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
Click to expand...
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
***** 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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Related
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
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
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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?
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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.
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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.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Five months on from buying this machine, I am still majorly impressed and excited by it. I don't think there is a better 7 inch device out there for user experience. I have spent hours checking out other tablets - particularly Samsung 7.7, 7 plus (owned), Sony S (own) and IPad and I always come back to this beast.
Was hesitant to switch to Honeycomb, but now, no regrets. Minimal / no freezes, great display, very user friendly keyboard and editing, unrivalled animation, fast, top design (consider the placement of volume to power buttons on this, compared to samsung's awkward button positioning) and great sound. Forgot to mention, the price is now irresistible. The only issue is the damn battery.
For me, the Flyer is a hit, big time. Interested to know what other long term users think...
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
Well I just got mine today very impressed with it and the spen this is a keeper and I have had a lot of tablets too many to mention.
whmcal said:
Five months on from buying this machine, I am still majorly impressed and excited by it. I don't think there is a better 7 inch device out there for user experience. I have spent hours checking out other tablets - particularly Samsung 7.7, 7 plus (owned), Sony S (own) and IPad and I always come back to this beast.
Was hesitant to switch to Honeycomb, but now, no regrets. Minimal / no freezes, great display, very user friendly keyboard and editing, unrivalled animation, fast, top design (consider the placement of volume to power buttons on this, compared to samsung's awkward button positioning) and great sound. Forgot to mention, the price is now irresistible. The only issue is the damn battery.
For me, the Flyer is a hit, big time. Interested to know what other long term users think...
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the price, this is the absolute best 7" Android tablet.
whmcal said:
Five months on from buying this machine, I am still majorly impressed and excited by it. I don't think there is a better 7 inch device out there for user experience. I have spent hours checking out other tablets - particularly Samsung 7.7, 7 plus (owned), Sony S (own) and IPad and I always come back to this beast.
Was hesitant to switch to Honeycomb, but now, no regrets. Minimal / no freezes, great display, very user friendly keyboard and editing, unrivalled animation, fast, top design (consider the placement of volume to power buttons on this, compared to samsung's awkward button positioning) and great sound. Forgot to mention, the price is now irresistible. The only issue is the damn battery.
For me, the Flyer is a hit, big time. Interested to know what other long term users think...
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I absolutely loooooove my flyer . I got the best buy wifi version when it first came out. And even though i may have over-payed for it i still love it. Really the n-trig feature is what set this apart from all of the other tablets. Without this feature i really couldn't justify this purchase to my wife (she figured it was just another gadget that i wanted). Then after i got it my wife fell in love with the functionality of it and got one herself. Then after that i had at least ten to fifteen coworkers and friends who purchased the flyer/view (even converted some from the dreaded Ipad). However, only one of them actually makes use of XDA and i highly doubt any of them makes use of or cherishes their tablet as much as i do). I know there are those that don't prefer honeycomb but when I switched to it (many thanks to Globatron) to me it opened up even that much more functionality of the tablet (I don't really play games on it). i I also like the current development that has been going on (really looking forward to ICS). Even though I continue to research the upcoming tablets (after all I am still a gadget guy) i don't see myself replacing my flyer any time soon. The only thing I may be interested in is the Galaxy Note due to it being a phone and only as a supplement to my flyer not as a replacement (i really don't want anything over the seven inch form factor). So to summarize as far as i am concern and for my purposes NOTHING BEATS THE FLYER.
If you can buy something like this and still love it five months on then it really says something, prices are going down so quick and devices getting faster/smaller.
Personally I bought mine when the UK price went down to £230, half-price, and I still love it, would be great if it were thinner & therefore lighter - I'll keep it for the next 18 months and then swap out. In this world today keeping such a gadget for about 2 years is a major success.
Versus an ipad2, ignoring cost, do I still think the Flyer is the better choice? The Flyer wins because of the pen - for me both devices are great for movies and games, but when it comes to making quick sketches in meetings Flyer wins hands-down, those "capacitive pens" I see people using with the ipad are a complete joke.
I am happy with my flyer, but maybe not so much with htc. 6 months into having the device I still enjoy it and have avoided any other device purchases since. htc and their failure to market/support the device would probably prevent me from ever buying one of their devices again. If I had paid full price for my flyer I probably would be pissed.
Flyer
I guess I didn't pay full price either, that's probably why I think this is such a great bargain for all that it does. I cannot believe I forgot to mention how good the pen was! I have the Galaxy Note too. However, for annotation and document highlighting, I only use the flyer. I agree though, that HTC could pull their finger out in terms of support for what is still a relatively new device.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
I just bought a Transformer TF300, so that means I'll probably be using my Flyer a bit less when I'm at home. But the Flyer goes with me everywhere, so she'll still see lots of love (at work, for instance).
