Hi there, I saw that the flyer has received a big discount in the UK and with the recent HC support it's suddenly become much more enticing. I've a few questions however.
On the whole how well does the flyer function when compared to dual core devices like the tab or xoom? Does sense notably slow down the device or does it integrate nicely? Has there been any word of future upgrades to ICS or will the flyer end with HC? How is the performance in games/cpu and gpu intensive tasks? Any other recommendations/negative points I should be aware of before purchase?
Many thanks
General rule of thumb that I've seen based on benchmarks and user experience is that just because its a single core, doesn't mean it is slower than dual cores. It depends entirely if the apps are written for multiple cores, which many if not mostly all out there right now are still based on single.
The single core on this outperforms the dual core on the kindle, so that's saying something.
If we are talking about seeing a difference between gaming, I doubt the cores are noticeable to the average user, unless you can 'see' the rendering and background process in milliseconds.
See here for anandtech's bench of the flyer
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4463/the-htc-flyer-review/8
Hollow.Droid said:
Hi there, I saw that the flyer has received a big discount in the UK and with the recent HC support it's suddenly become much more enticing. I've a few questions however.
On the whole how well does the flyer function when compared to dual core devices like the tab or xoom? Does sense notably slow down the device or does it integrate nicely? Has there been any word of future upgrades to ICS or will the flyer end with HC? How is the performance in games/cpu and gpu intensive tasks? Any other recommendations/negative points I should be aware of before purchase?
Many thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 mate. Been checking all websites, and this tablet has had a massive price cut.
V.intersted!
---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 PM ----------
kaijura said:
General rule of thumb that I've seen based on benchmarks and user experience is that just because its a single core, doesn't mean it is slower than dual cores. It depends entirely if the apps are written for multiple cores, which many if not mostly all out there right now are still based on single.
The single core on this outperforms the dual core on the kindle, so that's saying something.
If we are talking about seeing a difference between gaming, I doubt the cores are noticeable to the average user, unless you can 'see' the rendering and background process in milliseconds.
See here for anandtech's bench of the flyer
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4463/the-htc-flyer-review/8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do heavy games run on it? I.e - GTA 3?
i overclocked my Desire S to 1.5 ghz (same CPU)
chipset) and gameplay was not as smooth as i'd liked.
so are games smooth?
Hollow.Droid said:
Hi there, I saw that the flyer has received a big discount in the UK and with the recent HC support it's suddenly become much more enticing. I've a few questions however.
On the whole how well does the flyer function when compared to dual core devices like the tab or xoom? Does sense notably slow down the device or does it integrate nicely? Has there been any word of future upgrades to ICS or will the flyer end with HC? How is the performance in games/cpu and gpu intensive tasks? Any other recommendations/negative points I should be aware of before purchase?
Many thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with my advice is that the Flyer was the first tablet I'd ever used. So my basis of comparison may be off. Here are just my 'stream of consciousness' thoughts:
1. The integration between the pen and the tablet (which is really what HTC was pushing for) is disappointing. This improves somewhat in honeycomb, because you can now use the pen as you would your finger. However, the pen is, in my opinion, an expensive novelty. There are many problems with Notes and PDF Viewer; for example, many people complain about the lack of control over pen width when annotating in PDF Viewer. Similarly, I find the Notes app disappointing (no way to zoom, limited or no choices over pen tips, etc.). To a certain extent, you can hope for development by others (see the Quill app for example), and by HTC. But I found it ridiculous that this is the best that the programmers and engineers in charge could come up with.
When it comes to pen integration, you can't trust 10 minute YouTube reviews by people who are happy that they can write on the screen; you have to look for real life experience from those who have tried to integrate the pen into their own work.
2. I found the battery life quite weak. Look up some reviews, and you find hugely disparate opinions---some people claim to be able to use the Flyer for a week without recharging while others say you need a daily recharge. Personally, I find that it's a daily recharge. No scientific tests from me, but I'm guessing about 5-6 hours of continuous usage doing low CPU intensive applications like reading PDFs or browsing websites.
3. The camera is bad. Real bad. It's not about the resolution of the camera---it's about the quality of the lens. My Sony k800i cellphone from nearly 6 years back takes better pictures.
4. Development: my understanding is that development is a little bit stagnant, just because it's not a hugely popular device. Time will tell whether these sorts of sales helps the situation.
In the end, the Flyer was my first tablet (which I bought for a good price), and perhaps my expectations were simply a bit too high. I paid $200 for this device, and the truth is, years ago, I bought my Sony PSP for around $130. If I think of it as a toy, something I can play some games on when I'm bored, or check my e-mail when I'm not at my desk, or read PDFs...then it's an acceptable purchase.
However, I do think that the HTC was designed in a rush, and it shows.
TSGM said:
The problem with my advice is that the Flyer was the first tablet I'd ever used. So my basis of comparison may be off. Here are just my 'stream of consciousness' thoughts:
1. The integration between the pen and the tablet (which is really what HTC was pushing for) is disappointing. This improves somewhat in honeycomb, because you can now use the pen as you would your finger. However, the pen is, in my opinion, an expensive novelty. There are many problems with Notes and PDF Viewer; for example, many people complain about the lack of control over pen width when annotating in PDF Viewer. Similarly, I find the Notes app disappointing (no way to zoom, limited or no choices over pen tips, etc.). To a certain extent, you can hope for development by others (see the Quill app for example), and by HTC. But I found it ridiculous that this is the best that the programmers and engineers in charge could come up with.
When it comes to pen integration, you can't trust 10 minute YouTube reviews by people who are happy that they can write on the screen; you have to look for real life experience from those who have tried to integrate the pen into their own work.
2. I found the battery life quite weak. Look up some reviews, and you find hugely disparate opinions---some people claim to be able to use the Flyer for a week without recharging while others say you need a daily recharge. Personally, I find that it's a daily recharge. No scientific tests from me, but I'm guessing about 5-6 hours of continuous usage doing low CPU intensive applications like reading PDFs or browsing websites.
3. The camera is bad. Real bad. It's not about the resolution of the camera---it's about the quality of the lens. My Sony k800i cellphone from nearly 6 years back takes better pictures.
4. Development: my understanding is that development is a little bit stagnant, just because it's not a hugely popular device. Time will tell whether these sorts of sales helps the situation.
In the end, the Flyer was my first tablet (which I bought for a good price), and perhaps my expectations were simply a bit too high. I paid $200 for this device, and the truth is, years ago, I bought my Sony PSP for around $130. If I think of it as a toy, something I can play some games on when I'm bored, or check my e-mail when I'm not at my desk, or read PDFs...then it's an acceptable purchase.
