Hey guys
I have owned HTC devices since the G1 n now i have the mytouch 4G rooted running Evil SD lates 2.3 port for it.
I wanna invest some money in a tablet. The MYT4G has a good size screen but sometimes it can strain your eyes when watching movies or heavy internet surfing. I want a portable tablet with the latets software and some of the newest feature. I have t mo. Here in the states. So the WiFi version of the Flyer is the only one available yet..
I have a questions. Your answers will help me deacide to buy one.
1. Does the Flyer have the ability to connect to a phones hotspot? Meaning if I tether wirelessly
2. I know there is no phone calls capabilities, but can you skype and quik?
3. Does it have a SD port?
4. And based on your experience with the device do you think it will be rootable in the future?
5. Also how does it sound? The speakers and w a headset is it real good.
Thanks I have many more questions but i think these r the most important for me. Any other things you think I should know prior to buying I would love to hear em.
Thanks for reading
Hi
Yes to all of those, I have the 3g model, and love it the form factor of it is perfect. I've played with quite a few 10" and they aren't for me.
The only down side I can see to flyer its a touch heavy, but its no heavier than any tablets out at the moment, I just would preferred HTC to have put HTC on a wee diet.
The CPU is fast, the only slow down I've every had was first boot up whilst my apps where caching.
The speakers aren't great great, but there not bad, you could listen to music or watch a movie, saying that if I was listening to music I'd probably hook up some speakers.
But really loving the flyer.
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
To answer your initial question, it really depends on what you are looking for. If you want a 7" device or the ability to write digital notes, highlight and mark on books, PDFs, and websites, or need to sketch/draw on the go, then yes, it is worth it simply because there is no other device that would allow you the features that the pen does. And if you are in the market for a 7" tablet, I would say it's the best 7" out right now.
To answer your other questions:
1.Yes, I have T-Mobile and have had no problem connecting it to my cell phone wirelessly
2. I was able to download Skype from the market; I don't use Skype, but I'm assuming it shouldn't be a problem. Could not find Qik in the market.
3. MicroSD port, yes
4. I've never rooted my devices, so I cannot say.
5.The sound is pretty clear and loud (this is based off watching videos, I haven't listen to music on here). I don't necessarily like the placement of the speakers, I thought they should have them on the both sides of the device for a more balanced stereo sound. But I'm into audio, so that's just my thought. But they are clear and can get loud when the volume is turned up to the max.
I have a few videos on my YouTube channel, CheckThisGadget, going over the HTC Flyer and doing the pen test. So that should help you in making your decision also.
Great device, as other have said.
In addition, as HTC release firmware updates I think it'll get faster as HTC optimise Sense and Honeycomb is supposed more efficient.
It lacks phone functionality..
They made a change to the market which causes my apps button to be accesible only by menu button.
A Lot of software available trough other devices ain't accessible by the flyers market.
HTC Watch sometimes works , sometimes not.
All by all .... I think a lot of work on the rom has to be done. It's not worth at THIS moment in my opinion.
To the OP, yes to the inquiries. I feel rooting will be dependent upon popularity of the device. Speakers are what you would expect from small compact drivers... A bit tinny, but okay.
IMO, the pen integration sets this device apart from other tablets. HTC did a good job adapting apps for pen usage. I used it extensively at meetings during the week, and it was impressive. If you don't have a need for the pen then, there are better options for tablets out their... Again in my opinion.
Thanks for all your replys
One of the post did make really consider what I wanted it for, n its basically to replace my phone in terms of web browsing n media player. I like to call using my phone I really don't see why I woulnt want a tablet to make a phone call. LOL but the 3g will make it real independent.
I'm not to crazy bout HTC scribe but its a very nice feature since I do go to college it would be great for note taking.
I also looked at the notion link tablet. Idk if its out or what but it looked great.
Thanks again for all the helpful replies I think I'm 95% leaning towards HTC flyer than moat devices.
firedog09 said:
Thanks for all your replys
One of the post did make really consider what I wanted it for, n its basically to replace my phone in terms of web browsing n media player. I like to call using my phone I really don't see why I woulnt want a tablet to make a phone call. LOL but the 3g will make it real independent.
I'm not to crazy bout HTC scribe but its a very nice feature since I do go to college it would be great for note taking.
I also looked at the notion link tablet. Idk if its out or what but it looked great.
Thanks again for all the helpful replies I think I'm 95% leaning towards HTC flyer than moat devices.
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I too considerd the Notion Ink a while back but decided against it due to the tablet coming from a small shop in India and support may or may not be up to par. Plus ordering one put you on a list as units were being built.
As for browsing the web, the Flyer is great. I enjoy surfing the web more on the Flyer than my Xoom. I have not had one force close on the Flyer yet which I cannot say for the Xoom. Tabbed browsing is missing for now but Honeycomb will fix that. The speakers are pretty good, not great. You can download an equalizer from the market that will help when using headphones.
Overall, it's a nice device and suits my needs perfectly (web browsing, email, occasional games)
Yes its worth it, it is the only true multi function 7 inch tablet on the market.
I got mine two days ago in Hong Kong and I'm really loving it! It cost ~USD 700 (for the Wifi + 3G version w/stylus). I have to say it's the perfect size and the screen resolution is perfect for browsing! I would say it's worth the USD 700 that I paid for. Now I just have to get a 3G data in China...
I'd say it is worth it. I rarely use my laptop now because I enjoy using my tablet for browsing, email, etc. I did buy the Scribe pen but I actually rarely use it. Maybe if there was more functionality for it (handwriting recognition, more app support) I would use it more. Still feels decently polished although I do miss Honeycomb and being able to download those true tablet apps.
I personally think, that if HTC engineered their Flyer tablet with Stantum display it would be a Killer device, a game changer. Seriously - a resistive display, that supports 10-finger multitouch is awesome. Notes, drawing, photo editing, CAD software on small screens, and, if it was used in a smartphone - imagine using your phone in winter without getting your gloves of. Hm, dreams, dreams...
Hi
The old sceeen question.... I presonally own a pair a gloves with special tips for using screens in winter....
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using XDA App
If the performance of the resistive is anything like the old WM phones, then it wouldn't be an improvement. If you want a resistive screen android tablet, there are plenty of Chinese mid-tablets out there.
10 point touch sounds interesting, but why? Some of the app gestures requiring three finger touch is confusing enough.
Related
What do you think between the Xoom and the Flyer?
One thing that is actually putting me off the Flyer is the 7" instead of 10"
I am thinking I want a wifi only one for home use - but for home use only I'd want something a little bigger than an oversized phone... any thoughts?
http://www.digitalversus.com/four-tablets-compared-ipad-galaxy-tab-10-1-flyer-xoom-news-18059.html
Since you'll be using it primarily at home, and you didn't mention the need for stylus input, I'd say the XOOM is probably a better choice for you.
Personally, however, I'd get the Flyer for its portability and inking capability.
I don't really have a need for a stylus - I think it's a brilliant addition - and if I had kids (also ones that could be trusted on a tablet ) I think it would be good so they could draw pics and stuff without any mess
Is there any mention of a keyboard add-on for the Flyer (wireless) I think I saw one for Xoom which'd be more of an interest for me as I'd be thinking of replacing my primary laptop with a tablet for most day-to-day stuff if it works well
Of course ultimately it all depends on the price of a wifi-only edition!
I think you summed up the screen size issue pretty well:
- 10" is home use. I have an iPad and it works really well for that. It is really something you can use all around the house with ease and enable you to check the internet in a nice chair, on the coach, etc. But I would not take the iPad in public transport - on a plane yes - and it is not a laptop replacement as some tend to pretend it is - maybe in 3-4 years when it'll be powerful enough and the resolution decent (but then again a mouse OS is much better for working)...
