I am very impressed with the Flyer so far. You need to own one to appreciate just how good HTC made this tablet. You know there is a but coming.....but the lack of Honeycomb and the price is giving me second thoughts. I can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for the same price with updated Honeycomb. I know the Flyer may be getting honeycomb and it looks like it may be months away. I like the 7" form factor and portability but with all things considered is it better to just get the Samsung and jump on the Flyers next version? This is tuff..... any ideas?
Ha ha, I can't believe you are asking others to make a choice for you!
I hope you are not still wearing the same underwear because you needed your Mom to tell you when to change them!
Yeah, my Mom is not around and neither was yours so I decided to use the forum for some guidance. It's always good to surround yourself with other views. You never know what you might learn.
I say get the tab.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using XDA Premium App
The 10" form factor feels like a completely different device to me. If your mostly using it for couch surfing, the larger screen is nice. But for portability (or lack of it, compared to the Flyer) is going to feel very different. And while the plastic backing on the Galaxy Tab helps keep the weight down, it also makes it feel less high end than the aluminum unibody on the Flyer.
Good point. The portability is best thing going for the Flyer. I have the iPad2 and have rarely touched it since getting the Flyer. The costs being the same as the Galaxy 10.1 is making it hard for me to justify the expense especially with the Flyer having no Honeycomb. Thinking maybe getting the Galaxy 10.1 and holding out till 8.9 or HTC comes with a refresh of the 7". Still debating.
If you're considering between a 7 and a 10 then you might as well get the 10. Because you should already know if you want the awesome portability of a 7, there is no debate on which is better for carrying it with you. Think bag or no bag, hands full or pocketable.
I prefer the 7" for sure. At this point I am just contemplating wether it makes sense to spend that much for a 7" when you can have a 10" with updated software. I guess I am wondering wether the Flyer is an Over BUY at the price point in comparison to the Tab 10.1 wich fits the price point for its model.
I think 7" is an ideal size. I have a Gtab, iPad 2, and X201Tablet. My wife uses the iPad2, mostly to read online and play some games. My Gtab stays home, usually by my bed to watch movies via Upnplay, probably going to sell it. X201T is really nothing you want to carry around, I usually use that one for Detail sketches or CS5 work. However I carry my Flyer with me everywhere. Great for Train commute and surfing the internet during lunch, Free internet everywhere in NYC. I don't think Honeycomb is really going to make this tablet any better right now. How many apps are actually made for Honeycomb, what some 300+ or so? I know it is a lot of money, but I definitely make the most out of it. I actually do work and research for my work on it. To me it is well worth the price. Only thing I really want is more app for the Scribe pen. If anything HTC should make another variation of the Flyer with no Pen option and sell it for $100 less. If this is a simple case of techolust, I would just get the 10.1 until your next fix come on the market.
frankic said:
I am very impressed with the Flyer so far. You need to own one to appreciate just how good HTC made this tablet. You know there is a but coming.....but the lack of Honeycomb and the price is giving me second thoughts. I can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for the same price with updated Honeycomb. I know the Flyer may be getting honeycomb and it looks like it may be months away. I like the 7" form factor and portability but with all things considered is it better to just get the Samsung and jump on the Flyers next version? This is tuff..... any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you like the 7" form factor then why are you going for the 10.1" SGT? In my opinion... the value shouldn't be based solely on the screen size. Judge the product's value as a whole and not just because it's expensive plus it's small since the product in its entirety has a different value proposition.
I read a few different articles regarding the G-Slate with the 8.9" form factor and they say it feels weird given the size... but they said that about the 7" too when it first came out.
I owned a Motorola Xoom for two months. Just returned last week for an HTC Flyer. I like the Flyer a lot better. Don't think because you're getting a dual processor and Honeycomb that the device will run fast. My Xoom was lagging. Many other people have the same experiences. The Flyer has a much more snappier experience. Honeycomb apps are not that much better. Maybe if you play games, the games may look better, but that's pretty much it. 7 inch is the perfect size for a tablet in my opinion. 10.1 inch is just not portable. You'll end up getting a bag to carry it around.
thanks guys I appreciate all your opinions. the truth is that you must consider price when making a purchase. We all do. it's hard to say that you are getting more bang for your buck with a galaxy tab but with a bigger screen, higher processor and thin build it must be considered. It's priced right for the market. You can make a case for the Flyer also but 500 for a smaller screen and older OS is pushing it a bit. Truth is I will probably stick with the flyer. It would suck if HTC decides not to go with honeycomb though. The Flyer has just enough little features that make this thing rock...
10" tabs are pointless imo. A netbook can do more, costs less, is more durable and is just as portable once you factor in the fragility of a tablet.
Stick with the flyer. 7" tab is the perfect size.
The only thing I have to add is the pen integration. As a 2nd gen tab user, I found taking notes on my iPad just didn't work well. If you don't need it then get something else for the money.
Because these devices are meant to be portable case material gets a lot of consideration. Plastic for a device this size just seems flimsy. I don't believe in purchasing a car and leaving it in the garage. I don't baby my electronic devices either. Hence the aluminum is comforting. Titanium or magnesium to lighten things up would be interesting... Maybe a Lenovo will consider the material.
