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Hi all,
I know the G tab has been out since late last year...
And I know that after I root and rom it, this thing will be amazing.
But am I too late for the party? Is it worth it to buy one now? Or should I just wait at this point to see if something better is coming out... I have not been researching tablets as much as phones lately.
oresteez said:
Hi all,
I know the G tab has been out since late last year...
And I know that after I root and rom it, this thing will be amazing.
But am I too late for the party? Is it worth it to buy one now? Or should I just wait at this point to see if something better is coming out... I have not been researching tablets as much as phones lately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a good question. The G-Tab is a sweet tablet for the price point, it will get its best shot at Honeycomb next week, when Notion Ink drops a first party release of Honeycomb for the Adam (which shares a lot of similar elements to our tablet).
That being said, everyone who currently owns a tablet (except for the Transformer and the NEW Galaxy Tab 10.1) is paying the early adopter price. Android isn't 100% there yet, but if you own an Android phone you know this. For me, I absolutely love Gingerbread (2.3.3) on my Droid X, and I loved 2.3.4 on my Droid 1; it's a complete enough OS for me now. Honeycomb 3.1 feels much better than 3.0 as well.
Tegra 3 (Kal-El) is right around the corner, and will probably come in at a $400.00 price point. Qualcomm is shooting for 4-core tablet processors by the end of the year (Q4). Also, we're expecting to see Ice Cream / Ice Cream Sandwich (next Android version, for both tablet and phone) in late Q3.
If you can wait, wait. if not, get a G-Tab. Something like a Xoom is not worth the premium over the G-Tab, even for a nicer screen.
It is an excellent question, but you really have to understand your own tech preferences to know for sure.
The GTAB's main cons right now are the screen angles (most likely unfixable) and the stock software. For the latter, there are many mods you can use, but if you are looking for a HC port it's not quite there yet - we're hoping that will change soon.
Its pros are price. For $125 less than a Transformer, you can get a device that's comparable in speed and might be comparable in software, in the near future. But you are in the hands of the modding community since the vendor seems to have abandoned the device.
There will always be the next best thing, around the corner. So it's a really a question of price and whether or not the device serves your purposes at that price.
I'm confident that this device is more than capable of doing what I want to do.
Mostly web browsing.
Some games.
Perhaps Facebook games.
youtube, flash, netflix if possible.
I'm not going to use it for work, and start editting documents, etc.
I'm going to check out one at Sears possibly today and see if the viewing angles are an issue.
I think the main reason I'm worried about something new coming out, is because of the chance the modding community might move on to the next device. haha
Also a valid point to consider. I can't speak for everyone here, but for myself I plan to pull back after this month. Not so much because the GTAB isn't a good device to mod anymore, but for personal reasons (taking a break from modding tablets, in general - will still have my GTAB but will be less focused on it, that's all).
There was a bit of a lull last month, but there's still activity right now in development as new devs have popped up as some of the older devs/modders have moved on it seems. So, it's hard to say what will happen in a few months, but right now there's still some activity. I think that will continue until the Notion Ink HC port shows up and it's ported over to the GTAB (we hope).
Great info in these posts as i'm in the same situation as the original poster. Currently an ipad user but would like to try an android tablet on the "cheap". Unfortunately, there isn't any retailer nearby carrying the tablet so i cant see how bad the viewing angles are first hand. Is the screen good straight on?
Elroyy said:
Great info in these posts as i'm in the same situation as the original poster. Currently an ipad user but would like to try an android tablet on the "cheap". Unfortunately, there isn't any retailer nearby carrying the tablet so i cant see how bad the viewing angles are first hand. Is the screen good straight on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever used a netbook before? The screen is a typical netbook screen. Straight on and 45 degrees each way looks fine. From up above viewing angle will go to almost 90 degrees without the loss of quality. From below anything beyond 45 degrees and you will lose the colors.
There are also some nice youtube video comparisons between the G-Tablet and iPad. One in particular shows the differences in the viewing angles. You'll know which one I'm talking about becuase the creator uses his daughter's iPad, with her "Hello Kitty" wallpaper on it...