- 7" is for on the go. You can slide the 7" in a pocket, it's lighter, easier to hold in one hand and is a much better size to do things than a smartphone. It's perfect to watch a video, surf the web without having to pinch and zoom all the time, read a book, etc.
I have an iPad, so I don't need the Xoom; I'm more interested by the Flyer because I can take it around with me.
I like the stylus idea if it works. I've seen many videos, but all they show is someone scribbling large ribbons of colour on screen. If you can't write with the stylus; take notes, do some sketches, it is a useless addition. I can't see a lot of potential for a stylus though, especially for 10"; someone sends you a document, you're in a cab, you scribble some notes for feedback and you send it back. Way better than trying to do that over the phone...
Last thing for me is Honeycomb. The Flyer has to be upgraded to Honeycomb - thanks for XDA - as it is very likely that none of the apps produced for Honeycomb will be tablet specific: it would be a shame to have a tablet and not be able to access specific apps developped for that format...
10 inch is great for home use but a pain for everything else. I bought a Galaxy tab to take with me when I leave the house and my ipad stays at home. I got really tired of carrying around the ipad.
Sent from my SPH-P100 using XDA Premium App
I thought HTC already said that the Flyer will get an official update to Honeycomb at some point?
The XOOm is you want primary home use. The specs are also far superior, dual core etc. But if i were you, i'd choose Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 over the XOOM. some reviews havemt said the XOOm isnt amzing... Also motorola have a bad phone reputation.
If by specs you mean CPU then yes however the Xoom is kinda like a truck with a highly tuned formula one engine. Plenty of power but its all lost in the drivetrain.
In other words, processing power is useless if you have nothing to take advantage of it. I have kicked around with various kernels and hacks on many devices and got some amazing Quadrant benchmark results but in the end, its just for self satisfaction. In normal use it makes little difference.
IMO some of the killer features of the Flyer are:
- Pocketable size
- Guaranteed dev community support
- Timescribe (especially the "pickup where you left off" calendar feature for recurring appointments
- Its a HTC
Lets face it. HTC are still terrible at marketing. The things that make senseUI and their devices great are all of the little things which make using them a great overall experience. You'll never get buyers remorse buying HTC because you always get more than was advertised.
How can you even compare the Xoom and Flyer? To me you might as well be comparing a pda and an XPS laptop. I think they are 2 different classes of device. Pprtability vs multimedia/home use.
I refuse to choose. The way i see it, i would normally spend $1200 on Descent laptop. Why not buy a Flyer and Xoom (or Asus Transformer) for about $1400?
Basically. ... I want BOTH!!!!!
Tabbed on my Galaxy 987
globiboulga said:
I like the stylus idea if it works.
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Right! I'd like to know if you can write while you have your hand resting on the screen. That goes for the XOOM, too. I want something close to "natural", and when I write, I have my hand and all sorts of fingers dragging around on the sheet.
marinierb said:
Right! I'd like to know if you can write while you have your hand resting on the screen. That goes for the XOOM, too. I want something close to "natural", and when I write, I have my hand and all sorts of fingers dragging around on the sheet.
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It does have the ability to detect your hand vs the stylus. From what has been published so far,it looks like it works extremely well. Will have to wait till I get my hands on one ( ) to see if it is really as good as it looks.
so im highly debating on getting a tablet this month since im going on a cross country road trip in august. i decided i didnt want to bring my netbook due to the fact that all i need in a device is to browse the internet, play movies, and play music.
so my question to you guys is if this tablet would be good for me. im so confused because i had my heart set on 4 different devices and then would change my mind the next day. those devices were a rooted nook color, samsung galaxy tab 7, asus transformer, and the htc flyer. has anyone else had these tabs would like to chime in and say why they went with the flyer instead? i read the forums and also played with demo units in best buy so i have an idea about build quality and size for all 4 units. i already have a mytouch 4g running 2.3.4 so i dont see why i should carry the flyer if its running 2.3.3. i could get the asus transformer for a cheaper price as well as honeycomb. but i read a lot of good reviews on this forum about the flyer so im getting confused. lol
i neeeddd helpppppp in choosing
So what is your longer term use case?
The Flyer is a great size, much better than a Transformer for instance for me. I found it more stable and faster than a Transformer. Android 2.3.3 (soon 2.3.4) with Sense seemed better than Honeycomb for me.
I use mine as an e-book reader, web browser and for a few games and videos. It is fantastic for these things. I personally dont even carry the pen any more, but it worked well when I tried it if that is your thing.
The Jones said:
So what is your longer term use case?
The Flyer is a great size, much better than a Transformer for instance for me. I found it more stable and faster than a Transformer. Android 2.3.3 (soon 2.3.4) with Sense seemed better than Honeycomb for me.
I use mine as an e-book reader, web browser and for a few games and videos. It is fantastic for these things. I personally dont even carry the pen any more, but it worked well when I tried it if that is your thing.
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well i wanted a tablet so i could take it to places and trips but also to use on the couch or bed instead of my netbook.
bapurado said:
well i wanted a tablet so i could take it to places and trips but also to use on the couch or bed instead of my netbook.
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so, go for Flyer then... beside of that, if you'll get a 3G version, you'll have SMS and MMS out from box, which I don't know how many other tablets does with out hacking.... I'm happy with my Flyer, and i have it from more than a month..
bapurado said:
well i wanted a tablet so i could take it to places and trips but also to use on the couch or bed instead of my netbook.
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thats the exact reason i wanted 1 as well. I couldnt be any happier with my choice, worked out great when i had a 2 day business trip to phx earlier this week.
heck right now im sitting out back in the hammock surfing the forums in between watching old episodes of Married With Children on Netflix
I currently own the flyer and the xoom. I find myself using the flyer more due to weight and portability. Honestly, the flyer is more responsive. It could be honeycomb problem, but it does fly when using. The op should go try it at bestbuy.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512
copualt3 said:
I currently own the flyer and the xoom. I find myself using the flyer more due to weight and portability. Honestly, the flyer is more responsive. It could be honeycomb problem, but it does fly when using. The op should go try it at bestbuy.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512
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ive actually played with all 4 of the devices i listed minus the rooted nook color. ive only played with the stock firmware with the nook.
honestly they all seemed like nice devices. i just dont know if i should get the flyer or my other top choice which is the asus transformer. granted its heavier but it does have a bigger screen and honeycomb for a cheaper price. im just hoping other users who have had the tablets i listed could say why they chose the flyer instead of the others. im mostly concerned with usability and hardware/software performance more so than the screen size.
The Flyer specs (CPU, memory) beat the crap out of the Galaxy Tab 7" and a rooted Nook Color. So unless cost is your main concern, I'd go for more up-to-date technology.
As far as the Flyer vs. the Transformer, it comes down mostly to what form factor you like better, in other words screen size versus portability. And if you like Honeycomb, and the Transformer's keyboard accessory, then those are factors as well (although the Flyer is allegedly getting HC "soon").
As to why I bought the Flyer, I'm a big fan of HTC products. They make excellent products, and I've been waiting forever for them to release a tablet. The build quality is top notch. Some of the other tablets are okay in this regard, but usually plastic, and don't compare to the Flyer's sleek aluminum unibody.
I have a Galaxy Tab 7 inch and the Flyer 3G.
The Flyer is noticeably heavier than the 7 inch tab and does not have the phone dialler that the tab does, but having said that it is a better tablet by far.