However, I do think that the HTC was designed in a rush, and it shows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the quick sum up mate, appreciated!
I too think the pen was majorly overhyped.
It seems to be a key selling point for HTC, but in daily use for me, I couldn't find much use for it!
Cheers!
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Sent from my HTC Desire S
olyloh6696 said:
How do heavy games run on it? I.e - GTA 3?
i overclocked my Desire S to 1.5 ghz (same CPU)
chipset) and gameplay was not as smooth as i'd liked.
so are games smooth?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep in mind that the Desire S is 1.0 at stock frequency, so if you overclock the flyer/view you can go to higher frequencies. I believe 1.8ghz is safe from the OC tools out there in development for it right now.
I took the quick opportunity to demo GTA3 running on a stock EVO View 4g. It's USA Sprint ver of the Flyer. So far it's pretty fluid, but I gotta say it's obviously not supported or officially available for our tablets yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJxdhFshbU
kaijura said:
Keep in mind that the Desire S is 1.0 at stock frequency, so if you overclock the flyer/view you can go to higher frequencies. I believe 1.8ghz is safe from the OC tools out there in development for it right now.
I took the quick opportunity to demo GTA3 running on a stock EVO View 4g. It's USA Sprint ver of the Flyer. So far it's pretty fluid, but I gotta say it's obviously not supported or officially available for our tablets yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJxdhFshbU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, but they both have exactly the same CPU chipset (Qualcomm S2 8255)
Just the Flyer has the chip clocked at 1.5Ghz by default, and the Desire S at 1Ghz.
On some kernel to, I can OC to 1.8
I wonder if the extra RAM the Flyer has will be useful in GTA gameplay!
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Sent from my HTC Desire S
olyloh6696 said:
+1 mate. Been checking all websites, and this tablet has had a massive price cut.
V.intersted!
---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 PM ----------
How do heavy games run on it? I.e - GTA 3?
i overclocked my Desire S to 1.5 ghz (same CPU)
chipset) and gameplay was not as smooth as i'd liked.
so are games smooth?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine runs GTA3 very smoothly. Controls are a little wonky, but that's a function of the game, not the tablet. Regardless, it's still fun and shows off what this hardware is capable of. I've not encountered any issues with sense slowing down the tablet, and globatron's HC has been quite smooth for me. I'm still pretty torn between launchers when I usually immediately install ADW, if that's any indication of Sense's quality.
I disagree with a lot of TGSM's review. I think with HC that the pen integration is fairly useful, even if imperfect. I've already taken about 8 pages of notes and was quite pleased how quickly I was able to write them. I probably will still use pen/paper for lectures, but book notes and proofs will likely be done on the tablet. And despite the poor integration with pdf apps, it's still way more useful than no stylus for annotation.
Regarding battery life, it seems to be pretty solid. I've only had the tablet for a couple weeks, but I can usually squeeze out 16 hours before worrying about charging. Another poster in this forum showed great results with juicedefender (126 hours in idle, 26 hours awake), and I will likely give that a shot very soon.
Overall, if you can find a flyer for under 300 USD (or below 360ish with a stylus), I would really recommend it. IMO it is the best value for a 7" tablet, and offers a ton of functionality that you'd sacrifice with the NT or Fire. With the tab 7+ at $400, the flyer is damn good deal unless you really value Peel or thinness.
flyer seems plenty fast to me, esp when you use some app to free up ram.
Battery life is good as I only use it couple hours a day on wifi, and end up with 70% left.
You can also overclock it with the custom rom, which im doing right now.
notphilip said:
Mine runs GTA3 very smoothly. Controls are a little wonky, but that's a function of the game, not the tablet. Regardless, it's still fun and shows off what this hardware is capable of. I've not encountered any issues with sense slowing down the tablet, and globatron's HC has been quite smooth for me. I'm still pretty torn between launchers when I usually immediately install ADW, if that's any indication of Sense's quality.
I disagree with a lot of TGSM's review. I think with HC that the pen integration is fairly useful, even if imperfect. I've already taken about 8 pages of notes and was quite pleased how quickly I was able to write them. I probably will still use pen/paper for lectures, but book notes and proofs will likely be done on the tablet. And despite the poor integration with pdf apps, it's still way more useful than no stylus for annotation.
Regarding battery life, it seems to be pretty solid. I've only had the tablet for a couple weeks, but I can usually squeeze out 16 hours before worrying about charging. Another poster in this forum showed great results with juicedefender (126 hours in idle, 26 hours awake), and I will likely give that a shot very soon.
Overall, if you can find a flyer for under 300 USD (or below 360ish with a stylus), I would really recommend it. IMO it is the best value for a 7" tablet, and offers a ton of functionality that you'd sacrifice with the NT or Fire. With the tab 7+ at $400, the flyer is damn good deal unless you really value Peel or thinness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the lengthy explanation! So you'd still recommend it now, and dual cores (and quad cores round the corner!) Won't affect it hardware value now?
-------------------------------
Sent from my HTC Desire S
olyloh6696 said:
Thanks for the lengthy explanation! So you'd still recommend it now, and dual cores (and quad cores round the corner!) Won't affect it hardware value now?
-------------------------------
Sent from my HTC Desire S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely, especially at that sale price from the other thread (which I assume prompted this thread). Though it is single core, it is still plenty fast. I was completely astounded when using it compared to my OG droid.
Just considering the pricing trends that Samsung and HTC have been following over the past year, I would guess that upcoming tablets like tab 7.7 or any of the quad cores are going to be $450+ at launch. With that you will get faster speed, ips screen, and guaranteed ICS/jellybean, but you will also have to pay a lot more and wait for them to come out.
I would also postulate from how the xoom, nook color, and other functional tablets have maintained their value, that the Flyer will still be worth at least $100-150 in a year. So if something absolutely great does come out around Q3/Q4 2012, you will be able to upgrade for only a small loss.
In any case, there is enough note-annotating and web-browsing functionality in the Flyer that I can easily see myself using it for the next 18 months. It would really take a large advancement in stylus technology to make me want to replace this. However, if you really want cutting edge tech all the time (not unlike a lot of folk on this forum) or don't care for the stylus much, you may want to replace it sooner or just wait for the 7.7.
Thanks for the great responses, they're appreciated Out of interest, has there been any word on an ICS update?