(in my opinion though, how can you see the superiority of a screen that has Hello Kitty on it, lol)
The viewing angles are bad, but, I VERY rarely need to share the screen or find myself in a position where the screen is hard to see. sure, other devices have screens with better angles, but how often do you browse the web or watch a movie at an 80 degree angle from a personal device?
I love this tablet. I bought a leather case from electronic crap dot com and its like carrying around a journal. Easy to carry, I play games on it and I log into my computer at work from it all the time.
I agree, there always something better around the corner, but this tab has a great price point and there are lots of stable and highly usable roms.
Bottom line is you don't get this tablet because its the latest and greatest. You gt it because its way cheaper than other tabs with the same power.
Thanks everyone. I do have a netbook, never really had issues with the screen. I also saw that video with the hello kitty screen saver. Straight on, i'm guessing the screen is pretty decent.
You will be happier spending a bit more on the crop of Honeycomb tablets released this year. The first time you flip your gTab around to show someone something on the screen, only to see that person moving his or her head around with a look of stern concentration on their face, desperately trying to find the right angle to see what the hell you're trying to show them, you'll wish you had forked over their extra $100 or so for a better screen. You may think, "Oh I'll never do that, I'll always just be looking at it straight on with no deviation!" but you'll find out soon enough that's not the case.
That's just one example. There are other solitary situations where the screen won't be at the sweet-spot angle -- for example, my Transformer is sitting on my desk here at work, propped up in its case, but it's behind me and to the right, and still looks great. I often reach back and press the power switch to get a quick look at my email or whatnot. The gTab would require me to move directly in front of it to get a good view.
gTab was a good starter tablet when the only other option was a $700 Xoom. With the cheaper tablets being released, its value has decreased greatly. But if you only have $275 or whatever to spend, and can't afford $125 more, then I guess it's your best option for a 10.1" Android tablet.
Hi my 2 cents...
Having used the G-tab for about 4+ months; my recommendation is to wait (if you can). My biggest gripe is the screen (both resolution and viewing angles).
I use it primarily as a media consumption device...watching videos, games, browsing and reading books (in that order)
videos - if I have an option (pc or tv near by) i chose them as the resolution on G-tab is not good. HD videos are choppy (I have tried a few mods but all more or less same)
Games - this is good no complaints
Browsing - this does not have 3g so without wifi its useless. I tether using my iphone, which is cumbersome but works
Reading books - good; but the screen is useless outside (unless its night or cloudy)
This is a great device to buy cheap and beat the crap out of it...(software wise). I also owned an ipad and adam and they also have their own problems.
My first Android tablet is Gtab because it is cheaper and has good performance compared to other 10" tablet in the market. For 10" size tablet, if you have up to $300 budget, Gtab was a good starter tablet (with Xda support). If you have up to $400 to spend, ASUS transformer is not bad. If you have more than $500, of course, you will have more choices. So it depend on your budget.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think this would be a good, cheap way to get into Android tablets. I would still have my ipad as a backup.
asdf73 said:
videos - if I have an option (pc or tv near by) i chose them as the resolution on G-tab is not good. HD videos are choppy (I have tried a few mods but all more or less same)
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I'm willing to bet you only tried the ginger based ones. Those don't have hw acceleration, so HD vids are choppy. The froyo ones, especially the ones based off of TnT, are pretty smooth.
My recommendation to the OP is if you're going to get the gtab please please please go to my website and read it. And if you're going to compare it to the ipad, please stick with froyo. It is not the latest and greatest, but it certainly is stable and fast.
I was thinking about TF or GT10.1 but non of HC based tablets supports Netflix as for the moment... Well, paying $125 or more in case of GT10.1 for not been able to watch Netflix in my opinion is just wrong.
No doubt, IPS or better screen is a must for photo-frames.
All in all there are no perfect tablet as of now but hopefully we will get there...
I went to Office Depot today to see the screen.