My galaxy tab is rooted and overclocked but is no where near as capable as the Flyer whose processor just seems to munch through every task I throw at it.
Things I don't like about the Flyer are the touch screen which scratches so easily it might as well be made of butter! Appalling really for such a high end device that comes with a pen too, read the threads about scratched screens here.
If you do get one fit a screen protector.
The other disadvantage for me at the moment is no root capability although that may change soon?
The notes app with the pen is useful and coupled with evernote I use this a lot for work too.
I like HTC Sense, but at the moment I am using ADW launcher as I prefer the extra customisation options it gives, I use it on my galaxy s2 phone too.
IMHO the Flyer is the best 7 inch tab out there at the moment and I really like the portability of this form factor as it can be taken everywhere easily enough.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using XDA Premium App
If you want portability, go with a 7" tablet. But a larger 10" screen will make a better replacement for a netbook, in my opinion.
My Flyer is great portability and I really appreciate the pen integration for the workplace. Perfect for further transforming my workflow to digital. And much more discreet than pulling out the iPad for business meetings. Again pen integration is great for note taking in meetings. The portability is also great to bring guidebooks on travel. Drops into a pant pocket...
At home, my iPad stays upstairs in the bedroom as a substitute for my laptop. I can remote into my workstations in the basement and my laptop in the living room. The larger screen is more comfortable for surfing the internet, reading RSS feeds and browsing magazines. iOS got tiring though... no flash, no avi / mkv, difficult to download files... the garden walls got pretty tall.
Get an ASUS Transformer as a replacement for your laptop/netbook. Android, large screen, GPS, microSD, 802.11n... no 3G, but there's a Starbucks on every corner or an Android phone as a hotspot.
Just honest advice.
It is quite expensive to buy tab so if I decide to buy it I would like to get the best there is for my money.
So please share your experience, are you happy about it? Are there any major problems or bugs which you experienced? Is stock ROM good? Is it worth rooting? Basically whatever you think it's worth mentioning before I buy it.
and also is it possible to plug USB keyboard?
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
Yes
I have had it for a week now and yes, I would say it was worth it. My only disappointment was that it does not have 2G / 3G voice capabilities. So I still have to carry a regular cell phone. But I have used the data side with Skype and it works great. I am hoping someone on XDA will hack the dialler functionality soon!
Value is a personal thing, very subjective.
The fact that you're asking about plugging in a keyboard indicates the desire to use the tablet for more than content consumption (videos, music, simple web browsing, reading). Not sure if this would be your first tablet but if you're looking to do any type of serious work on one tread carefully.
I got my Verizon LTE version fully understanding that I'd use it purely as a content consumption device. As such I'm VERY satisfied with it. I have no expectations to do any work related stuff on it other than read and respond to emails as the kind of work I do can't be done on a tablet anyhow.
Things I like to do with it include web browsing, watching downloaded TV shows (EZTV.it downloads), watching my bluray rips (be warned, tegra 2 chipset has specific limitations on codec/encoding settings so don't expect all types of 1080p encodes to work) reading news, browsing youtube and listening to streaming music.
My tablet came with Honeycomb 3.1 and that was LAGGY out of the box. Changing to ADW Launcher EX helped a lot but going to the leaked 3.2 ROM and putting on a different kernel is what helped the most so to answer your question - hated stock, rooted . . love being on non-stock rom and kernels.
Thank you guys. Reason why I'm asking is that my laptop died yesterday and I need mobility of a laptop around the house but I don't like them, they are often poorly build, battery is not doing well and it is expensive to change and many more reasons. So I think it's time to end that nonsense and buy desktop PC for all kind of work and tablet for entertainment, Web surfing, Ebay communication. However I do like to write long emails and I'm not a fun of touchable keyboard, that is why I'm asking is it possible to plug regular one.
I never had tablet before, but I have now two Android devices and I am aware about some limitations, that is why I will by desktop PC as well. Waiting for more opinions. Thanks.
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
Anyone?
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
played with it 30 min at shop today, wasn't impressed, seem like a good device but it did not dropped my jaw with performance so I decided to w8 few months and I will try to get cheaper from Ebay, bought desktop PC today anyway
Biggest reason why I decided not to buy it is that stock ROM did not impressed me so I will w8 for cheaper opportunity and root it and get custom ROM
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
if you have patience to wait for transformer prime, don't go for this tab.
Two suggestions:
1) don't judge a tablet just by its specs and performance (it's like a car: just because it has a great engine doesn't mean it's fast, and certainly doesn't mean the seats are comfortable....). A light and easy to hold tablet is worth way more than a fast tablet with many ports and sharp edges (take my word, I tried 6 tablets before I found the GT10.1.). (Just to be clear, the GT10.1 is and will be the fastest tablet you can get until the Transformer Prime is launched).
2) don't judge a tablet by the stock ROM performance. If you know enough to find XDA, you should know that stock ROM and custom ROM are night and day... Keep this in mind for new tablets (it will be a few months before the Transformer Prime ROMs mature).
leyus said:
Thank you guys. Reason why I'm asking is that my laptop died yesterday and I need mobility of a laptop around the house but I don't like them, they are often poorly build, battery is not doing well and it is expensive to change and many more reasons. So I think it's time to end that nonsense and buy desktop PC for all kind of work and tablet for entertainment, Web surfing, Ebay communication. However I do like to write long emails and I'm not a fun of touchable keyboard, that is why I'm asking is it possible to plug regular one.
I never had tablet before, but I have now two Android devices and I am aware about some limitations, that is why I will by desktop PC as well. Waiting for more opinions. Thanks.
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
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I own all three device types; four if you count my phone and my experience is this: my Tab used to be my wife's tab. Until she broke the screen, but she gave it to me because using it gave her RSI in her shoulder... the kind you need a fysiotherapist to look at and massage out. Holding it in front of you (lifting it) for extended periods time isn't recommended; you need to rest it on your lap or desk once in a while.
My experience with the tablet so far is that it's good for checking your email, your facebook/twitter/g+, browsing and the occasional game (Apparatus is really good on the Tab). However, if you're going to do more typing than 5 or 6 lines (long emails), you're better of with something that has a keyboard, like your desktop. Not only is it faster, it is way more comfortable. I wouldn't use my Tab to post this.
If you're planning on plugging a keyboard into a tablet, in other words: trying to make a tablet into a laptop, in my book you are doing it wrong and you would've been much better off buying a simple laptop. IMHO a tablet is not a laptop replacement. However, I do think it is possible using an OTG usb plug to use a keyboard with the Tab if you really want to; most likely you will need to run a custom 3.2 ROM. A mate of mine with a Transformer had loads of problems with the external keyboard on 3.1.
So what does it add to my desktop/laptop/phone I already have you may ask? Well, I'm gonna try and see if it works as an electronic notepad. My desk is littered with sheets of A5 paper filled with scribbles of meetings and ideas. I've ordered a Dagi P507 stylus (should be accurate with a capacitive screen) and I hope that it will work reasonably well in combination with handwriting recognition.
Also it just looks sexy on the coffee table.
So it's great for occasional use (look up imdb during a movie), but it's just not very good at "normal" productivity. IMHO it's a nice-to-have: I would not buy one if I didn't already have a laptop and a desktop.
If you use a custom Rom and one of the nice kernels this tablet performes well. There are some Keyboards availablefor example
amazon.com/GSAstore-Bluetooth-Keyboard-Designed-Samasung/dp/B005MEHB1K
Thanks for all the opinions guys, I will anyway w8 till price goes down, I am kind of sceptical about rooting and losing warranty on device worth 400 pounds. I already felt worried about this with my HTC sensation which was much cheaper. If the price will drop to about 300 our if I can get it fairly cheap second hand then I will buy it so I guess I will w8 with it.