There will nor likely be an ics update. With honeycomb source for the kernel we can hope a dev will make it happen
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using xda premium
mcord11758 said:
There will nor likely be an ics update. With honeycomb source for the kernel we can hope a dev will make it happen
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whenever this does happen, I will make sure a couple jacksons find their way into that dev's paypal account *HINT HINT*
Benjamin's last name is Franklin, not Jackson. ;-)
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium
Personally, I love this tablet and I am so glad I got it. The performance easily keeps up with my brothers ASUS Transformer in terms of tasks and the launcher runs way smoother. I love HTC Sense, and really buy into the whole "HTC Ecosystem" with HTCSense.com and all that that stuff. The pen is phenomenal and will be even better with the HC update. I think the HTC customizations make it that much better. The big selling point for me: 7 inch tablet. I want to be able to carry it around with me when I go places. I can't do that with a 10 incher. The battery life is ok for me. I was at 45% last night when I plugged it in after showing it off to family and friends, using it throughout the day sporadically, and watching Netflix once everybody left. If it makes it through the day, the battery is good enough for me. Honestly, the camera doesn't matter to me. It looks pretty darn goofy to take pictures with a tablet in my opinion. I only use the FFC, which is good enough for video calling. I think the stylus was overhyped, but it is still great, and functional enough for me. If someone asked what tablet I recommend, it would be Transformer Prime if you like 10 inches, and you have the $$, or the Flyer if you want a less expensive 7 inch option. This tablet will be outdated within a year or so, but I can easily sell it for $100 ish and then buy the next HTC tablet, if it doesn't cost too much. I am really happy with this tablet overall.
notphilip said:
Definitely, especially at that sale price from the other thread (which I assume prompted this thread). Though it is single core, it is still plenty fast. I was completely astounded when using it compared to my OG droid.
Just considering the pricing trends that Samsung and HTC have been following over the past year, I would guess that upcoming tablets like tab 7.7 or any of the quad cores are going to be $450+ at launch. With that you will get faster speed, ips screen, and guaranteed ICS/jellybean, but you will also have to pay a lot more and wait for them to come out.
I would also postulate from how the xoom, nook color, and other functional tablets have maintained their value, that the Flyer will still be worth at least $100-150 in a year. So if something absolutely great does come out around Q3/Q4 2012, you will be able to upgrade for only a small loss.
In any case, there is enough note-annotating and web-browsing functionality in the Flyer that I can easily see myself using it for the next 18 months. It would really take a large advancement in stylus technology to make me want to replace this. However, if you really want cutting edge tech all the time (not unlike a lot of folk on this forum) or don't care for the stylus much, you may want to replace it sooner or just wait for the 7.7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers!
Yes it was me who posted and found the deal
Having said all that,
The XOOM Is currently selling for the same price... I'm considering getting that instead, as it seems more future proof.
-------------------------------
Sent from my HTC Desire S
Yea, this thing is really nice with hc and the stylus. I ended up stuck at the hospital for four hours yesterday, and I used it to draw up some plans for my dorm room when I go back to school, did some emailing, surfed the web, and played some games. For $200, I couldn't be happier. It even fits nicely in my coat pocket. I plan to use it to replace my textbooks, and I feel like it will work very well for that.
The stylus does add functionality. I was never interested in a tablet, because I have a netbook, but when I saw the flyer I changed my mind. If you plan to play heavy games, I don't really think a tablet is the way to go anyway, but HTC has always pushed functionality, and the flyer is obviously marketed towards students and business people, so if you are one of those this is a really nice option.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk
I like it a lot, paticarly after the HC update.
I reaally like the thumb keyboard app I purchased which world great on a 7" tablet. This is a great productivity tools.
gdbusby said:
Benjamin's last name is Franklin, not Jackson. ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But Jackson is on a $50. That's two and a half times more motivation.
Related
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.
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)
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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
I would like to start off by saying I tried a search and did not find conclusive results to my question so apologies if I missed a thread on this.
I would also like to say I am not a Apple fan by nature. I was a preorder on the Andoid G1 if that serves any background on me.
So my dilemma.. What sold me on the iPad 2 was trying out a iPad 1 early last year and took to the speed, performance, form etc. So learning the ipad 2 was down the road I waited a few months and walked into the store on launch day and picked one up.
My dilemma - I have not been very happy with Apple in general for many reasons which I won't get into but seeking real feedback if the Prime would compare to the iPad 2 for owners of both.
In desperation to have an Andriod device I recently purchased the Galaxy Tab 10.1 only to be disappointed and returned it. It is nice, don't get me wrong but pales in comparison to the speed in which I am used to. At least out of the box. I am not looking to mod my tablet (already do that with my Evo and Photon).
So, is there anyone here that can provide real feedback to owning both units? I really want to go Android but don't want to feel like I am sacrificing on anything. The browser tests I did with the Galaxy vs the iPad were significant enough for me to be a deal breaker. I know I am giving up flash on the iPad but in reality most of what I do doesn't require it. I would just prefer a Android device that has similar speed in browsing and responsiveness, screen etc..
Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post..
my prime should be here tomorrow so ill post up my results for you. also keep in mind that the ipad 3 should be coming out sometime this year. but you said you wanted an android device so that may not matter.
Thanks.. I did hear the iPad 3 is coming out but it seems like a rumor at the moment? Like you mentioned though I am really looking to get away from the limitations Apple has which is my drive. The IOS 5 update took away my direct print function from email and Safari from an app I paid for which i was told from the developer was intentional and there is nothing they can do about it. I am not unhappy enough with the iPad to just make a change for the sake of change as it does work nice for most of what I do. I wish this was in store to try it out first but I can be patient.
sdynak said:
Thanks.. I did hear the iPad 3 is coming out but it seems like a rumor at the moment? Like you mentioned though I am really looking to get away from the limitations Apple has which is my drive. The IOS 5 update took away my direct print function from email and Safari from an app I paid for which i was told from the developer was intentional and there is nothing they can do about it. I am not unhappy enough with the iPad to just make a change for the sake of change as it does work nice for most of what I do. I wish this was in store to try it out first but I can be patient.
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Click to collapse
Ya thats the way i feel, if the prime doesnt preform well ill send it back and wait to see if the ics update fixes it. but have you looked at the galaxy tab 7.7? i heard thats supposed to be pretty nice and if you already have an ipad 2 maybe the smaller size would be good for you. Either way i think you have to wait for the ics update to get a real comparison.
I did see something about the 7.7 but thought it was only avail through Verizon with LTE? The size is actually probably not bad and doable.
I recently picked up an ipad 2 while I wait for a replacement Prime to come in. I am by no means an apple guy, in fact I don't like a lot of things they do and have been an android user for years. That being said, I am very quite impressed with it so far. Very fluid ui and browser (great flash support using Photon browser). Games, are significantly ahead of android in quantity and quality. Software in general is polished and compatibility is excellent.