I didn't think it was as bad as what everyone is saying.
Sure, its not as nice as an iPad screen...but its potentially almost half the price...
I don't mind that tradeoff... I'm looking at buying it used anyway. I figured that's the best way to break into the tablet realm and not have any regret about not waiting..
oresteez said:
I went to Office Depot today to see the screen.
I didn't think it was as bad as what everyone is saying.
Sure, its not as nice as an iPad screen...but its potentially almost half the price...
I don't mind that tradeoff... I'm looking at buying it used anyway. I figured that's the best way to break into the tablet realm and not have any regret about not waiting..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I sent you a private message. PEACE!!
I highly NOT recommend buying the G Tablet. It has nothing to do with the viewing angles.
The reasons why I would tell people to stay away from the tablet are the following:
1) Viewsonic released the damn thing and then basicaly orphaned it immediately. The result is a lack of software libraries needed for development, and the implications are inferior mods with more limited capabilities. As far as I'm aware, there are no Gingerbread roms that truly support HD or fully support graphics hardware acceleration. And getting Honeycomb on the damn thing has been a Promethian effort. All Honeycomb mods are in alpha, and there's hardly any guarantee that any will ever be fully functioning.
2) The bulky design is far from a joy to hold in your hands. It makes it unpleasant to use the touchscreen while holding it, making both gameplay and activities like typing more difficult.
3) Others may disagree with me, but software on the tablet has always acted jerky and has always been slow. It completely lacks the smoothness of other devices, and sometimes it's hard to believe that you're actually using a comparartively (for price vs. power) powerful piece of hardware with dual core processor and not something that feels like it barely has the computational power to run your web browser or word processor (however, it does handle graphics rendering as well as it should).
Maybe I'm overly pessimistic, but I cannot imagine an application for which the G Tablet could be at all recommended. I would highly advise looking elsewhere for an entry level Android device, or wait for the new batch of Honeycomb tablets which will roll into stores very soon.
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...
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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.
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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.
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
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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.
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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!
-------------------------------
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!
-------------------------------
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.
We all have flyers and we love them. I have this question. If you root your flyer and then upgrade the os to ICS, jelly bean and beyond. What would it take for you to want to replace it? What would htc have to do in terms of hardware upgrades, besides the obvious one of putting a multi core processor,or maybe adding gorilla glass to make you pull the trigger on the next one? The prospect of a 7" ipad has me intrigued, but even with that I wonder what I would do with my flyer besides make it an alarm clock and then all the apps i would put it , i am back to wanting to carry it with me again. And that has me seriously considering getting another flyer in case I screw the first one up, trying to root it
The next round of tablets will have at least double the screen resolution of the current, so I would probably move to the larger 10" +, except, see my signature below to find out why I probably won't be interested in future tablets even with faster hardware and better screens.
7-8" screen, internal GPS, $200-300 price point and has support longer than launch day. That's all I look for.
Samsung Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S not getting ICS due to Touchwiz bloat.
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/23/2657132/samsung-no-ics-upgrade-for-galaxy-s-and-galaxy-tab
LOL
same excuse as HTC.............
it'd take a lot for me to go above a 7" tablet...i had a 10" and it was simply way too big
thinner and lighter would have me salivating for an upgrade, though i don't yet feel the need to update my tablet as often as my phone...so it may be the next iteration for me, not the ones directly coming up
actually, there are so many things i DON'T need in a tablet that i'd probably be happy with one of the $100 ebay ripoffs, but i'm too much of a consumer to have one...lol
Im still for the most part very happy with my flyer. esp with the advent of custom roms and oc/uv has made this thing just a treat to play around with. I'm also very happy with it's size.. not too huge. not too small... just right
that said. i've def drooled over the htc jetstream. what bothers me is i can't find it in wifi only anywhere and att is the only one selling them that i could find... but alas.. it's only a dual core...