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
I was thinking of sending the fire back for the flyer/view, the HTC has a leg up on almost everything, however I am stuck on a few key features that the fire has, and I would like to know if there is some sort of port, or if HTC built these things in..
The fire has updates for it every few months so far, so its live, since the HTC flyer/view have been cancled, will they get updates??
The flyer/view have the "book sharing" built in, this is a nice book club feature that I like.
and the amazon silk browser has the reader view, BIG winner in my book... any way to do this on the HTC device?
I just want a handy device to read and watch some shows, prime is no big deal since they dont have what I want to see anyway, and I have Netflix anyway... I should also mention that I have a Galaxy note, so I dont "NEED" cameras or anything like that. I just need a nice responsive 7" tablet for reading/web/youtube/Netflix with a bright clear screen..
what do you guys think?
I'm not all that familiar with the other features you mentioned (book share and reader view), but as far as updates, I've found myself not needing or particularly wanting firmware updates for my Flyer. This is coming from a person who constantly changes the ROM on his HTC Desire Z phone to get better performance and features. I have never even bothered to put a custom ROM on my Flyer, the stock ROM just runs so smoothly, and has all the features I need.
I did do the upgrade from Gingerbread to Honeycomb. It added some more tablet-friendly interface layout, bit more eye candy, and much better pen support. It runs just as smoothly as GB. Really more of a personal preference, either GB or HC run rather nicely (fast and smooth).
I haven't found myself wanting anymore out of my Flyer. The performance is great, and I haven't had any significant bugs to speak of. There does seem to be a issue with GPS maintaining lock in HC (but I never use my Flyer for navigation). But of course, that isn't even an option on the Fire, anyway.
I haven't personally had a chance to compare side-by-side. But I believe the Flyer is more responsive (clock speed matters more than dual cores, for most tasks) and has a better screen than the Flyer. What you do get in the Flyer (in addition to the Prime-specific features you mentioned) is probably better support from 3rd party accessory manufacturers, as the Fire already has a healthy customer base, while the Flyer really doesn't have much to speak of.
Thremix said:
I was thinking of sending the fire back for the flyer/view, the HTC has a leg up on almost everything, however I am stuck on a few key features that the fire has, and I would like to know if there is some sort of port, or if HTC built these things in..
The fire has updates for it every few months so far, so its live, since the HTC flyer/view have been cancled, will they get updates??
The flyer/view have the "book sharing" built in, this is a nice book club feature that I like.
and the amazon silk browser has the reader view, BIG winner in my book... any way to do this on the HTC device?
I just want a handy device to read and watch some shows, prime is no big deal since they dont have what I want to see anyway, and I have Netflix anyway... I should also mention that I have a Galaxy note, so I dont "NEED" cameras or anything like that. I just need a nice responsive 7" tablet for reading/web/youtube/Netflix with a bright clear screen..
what do you guys think?
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Click to collapse
The updates you're talking about with the Fire are overwhelmingly updates to Amazon's proprietary software, not the underlying version of Android. The updates the Flyer/View have received included proprietary changes, but they're accompanied with updates to the Android software. So it's difficult to compare the updates of the two since the nature of each are different. That said, the Flyer/View already has far more functionality than the Fire ever will do to its hardware and access to the Google Play Store (still sounds weird to say that instead of Android Market). No amount of updates to the Fire will ever get it to level of things the Flyer/View can do. The Flyer/View may or may not see any more official updates (no one here knows for sure), but it's already on a higher level than the Fire as it currently stands.
I assume with book sharing you're referring to the lending of Kindle books. You cannot do this with the View/Flyer with Kindle books you have purchased from Amazon. It's a feature exclusive to Kindle devices. You can install the Kindle app on the View/Flyer and have full access to all of your books, but you can't lend/borrow and you don't have access to Prime library.
By "reader view," are you implying that the webpage is reformatted to allow you to more easily read the text? If so, there are ways of doing this on the Flyer/View. It may require a different browser or app, but it can be done.
Overall, the Flyer/View is a more well-rounded device than the Fire from a hardware point of view with GPS, cameras, and optional cellular connectivity (depending on the model). The quality of the screens are both good, and both devices feel great in the hand (although I like the feel of my View better). The View is better from an Android point of view with full access to the suite of Google Apps (Gmail, Voice, Maps, Play Store, etc.), something that the Fire does not have (quite possibly the biggest software-related point in my opinion). On the other hand, if you're heavily invested in the Amazon ecosystem, and your major concern is reading (including the lending/borrowing of books and accessing the Prime library), the Fire offers more options direct from Amazon. If you're into custom ROMs, the Fire also has a much bigger developer community with a lot more support. But as far as an all-around device for "reading/web/youtube/Netflix with a bright clear screen," the Flyer/View is by far the better device in my opinion.
For me, the answer was simple - a regular Kindle e-ink reader for books (including lending/borrowing and the Prime library) since it's far easier on the eyes anyway and can be read outside, and the View for everything else (plus I can read almost all of my Kindle stuff on the View if I don't have my Kindle close by). The incredibly low prices on both devices make owning both a viable option for many that want the best of both worlds.
"I should also mention that I have a Galaxy note, so I dont "NEED" cameras or anything like that. I just need a nice responsive 7" tablet for reading/web/youtube/Netflix with a bright clear screen.."
The screen itself should be about the same between the Fire and the View.
I was getting ready to get a Fire, then considered a Nook Tablet, then a View. Here are the main advantages of the View over the Fire:
-View has physical volume up/down buttons
-View has a microphone
-View has 2 cameras.
-View has 32GB of storage and a micro-SD slot for up to 32GB more.
-View has GPS
That's off the top of my head.
If the Fire does a good job for you with books and videos, you won't really gain anything by switching to the View.
If you want a tablet that is much more capable and runs a stock Android go for the View.
dan1101 said:
-View has 32GB of storage and a micro-SD slot for up to 32GB more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A major point that I overlooked in my post. As for the Flyer, it comes in both 16GB and 32GB varieties with the 16GB version being far more prevalent in my experience. Both have expandable storage as well.
"I assume with book sharing you're referring to the lending of Kindle books. You cannot do this with the View/Flyer with Kindle books you have purchased from Amazon. It's a feature exclusive to Kindle devices. You can install the Kindle app on the View/Flyer and have full access to all of your books, but you can't lend/borrow and you don't have access to Prime library."
No thats book lending.
When you're reading a book, there is a little bubble at the bottom. When you press on the bubble, it takes you into a conversation list with other people that are reading the book. Much like a book club. I think that is a neat feature.
I think the kobo at the something like this no?
Thremix said:
When you're reading a book, there is a little bubble at the bottom. When you press on the bubble, it takes you into a conversation list with other people that are reading the book. Much like a book club. I think that is a neat feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, there isn't an option for this in the Android Kindle app that I see.
That's not a huge deal...
So the htc screen wont be much better? I know the duo core thing is not a big deal, the hitch runs fine from the videos I've seen. Any word on ICS? One last thing.. can you take pretty good notes on the flyer? Is it like the galaxy note?
Thremix said:
That's not a huge deal...
So the htc screen wont be much better? I know the duo core thing is not a big deal, the hitch runs fine from the videos I've seen. Any word on ICS? One last thing.. can you take pretty good notes on the flyer? Is it like the galaxy note?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen difference will be marginal at best.
No official word on ICS.
Yes, the Flyer/View use the same basic technology (albeit from different companies I believe, meaning the Note stylus won't work with the Flyer/View), so note taking is very similar if you have the Scribe. I also had a Note for awhile and found the View to be more precise in that regard.