The larger screen is definitely more comfortable if you are primarily couch-surfing. I also prefer the larger screen to browse magazines in full page or side-by-side. The smaller screen of the Flyer works well for guidebooks or as an e-reader. Larger screen also makes remoting into workstations easier, though I'm getting handy with the smaller screen.
Again, to me the pen integration is why I have this particular device. It doesn't bother me that honeycomb isn't on the device... I personally don't expect honeycomb to drastically effect the functionality of the device other than access to apps which will take advantage of the larger screen. I would prefer to see more advancement and focus on pen integrated apps.
frankic said:
thanks guys I appreciate all your opinions. the truth is that you must consider price when making a purchase. We all do. it's hard to say that you are getting more bang for your buck with a galaxy tab but with a bigger screen, higher processor and thin build it must be considered. It's priced right for the market. You can make a case for the Flyer also but 500 for a smaller screen and older OS is pushing it a bit. Truth is I will probably stick with the flyer. It would suck if HTC decides not to go with honeycomb though. The Flyer has just enough little features that make this thing rock...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, obviously price is a factor for most everyone (except the filthy rich). But it seems like you are trying to compare the "value" for 2 devices with potentially very different functionality due to their form factors.
You said you have an iPad2, which is exactly the same form factor as the GT 10.1. The size and weight of the two are virtually IDENTICAL. Aside from the freedom that the Android OS gives you, what makes you think that you would use the GT any more, or like it any more than the iPad? Plus, you would be owning 2 very similar devices (if you had the GT and the iPad), which actually seems like a waste of money. It seems more value added to spend your money on two devices with different form factors. The Flyer for portability, and maybe the iPad for times when you are couch surfing and want a bigger screen. Although, if you ask me, maybe its the iPad that you should get rid of!
The "value" a device brings to you is not necessarily the specs (like a bigger screen or a slightly more updated OS) but the use that you get from it. Its not always about the numbers, and you can't quantify how much you like or prefer something.
Also, the GT does not have a "higher" processor, in all regards. Its a 1 GHz dual core versus the 1.5 GHz single core on the Flyer. The dual core is better for multi-tasking, such as switching between apps, or apps running in the background. But within a single app, the higher clocked single core processor will actually prove faster. The vast majority of apps do not support multi cores yet, and don't take advantage of it. This is why people on here have commented that the Flyer actually feels snappier than the current dual core tablets (in addition to Honeycomb possibly causing some lag).
kcchen said:
It doesn't bother me that honeycomb isn't on the device... I personally don't expect honeycomb to drastically effect the functionality of the device other than access to apps which will take advantage of the larger screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree. While the Flyer is the only tablet I own, I was recently in Best Buy, fiddling around with every tablet they had, particularly the Honeycomb ones. I wasn't really blown away by Honeycomb. Some things are cool, such as how the launcher and other apps make better use of a larger tablet screen. And there are various features only on Honeycomb that sound cool. But to be honest, I was not all that crazy about the general theming and look of Honeycomb versus Sense Gingerbread. Maybe I'm must too much of an HTC junky, and biased. Also, the Honeycomb launcher seemed a bit sluggish, as commented in various places. Maybe HC needs a bit more work, or slightly faster CPUs. All in all, my takeaway from the experience was that I am not really disappointed that the Flyer has Gingerbread.
redpoint73 said:
The "value" a device brings to you is not necessarily the specs (like a bigger screen or a slightly more updated OS) but the use that you get from it. Its not always about the numbers, and you can't quantify how much you like or prefer something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly! Before I bought my Flyer I was looking for the best hardware, latest OS. After much thought and trying out different devices I decided that I wanted the 7" form factor. With that there were only 2 real choices for me, this and the galaxy tab. The flyer performs much better than the galaxy tab. Reviewers of the flyer complain about the specs, but with actual use, it's fast and smooth, less lag than the 10" honeycombs.
I rarely use my laptop now. When not at work I use this almost exclusively for browsing, email, news, games, listening to music, watching videos, reading android forums =), whether at home or commuting or at a cafe. I'm very happy with the performance. Battery life is decent. My only complaint is the camera that's it. Picture quality on my HTC desire is better than this.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using XDA App
Thanks for all your replies. I decided to stick with the Flyer. The portability can not be beat. I have not really put the pen to use as of yet but I am a big Evernote user and expect to use the Pen much more soon. I miss spoke when I mentioned higher processor, I am aware of the dual core just miss-spoke. The one drawback to the flyer is email threading and right side preview which is available through honeycomb. I am hoping the 7" form factor will adopt these features when Honeycomb is added. The email client for HTC is not my cup of tea. That's is really my biggest gripe.
redpoint73 said:
The "value" a device brings to you is not necessarily the specs (like a bigger screen or a slightly more updated OS) but the use that you get from it. Its not always about the numbers, and you can't quantify how much you like or prefer something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree more. The value should be based on what's important to YOU! I tried to justify my purchase because I know I overpaid (when comparing to other tablets). Then I realized that it really comes down to whether I like the tablet or not.. and..well... I do
Also, a ton of people pay that same price for only 3.6-4.1 inch screens (phones off contract). So when you look at it that way the price for the flyer is pretty damn good.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Hi all,
I know the G tab has been out since late last year...