Now, unlike prime with storage and hdmi... With ipad you pay for everything. Hdmi, eternal storage etc. External output is Meh, requires google tv for most things. Peripherals in general are expensive, but will be compatible with most if not all apple things.
That's all I can think of right now... Plus typing on a phone sucks.
Let me know if you have specific questions.
Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk
sdynak said:
I would like to start off by saying I tried a search and did not find conclusive results to my question so apologies if I missed a thread on this.
I would also like to say I am not a Apple fan by nature. I was a preorder on the Andoid G1 if that serves any background on me.
So my dilemma.. What sold me on the iPad 2 was trying out a iPad 1 early last year and took to the speed, performance, form etc. So learning the ipad 2 was down the road I waited a few months and walked into the store on launch day and picked one up.
My dilemma - I have not been very happy with Apple in general for many reasons which I won't get into but seeking real feedback if the Prime would compare to the iPad 2 for owners of both.
In desperation to have an Andriod device I recently purchased the Galaxy Tab 10.1 only to be disappointed and returned it. It is nice, don't get me wrong but pales in comparison to the speed in which I am used to. At least out of the box. I am not looking to mod my tablet (already do that with my Evo and Photon).
So, is there anyone here that can provide real feedback to owning both units? I really want to go Android but don't want to feel like I am sacrificing on anything. The browser tests I did with the Galaxy vs the iPad were significant enough for me to be a deal breaker. I know I am giving up flash on the iPad but in reality most of what I do doesn't require it. I would just prefer a Android device that has similar speed in browsing and responsiveness, screen etc..
Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post..
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Click to collapse
This is not specific to the TF Prime, but rather all Honeycomb devices (And I guess Gingerbread too). Don't bother with the stock browsers until Chrome is finally introduced to Android, the stock browser is overall much clunkier and less responsive than other solutions that you can find on the market.
I personally use Opera Mobile on both Atrix 4G and Honeycomb Tablet, and I found a HUGE difference in responsiveness and ease of use.
EDIT: The thing about android is that only some stock apps are good (the others are barely adequate at best), however you can find excellent replacements on the market for whatever you need.
littleemp said:
This is not specific to the TF Prime, but rather all Honeycomb devices (And I guess Gingerbread too). Don't bother with the stock browsers until Chrome is finally introduced to Android, the stock browser is overall much clunkier and less responsive than other solutions that you can find on the market.
I personally use Opera Mobile on both Atrix 4G and Honeycomb Tablet, and I found a HUGE difference in responsiveness and ease of use.
EDIT: The thing about android is that only some stock apps are good (the others are barely adequate at best), however you can find excellent replacements on the market for whatever you need.
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Click to collapse
I couldn't agree more. The Honeycomb browser is horrible and I can't even believe it still has not been improved. Opera Mobile is a million times better! The feature to change the user agent to "desktop" alone makes it worth it.
No Honeycomb tablet can compare to the iPad 2 in terms of fluidity and smoothness. I can tell you from personal experience that Ice Cream Sandwich is the first version of Android that can compare to iOS devices in terms of smoothness and fluidity of the UI (yes, it's still not as fast as iOS, but for me it has finally reached the threshold of what I would consider to be smooth). I've used iPads and iPhones before and I know what you're talking about when it comes to responsiveness and smoothness. It's IMO the best part of iOS, and I'm willing to admit that even though I prefer Android. I've also used Android tablets, and nothing running Honeycomb can compare, point blank. Including the Transformer Prime. Anyone who tells you their Transformer Prime has as much UI fluidity, smoothness, and responsiveness right now is either lying, has low standards, or has never used an iPad before.
Wait until ICS to decide for yourself if the Prime is speedy enough. I have a HTC Sensation, and for me my phone has never been up to my standard of what reasonably smooth is until I installed a beta AOSP ICS ROM. Now, I'm not referring to anything other than speed when I say wait for ICS. I'm not going to tell you that ICS will magically fix certain problems the Prime is having like Wifi and GPS issues.
The Janitor Mop said:
No Honeycomb tablet can compare to the iPad 2 in terms of fluidity and smoothness. I can tell you from personal experience that Ice Cream Sandwich is the first version of Android that can compare to iOS devices in terms of smoothness and fluidity of the UI (yes, it's still not as fast as iOS, but for me it has finally reached the threshold of what I would consider to be smooth). I've used iPads and iPhones before and I know what you're talking about when it comes to responsiveness and smoothness. It's IMO the best part of iOS, and I'm willing to admit that even though I prefer Android. I've also used Android tablets, and nothing running Honeycomb can compare, point blank. Including the Transformer Prime. Anyone who tells you their Transformer Prime has as much UI fluidity, smoothness, and responsiveness right now is either lying, has low standards, or has never used an iPad before.
Wait until ICS to decide for yourself if the Prime is speedy enough. I have a HTC Sensation, and for me my phone has never been up to my standard of what reasonably smooth is until I installed a beta AOSP ICS ROM. Now, I'm not referring to anything other than speed when I say wait for ICS. I'm not going to tell you that ICS will magically fix certain problems the Prime is having like Wifi and GPS issues.
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I understand that Honeycomb does not take advantage of multiple cores where ICS does. That would explain the difference if correct.
keitht said:
I understand that Honeycomb does not take advantage of multiple cores where ICS does. That would explain the difference if correct.
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Click to collapse
That's an extremely simplified explanation, and one that's not necessarily true.
For a while, a popular topic of discussion going around about ICS was that ICS incorporates hardware acceleration and multi-core support, whereas Honeycomb and Gingerbread don't. That was all pretty much dispelled by a well-known post from a Google engineer who explained that that was just a popular misconception, because Honeycomb already offers hardware acceleration and multi-core support.
If you asked me why ICS is faster, I think it boils down to 2 things: 1) it's just an overall cleaned up OS, and 2) it makes better use of the hardware available. It's not that it makes use of hardware which previous versions of Android didn't do at all (as pointed out, Honeycomb did have hardware acceleration and multi-core support), it's that I believe it will make better use of hardware. I'm not a Google engineer and so this is just a conjecture, but I'm fairly sure that you can be confident ICS makes better use of multi-cores. I think it's entirely reasonable to suggest that because Google knows one of the primary advantages of iOS is speed, and also because essentially all high end Android devices today are multi-core. If Google went into the development of ICS with the goal of making it a faster OS in order to close the gap with iOS, and they went into the development with the knowledge that essentially all devices that would use it would be multi-core, then they certainly put some effort into making better use of such hardware.
The Janitor Mop said:
That's an extremely simplified explanation, and one that's not necessarily true.
For a while, a popular topic of discussion going around about ICS was that ICS incorporates hardware acceleration and multi-core support, whereas Honeycomb and Gingerbread don't. That was all pretty much dispelled by a well-known post from a Google engineer who explained that that was just a popular misconception, because Honeycomb already offers hardware acceleration and multi-core support.