Wow really.. I think my note is pretty accurate, so the flyer must be nice! I'm going to best buy in hopes of finding a demo.. or maybe sprint..
Thremix said:
Wow really.. I think my note is pretty accurate, so the flyer must be nice! I'm going to best buy in hopes of finding a demo.. or maybe sprint..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They've been discontinued at both Best Buy and Sprint I believe, so it might be difficult to track down any display models in a store, especially that have a Scribe sitting there to use with it.
I've had other people contend that the Note is more precise, but I found the View to be when I had both devices. So chances are, that really means that they're both pretty similar when it comes to accuracy.
bsweetness said:
No, there isn't an option for this in the Android Kindle app that I see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may not be in the Kindle app, but it is there in the stock HTC Reader app which I understand is powered by Kobo. I have not used it because all of my ebooks are from non-drm epub sources so while the HTC Reader displays those books perfectly, it does not allow me to use the share option.
Anyway to read the kindle books on the kobo app? Reason I ask is that kobo has a nicer UI.
I did find a demo at the sprint store, I liked it and found the screen to he a bit more vivid, I wish I would have had the time to really check out, unfortunately we were on a way to a movie, so I had maybe 30seconds with it. Can anyone cement on the speakers, some of you have had the fire so maybe you can give me an idea of the sound quality of the htc vs the fire? I think I'm gonna buy the HTC, I just need a little push lol..
All of you have been a great help.
Just to throw my thoughts in:
I am a college student and I have an internship in an office. I bought the flyer at the beginning of this semester to take notes and other various things at my job. I have used it for a few months now, and I can say that I don't even carry a notebook any more. It has also fully replaced my netbook. I have read several books for class on it, and it has worked well as far as that goes. The speakers are pretty good quality, I find them acceptable for Skype calls and YouTube videos.
Sent from my mobile typewriter with tapatalk
the flyer/view has basically one of the greatest displays for reading for its highest pixel density of android tablets (ipad 3 has a much higher resolution tho), and great color production for things other than reading. i love my htc flyer, and i would recommend it, the reading experience is still fantastic even if it lacks fire features, because htc adds their own (such as book sharing, as you mentioned)!
Similar Dilemma
I'm in the same boat, torn between fire and flyer.
For me the flyer was an extra $40, so is $40 worth:
bluetooth
2 cameras
512meg extra ram
8gb extra storage
microSD card reader
a microphone...
Normally I say, yes, of course it is, however of those, the only one that actually matters to me... might be the microSD card reader and extra storage, seeing as the fire only ships with 8GB.
Why are those other features not important to me? Because wherever I have my tablet to use, I will 100% of that time have my iPhone 4 in my pocket which has 2 cameras, 32GB storage, a microphone, etc. If I want to take a picture, i'll certainly use my phone before my tablet, same with skip or voice notes, or voip for that matter. If I had a stupid phone, of course I go with the flyer, but with an iPhone, maybe I stick with the kindle fire...
Another consideration is rom updates, yes flyer is popular, however each rom needs to support all that extra hardware, and often one piece either uses an older/supported version of android, or one piece just doesn't work. For example bluetooth for voip, or the hardware buttons of the flyer. With the Kindle it doesn't have much extra hardware, so not much else to support, therefore the rom updates that come out are more "clean" in my view.
I'm forcing myself to use both for a few days this week and make up my mind. The stylus could turn the tide to the flyer though...
We'll see...
paultman said:
I'm in the same boat, torn between fire and flyer.
For me the flyer was an extra $40, so is $40 worth:
bluetooth
2 cameras
512meg extra ram
8gb extra storage
microSD card reader
a microphone...
Normally I say, yes, of course it is, however of those, the only one that actually matters to me... might be the microSD card reader and extra storage, seeing as the fire only ships with 8GB.
Why are those other features not important to me? Because wherever I have my tablet to use, I will 100% of that time have my iPhone 4 in my pocket which has 2 cameras, 32GB storage, a microphone, etc. If I want to take a picture, i'll certainly use my phone before my tablet, same with skip or voice notes, or voip for that matter. If I had a stupid phone, of course I go with the flyer, but with an iPhone, maybe I stick with the kindle fire...
Another consideration is rom updates, yes flyer is popular, however each rom needs to support all that extra hardware, and often one piece either uses an older/supported version of android, or one piece just doesn't work. For example bluetooth for voip, or the hardware buttons of the flyer. With the Kindle it doesn't have much extra hardware, so not much else to support, therefore the rom updates that come out are more "clean" in my view.
I'm forcing myself to use both for a few days this week and make up my mind. The stylus could turn the tide to the flyer though...
We'll see...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are 100% in my boat! Lol the flyer will cost me about $50 more, and you and I have the same train of thought. I have my galaxy note for EVERYTHING, and with me, my gnote is almost as big as the tablets of topic! Lol
I found the speed to be more or less on par with these two tablets. And the htc reader app is a joke, the fire has a better "reading" atmosphere with the ability to change font and word spacing, and the silk browser reader view is a BIG home run.. I still can't shake the feeling I should just get the flyer.. lol
Thremix said:
Anyway to read the kindle books on the kobo app? Reason I ask is that kobo has a nicer UI.
I did find a demo at the sprint store, I liked it and found the screen to he a bit more vivid, I wish I would have had the time to really check out, unfortunately we were on a way to a movie, so I had maybe 30seconds with it. Can anyone cement on the speakers, some of you have had the fire so maybe you can give me an idea of the sound quality of the htc vs the fire? I think I'm gonna buy the HTC, I just need a little push lol..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Kindle books are DRM-protected, so unless you want to find a way around that (something we can't discuss on these forums), you have to use the Kindle app for Kindle books.
The Flyer/View have pretty darn good speakers for the size of the tablet. I can't think of a time when I wasn't more than satisfied with them.
Thremix said:
And the htc reader app is a joke, the fire has a better "reading" atmosphere with the ability to change font and word spacing, and the silk browser reader view is a BIG home run.. I still can't shake the feeling I should just get the flyer.. lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to use the HTC Reader app (although you can adjust the size of the text in the app). There are several different e-reader apps in the Play store that let you adjust font and spacing (and I know the Kindle app will at least let you adjust the font). But the biggest advantage to using the HTC Reader is that it has full integration with the Scribe pen. On Honeycomb, you can use the Scribe with any app, but you'll only be able to use some of the advanced functions of the pen with apps that are optimized for it.
You're definitely right about the Fire having a better "reading atmosphere" though. That's its primary purpose (along with watching video), so Amazon has put a lot of significant thought and design into it. The Flyer/View is very much a multi-purpose device, with the focus spread throughout the device instead of on just a couple areas like the Fire. That's why for people who want a device that is primarily going to be a reading/video device with most of the content coming from Amazon, the Fire is definitely a great option. But for those who want more than that, the Flyer/View offers many more options.
I just won a like new htc flyer with case and scrib pen for $212 shipped..
Dude, demonoid has all the books u need, the flyer reader app supports the pens and its unbeatable bybany other tablet, om taking notes all the tome, signing documents etc
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using XDA Premium App
Hi guys, I'm new to the (modern) tablet scene. I tried to get into tablets when I started college back in 2007 with the Fujitsu T4215 and absolutely loved handwriting and the idea of tablets back then, but unfortunately the hardware at the time proved a bit too heavy (literally) and clunky for me (e.g. low battery life, and other hardware issues I had with my laptop). I rediscovered pen and paper for some time and found I work way more effectively writing, however, it can be very hard to organize and now I just have stacks and stacks of paper. I'm just starting graduate school, and it it seems like the hardware (e.g. HTC flyer, Samsung Note) and software (e.g. Lecture Notes, Quill, ezPDF) are starting to converge to a point of being usable and affordable, so I'm thinking of giving tablets another shot.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace my dying laptop with a serviceable windows 8 tablet-top (I love onenote) after all the kinks of the 1st generation of windows 8 tablets have been worked out, so I've been hesitant to spring for the samsung note (despite the rave reviews) since they would be filling the same niche. This still gives me a year or so of downtime though, leading me to consider the 7 inch HTC flyer.