And I know that after I root and rom it, this thing will be amazing.
But am I too late for the party? Is it worth it to buy one now? Or should I just wait at this point to see if something better is coming out... I have not been researching tablets as much as phones lately.
oresteez said:
Hi all,
I know the G tab has been out since late last year...
And I know that after I root and rom it, this thing will be amazing.
But am I too late for the party? Is it worth it to buy one now? Or should I just wait at this point to see if something better is coming out... I have not been researching tablets as much as phones lately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a good question. The G-Tab is a sweet tablet for the price point, it will get its best shot at Honeycomb next week, when Notion Ink drops a first party release of Honeycomb for the Adam (which shares a lot of similar elements to our tablet).
That being said, everyone who currently owns a tablet (except for the Transformer and the NEW Galaxy Tab 10.1) is paying the early adopter price. Android isn't 100% there yet, but if you own an Android phone you know this. For me, I absolutely love Gingerbread (2.3.3) on my Droid X, and I loved 2.3.4 on my Droid 1; it's a complete enough OS for me now. Honeycomb 3.1 feels much better than 3.0 as well.
Tegra 3 (Kal-El) is right around the corner, and will probably come in at a $400.00 price point. Qualcomm is shooting for 4-core tablet processors by the end of the year (Q4). Also, we're expecting to see Ice Cream / Ice Cream Sandwich (next Android version, for both tablet and phone) in late Q3.
If you can wait, wait. if not, get a G-Tab. Something like a Xoom is not worth the premium over the G-Tab, even for a nicer screen.
It is an excellent question, but you really have to understand your own tech preferences to know for sure.
The GTAB's main cons right now are the screen angles (most likely unfixable) and the stock software. For the latter, there are many mods you can use, but if you are looking for a HC port it's not quite there yet - we're hoping that will change soon.
Its pros are price. For $125 less than a Transformer, you can get a device that's comparable in speed and might be comparable in software, in the near future. But you are in the hands of the modding community since the vendor seems to have abandoned the device.
There will always be the next best thing, around the corner. So it's a really a question of price and whether or not the device serves your purposes at that price.
I'm confident that this device is more than capable of doing what I want to do.
Mostly web browsing.
Some games.
Perhaps Facebook games.
youtube, flash, netflix if possible.
I'm not going to use it for work, and start editting documents, etc.
I'm going to check out one at Sears possibly today and see if the viewing angles are an issue.
I think the main reason I'm worried about something new coming out, is because of the chance the modding community might move on to the next device. haha
Also a valid point to consider. I can't speak for everyone here, but for myself I plan to pull back after this month. Not so much because the GTAB isn't a good device to mod anymore, but for personal reasons (taking a break from modding tablets, in general - will still have my GTAB but will be less focused on it, that's all).
There was a bit of a lull last month, but there's still activity right now in development as new devs have popped up as some of the older devs/modders have moved on it seems. So, it's hard to say what will happen in a few months, but right now there's still some activity. I think that will continue until the Notion Ink HC port shows up and it's ported over to the GTAB (we hope).
Great info in these posts as i'm in the same situation as the original poster. Currently an ipad user but would like to try an android tablet on the "cheap". Unfortunately, there isn't any retailer nearby carrying the tablet so i cant see how bad the viewing angles are first hand. Is the screen good straight on?
Elroyy said:
Great info in these posts as i'm in the same situation as the original poster. Currently an ipad user but would like to try an android tablet on the "cheap". Unfortunately, there isn't any retailer nearby carrying the tablet so i cant see how bad the viewing angles are first hand. Is the screen good straight on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever used a netbook before? The screen is a typical netbook screen. Straight on and 45 degrees each way looks fine. From up above viewing angle will go to almost 90 degrees without the loss of quality. From below anything beyond 45 degrees and you will lose the colors.
There are also some nice youtube video comparisons between the G-Tablet and iPad. One in particular shows the differences in the viewing angles. You'll know which one I'm talking about becuase the creator uses his daughter's iPad, with her "Hello Kitty" wallpaper on it...
(in my opinion though, how can you see the superiority of a screen that has Hello Kitty on it, lol)
The viewing angles are bad, but, I VERY rarely need to share the screen or find myself in a position where the screen is hard to see. sure, other devices have screens with better angles, but how often do you browse the web or watch a movie at an 80 degree angle from a personal device?
I love this tablet. I bought a leather case from electronic crap dot com and its like carrying around a journal. Easy to carry, I play games on it and I log into my computer at work from it all the time.
I agree, there always something better around the corner, but this tab has a great price point and there are lots of stable and highly usable roms.
Bottom line is you don't get this tablet because its the latest and greatest. You gt it because its way cheaper than other tabs with the same power.
Thanks everyone. I do have a netbook, never really had issues with the screen. I also saw that video with the hello kitty screen saver. Straight on, i'm guessing the screen is pretty decent.