If you asked me why ICS is faster, I think it boils down to 2 things: 1) it's just an overall cleaned up OS, and 2) it makes better use of the hardware available. It's not that it makes use of hardware which previous versions of Android didn't do at all (as pointed out, Honeycomb did have hardware acceleration and multi-core support), it's that I believe it will make better use of hardware. I'm not a Google engineer and so this is just a conjecture, but I'm fairly sure that you can be confident ICS makes better use of multi-cores. I think it's entirely reasonable to suggest that because Google knows one of the primary advantages of iOS is speed, and also because essentially all high end Android devices today are multi-core. If Google went into the development of ICS with the goal of making it a faster OS, and they went into the development with the knowledge that essentially all devices that would use it would be multi-core, then they certainly put some effort into making better use of such hardware.
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Click to collapse
Sounds close to the same thing I said except in a paragraph instead of a sentence!
The prime in its current honeycomb state, especially after this most recent update, is right on par with the UI fluidity of ipad1 or 2. as I own one also. I stayed with ipad1 because ipad2 wasn't a big enough jump all around to jusitfy dishing out for a new one. I have used the new ones extensively also though. I am constantly using my devices day n and day out so I have a good scope of how they compare. If you decide to get the Prime, it would be a great choice. there have been some issues that has arised for some people but overall doesn't affect everyone. going from ipad2 to a Prime would be a huge upgrade all around the board. definitely check out the various threads, good ones and bad one, and be the judge. you have my vote for getting the prime though. as an Ipad owner also, ipad1 or 2 can't compare because of the larger number of things and customizations that comes with Prime and Android. Apple puts out some great products but you have to live by their rules in their closed ecosystem. with Android, there is alot more freedom. you have to jail break I devices just to do half the things Android does right out the box. that's what sold me on Android. what sold me on the Prime was its Superior Display, best out of any tablet period, the great battery life, best out of any Android tab and on par with ipad2 battery life, superior specs-more powerful by far than anything out now and more than likely next few months down the road. then you have the perfectly integrated keyboard dock option which even has built in battery and extends battery life eveb further. no other manufacturer has been able to replicate that as good. plus Asus has a proven track record of putting out firmwares the fastest and keeps supporting devices.
good luck on deciding.
I just can't thank everyone enough for their kind and genuine responses..
This type of feedback is exactly what I was looking for.. I hate to admit it but I was not aware of the Opera browser. I tried Dolphin on the G-Tab which is very fast on my Photon and thought maybe it was related to the G-Tab. Now I know..
What I take from the responses is that ICS will certainly be something that will take advantage of the Primes true capabalitites. I am willing to give and take.. not one sided and understand that some things will be better and some not so much but the majority of my use is really plain browsing and e-mail. I don't do gaming at the moment so the real thing I want to maintain is a snappy browser and UI.
Sounds like I need to keep the Prime on the list for sure.. thanks again.. really could not ask for more than the true feedback here and not some bias article on the net.
Cheers & Happy New Year to ALL!!
Stan
ok so my prime came yesterday and I haven't had much time to use it yet so don't take this as a real comparison.
So far the only thing worse about it is that hineycomb has a few hiccups sometimes. It hasn't annoyed me but then again maybe it will down the road. Also I pad 2 has a slightly faster browser but its really not a deal breaker. With opening and closing apps they are pretty much the same.
I'll update as time goes on and when ics comes out.
gregnetz18 said:
ok so my prime came yesterday and I haven't had much time to use it yet so don't take this as a real comparison.
So far the only thing worse about it is that hineycomb has a few hiccups sometimes. It hasn't annoyed me but then again maybe it will down the road. Also I pad 2 has a slightly faster browser but its really not a deal breaker. With opening and closing apps they are pretty much the same.
I'll update as time goes on and when ics comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
make sure to update device to latest system firmware. 33. it speeds things up and fixes alot of bugs.
The Janitor Mop said:
That's an extremely simplified explanation, and one that's not necessarily true.
For a while, a popular topic of discussion going around about ICS was that ICS incorporates hardware acceleration and multi-core support, whereas Honeycomb and Gingerbread don't. That was all pretty much dispelled by a well-known post from a Google engineer who explained that that was just a popular misconception, because Honeycomb already offers hardware acceleration and multi-core support.
If you asked me why ICS is faster, I think it boils down to 2 things: 1) it's just an overall cleaned up OS, and 2) it makes better use of the hardware available. It's not that it makes use of hardware which previous versions of Android didn't do at all (as pointed out, Honeycomb did have hardware acceleration and multi-core support), it's that I believe it will make better use of hardware. I'm not a Google engineer and so this is just a conjecture, but I'm fairly sure that you can be confident ICS makes better use of multi-cores. I think it's entirely reasonable to suggest that because Google knows one of the primary advantages of iOS is speed, and also because essentially all high end Android devices today are multi-core. If Google went into the development of ICS with the goal of making it a faster OS in order to close the gap with iOS, and they went into the development with the knowledge that essentially all devices that would use it would be multi-core, then they certainly put some effort into making better use of such hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
optimization is the name of the game. so far with most devices that have early builds of ICS on them, everything seems faster, so theoretically the prime should scream.
just a couple weeks and we'll see.
as to the OP's question, i've played with an ipad2 and owned an ipad1, i feel like with a few tweaks (change the launcher, use a different browser) the prime is just as fast if not faster than the ipad2 for most things even on HC.
iOS def has android beat when it comes to the amount of tablet optimized apps and games though, hopefully android will pick up the pace after ICS helps to unify the phone/tablet fragments. i am quite impressed with the tegra3 optimized games quality and fluidity though.
I'm fed up with waiting for UK premiere of kindle fire so I decided to buy something that is now on the market.
My choice if HTC flyer as it was discounted recently and I'm looking for something in reasonable price. Would you recommend it? I am little bit afraid after I bought HTC sensation. I was really disappointed with various flaws of that device and would rather avoid it happening again so I'm waiting for you're opinion, do you like it or would you bought something else? Did you experienced any problems?
I'm thinking also about ZTE light tab 2 any other alternatives?
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
I love me View. Excellent quality. The weight is heavy for some, but I think it makes it feel solid. It is also very snappy on both GB and HC. If the price is right jump on it.
Sent from my Fresh Evo 4g
I like it better than the kindle fire. I have both.
yup
I've owned a few 7" devices and this was well ahead of the rest, I even tried the galaxy 7" plus and liked the Flyer more, It's polished and well built, but only at the right price, if you are paying full price might want to get something newer..... might not.