My dilemma right now is if you guys think the HTC flyer/view is a good investment right now. It seems like there are rumors for a 7 inch samsung note? And the HTC flyer with windows RT. Although the price for those I'm guessing is going to be $350+ and perhaps out of my student budget. But would the HTC flyer hold its value for a year or so? Should I get used or new? What would be a good price to invest in? Or should I wait for a new device? It's so hard to decide with hardware improving so quickly and everything becoming outdated in a just a few months.
My usage is fairly light. I'm coming from a slow Android 2.3 smartphone and ipod touch 2 (whose smoothness still blows my mind even though it's older than my android phone), so I feel no matter what the flyer is still a big upgrade for me. I'm just looking for a good companion to hold all my pdfs, papers (gonna start scanning all my handwritten notes), while allowing for some handy pen annotation. And if I could connect remotely to my desktop for some matlab and or mathematica I'd be ecstatic.
Thanks guys!
EnPaceRequiescat said:
Hi guys, I'm new to the (modern) tablet scene. I tried to get into tablets when I started college back in 2007 with the Fujitsu T4215 and absolutely loved handwriting and the idea of tablets back then, but unfortunately the hardware at the time proved a bit too heavy (literally) and clunky for me (e.g. low battery life, and other hardware issues I had with my laptop). I rediscovered pen and paper for some time and found I work way more effectively writing, however, it can be very hard to organize and now I just have stacks and stacks of paper. I'm just starting graduate school, and it it seems like the hardware (e.g. HTC flyer, Samsung Note) and software (e.g. Lecture Notes, Quill, ezPDF) are starting to converge to a point of being usable and affordable, so I'm thinking of giving tablets another shot.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace my dying laptop with a serviceable windows 8 tablet-top (I love onenote) after all the kinks of the 1st generation of windows 8 tablets have been worked out, so I've been hesitant to spring for the samsung note (despite the rave reviews) since they would be filling the same niche. This still gives me a year or so of downtime though, leading me to consider the 7 inch HTC flyer.
My dilemma right now is if you guys think the HTC flyer/view is a good investment right now. It seems like there are rumors for a 7 inch samsung note? And the HTC flyer with windows RT. Although the price for those I'm guessing is going to be $350+ and perhaps out of my student budget. But would the HTC flyer hold its value for a year or so? Should I get used or new? What would be a good price to invest in? Or should I wait for a new device? It's so hard to decide with hardware improving so quickly and everything becoming outdated in a just a few months.
My usage is fairly light. I'm coming from a slow Android 2.3 smartphone and ipod touch 2 (whose smoothness still blows my mind even though it's older than my android phone), so I feel no matter what the flyer is still a big upgrade for me. I'm just looking for a good companion to hold all my pdfs, papers (gonna start scanning all my handwritten notes), while allowing for some handy pen annotation. And if I could connect remotely to my desktop for some matlab and or mathematica I'd be ecstatic.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Flyer is dead. It's not a bad tablet par se, but cannot compare in price to the Nexus 7. There is very Iittle development going on in the Flyer.
Do yourself a favour and buy a Nexus 7 or 10.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
If you are looking for a current tablet with great writing capabilities I'd recommend the Samsung Note 10.1. If cost is your concern and 10" seems too big I think the flyer with a custom ROM, Like Leedroid HC OR Mawakious, would do you well. I've seen flyers as low as $130 on eBay, the scribe pen is on clearance at sites like buy.com for about $26, although I've seen it as low as $19 on eBay, along with a case, which I've seen some nice ones with a pen holder for $13.
So roughly you could pay as low as, pad in some shipping costs (very rough estimates here), ~$180, maybe less.
Samsung hasn't confirmed a 7" note, yet. I wouldn't base my buying on something that does not yet exist.
I still don't regret getting the flyer.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk 2
gersto said:
If you are looking for a current tablet with great writing capabilities I'd recommend the Samsung Note 10.1. If cost is your concern and 10" seems too big I think the flyer with a custom ROM, Like Leedroid HC OR Mawakious, would do you well. I've seen flyers as low as $130 on eBay, the scribe pen is on clearance at sites like buy.com for about $26, although I've seen it as low as $19 on eBay, along with a case, which I've seen some nice ones with a pen holder for $13.
So roughly you could pay as low as, pad in some shipping costs (very rough estimates here), ~$180, maybe less.
Samsung hasn't confirmed a 7" note, yet. I wouldn't base my buying on something that does not yet exist.
I still don't regret getting the flyer.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung has confirmed the 7" note, but not when it will go on sale. I'm sure the price will be $350 + .
If you don;t need a stylus, the Samsung 7.2 tab 2 is a good deal and has current JB ROMs and development for around $149.
I don't regret getting the View a year ago. It is a solid tablet. But I certainly wouldn't recommend buying one now. There are much faster and better supported tablets available today for around the same price. I thought I would use the pen a lot, but I haven't. If I were to get a 7" tablet today, I'd get a Nexus 7, or possibly a Samsung.
If you are on budget, Flyer is a good choice. You can't expect it to have uptodate software or fancy things like window view in galaxy notes but the price/productivity can't be beat. And so far, this is the only mobile size 7inch tablet with stylus in the market. Even if Samsung release a 7 inch note in the future, it will be expensive.
I like my Flyer very much. It is the best personal electronic device that I have ever bought, although sometimes I wish it had SamsungNote software and small stylus. Btw imo, Samsung devices usually do not look good.
Thanks guys for all the comments! From what it seems the hardware definitely is quite out of date, and that the flyer is really only worth it if I make good use of the pen. I guess my media consumption is light (casual youtube, hulu, skype), so hopefully the hardware won't give me issues. For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
@rickwood, what did you originally intend to use the pen for? Was the pen not smooth enough for your intended uses?
Also, how would the flyer/view fare for connecting to a keyboard and remote desktopping/ssh'ing, in case I'm checking on some code on the fly?
Thanks!
EnPaceRequiescat said:
For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case, I usually use the pen when I take notes in class everyday. I'm using the app LectureNotes, PDFView(for pdf import to LectureNotes) and LectureRecodings(for recording with taking notes).
using :
HTC Flyer ICS yetki
HTC Desire MIUI ICS
EnPaceRequiescat said:
Thanks guys for all the comments! From what it seems the hardware definitely is quite out of date, and that the flyer is really only worth it if I make good use of the pen. I guess my media consumption is light (casual youtube, hulu, skype), so hopefully the hardware won't give me issues. For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
@rickwood, what did you originally intend to use the pen for? Was the pen not smooth enough for your intended uses?
Also, how would the flyer/view fare for connecting to a keyboard and remote desktopping/ssh'ing, in case I'm checking on some code on the fly?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The hardware is definitely old but i have used it for numerous task, including media and games. Many "HD" games work great (and no i'm not just talking about Angry Birds, heh)
i've used Skype and Youtube and no issues with HC on those fronts. Never used Hulu Plus and Netflix seems to work fine, slight stutter here and there though.