You will be happier spending a bit more on the crop of Honeycomb tablets released this year. The first time you flip your gTab around to show someone something on the screen, only to see that person moving his or her head around with a look of stern concentration on their face, desperately trying to find the right angle to see what the hell you're trying to show them, you'll wish you had forked over their extra $100 or so for a better screen. You may think, "Oh I'll never do that, I'll always just be looking at it straight on with no deviation!" but you'll find out soon enough that's not the case.
That's just one example. There are other solitary situations where the screen won't be at the sweet-spot angle -- for example, my Transformer is sitting on my desk here at work, propped up in its case, but it's behind me and to the right, and still looks great. I often reach back and press the power switch to get a quick look at my email or whatnot. The gTab would require me to move directly in front of it to get a good view.
gTab was a good starter tablet when the only other option was a $700 Xoom. With the cheaper tablets being released, its value has decreased greatly. But if you only have $275 or whatever to spend, and can't afford $125 more, then I guess it's your best option for a 10.1" Android tablet.
Hi my 2 cents...
Having used the G-tab for about 4+ months; my recommendation is to wait (if you can). My biggest gripe is the screen (both resolution and viewing angles).
I use it primarily as a media consumption device...watching videos, games, browsing and reading books (in that order)
videos - if I have an option (pc or tv near by) i chose them as the resolution on G-tab is not good. HD videos are choppy (I have tried a few mods but all more or less same)
Games - this is good no complaints
Browsing - this does not have 3g so without wifi its useless. I tether using my iphone, which is cumbersome but works
Reading books - good; but the screen is useless outside (unless its night or cloudy)
This is a great device to buy cheap and beat the crap out of it...(software wise). I also owned an ipad and adam and they also have their own problems.
My first Android tablet is Gtab because it is cheaper and has good performance compared to other 10" tablet in the market. For 10" size tablet, if you have up to $300 budget, Gtab was a good starter tablet (with Xda support). If you have up to $400 to spend, ASUS transformer is not bad. If you have more than $500, of course, you will have more choices. So it depend on your budget.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think this would be a good, cheap way to get into Android tablets. I would still have my ipad as a backup.
asdf73 said:
videos - if I have an option (pc or tv near by) i chose them as the resolution on G-tab is not good. HD videos are choppy (I have tried a few mods but all more or less same)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm willing to bet you only tried the ginger based ones. Those don't have hw acceleration, so HD vids are choppy. The froyo ones, especially the ones based off of TnT, are pretty smooth.
My recommendation to the OP is if you're going to get the gtab please please please go to my website and read it. And if you're going to compare it to the ipad, please stick with froyo. It is not the latest and greatest, but it certainly is stable and fast.
I was thinking about TF or GT10.1 but non of HC based tablets supports Netflix as for the moment... Well, paying $125 or more in case of GT10.1 for not been able to watch Netflix in my opinion is just wrong.
No doubt, IPS or better screen is a must for photo-frames.
All in all there are no perfect tablet as of now but hopefully we will get there...
I went to Office Depot today to see the screen.
I didn't think it was as bad as what everyone is saying.
Sure, its not as nice as an iPad screen...but its potentially almost half the price...
I don't mind that tradeoff... I'm looking at buying it used anyway. I figured that's the best way to break into the tablet realm and not have any regret about not waiting..
oresteez said:
I went to Office Depot today to see the screen.
I didn't think it was as bad as what everyone is saying.
Sure, its not as nice as an iPad screen...but its potentially almost half the price...
I don't mind that tradeoff... I'm looking at buying it used anyway. I figured that's the best way to break into the tablet realm and not have any regret about not waiting..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I sent you a private message. PEACE!!
I highly NOT recommend buying the G Tablet. It has nothing to do with the viewing angles.
The reasons why I would tell people to stay away from the tablet are the following:
1) Viewsonic released the damn thing and then basicaly orphaned it immediately. The result is a lack of software libraries needed for development, and the implications are inferior mods with more limited capabilities. As far as I'm aware, there are no Gingerbread roms that truly support HD or fully support graphics hardware acceleration. And getting Honeycomb on the damn thing has been a Promethian effort. All Honeycomb mods are in alpha, and there's hardly any guarantee that any will ever be fully functioning.
2) The bulky design is far from a joy to hold in your hands. It makes it unpleasant to use the touchscreen while holding it, making both gameplay and activities like typing more difficult.
3) Others may disagree with me, but software on the tablet has always acted jerky and has always been slow. It completely lacks the smoothness of other devices, and sometimes it's hard to believe that you're actually using a comparartively (for price vs. power) powerful piece of hardware with dual core processor and not something that feels like it barely has the computational power to run your web browser or word processor (however, it does handle graphics rendering as well as it should).
Maybe I'm overly pessimistic, but I cannot imagine an application for which the G Tablet could be at all recommended. I would highly advise looking elsewhere for an entry level Android device, or wait for the new batch of Honeycomb tablets which will roll into stores very soon.
What are your views on purchasing a Flyer at this point in time? I love the form factor, but with almost everything going to dual-core, is it under-spec'd? I have a Galaxy Tab 10.1 but now want the nice thin 7" form factor of the Flyer but I am wondering if it is worth the $500 at this point in the game. I know Samsung is releasing a 7.7" Galaxy tab, but that is too similar to what I already have. I tried out the Acer Iconia A100, but the screen on that thing is just atrocious. I haven't seen anything, but is HTC planning on releasing another 7" tablet anytime soon?