At any rate, after 9 months of ownership I still think it's a fabulous device, and am still very impressed with the build quality. No regrets and no immediate plans to upgrade to a newer, faster 7" tablet. Yeah, the day will come, but I'm on no hurry.
i've had it since january, and i still love it. use it almost daily, get great battery life out of it, and i love using the pen to take notes instead of misplacing a bunch of little sticky notes!
A few months ago I sold a 7" 64GB Playbook (for a profit) and bought a used 32GB 3G Flyer.
My personal experience is that the Playbook is very good for watching movies. Linking the Playbook to an TV with an HDMI port was also straight forward (just plug it in) so a great media device.
However, I needed a device that had 3G and turn by turn navigation. The Playbook did not provide either of these so I bought the Flyer.
I then found out the the GPS signal on the Flyer looses lock and it cannot find my bluetooth GPS module. Therefore, it does not fulfill one of my principle requirement. Also getting the Flyer to display a movie on a TV is a real pain compared to the Playbook. So for displaying to a TV, the Playbook is better.
The pen on the Flyer is a huge hit with my young daughter. It will keep her happy for hours on a long trip.
So my conclusion
I like the Flyer, it is well made, has a good screen and a good size. Overall I prefer it to the Playbook.
But it is not perfect.
Had mine for about 8 months now or so. Generally very happy with it.
Certainly 7" is the size for me. 10" is a housebound form factor as far as I'm concerned, watching people trying to watch their iPad while standing on the tube or train is amusing.
That said, I thought Sense for Honeycomb was poor. I went back to Gingerbread, tho I noticed that there are several ICS ports around so I may try one of those.
I also feel like the scene is moving so fast that devices generally have really short lifespans at the moment, in terms of official and community support. We might see 2 more Android versions by the time the device starts getting out of date in terms of tech - I doubt they're gonna come to the Flyer, which means apps and services might not be available for an otherwise viable device.
All in all tho, well worth the investment.
I think I would of gotten the galaxy tab 7.0 plus if i had to do it again. I wanted a honeycomb tablet for around $200 to $300 and i saw the flyer had good specs and honeycomb and went for it. Didn't realize how much the honeycomb update ruins the thing. Now I'm back on gingerbread and while it runs alot better, gingerbread just isn't meant for tablets.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using XDA
I've had mine 10 days shy of a year (purchased May 26, 2011)
The main problem i see is with software support. HTC really dropped the ball by releasing a beta version of HC as the official update. I call it beta due to the gps bug...
If I had to do it over again, I'd have a Samsung or acer 7" tab instead. ICS isn't necessary, just something that works as intended.
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That's kinda my thoughts. If hc worked fine I'd be happy with it but it doesn't. It's like taking an old pc and putting vista on it
People say it's just business and I understand not giving us ics because of cost but leaving our tabs in the shape they are is just unacceptable. No reason why they can't just patch honeycomb imo. Personally they better just stay out of the tablet market from now on because I can't speak for everyone but I wouldn't buy another htc tablet!
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using XDA
In the 7 inch market,,the flyer definitely rocks! I had been researching various tablets prior to the flyer's release and had all ready decided it was the one I wanted.
I had been a fan of HTC products for awhile. Their devices are solid and built to last. After owning a flyer for over a year it still works and feels like new. Nothing rattles or is loose in any way.
The processor isn't the fastest but still works great. For me the major selling points where the large capacity battery (4000 mAh) and the scribe pen.
My line of work invloves a lot of handwritten notes and sketches. Nothing even comes close to the flyer.
In addition the size of the flyer is extremely portable and can go with me anywhere. I wish HTC had better support of their tablets, that's my only gripe. Fortunately developers on xda will always find a way.
Sent from my HTC Flyer using xda premium
rangergm said:
In the 7 inch market,,the flyer definitely rocks! I had been researching various tablets prior to the flyer's release and had all ready decided it was the one I wanted.
I had been a fan of HTC products for awhile. Their devices are solid and built to last. After owning a flyer for over a year it still works and feels like new. Nothing rattles or is loose in any way.
The processor isn't the fastest but still works great. For me the major selling points where the large capacity battery (4000 mAh) and the scribe pen.
My line of work invloves a lot of handwritten notes and sketches. Nothing even comes close to the flyer.
In addition the size of the flyer is extremely portable and can go with me anywhere. I wish HTC had better support of their tablets, that's my only gripe. Fortunately developers on xda will always find a way.