i think i'll wait and go striaght from single core to quad core for my next tablet. i have been keeping my eye on ASUS recently the prime is cool but came out with a lot of bugs. i was also watching the MEMO 370t quad core 7 inch tab thats supposed to be priced around 250.. u get the same 8mp cam as on the prmie.. but no front facing cam.. and that might be a deal breaker for me as i spend a lot of time on skype with friends and family.
so ... my next flyer would idealy be a quad core dual camera wifi gps THE WERKS!
prolly Q3 or Q4 this year is when i'll be really trying compare whats available and whats up and comming and start planning on getting a new tab.
i already have too many devices to play with lol
2x win mobile phones 2x android phones 1x windows phone 2x android tablets 1x iPad 1x iPhone4s
i wanna start doing video reviews so they start sending me free stuff to review ... *dream job
sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using XDA Premium HD app
I think I'll just see what's available when my contract is up in 2013. I've dropped mine a few times so it has some scuffs.
Hardware I'd like a LED flash for the camera. I'm okay with the 5MP camera, but wouldn't mind a 8MP with full HD recording. That being said, HDMI out is a must. Higher screen resolution would be good too. I think the 1024x600 res can be upgraded. Also seeing how the new iPad has Bluetooth 4.0, that would be nice too. & a better standard pouch. The current one is pathetic.
But I'm not attached to my Flyer at the hip. I'd like another HTC, but if they don't have a new 7" tab soon, I'll have to shop somewhere else....
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e
This.........
Nokia to release a 10" Windows 8 tablet with dual-core Snapdragon S4 in Q4
I know, blasphemous. But I need more productivity.
@ Digital MD... get a pogoplug... you can stream your own stuff to any device you have
@n7 of 9... do you miss the extra screen real estate of the 10" tablet? I was seriously considering getting a jet stream... cause I wanted another toy... and for the extra screen real estate
For Android tablets, I prefer 7-8". Easier to carry around and easier to hold for reading. My 10" tablet is a Windows 7 tablet and I will probably gets Windows 8 tablet end of the year. Yes... more blasphemy.
Edit: right now it would take a lot for me to get rid of my View. I am on stock HC and love the pen interface. I will probably always get the latest and greatest Archos tablet, but right now the View is the one I always carry with me. I also have the data plan for it which is very convenient.
Bluetooth 4.0 would be great.
A better way to output HDMI (The MHL stuff is just added bulk and works intermittently for me).
7 or 8 inch
better resolution
better gpu
continued scribe support/more apps that take advantage of it
less bezel, more screen real estate
built in kickstand?
vilasman said:
We all have flyers and we love them. I have this question. If you root your flyer and then upgrade the os to ICS, jelly bean and beyond. What would it take for you to want to replace it? What would htc have to do in terms of hardware upgrades, besides the obvious one of putting a multi core processor,or maybe adding gorilla glass to make you pull the trigger on the next one? The prospect of a 7" ipad has me intrigued, but even with that I wonder what I would do with my flyer besides make it an alarm clock and then all the apps i would put it , i am back to wanting to carry it with me again. And that has me seriously considering getting another flyer in case I screw the first one up, trying to root it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They would have to break into my house and fill my current flyer with holes. My girlfriend is looking for a flyer now even. The flyer runs amazingly regardless of the specs so I have no reason to want anything new. No tablets I've played with yet, impressed me the way the flyer did.
for a tablet, and for my personal useage patterns my Flyer is all I need
mcord11758 said:
for a tablet, and for my personal useage patterns my Flyer is all I need
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being totally realistic here.. if the flyer or the tf101 don't suit your tablet needs nothing in the tablet world does.
vilasman said:
We all have flyers and we love them. I have this question. If you root your flyer and then upgrade the os to ICS, jelly bean and beyond. What would it take for you to want to replace it? What would htc have to do in terms of hardware upgrades, besides the obvious one of putting a multi core processor,or maybe adding gorilla glass to make you pull the trigger on the next one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far, nothing. The only reason, right now, that I would want to replace my Flyer is because something I did to the Flyer (eg: break it somehow...) I don't want anything larger than 7", I love the pen, and I have no complaints about battery life, screen or OS stability. My previous 7" tablet (cheap Chinese variety) really was a test (to see if 7" would work) and from day one after buying it, I have been on the lookout for a better quality 7" (which took almost 1 1/2 years to come!). Since I've gotten my Flyer, I've not even looked at different tablets...