Thoughts?
im more than happy with mine, i would buy it again. sure the newer tabs are better spec wise but for what i use mine for the view/flyer still fits my needs perfectly.
i would definitely buy again if i had the choice. It may only be a single core but its more than powerful enough. My Xoom out performs it, but my dual core Evo 3D gets smoked by it on the benchmarks. My Xoom is still my big dog but i find myself using the Flyer more often because of the size and portability. While I cant wait for a working Honeycomb port, this is my everyday tab. Happy with the Flyer
eventer289 said:
What are your views on purchasing a Flyer at this point in time? I love the form factor, but with almost everything going to dual-core, is it under-spec'd? I have a Galaxy Tab 10.1 but now want the nice thin 7" form factor of the Flyer but I am wondering if it is worth the $500 at this point in the game. I know Samsung is releasing a 7.7" Galaxy tab, but that is too similar to what I already have. I tried out the Acer Iconia A100, but the screen on that thing is just atrocious. I haven't seen anything, but is HTC planning on releasing another 7" tablet anytime soon?
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buy it only if you want the pen. The 7" Samsung may be too similar to your 10" Samsung, but that' because they're both Android tablets. In that respect, the Flyer is different only in that it's still running Gingerbread.
I personally think the Flyer is a great tablet, and the only game in town, currently if you want a 7" tablet with decent pen input. If that's what you want then go for the Flyer. Otherwise, the 7" G-tab will likely be cheaper, thinner, lighter and at least as fast. They'll probably both be of similar build quality. The build quality on the Flyer is superb, but then, so it the 10" G-tab.
I just got one w/pen for $420. Only thing I wish is that I got the view instead... White blows.
vipfreak said:
White blows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You got that right. I couldn't have put it any better.
At this point with the absence of the august promised honeycomb update, i wouldn't recommend flyer for anybody. I'd recommend g-tab 7.7 to people looking for tablets.
But there's this thing about flyers : htc scribe, magic pen. Virtually no competition on the market.
Unless you really want the pen capability, it's better to wait for the Tab 7.7. I also suggest to hold off a while until honeycomb comes to the Flyer. It seems to be a BIG update with much deeper pen integration into the system as paulobrien said that "you can use your pen to do everything you do now with your finger", USB OTG can also arrive. FYI, so far I am happy with my Flyer purchase. It's not the smallest and lightest 7in tablet but it's the best for my purposes.
tonkytohap said:
At this point with the absence of the august promised honeycomb update, i wouldn't recommend flyer for anybody.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there something significant that works under Honeycomb and doesn't under Gingerbread? I'm a bit peeved that the Time Magazine app crashes constantly, but other than that, so far, it's all been good. (and I figure Time will eventually fix their app.)
I'm not saying 3.2 won't be an improvement, just that having to wait a couple more months to get it on the View/Flyer doesn't seem like a deal breaker to me. The Flyer/View, as it is, right now, works really well.
For the Gtab7.7, you're going to have to wait a few months with nothing in the mean time, and it's going to be HSPA+ only. Heck, have they said it's coming to your country? Looks like it'll be banned from Europe, and wasn't specced (as of now) for the US.
eventer289 said:
What are your views on purchasing a Flyer at this point in time? I love the form factor, but with almost everything going to dual-core, is it under-spec'd?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Start with the intended use, then see if the specs fit it. So, the question is, assuming the Tab7.7 has better specs, will they make a real difference in what you do with the tablet? I'm guessing that for games, probably, at least for a few. For everything else, probably not all that much. Fair chance that both will feel slow as molasses in a year, when the quad core tablets are hitting the market. So, for a year, will it make a real difference? Something to consider...
The bigger question to ask yourself, is why buy a 7" device unless you plan to use it everywhere. And if you plan to use it everywhere, does NOT having fast cellular coverage make sense? It's costing me $45 a month for insurance, 3GB 3G, unlimited 4G service with Sprint, and while I certainly wish it was less, I AM willing to pay for it. If the device is at home, or unconnected, it's just not useful enough for me. I wouldn't buy a WiFi only tablet, in any size. I just wouldn't use it all that much.
Personally, I'm comfortable with the specs on the View. It can open up the Target flash ad from the middle of the store in a reasonable amount of time. Once things got to that point, further improvements weren't that important to me.
blue blue man said:
Unless you really want the pen capability, it's better to wait for the Tab 7.7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got my 32GB 3G Flyer on saturday last week, as a replacement for my ageing Samsung Galaxy Tab 7, which I use when travelling for work. I've also got a WiFi Galaxy Tab 10.1, but that's more of a home-based device.
I was planning on waiting for the GT 7.7, but then I read it wasn't going to be available until the end of the year, so the decision to get the 3G Flyer was a no-brainer for me as I didn't want to wait, although I'm pretty certain I'll get a GT 7.7 once they become available.
Regards,
Dave
Hello there Long time lurker here, usually I don't bother posting unless I can't find the answer anywhere else (and this happens to be that kind of situation), so I'm here asking for help deciding.