Sent from my HTC Flyer using xda premium
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Overriding theme seems to be that this is a fantastic tablet, with good durability. However, HTC support (or lack of it) leaves a bitter taste
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
whmcal said:
Overriding theme seems to be that this is a fantastic tablet, with good durability. However, HTC support (or lack of it) leaves a bitter taste
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using xda premium
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This is my feelings. Like the product but the company appears to not have a clue
That's really my thoughts. It's an excellent tablet and honestly its perfect on gingerbread, but to get the extra features honeycomb brings your sacrificing usability and stability. HTC left it in a bad place and wants to pretend it never existed. And now they are banking their whole future on the one series, and already hearing things about it like screwed up multitasking, battery life issues etc. And beats audio... Who cares really? My phone has it and its alot of money spent for an autotuned equalizer setting that only works with wired headphones, which does me no good anyway because I'm using a stereo bluetooth headset. HTC is clueless. They can yield good quality products but they can't support them to save their lives. And the flyer was purely a victim to bad marketing.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using XDA
I love it . I have several tablets and this View works great for me. I use the pen and lecture notes all day long and have the sprint $20 plan when I an not near wifi. I also use google voice so I can have the tablet be a phone too which works great on the plane too.
I can't imagine what features I would want that I don't have with the View.
I am excited about the windows 8 tablets but until then I am good to go. I actually bought two Views...one for backup.
Cor-master said:
That's kinda my thoughts. If hc worked fine I'd be happy with it but it doesn't. It's like taking an old pc and putting vista on it
People say it's just business and I understand not giving us ics because of cost but leaving our tabs in the shape they are is just unacceptable. No reason why they can't just patch honeycomb imo. Personally they better just stay out of the tablet market from now on because I can't speak for everyone but I wouldn't buy another htc tablet!
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using XDA
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Click to collapse
I think HTC would respond better for a GPS fix in honeycomb rather than everyone begging for ICS because that just won't happen from HTC.
How much faster is Nexus 7 compare to HTC Flyer for real world usage.
I've been using Flyer for about a year now and it's seem to be very slow to me, especially when surfing websites.
Can Nexus handle flash better with Quad cores and all?
I want to know if it worth giving away my Flyer and buy Nexus 7. If it's not too much different, then I'll just keep the flyer.
I've had both and TBH with my Flyer being overclocked to 1.84 GHZ I can notice no difference between the two in smoothness when browsing, tweeting, reading..etc
That said though, JB and quad core does make a difference ofcourse, especially when games are concerned.
Sent from my HTC Rezound using Tapatalk 2
echaru said:
How much faster is Nexus 7 compare to HTC Flyer for real world usage.
I've been using Flyer for about a year now and it's seem to be very slow to me, especially when surfing websites.
Can Nexus handle flash better with Quad cores and all?
I want to know if it worth giving away my Flyer and buy Nexus 7. If it's not too much different, then I'll just keep the flyer.
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I don't know about the Nexus 7, but for your Flyer, you may want to try the Puffin Browser off of the Android Market/Google Play before you buy another tablet. It sped my web surfing up tremendously. The company suggests trying the free version of the app first.
Also, u may want to search Nexus 7 + flash. I've read that it doesn't natively support flash (not certain), but hopefully that's nothing that a downloaded app can't fix.
I have great browsing with Boat browser.
Trust me its a huge speed difference. You guys saying its barely noticeable are just lieing to yourselves. Its like comparing choppiness to butter. Yea there similar alright. Cmon now.
Aside from speed the flyer has a full 7 inch screen in complete use (gingerbread only) and a nice pen function going for it.
yeah gotta agree with you. nexus 7 is faster. That feeling when I use my brother's Nexus7 and then i go back using my flyer ><
flipflop87 said:
yeah gotta agree with you. nexus 7 is faster. That feeling when I use my brother's Nexus7 and then i go back using my flyer ><
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Im in the EXACT situation haha
Flyer good...Nexus incredible!
I've had my Flyer for over a year and have been fighting rom issues since then, it is workable (except GPS...Shame on you HTC for not fixing this!). Side by side -I've had my Nexus for 3 days now, the nexus screen is brighter,better contrast- whites now look slightly yellowed on the Flyer. Nexus speed is much better(expected), BT, GPS, & WiFi all operate flawlessly. I am using a usb adaptor cable from Amazon ($2.00)! to further expand storage and also connects to other devices for file transfer and viewing.Battery life on the Flyer was a solid 4.5 hours with constant video loop running- I expect 2/3 to twice the run time with the Nexus. I have a rooted-32g Nexus...couldn't be happier at this point!