I've used DicePlayer for playing videos loaded on the tablet and works great with the built-in hardware acceleration up to 720p HD movies.
I've tried using remote desktop, had 2X, and my job uses Citrix, they are "useful" but i think the 7" screen hinders that use more than it helps. It's good for a quick check but productivity-wise may be cumbersome to use. Having a bluetooth keyboard & mouse does help, but the screen real estate is more the issue, at least to me.
The tablet is definitely capable.
EnPaceRequiescat said:
@rickwood, what did you originally intend to use the pen for? Was the pen not smooth enough for your intended uses?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I'd use the pen for light note taking. On paper, I write really small. On the View, for some reason I had a hard time doing this - - all my text came out really big. Not sure if this was due to the small size of the pen, the resolution of the tablet, or the fact that I was using a compatible Fujitsu pen rather than a true HTC pen. In any case, I wasn't pleased with how my notes were turning out, so I rarely use the pen anymore.
Hope this helps
Its actually a kinda rule in mobile tech field and allied, to not compare gadgets with age difference more than an year (in fact 6 months)
So kindly don't compare a quite way-back-released Flyer/View with latest Nexus and note 2/3 etc
My advise, HTF flyer is one of the best-all-in-one device you would find around (in fact a very few are there)
I can keep counting on features and its usability and fill up a page or 2, with REAL-LIFE uses with just a 1 Real-Portable-Device in your Jeans/Trouser/Coat Pocket (and not in a another BAG( which is actually pseudo-portable)).
If short of money, GRAB it quick. Believe me the major rate dip and stuff for this Product is already done/over. The current prices will remain till the inventory(which is already low) gets over (except you knock off some bargained deal with a seller). If you are thinking of some stop gap arrangement (with regards to your win8 tablet..better don;t). Wait a few months..win8 pro would be out in jan 2013. Get a
MS surface pro...and if you like like Win 8, SURFACE PRO would be really a great product (Hope you are saving money for it; Price would be 2-3X times the flyer's cost)
Personally i really like MS surface PRO (not RT)
If have money and cant live without flaunting Newest OS (FYI Flyer runs Jellybean too but not with all functions AON) and Gadget to friends and allied, go for other options. Yes there are some better options and the list will keep adding with time (and more money you are ready to spent)
I advise getting a Flyer than Evo View, if you are looking to replace your phone too.(and cant carry multiple devices)
P.S. Just some experience, in case that helps. I am not a "lets-buy-a-new-phone/tablet" guy just bcoz options are there and money is there in my bank account. I always RIP a product when it is missing/making me difficult to handle some new technology/function which i/associated people need or it BREAKS down.
When i bought My HTC KAISER back in 2007 (For 600$(including shipping) importing a Tmobile MDA vario III version to my country as there were none available here) i knew i made a good choice.
That new design and functions served me for some 3 years without me feeling much to shift over EXCEPT some screen real estate shortage(which gets short with each passing year given the fact how bigger handhelds are becoming) & resistive screen
& then i bought the FLYER (after waiting for its Initial 700$ price to come down to 370$) and i knew that price is worth it for a 7 inch Capacitive HTC's Beautiful tablet with Wifi, 3G, GPS, Dual Cameras, 32Gb+Slot Storage and the Hidden GSM phone(the deal breaker for me). It has replaced my phone too HTC KAISER (which still looks at me the same way.... sometimes when i need to lend a phone to someone(with all functions working and just wear n tear damage))
Also see how i substituted a 600$ product with a 370$ product after 3-4 yrs & latter being a more smarter, more useful and lot more productive product
Thats how technology works and changes & also how usage of product/s changes!
Personally, now, I use it as my All-in-one device
- Mainly for Phone,
- Quick Internet browsing (using Wifi at home & 3G Sim outside)
- GPS
- Voice recorder for notes(in professional work) & life voice-logs(when alone)
- a Drawing Pad for my nephew (They say the "magic" Pen is great)
- Full fledged Alarm Clock
- To-Do List Reminder
- my Music Portable (Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc)) Esp. over Wireless Stereo BT headset
Including playing my music in Car using Aux/Drive/BT input (esp. when Days of CD/Discs are long gone)
- my Video Portable playing 720p HD videos with proper 16:9 Ratio(Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc))
- Gr8 Games when i feeling bored
and Mind you ...if 7 inch real estate is small ...get a HDMI out and you would love the stuff on a big LED or Projector screen.
- Measure Distances & Heights (Smart Rule App)
- Taking Database Backups of my blogs and websites
- Torrents
- Wifi Hot spot for other gadgets
- Occasional Written note taking (kinda to do list only) . Scribe Pen is so handy (Mine came free/included with Flyer)
- Voice controlled Commands (Still researching Voice assistants like Speak to it & utter and they are FASCINATING)
- and the list is endless with what not can be done with loads of USEFUL and PRODUCTIVE apps available esp. after ROOTING the device into a Fully-Controlled (Beautiful-)Beast!
and
LoVVVe it.
(My only gripe (for the money and beautiful device this is).. is why HTC didn't put a flash in and may be they should have added a larger battery. Camera is not good in low light & buttery runs out soon when i use these many functions )
EnPaceRequiescat said:
For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The most useful feature for me is annotating PDF files. I use Repligo app. Another trick is that you can convert Power point (or whatever) files into PDFs and annotate them. I can't find any good app to annotate Word files. Foxit Viewer comes with the Flyer is useless.
I also use the pen for taking handwriting notes. I use Quill (you can get it for free here: http://code.google.com/p/android-quill/downloads/list), and HandyNote. But I'm reducing this load because it is difficult to search the content of handwriting text (with out handwriting recognition). And it's not easy to copy/paste them to other docs. That's not good for my purpose of tracking/reorganizing the notes later. But there are some app for handwriting recognition such as WritePad. Maybe they are good if one practices enough.
In addition, I guess the pen is very useful for people who enjoy drawing.
About the Flyer's competitors from price/(pen)productivity aspect, I don't see any at this point. Maybe there will be some in a year or two. MS Surface is promising but it will take time till the app support from the developers get to an adequate level with Android. Or maybe Apple will start to adopt real stylus and keep suing all Android OEMs, who knows..
I hope it helps.
freworld said:
Its actually a kinda rule in mobile tech field and allied, to not compare gadgets with age difference more than an year (in fact 6 months)
So kindly don't compare a quite way-back-released Flyer/View with latest Nexus and note 2/3 etc
My advise, HTF flyer is one of the best-all-in-one device you would find around (in fact a very few are there)
I can keep counting on features and its usability and fill up a page or 2, with REAL-LIFE uses with just a 1 Real-Portable-Device in your Jeans/Trouser/Coat Pocket (and not in a another BAG( which is actually pseudo-portable)).
If short of money, GRAB it quick. Believe me the major rate dip and stuff for this Product is already done/over. The current prices will remain till the inventory(which is already low) gets over (except you knock off some bargained deal with a seller). If you are thinking of some stop gap arrangement (with regards to your win8 tablet..better don;t). Wait a few months..win8 pro would be out in jan 2013. Get a
MS surface pro...and if you like like Win 8, SURFACE PRO would be really a great product (Hope you are saving money for it; Price would be 2-3X times the flyer's cost)
Personally i really like MS surface PRO (not RT)
If have money and cant live without flaunting Newest OS (FYI Flyer runs Jellybean too but not with all functions AON) and Gadget to friends and allied, go for other options. Yes there are some better options and the list will keep adding with time (and more money you are ready to spent)
I advise getting a Flyer than Evo View, if you are looking to replace your phone too.(and cant carry multiple devices)
P.S. Just some experience, in case that helps. I am not a "lets-buy-a-new-phone/tablet" guy just bcoz options are there and money is there in my bank account. I always RIP a product when it is missing/making me difficult to handle some new technology/function which i/associated people need or it BREAKS down.