Anyway, I'm in the market for a new tablet (strongly prefer a 7 incher, the portability of it is a huge selling point for me). I've had for a few months a COBY 7 inch tablet, and while the form factor is really great, I want something newer, shinier, and better And so I'm stuck choosing between the HTC Flyer and the Acer Iconia A100 (The Viewpad 7x looks nice, but too expensive and the Thrive 7" comes too late for me, I want to order on Black Friday), so if you guys could fill in with your thoughts on the following subjects (would like to hear from owners of both camps), it'd be great to help me decide!
Display quality: Which one has the better picture quality/more responsive? Do I need a screen protector (i.e. no Gorilla Glass)?
Performance: Which performs better in your experience? I'm having the worst time choosing between a faster single core and a slightly slower dual core.
Battery Life: From what I read, the A100 is pretty mediocre here (under 5 hours). But I'd like to hear your thoughts anyway.
Mod-ability: I read that the Flyer has an HC ROM out, but is it rather difficult to install? I'm by no means an extremely advanced user on Android, but I know my way around tech, like to experiment, and with sufficiently detailed instructions I can get by fine.
Although the difference in price is about $20-30 atm, I would also need to get an MHL adapter for the flyer, so for all intents and purposes you can consider the prices to be the same. Which should I choose?
(Posted this also in the A100 forums to get opinions from A100 owners)
Just my experience
littleemp said:
Hello there Long time lurker here, usually I don't bother posting unless I can't find the answer anywhere else (and this happens to be that kind of situation), so I'm here asking for help deciding.
Anyway, I'm in the market for a new tablet (strongly prefer a 7 incher, the portability of it is a huge selling point for me). I've had for a few months a COBY 7 inch tablet, and while the form factor is really great, I want something newer, shinier, and better And so I'm stuck choosing between the HTC Flyer and the Acer Iconia A100 (The Viewpad 7x looks nice, but too expensive and the Thrive 7" comes too late for me, I want to order on Black Friday), so if you guys could fill in with your thoughts on the following subjects (would like to hear from owners of both camps), it'd be great to help me decide!
Display quality: Which one has the better picture quality/more responsive? Do I need a screen protector (i.e. no Gorilla Glass)?
Performance: Which performs better in your experience? I'm having the worst time choosing between a faster single core and a slightly slower dual core.
Battery Life: From what I read, the A100 is pretty mediocre here (under 5 hours). But I'd like to hear your thoughts anyway.
Mod-ability: I read that the Flyer has an HC ROM out, but is it rather difficult to install? I'm by no means an extremely advanced user on Android, but I know my way around tech, like to experiment, and with sufficiently detailed instructions I can get by fine.
Although the difference in price is about $20-30 atm, I would also need to get an MHL adapter for the flyer, so for all intents and purposes you can consider the prices to be the same. Which should I choose?
(Posted this also in the A100 forums to get opinions from A100 owners)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't speak to the Acer tablet, but I am a PROUD owner of the US Wifi HTC Flyer.
I've been a member of this site since 2007 lurked, learned, and have become pretty good with the Rooting/Development process. I do it for all of my friends and actually make money from it as well.
Now to your specifics.
I put screen protectors and cases on all of my devices. Just gives me peace of mind seeing as I like to show off the devices and let others test them out. The Flyer has been pretty durable.
The Flyer seems very snappy. I don't do those test that because I know they can be tweeked and skewed. I go off how the device feels when I have about a dozen different apps open, multiple apps running simultaneously.
Not that Juice plotter is terribly accurate, but it shows about 45hrs of battery life. I manage a few weather based businesses. Today it rained and I watched about 3hrs of YouTube videos, a full length movie and the rest was spent browsing the Internet, Facebook'ing, Skyping friends, and using Google Music. When I got home to charge my Flyer I was still at 45% battery life. I'd like to consider myself a power user.
The process of rooting the Flyer was time consuming and about a 5/10 as far as difficulty goes. Had to update some things in the Android SDK to get it to work, got stuck in a bootloop, and confused by a few steps.
However, I got it to work FINALLY. HC is great on the Flyer.
Hope that helps.
I have both A100 and Flyer. The Flyer hands down is the best hardware. Best display , period, faster processor, better build quality, better battery, great internal mic, the stylus is neat if you take notes alot. But.............
The A100 has a solid working HoneyComb out of the box. But Acer has some quality issues and some people including myself have had to return units for replacement for poor wifi range and connectivity. The internal mic on the A100 is garbage to the point of unusable. Bluetooth is output only, no mic, so it;s really lousy for Skype unless you use a wired headset. The display is good / OK if you are looking directly on it and terrible off angle. The Flyer display blows it away.
For the Flyer you get a very usable Gingerbread but to me its ugly and clearly the widgets are for a phone and look ridiculous on a tablet. There is a beta Honeycomb for the Flyer, its not that difficult to install, but its difficult if not impossible to roll back to stock after install (that is being worked and may have a solution in a few days). The beta has significant bugs or short comings for example the camera doesn't work in a lot of apps like Skype.