Neil
Depends on the price, I got one for £235, I think it's good for the price, very good built quailty, pen is quite usable time to time, but abit heavy.
Bear in mind you can get Archos 80 G9 for the same price last time I check, which is duel core, 8 inch, and 250gb internal. Bad screen apparently but I hvnt seen one in real life so dont know. KICK STAND aswell!
Edit:
Archos: http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/27056571/Archos-80-G9-8-inch-250GB-WiFi-3G-GPS-Android-3-2-Honeycomb-Tablet-PC/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=archos+80+g9+250&urlrefer=search&P36=WDQGTJ&affid=hotukdeals&awc=buyat&_$ja=tsid:11516|prd:hotukdeals
Flyer: http://www.expansys.com/htc-flyer-16gb-wi-fi-only-225640/?ico=hpage&icl=HH&icc=Price
Beenees said:
Depends on the price, I got one for £235, I think it's good for the price, very good built quailty, pen is quite usable time to time, but abit heavy.
Bear in mind you can get Archos 80 G9 for the same price last time I check, which is duel core, 8 inch, and 250gb internal. Bad screen apparently but I hvnt seen one in real life so dont know. KICK STAND aswell!
Edit:
Archos: http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/27056571/Archos-80-G9-8-inch-250GB-WiFi-3G-GPS-Android-3-2-Honeycomb-Tablet-PC/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=archos+80+g9+250&urlrefer=search&P36=WDQGTJ&affid=hotukdeals&awc=buyat&_$ja=tsid:11516|prd:hotukdeals
Flyer: http://www.expansys.com/htc-flyer-16gb-wi-fi-only-225640/?ico=hpage&icl=HH&icc=Price
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Click to collapse
I considered Archos as well but lack of RAM makes me worried that device might be lagging.
I have the Archos 80 as well and, while it is my favorite device for reading because the screen is larger and it is thin, the Flyer/View is overall a snappier device.
Edit : Archos is supposed.to be getting ICS this month and there are rumors of a 1gb RAM version to be released.
I sold my HTC Sensation and Kindle Keyboard WIFI then got myself an HTC Evo View. Happy camper here. Ebooks, medical programs, record keeping, media consumption, email, internet... At the 299 USD, the unit is cost effective for me.
leyus said:
I am little bit afraid after I bought HTC sensation. I was really disappointed with various flaws of that device and would rather avoid it happening again
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Click to collapse
What flaws exactly?
The Kindle Fire is junk compared to the Flyer. Flyer has much higher build quality, more memery, more storage, and a ton of features lacking on the Fire (MicroSD card slot, pen support, GPS, Bluetooth, cameras, microphone, gyro). Its like comparing a sports car with all the options to a stripped down compact car. Not sure what the prices the OP is looking at. But for a while in the US the Flyer was going for only $100 more than the Fire, and for what you get on the Flyer, that is a bargain.
redpoint73 said:
What flaws exactly?
The Kindle Fire is junk compared to the Flyer. Flyer has much higher build quality, more memery, more storage, and a ton of features lacking on the Fire (MicroSD card slot, pen support, GPS, Bluetooth, cameras, microphone, gyro). Its like comparing a sports car with all the options to a stripped down compact car. Not sure what the prices the OP is looking at. But for a while in the US the Flyer was going for only $100 more than the Fire, and for what you get on the Flyer, that is a bargain.
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Check my posts, I actually started thread about all the issues with Sensation, most of them are solved now but they shouldn't happen for that price.
Decision made I'm going for flyer. Hell with kindle fire,I was only considering it because I don't need high end device for my needs and price was reasonable, but flyer price is reasonable as well and it is so much better. I'm going to buy it in next few days.
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
leyus said:
Check my posts, I actually started thread about all the issues with Sensation, most of them are solved now but they shouldn't happen for that price.
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Its a bit ridiculous to come on here asking if the Flyer will have the same problems as your Sensation, and expect us to dig around in your post history to see what those issues were. If you want you question answered, why not just explain in a sentence or 2 what those issues were?
redpoint73 said:
Its a bit ridiculous to come on here asking if the Flyer will have the same problems as your Sensation, and expect us to dig around in your post history to see what those issues were. If you want you question answered, why not just explain in a sentence or 2 what those issues were?
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I am not sure did you actually read my post?
At which point I asked will my Flyer have same issues as my Sensation? I just mention I had lots of problems with my Sensation and asked did you experienced any problems whatsover with Flyer. Two separed things. I would not expect you to have same problems with Flyer as I had with Sensation, however as I experienced some and I am not the only user who had them with this model I was a little bit afraid of buying HTC device after this. To summarise any problems with Flyer would worry me.
It is not important anymore as I bought HTC Flyer already and I am just waiting for delivery.
I have not wrote thousends of posts so it will not be difficult to find but if you really want to know those were:
1. Screen not working while charging - solved but shoul not be there
2. Terrible battery life (10 - 14 hours on heavy use) that is something, that would not bothere me with tablet, but it was extremely annoying with phone.
3. Clumsy Stock Rom and small choice o Custom Roms at this point - solved, Hypoersensation Rom FTW
4. Few smaller issues
And once again I don't care do you have any of those issues with HTC Flyer, for example second point is unimportant in tablet for me, however before I bought I would like not to have device that again will have more then 2-3 bugs which upset many users and which which you have to fully deal on your own.
leyus said:
I am not sure did you actually read my post?
At which point I asked will my Flyer have same issues as my Sensation? I just mention I had lots of problems with my Sensation and asked did you experienced any problems whatsover with Flyer. Two separed things.
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If that's what you meant, then that is what you should have said, which you clearly did not:
leyus said:
My choice if HTC flyer as it was discounted recently and I'm looking for something in reasonable price. Would you recommend it? I am little bit afraid after I bought HTC sensation. I was really disappointed with various flaws of that device and would rather avoid it happening again so I'm waiting for you're opinion
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To me your OP very much sounds like you were asking if the specific problems on your Sensation applied to the Flyer. Even so, unless a person is pretty familiar with that phone, we would have no idea of the type of magnitude of the problems you were talking about. Give us some frame of reference. And if somebody is trying to help you and answer your question, don't tell them to dig around your post history to gather than information. You want to make it easier for people to help you, not harder.
But to answer your question, now that you've defined it much better: I haven't personally had any significant issues with my Flyer. Not sure what you mean by clumsy stock ROM. But I'm a person that is very willing to switch ROMs to get more features and/or better performance. I probably do so on my phone on average every couple of months, sometimes much more often. I've been very satisfied with the stock Flyer ROM, and haven't had much reason to try changing it, aside from upgrading from GB to HC.
