x 4.8 x 0.52 inches and 14.82 ounces)
Two specs that immediately stand out to folks will be the single core processor and the use of Gingerbread rather than Honeycomb. The single core processor is the fastest I have seen and performance has been outstanding. Battery life has been great so far so I am not sure if a dual-core or single core is much of a concern here.
I have yet to find Honeycomb appealing and preferred the Galaxy Tab with Froyo over the Motorola Xoom with Honeycomb. I still think Gingerbread is better since the experience is more fluid and integrated with better application support so I am in no rush to have the Flyer updated to Honeycomb, which I understand HTC will eventually do with the device. Gingerbread works well and with the HTC Sense UI on top, that I love, the device is great for my needs.
Walk around the hardware
The front of the HTC Flyer is dominated by the 7 inch display. While the display looks great, looking at the same photos side-by-side with a PlayBook shows the PlayBook has a better display with clearer and crisper photos. There are no hardware buttons on the front of the Flyer, but there are capacitive buttons for Home, Menu, and Back with a special green one for the stylus. These buttons light up and become functional in portrait and landscape, but not in all four directions.
The top holds the power button and 3.5mm headset jack. The power button has an integrated indicator light that shows you charging status. The microUSB port is on the bottom and even though it and the charger/cable end look strange a standard microUSB cable will work to charge and connect your Flyer to a computer or charger.
The right side houses volume buttons and two microphone openings. There is nothing on the left side.
The stereo speakers and 5 megapixel camera are found on the back of the Flyer with the camera offset in the upper left area. There are two white plastic pieces at the top and bottom, but don’t try to remove the bottom piece since it is not removable and you will just end up breaking the Flyer. The top piece is removed by pressing down slightly in the middle and sliding up. The only reason to slide this off is to insert a microSD card.