If HTC would release a fully functional HC ROM, there's no question, take the Flyer any day, but we have no promised date or even assurance that they will ever release such an update, so in my opinion, both are flawed and it depends on your needs and expectations. With either device you have to prepare to live with some quirks or limitations, but in the 7" world, for now these seem to be the top two.
I also had, but sold a Asus Transformer and everything just worked on that device, but I found it just too big to be portable. I travel a lot and love the 7" format.
Processors: Dual core doesn't mean it actually translates to faster processing. Few if any applications are written to take advantage of it and Android doesn't let you have multiple windows open and visible so only one task is foreground for the most part. Therefore a faster single core processor beats the multii-core in almost every real-life situation. I don't see this changing any time soon and the multi-core processors are just a marketing divot right now because everyone thinks they need the next shiny new object. The Flyer has some custom GB ROMs that overclock the processor, while the A100 has no custom ROM at this time.
As far as screen protectors, to me on tablets i think they are totally useless, but I treat my electronics pretty well. I travel a lot and never have an issue. Unless you envision carrying your tablet in your pocket with sharp objects or in a tool bag unprotected, its a waste of money.
Short answer flyer much better I too tried the A100 but to no avail was having same issues with quality hardware so I returned it.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using xda premium
I tried the A100, the screen ruined it for me. Very limited viewing angles. I prefer the Flyer much more. Also, HC 3.2 is not really a plus to me. Gingerbread with Sense is a better user experience overall for me.
I'm a strong believer in the 7" format. Fits in one hand, which comes in handy seeing as we have a 6 month old that always wants to be picked up. I don't think there's anything in the market that competes with the HTC Flyer. I've had mine for 3 months now, & have had a ball. I'm running the standard Gingerbread ROM, because I've been waiting for ICS. That promises to have more functions for the stylus. Don't bother with a cover, unless you don't want to use a pouch or carrier. Its construction is very durable. The display is also good. Have watched a few movies & shows on it, including Transformers 3 & Top Gear. To the point where I don't even bother with my laptop, when I want to watch something. The headset sound is also very good. In closing, until the second gen Samsung Galaxys come out, the HTC is the choice in the 7" market.
Lurking and really considering the flyer. Especially after best buy dropped their pants. Definetly not new to android, new to tablets. Only thing kinda holding me back is what appears to be a general lack of development on the device. Guess I was spoiled with my captivate. Still the stock software appears real solid
you'll find the same lack of development on all current tablets. Google never released the source code for honeycomb so there is no way to develop custom ROMs. All you can do is take existing ROMs and add or subtract system apps and a few properties. That should change if and when Google releases source code for Ice Cream Sand. They have promised but are holding it back until the new Nexus hits the shelves sometime in Nov. If the source is released , I expect we will see a jump in development and hopefully a CM9 rom but that will take a few months. In the mean time we hope HTC blesses us with a fully functional HC rom.
Thank you for the response, makes sense
Htc Flyer better bro
We all have flyers and we love them. I have this question. If you root your flyer and then upgrade the os to ICS, jelly bean and beyond. What would it take for you to want to replace it? What would htc have to do in terms of hardware upgrades, besides the obvious one of putting a multi core processor,or maybe adding gorilla glass to make you pull the trigger on the next one? The prospect of a 7" ipad has me intrigued, but even with that I wonder what I would do with my flyer besides make it an alarm clock and then all the apps i would put it , i am back to wanting to carry it with me again. And that has me seriously considering getting another flyer in case I screw the first one up, trying to root it
The next round of tablets will have at least double the screen resolution of the current, so I would probably move to the larger 10" +, except, see my signature below to find out why I probably won't be interested in future tablets even with faster hardware and better screens.
7-8" screen, internal GPS, $200-300 price point and has support longer than launch day. That's all I look for.
Samsung Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S not getting ICS due to Touchwiz bloat.
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/23/2657132/samsung-no-ics-upgrade-for-galaxy-s-and-galaxy-tab
LOL
same excuse as HTC.............
it'd take a lot for me to go above a 7" tablet...i had a 10" and it was simply way too big
thinner and lighter would have me salivating for an upgrade, though i don't yet feel the need to update my tablet as often as my phone...so it may be the next iteration for me, not the ones directly coming up
actually, there are so many things i DON'T need in a tablet that i'd probably be happy with one of the $100 ebay ripoffs, but i'm too much of a consumer to have one...lol
Im still for the most part very happy with my flyer. esp with the advent of custom roms and oc/uv has made this thing just a treat to play around with. I'm also very happy with it's size.. not too huge. not too small... just right
that said. i've def drooled over the htc jetstream. what bothers me is i can't find it in wifi only anywhere and att is the only one selling them that i could find... but alas.. it's only a dual core...
i think i'll wait and go striaght from single core to quad core for my next tablet. i have been keeping my eye on ASUS recently the prime is cool but came out with a lot of bugs. i was also watching the MEMO 370t quad core 7 inch tab thats supposed to be priced around 250.. u get the same 8mp cam as on the prmie.. but no front facing cam.. and that might be a deal breaker for me as i spend a lot of time on skype with friends and family.
so ... my next flyer would idealy be a quad core dual camera wifi gps THE WERKS!
prolly Q3 or Q4 this year is when i'll be really trying compare whats available and whats up and comming and start planning on getting a new tab.
i already have too many devices to play with lol
2x win mobile phones 2x android phones 1x windows phone 2x android tablets 1x iPad 1x iPhone4s
i wanna start doing video reviews so they start sending me free stuff to review ... *dream job
sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using XDA Premium HD app
I think I'll just see what's available when my contract is up in 2013. I've dropped mine a few times so it has some scuffs.