The tablet is really snappy, and does everything well that I use it for (web browsing, reading eBooks and comics, watching video and a little gaming). Its really well built, and have had very little issues of apps freezing or FC. The build quality and feel are really great. Depending on the level of use, I easily get a day out of the battery with moderate use, and 2 days with lighter use.
Of course, with any manufacturing process, there will be occasional defective units. Or fluke issues that some users on here have mentioned, but don't seem widespread. But from spending a good amount of time on these forums, the only real consistent problems with the Flyer I can think of are:
1) Honeycomb upgrade not compatible with some software (particularly some games). Completely depends on what apps you use. It hasn't been an issue to me at all.
2) I had an issue where it would sometimes not connect to my PC over USB, but if I unplugged it, and plugged USB in again, it would connect. It was pretty annoying, as this would happen maybe 50% of the time, and sometimes take multiple attempts of re-plugging in to make it work. But I still would consider this a pretty minor bug. And once I upgraded to HC, this issue completely disappeared.
3) Some people have mentioned slower performance after upgrading to HC. I haven't experienced this at all. The performance is just as snappy as GB on my Flyer. And considering that HC has a bit more animations and still performing as fast as GB, makes me feel that HTC did a good job on the ROM. I upgraded using the "unofficial" globatron method.
redpoint73 said:
If that's what you meant, then that is what you should have said, which you clearly did not:
To me your OP very much sounds like you were asking if the specific problems on your Sensation applied to the Flyer. Even so, unless a person is pretty familiar with that phone, we would have no idea of the type of magnitude of the problems you were talking about. Give us some frame of reference. And if somebody is trying to help you and answer your question, don't tell them to dig around your post history to gather than information. You want to make it easier for people to help you, not harder.
But to answer your question, now that you've defined it much better: I haven't personally had any significant issues with my Flyer. Not sure what you mean by clumsy stock ROM. But I'm a person that is very willing to switch ROMs to get more features and/or better performance. I probably do so on my phone on average every couple of months, sometimes much more often. I've been very satisfied with the stock Flyer ROM, and haven't had much reason to try changing it, aside from upgrading from GB to HC.
The tablet is really snappy, and does everything well that I use it for (web browsing, reading eBooks and comics, watching video and a little gaming). Its really well built, and have had very little issues of apps freezing or FC. The build quality and feel are really great. Depending on the level of use, I easily get a day out of the battery with moderate use, and 2 days with lighter use.
Of course, with any manufacturing process, there will be occasional defective units. Or fluke issues that some users on here have mentioned, but don't seem widespread. But from spending a good amount of time on these forums, the only real consistent problems with the Flyer I can think of are:
1) Honeycomb upgrade not compatible with some software (particularly some games). Completely depends on what apps you use. It hasn't been an issue to me at all.
2) I had an issue where it would sometimes not connect to my PC over USB, but if I unplugged it, and plugged USB in again, it would connect. It was pretty annoying, as this would happen maybe 50% of the time, and sometimes take multiple attempts of re-plugging in to make it work. But I still would consider this a pretty minor bug. And once I upgraded to HC, this issue completely disappeared.
3) Some people have mentioned slower performance after upgrading to HC. I haven't experienced this at all. The performance is just as snappy as GB on my Flyer. And considering that HC has a bit more animations and still performing as fast as GB, makes me feel that HTC did a good job on the ROM. I upgraded using the "unofficial" globatron method.
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Thank you for your answer.
I did not provided what issues I had with Sensation because I did not consider it relevant as my intention was to find out about any issues flyer might have. mentioning my phone was only done to give an example of situation were Htc sold device witch had many unsolved problems and I was trying to avoid that kind of situation again. Anyway my flyer arrived by ***** today and I am quite happy with it do far although I had only about 30 minutes to pay with it.
By clumsy stock ROM I meant that for example sensation was actually working slower (there is many videos on YouTube showing this) then Htc desire because stock ROM was so bad. after todays experience it seems like this is not the case with flyer.
I do change my roms but still there is no reason why Htc would do clumsy software, even if I'm planning to change it then for as you mention better performance a and additional options not because stock one is unbearable.
Thanks once again.
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
leyus said:
By clumsy stock ROM I meant that for example sensation was actually working slower (there is many videos on YouTube showing this) then Htc desire because stock ROM was so bad. after todays experience it seems like this is not the case with flyer.
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Yeah, I don't think you'll have any issues with the snappiness and response of the Flyer in the long term either. The thing just "flies" no matter what I throw at it, whether on GB or HC.
leyus said:
Anyway my flyer arrived by ***** today
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That's no way to talk about your delivery person. LOL
redpoint73 said:
Yeah, I don't think you'll have any issues with the snappiness and response of the Flyer in the long term either. The thing just "flies" no matter what I throw at it, whether on GB or HC.
That's no way to talk about your delivery person. LOL
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***** suppose to mean post, damn auto correction
This device is absolutely awesome. Upgraded to Hc few minutes ago but so far on GB it was best stock ROM I experienced so far with HTC devices (wildfire had too slow -rooted sensation - terrible, rooted, desire HD and s were ok but rooted them anyway with flyer I don't feel tempted to root it because it works so well), everything works ok no issues whatsoever. Awesome device for that money.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using XDA App
redpoint73 said:
That's no way to talk about your delivery person. LOL
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I was gonna ask, which delivery service did you use?
Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium
Best part about the flyer is the pen. Enjoy
GB was better then HC after few days experience, will w8 for root and will go back Except that awesome device.
I'm now afraid to answer you guys from my mobile since I know how auto corrections works
If you find it funny (I do ):
http://www.damnyouautocorrect.com/
I don't want to create a new thread so I hope people don't mind I revive this; on amazon the 16GB Wifi Flyer is £189.99 but a Playbook is 169.99. Now obviously I know the limitations of the Playbook, it has only select Android apps ported/available but it has a dual core CPU.
I'm not desperate to get a tablet but these prices do make it quite attractive (usually you'll get cheapo stuff at this range). Has anyone had experience of both tablets?
Hi all,
I'm in two minds whether or not to get the Flyer...
Do any of you regret purchasing one?
I had the iPad 2 but was bored of not being able to do anything. I then swapped it with my wifes Tab 10.1 but that didn't appeal to me neither....
Help....Please
Depends on your use cases whether you'll be satisfied.
If you describe what you'll use it for it would help us to be able to tell you if it will be a good or a disappointing experience for you.
Butterflygirl probably has the best overall experience of tablets and can probably guide you more than most of us.