Final note- I side loaded Flash and it works well with Firefox Beta.:fingers-crossed: Update:Boat browser is very fast and stable, I usually have to reboot my Flyer a couple of times a day due to lag or sometimes freezing...not so with the Nexus.
The two aren't even comparable. The N7 blows the flyer/view4g away in every aspect. I have the Veiw4g and the N7, and I don't even use the view anymore. It's so slow and crappy, it's not even worth it. If you are thinking about getting the N7, just do it. The flyer is dated now, and it's not going to get any fast no matter what you do.
Oh, and as far as media consumption goes, the N7 can actually handle everything I throw at it. I can't even watch my vulkano in anything more than low res on the view. But the N7 I can put it to it's highest quality setting and it works great. Same with Hulu, and Netflix. As well as streamed content from my HTPC.
I've played with the N7 at stores and it's pretty nice.
If Someone gave me one for free, I probably would use my flyer drastically less.
However, as much as I want project butter on my flyer I find that it would probably be a waste of money for me to personally upgrade. I'll still do the same stuff with either device.. Browse web, facebook, read books, and avoid pulling out a netbook when I can. So it raises the question why upgrade if I have a perfectly working device?
1454 said:
The two aren't even comparable. The N7 blows the flyer/view4g away in every aspect. I have the Veiw4g and the N7, and I don't even use the view anymore. It's so slow and crappy, it's not even worth it. If you are thinking about getting the N7, just do it. The flyer is dated now, and it's not going to get any fast no matter what you do.
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You sir are corect N7 blows but not Flyer away but simply BLOWS; with no SD card, no stereo sound, no vibra, no front camera, no pen, no HW buttons; so wjhat extra from cpu and scree is there left at all? No sim?
So that means:
limited to no small amount of space
Cant do videocalls (good luck with mirrors)
No silent alert wheil in classes, meetings ect...
Less screen
ect ect...
For mine usage of device it BLOWS unlike Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 wich is quite nice; more up to date device then Flyer and has that "magic" JB/ICS, wich Flyer doesent; but even with the JB ports we do have for Flyer we have more working hardware then Nexus have. And good luck with rearlly suported tegra games.
jprednik said:
You sir are corect N7 blows but not Flyer away but simply BLOWS; with no SD card, no stereo sound, no vibra, no front camera, no pen, no HW buttons; so wjhat extra from cpu and scree is there left at all? No sim?
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Umm, they are coming out with a 3g N7, you realize that, right? The sound between the two is comparable, as I HAVE both. Is having vibrate really necessary on a tablet? And it has a front camera, just no rear camera? I'm beginning to wonder if you have even used the device. It has a front camera specifically for video calls. HW buttons are a matter of preference, but not a necessity. The pen I will give you, but when you can't even get HTC to FIX the crap they broke with the update, IT"S NOT WORTH DEALING WITH IT. I will never own another HTC device after HTC screwed us over on the tablets. (not to mention the year wait on getting ICS on my old Tbolt, or 8 months for the rezound I bought) The SD card missing is a downer, but there are many workarounds that it's not a total loss. There is WIFI storage sharing (so I can use the 80GB I have on my phone between it's 64GB sd and 16 internal) Then there is USB OTG.
So that means:
limited to no small amount of spaceYou are not limited, just not as easy to add storage as with the flyer/View
Cant do videocalls (good luck with mirrors)This is just flat wrong
No silent alert wheil in classes, meetings ect... Really? It doesn't have a LED, but it does still "alert", just on screen. How many alerts do you have set up on your tab? I have almost none. Mostly calendar appt's and such.
Less screenHow? If there is a difference(16:9 vs 16:10) its a matter of a .1 inch or so.
ect ect...
For mine usage of device it BLOWS unlike Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 wich is quite nice; more up to date device then Flyer and has that "magic" JB/ICS, wich Flyer doesent; but even with the JB ports we do have for Flyer we have more working hardware then Nexus have. And good luck with rearlly suported tegra games.
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I don't play games, but I haven't seen anything it can't do yet. I would like to know how you figure there is more working hardware on the JB ports to the flyer/view than the N7? You have a rear camera/SD card. that's it. I have both. (actually, I have all three. View/Flyer/N7. The flyer is my Fiancees. and I have the View/N7.
Snow_fox said:
I've played with the N7 at stores and it's pretty nice.
If Someone gave me one for free, I probably would use my flyer drastically less.
However, as much as I want project butter on my flyer I find that it would probably be a waste of money for me to personally upgrade. I'll still do the same stuff with either device.. Browse web, facebook, read books, and avoid pulling out a netbook when I can. So it raises the question why upgrade if I have a perfectly working device?