When i bought My HTC KAISER back in 2007 (For 600$(including shipping) importing a Tmobile MDA vario III version to my country as there were none available here) i knew i made a good choice.
That new design and functions served me for some 3 years without me feeling much to shift over EXCEPT some screen real estate shortage(which gets short with each passing year given the fact how bigger handhelds are becoming) & resistive screen
& then i bought the FLYER (after waiting for its Initial 700$ price to come down to 370$) and i knew that price is worth it for a 7 inch Capacitive HTC's Beautiful tablet with Wifi, 3G, GPS, Dual Cameras, 32Gb+Slot Storage and the Hidden GSM phone(the deal breaker for me). It has replaced my phone too HTC KAISER (which still looks at me the same way.... sometimes when i need to lend a phone to someone(with all functions working and just wear n tear damage))
Also see how i substituted a 600$ product with a 370$ product after 3-4 yrs & latter being a more smarter, more useful and lot more productive product
Thats how technology works and changes & also how usage of product/s changes!
Personally, now, I use it as my All-in-one device
- Mainly for Phone,
- Quick Internet browsing (using Wifi at home & 3G Sim outside)
- GPS
- Voice recorder for notes(in professional work) & life voice-logs(when alone)
- a Drawing Pad for my nephew (They say the "magic" Pen is great)
- Full fledged Alarm Clock
- To-Do List Reminder
- my Music Portable (Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc)) Esp. over Wireless Stereo BT headset
Including playing my music in Car using Aux/Drive/BT input (esp. when Days of CD/Discs are long gone)
- my Video Portable playing 720p HD videos with proper 16:9 Ratio(Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc))
- Gr8 Games when i feeling bored
and Mind you ...if 7 inch real estate is small ...get a HDMI out and you would love the stuff on a big LED or Projector screen.
- Measure Distances & Heights (Smart Rule App)
- Taking Database Backups of my blogs and websites
- Torrents
- Wifi Hot spot for other gadgets
- Occasional Written note taking (kinda to do list only) . Scribe Pen is so handy (Mine came free/included with Flyer)
- Voice controlled Commands (Still researching Voice assistants like Speak to it & utter and they are FASCINATING)
- and the list is endless with what not can be done with loads of USEFUL and PRODUCTIVE apps available esp. after ROOTING the device into a Fully-Controlled (Beautiful-)Beast!
and
LoVVVe it.
(My only gripe (for the money and beautiful device this is).. is why HTC didn't put a flash in and may be they should have added a larger battery. Camera is not good in low light & buttery runs out soon when i use these many functions )
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Couldnt agree more and glad I got my for christmas
Expansys.ie were doing good deals on them, less than 250euro, which is one of the cheapest places I've seen them retail for new
Simple, the flyer is a capable device that was thrown to the side immediately after release. It performs well enough to be functional at most task but does little great. For me it is a better device than a nexus 7 because the nexus is stripped of allot of functionality the flyer has. If you want to be up to date with software do not consider this device. If you are looking for a small screen tablet that is versatile this is probably still the best option although I have not spent much time with the galaxy tab 2.7
A frustrating device for me because I enjoy its abilities but miss the tweaking custom rom aspect of a device that has good after sale development from the OEM
Flyer
mcord11758 said:
Simple, the flyer is a capable device that was thrown to the side immediately after release. It performs well enough to be functional at most task but does little great. For me it is a better device than a nexus 7 because the nexus is stripped of allot of functionality the flyer has. If you want to be up to date with software do not consider this device. If you are looking for a small screen tablet that is versatile this is probably still the best option although I have not spent much time with the galaxy tab 2.7
A frustrating device for me because I enjoy its abilities but miss the tweaking custom rom aspect of a device that has good after sale development from the OEM
Flyer
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Ah, thank you guys so much for all the good input! I think I'm gonna try for the flyer -- seems like a good budget way to try things, particularly the pen. I'm hoping that I can start to use it as a scratchpad of sorts, in addition to reading scanned notes (I write large so hopefully the 7" screen is adequate even when my writing gets shrunk). The lack of usb otg (at least, without an external power source) is a slight shame, but hopefully i'll be able to live without via bluetooth and the cloud.
Also, I didnt know that the Flyer could be used as a phone! Is this through 3G VoIP, or does it actually have a cell radio?
Happy new years guys!
Both
EnPaceRequiescat said:
Also, I didnt know that the Flyer could be used as a phone! Is this through 3G VoIP, or does it actually have a cell radio?
Happy new years guys!
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Then you indeed missed a major function of this beast. Through 3g Voip as well as Cell radio
Happy new year to u too. Get yourself a gift
P.S. USB OTG issue is also a minor gripe... exact situation is being discussed here ( with possible options including USB -Y cable)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1082909
I would not recommend spending your money on any tablet or smartphone device that is over 20 months old. The specs are not even last gen, they are 2 generations old.
That said, there isn't much better in the 7" form factor. I love the 7" tablet size. But unfortunately, the manufacturers have relegated this size to the budget/low-spec end of the spectrum. Mostly thanks to the low priced Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7. And Samsung has joined the "race to the bottom" with its mediocre spec'ed Galaxy Tab2 7.0. The technology of smartphones has left 7" tablets in the dust, its such a shame.
Unless the pen functionality is really important to you (I personally never use it on the Flyer) I'd probably go for the Nexus 7. Yes, its missing some big features. But its simply much better supported by both its manufacturer and the dev community. This forum has become quiet as the grave. So you won't even get much of a community here to chat with or get help if you want to root and S-Off, flash ROMs, etc. Yes, there are still a few devs that soldier on, and other community members still trying to keep this forum alive. But the Flyer's best days are long gone.
I don't regret a bit buying the Flyer when it first came out way back in the summer of 2011. And I still use it every day. But if I didn't already have the Flyer, I wouldn't buy one now. Probably I would get a Nexus 7, wait to see how good the 7" Note is, or wait to see if any higher spec 7" tablets are on the way (doubtful).
I agree with most that has been said. If you want/need the pen and want 7"... get a flyer/evo view. I have a view and use it almost daily for writing. I always had notepads and sticky notes all over the place, now its all within lecturenotes (sweet app).
If you think you'll "maybe" use the pen... get a nexus or other 7".
I use the crap out of the pen and am looking to get another flyer/view for a friend as a gift.
Only if you really need the pen should you consider the GTab 7 2 or HTC Flyer. Having played with both I think the better option now is the Samsung model. But again, only if you really need the pen. If you can live with a capcitive stylus go with a Nexus 7. It will be supported for a long time to come and will always be on the latest OS
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AidenM said:
Only if you really need the pen should you consider the GTab 7 2 or HTC Flyer. Having played with both I think the better option now is the Samsung model. But again, only if you really need the pen. If you can live with a capcitive stylus go with a Nexus 7. It will be supported for a long time to come and will always be on the latest OS
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Hmm, the galaxy tab2 7? Doesn't that only use the capacitive pen? also, it seems like i can't find that secondhand anywhere, and new costs $200, so I feel I might as well get the nexus7 if I'm foregoing the digitizer.
I'm also the kind of person who had notepads and sticky notes all over the place, and notes involve math that say, swype is not good for (though it is quite fast), which is why the digitizer is a big draw. But from the comments people are giving, and how fast technology is moving, it seems like it's almost better nowadays to just buy new (so... the samsung note7 whenever that comes out), just like how I can't imagine buying secondhand computers these days.