To me, the active digitizer is what makes the Flyer special. I need the ability to make quick ink annotations on the fly, and this does it for me. I also own a Thinkpad tablet, but it is way too bulky to carry around. So, if this feature is important for you, I definitely say it's worth it. Just my opinion.
It's just for reading whilst travelling, doodling and web browsing - that's it....
I don't really need one, but ever since I saw the very first promo video, I haven't stopped thinking about it,lol
I use it more than my iPad. I like the size, pen, and reading
Sent from my PG41200 using xda premium
globatron said:
Depends on your use cases whether you'll be satisfied.
If you describe what you'll use it for it would help us to be able to tell you if it will be a good or a disappointing experience for you.
Butterflygirl probably has the best overall experience of tablets and can probably guide you more than most of us.
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I think this means I need to quit shopping
---------- Post added at 08:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 PM ----------
I had an iPad first gen and it was a nice tablet, but I got frustrated with its limitations. I currently have a View, a Flyer a Kindle Fire and an Archos 80. All of them have something that they do better than the others, but my overall favorite is the View/Flyer.
If you want to doodle, then you will probably want the Flyer. It is a great size to carry with you when you travel and the onscreen keyboard is one of the best I have used. It has haptic feedback and directional arrows. I use the pen some. For example, I will use it to take notes at meetings and more recently for annotating pictures of things related to our current home repairs.
The Kindle Fire is also great for reading and surfing, however, unless you root, it is a somewhat limited Android experience. It also lacks BT, GPS and sd card support.
I love my Archos, but it can be a little temperamental, but I can deal with it because I know how to make it behave.
The Flyer has a single core processor but it feels snappier than my other tablets.
To sum it up, I got Flyers for my husband and kids and they are all very happy with them.
I love the size and capabilities of the tablet. Very rarely looking back with regret. Every so often I'd love to have a 10" tablet for movie watching and games, but then I remember I can stuff this thing in my pocket.
butterflygirl said:
I think this means I need to quit shopping
---------- Post added at 08:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 PM ----------
I had an iPad first gen and it was a nice tablet, but I got frustrated with its limitations. I currently have a View, a Flyer a Kindle Fire and an Archos 80. All of them have something that they do better than the others, but my overall favorite is the View/Flyer.
If you want to doodle, then you will probably want the Flyer. It is a great size to carry with you when you travel and the onscreen keyboard is one of the best I have used. It has haptic feedback and directional arrows. I use the pen some. For example, I will use it to take notes at meetings and more recently for annotating pictures of things related to our current home repairs.
The Kindle Fire is also great for reading and surfing, however, unless you root, it is a somewhat limited Android experience. It also lacks BT, GPS and sd card support.
I love my Archos, but it can be a little temperamental, but I can deal with it because I know how to make it behave.
The Flyer has a single core processor but it feels snappier than my other tablets.
To sum it up, I got Flyers for my husband and kids and they are all very happy with them.
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Thank you....It's getting delivered Friday
Iv never regretted getting mine. I do a lot of city travelling and its an ideal size to whip out on the bus/tube/train. A 10" struck me as too large, and watching people trying to balance their ipads and xooms on the tube is amusing. The pen and the excellent Notes app (if you use evernote daily as I do) is a great bonus.
As a counter argument the implementation of honeycomb i thought was poor (Why would I want a half-page news widget on a 7" screen?) i went back to gingerbread.
purchased mine for $299. Would not pay $600+ for a tablet so this price range brought me in. The fact that it was made by a quality producer like HTC also made a big difference. I do not think you are truely getting something that is equal to an Ipad 2, but at half the price why would you expect it. I find IOS to be boring, and it does not suite my personal usage. The Flyer is, in my opinion one of the better Android Tablets available. The smaller screen size allows it to actually be more portable, as a tablet should be otherwist just bring a laptop with you. The 1.5ghz processor gives you a snapier experience than most dual core tabs. The pen adds a nice functionality either for novelty, or for work/school. The only thing to consider is if you like sense or not. It does slow things down from time to time in my opinion but I like the feel and the functionality of it so it is more a win for me.
I should point out that I have the 3g/GSM model, not the US Wifi. I wanted something I could use as a phone, which further sets the Flyer apart from other tablets (save possibly the Viewsonic 7x if it ever ships). So my experience is a little different in that I was looking for more than most of the tablets out there deliver. The Viewsonic vPad7 was ok, but ran out of memory on me *way* too quickly.
Because this was also an unlocked GSM phone, my price point wasn't exactly $299, and I'm still a mostly satisfied customer. Now if only ICS was officially available for this bad boy...
Thank you everyone for the info....
It's arrived and I have S-Off'd it before I've even used it
I've not searched through the forum much as I thought I would ask you lot first as you seem to know what you're all talking about,
what ROM's are you running or what ROM have you found the best so far.
My model is the 3G/GSM model!
Thanks again
depends on HC or GB and what you are looking for.
If you are on HC and do not like sense
desensified or Honeypot
If on HC and like sense and want HW buttons and ability to make calls
LeeDroid
If on GB I can not advise as I have not had GB on my device for some time
mcord11758 said:
depends on HC or GB and what you are looking for.
If you are on HC and do not like sense
desensified or Honeypot
If on HC and like sense and want HW buttons and ability to make calls
LeeDroid
If on GB I can not advise as I have not had GB on my device for some time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.....will give them a go
kurtish said:
Thank you everyone for the info....
It's arrived and I have S-Off'd it before I've even used it
I've not searched through the forum much as I thought I would ask you lot first as you seem to know what you're all talking about,
what ROM's are you running or what ROM have you found the best so far.
My model is the 3G/GSM model!
Thanks again
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Click to collapse
Personally I think gingerbread suits the flyer a lot better than honeycomb. i like Sense a lot and I didnt think Sense for tablet HC was very good. I'd recommend LeeDroid GB, which suits me great.
That said, going back and forth from GB to HC, I thought was a lot harder than similar procedures on my phone so that may be a factor.
BishopBlaize said:
Personally I think gingerbread suits the flyer a lot better than honeycomb. i like Sense a lot and I didnt think Sense for tablet HC was very good. I'd recommend LeeDroid GB, which suits me great.
That said, going back and forth from GB to HC, I thought was a lot harder than similar procedures on my phone so that may be a factor.
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I'd agree with this. I started with a stock GB. S-Off and installed LeeDroid HC, but found that HC with Sense didn't feel right. The software buttons were distracting (although I found out later you can remove them). I went back to LeeDroid's GB and have used it ever since at 1.8Ghz.
The process to flash back and forth because of the different HBoot versions, radios, etc. is more hassle than it's worth. I just tried HC because I thought it would make a difference, but I ended up on LeeDroid's GB.
If/when ICS is released, I'll give it a try.