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i am in the same exact situation. i have a device that serves my needs (well i could benefit from bluetooth on the JB rom) and i keep looking for reasons to justify upgrading
1454 said:
Umm, they are coming out with a 3g N7, you realize that, right?
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cool but there is still non so it even lacks on 3g wich i didnt listed...
1454 said:
The sound between the two is comparable, as I HAVE both.
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is comperable ofc but when u cant hear diference between stereo and mono i would recomend some examination of hearing
1454 said:
Is having vibrate really necessary on a tablet?
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yes i need it badlly as i use mine 7'' tab for phone functionalities as well
1454 said:
And it has a front camera, just no rear camera? I'm beginning to wonder if you have even used the device. It has a front camera specifically for video calls.
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I dont owe device i used it once when i was deciding wich second tab to buy and i decided for Samsung Galaxy 2 7''. Sorry since i forgot wich camera it does not have; but point stays - lacks on camera. Now ask me if we need it.. Do we need a tab?
1454 said:
HW buttons are a matter of preference, but not a necessity.
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As nothing is NECESSERY - i simply love them and missing them on SGTAB 2. Hiting HOME when u in full scree app helps a lot with time and pressing.
1454 said:
The pen I will give you, but when you can't even get HTC to FIX the crap they broke with the update, IT"S NOT WORTH DEALING WITH IT. I will never own another HTC device after HTC screwed us over on the tablets. (not to mention the year wait on getting ICS on my old Tbolt, or 8 months for the rezound I bought)
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U think i am happy with that?
1454 said:
The SD card missing is a downer, but there are many workarounds that it's not a total loss. There is WIFI storage sharing (so I can use the 80GB I have on my phone between it's 64GB sd and 16 internal) Then there is USB OTG.
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Workaraund - i have superfast internet wire and PC to browse fast... What has that to do with mine Flyer or N7?
1454 said:
I don't play games, but I haven't seen anything it can't do yet.
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I cant give u sdcard to share u mine documents with is prity common on all mobiel devices. U cant film your gf or take pic of her, u cant draw or handwrite, no way to listen to quality music since onlly suporting 1 chanel insted of minimum 2 for stereo.
1454 said:
I would like to know how you figure there is more working hardware on the JB ports to the flyer/view than the N7? You have a rear camera/SD card. that's it. I have both. (actually, I have all three. View/Flyer/N7. The flyer is my Fiancees. and I have the View/N7.
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CORECTOMUNDO - u did figure it already with rear camera working SD slot but u forgot the pen and hw buttons we have stereo sound as well on JB and vibra working. All this is working on Flyer loaded with JB and is something N7 wont EVER have. Never Ever.
All i am saying is for what i need tab N7 sucks. Now if your onlly use of tab is a bit faster browsing i guess N7 is a winer buy. I unfortunally expect more. And there is much N7 does simplly not offer. Its not cheap for no reason I wont go into ghosting and cracking screens...
Fix your English before you try to argue with a whole essay.
j510 said:
Fix your English before you try to argue with a whole essay.
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Right under his name it says "Location: Velenje"
I'm guessing his main language isn't english.
Pro-tip: Don't ask him to fix his english.
GMAN1722 said:
i am in the same exact situation. i have a device that serves my needs (well i could benefit from bluetooth on the JB rom) and i keep looking for reasons to justify upgrading
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Yeah, I still honestly love the build quality on the flyer and it still has a relatively nice screen.
Since you are on the JB rom, I need to ask did they get the screen to turn off properly yet? That was the only thing holding me back personally. As long as it has good battery life I am really considering using it.
j510 said:
Fix your English before you try to argue with a whole essay.
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Not arguing just saying mine points about flyer and n7 since some overrating and only a few good points about n7 beeing presented wheil only bad ones about flyer beeing pointed out. Looking forward to hear from you and where i posted any missleads or lies or non valid points.
As for mine english : yes i could put more time into what i am posting but hey looks like u understand right. Hows your Slovenian? I did something in mine life to understand u, what u did to understand me?
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk 2
Snow_fox said:
Yeah, I still honestly love the build quality on the flyer and it still has a relatively nice screen.
Since you are on the JB rom, I need to ask did they get the screen to turn off properly yet? That was the only thing holding me back personally. As long as it has good battery life I am really considering using it.
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Click to collapse
if you are referring to the backlight remaining on after locking the screen - it still occurs quite often. however, if i turn it on and off a few times it eventually completely turns off (can be quite annoying) i am really not sure of the battery life as i basically keep the flyer charged.
P.S. I recently had a few random reboots ( but only once while I was actually using it ) and it won't play HD YouTube - not that big o f a deal to me
Nah