Hardware I'd like a LED flash for the camera. I'm okay with the 5MP camera, but wouldn't mind a 8MP with full HD recording. That being said, HDMI out is a must. Higher screen resolution would be good too. I think the 1024x600 res can be upgraded. Also seeing how the new iPad has Bluetooth 4.0, that would be nice too. & a better standard pouch. The current one is pathetic.
But I'm not attached to my Flyer at the hip. I'd like another HTC, but if they don't have a new 7" tab soon, I'll have to shop somewhere else....
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e
This.........
Nokia to release a 10" Windows 8 tablet with dual-core Snapdragon S4 in Q4
I know, blasphemous. But I need more productivity.
@ Digital MD... get a pogoplug... you can stream your own stuff to any device you have
@n7 of 9... do you miss the extra screen real estate of the 10" tablet? I was seriously considering getting a jet stream... cause I wanted another toy... and for the extra screen real estate
For Android tablets, I prefer 7-8". Easier to carry around and easier to hold for reading. My 10" tablet is a Windows 7 tablet and I will probably gets Windows 8 tablet end of the year. Yes... more blasphemy.
Edit: right now it would take a lot for me to get rid of my View. I am on stock HC and love the pen interface. I will probably always get the latest and greatest Archos tablet, but right now the View is the one I always carry with me. I also have the data plan for it which is very convenient.
Bluetooth 4.0 would be great.
A better way to output HDMI (The MHL stuff is just added bulk and works intermittently for me).
7 or 8 inch
better resolution
better gpu
continued scribe support/more apps that take advantage of it
less bezel, more screen real estate
built in kickstand?
vilasman said:
We all have flyers and we love them. I have this question. If you root your flyer and then upgrade the os to ICS, jelly bean and beyond. What would it take for you to want to replace it? What would htc have to do in terms of hardware upgrades, besides the obvious one of putting a multi core processor,or maybe adding gorilla glass to make you pull the trigger on the next one? The prospect of a 7" ipad has me intrigued, but even with that I wonder what I would do with my flyer besides make it an alarm clock and then all the apps i would put it , i am back to wanting to carry it with me again. And that has me seriously considering getting another flyer in case I screw the first one up, trying to root it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They would have to break into my house and fill my current flyer with holes. My girlfriend is looking for a flyer now even. The flyer runs amazingly regardless of the specs so I have no reason to want anything new. No tablets I've played with yet, impressed me the way the flyer did.
for a tablet, and for my personal useage patterns my Flyer is all I need
mcord11758 said:
for a tablet, and for my personal useage patterns my Flyer is all I need
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being totally realistic here.. if the flyer or the tf101 don't suit your tablet needs nothing in the tablet world does.
vilasman said:
We all have flyers and we love them. I have this question. If you root your flyer and then upgrade the os to ICS, jelly bean and beyond. What would it take for you to want to replace it? What would htc have to do in terms of hardware upgrades, besides the obvious one of putting a multi core processor,or maybe adding gorilla glass to make you pull the trigger on the next one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far, nothing. The only reason, right now, that I would want to replace my Flyer is because something I did to the Flyer (eg: break it somehow...) I don't want anything larger than 7", I love the pen, and I have no complaints about battery life, screen or OS stability. My previous 7" tablet (cheap Chinese variety) really was a test (to see if 7" would work) and from day one after buying it, I have been on the lookout for a better quality 7" (which took almost 1 1/2 years to come!). Since I've gotten my Flyer, I've not even looked at different tablets...
Not another HTC hardware!
YOSEFE said:
Not another HTC hardware!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm the opposite...i have zero wish for anything other than HTC devices...every time i've veered i've regretted it
n7of9 said:
i'm the opposite...i have zero wish for anything other than HTC devices...every time i've veered i've regretted it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like my samsung captivate.. incredibly flexible when it comes to romming.
I want htc hardware in a phone, the problem is that if I'm going to use a protective case anyway, it defeats the purpose of that high quality metal feeling phone..
I have 3 Tablets:
HTC EVO VIEW 4G (WiFi Only)
WiFi Xoom (GED with ICS)
BlackBerry Playbook (With OS 2.0)
They're all really nice tablets. If you are looking for another nice 7" Tablet then the Playbook is Great for the price ($199). Awesome screen, 1080p Video Recording, HDMI Out, Bluetooth and the OS (QNX) is head & shoulders above IOS & Android. Playbook is really smooth and the Browser is the best Tablet Browser out there (there is only 1 Browser out there that tops it in tests and that is Chrome for Desktops). Apps are coming along.
The sub -$199 Google Nexus tablet.
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Goog...-its-cheap-MeMo-tablet-project-for-it_id28153