Not another HTC hardware!
YOSEFE said:
Not another HTC hardware!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm the opposite...i have zero wish for anything other than HTC devices...every time i've veered i've regretted it
n7of9 said:
i'm the opposite...i have zero wish for anything other than HTC devices...every time i've veered i've regretted it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like my samsung captivate.. incredibly flexible when it comes to romming.
I want htc hardware in a phone, the problem is that if I'm going to use a protective case anyway, it defeats the purpose of that high quality metal feeling phone..
I have 3 Tablets:
HTC EVO VIEW 4G (WiFi Only)
WiFi Xoom (GED with ICS)
BlackBerry Playbook (With OS 2.0)
They're all really nice tablets. If you are looking for another nice 7" Tablet then the Playbook is Great for the price ($199). Awesome screen, 1080p Video Recording, HDMI Out, Bluetooth and the OS (QNX) is head & shoulders above IOS & Android. Playbook is really smooth and the Browser is the best Tablet Browser out there (there is only 1 Browser out there that tops it in tests and that is Chrome for Desktops). Apps are coming along.
The sub -$199 Google Nexus tablet.
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Goog...-its-cheap-MeMo-tablet-project-for-it_id28153
Hi guys, I'm new to the (modern) tablet scene. I tried to get into tablets when I started college back in 2007 with the Fujitsu T4215 and absolutely loved handwriting and the idea of tablets back then, but unfortunately the hardware at the time proved a bit too heavy (literally) and clunky for me (e.g. low battery life, and other hardware issues I had with my laptop). I rediscovered pen and paper for some time and found I work way more effectively writing, however, it can be very hard to organize and now I just have stacks and stacks of paper. I'm just starting graduate school, and it it seems like the hardware (e.g. HTC flyer, Samsung Note) and software (e.g. Lecture Notes, Quill, ezPDF) are starting to converge to a point of being usable and affordable, so I'm thinking of giving tablets another shot.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace my dying laptop with a serviceable windows 8 tablet-top (I love onenote) after all the kinks of the 1st generation of windows 8 tablets have been worked out, so I've been hesitant to spring for the samsung note (despite the rave reviews) since they would be filling the same niche. This still gives me a year or so of downtime though, leading me to consider the 7 inch HTC flyer.
My dilemma right now is if you guys think the HTC flyer/view is a good investment right now. It seems like there are rumors for a 7 inch samsung note? And the HTC flyer with windows RT. Although the price for those I'm guessing is going to be $350+ and perhaps out of my student budget. But would the HTC flyer hold its value for a year or so? Should I get used or new? What would be a good price to invest in? Or should I wait for a new device? It's so hard to decide with hardware improving so quickly and everything becoming outdated in a just a few months.
My usage is fairly light. I'm coming from a slow Android 2.3 smartphone and ipod touch 2 (whose smoothness still blows my mind even though it's older than my android phone), so I feel no matter what the flyer is still a big upgrade for me. I'm just looking for a good companion to hold all my pdfs, papers (gonna start scanning all my handwritten notes), while allowing for some handy pen annotation. And if I could connect remotely to my desktop for some matlab and or mathematica I'd be ecstatic.
Thanks guys!
EnPaceRequiescat said:
Hi guys, I'm new to the (modern) tablet scene. I tried to get into tablets when I started college back in 2007 with the Fujitsu T4215 and absolutely loved handwriting and the idea of tablets back then, but unfortunately the hardware at the time proved a bit too heavy (literally) and clunky for me (e.g. low battery life, and other hardware issues I had with my laptop). I rediscovered pen and paper for some time and found I work way more effectively writing, however, it can be very hard to organize and now I just have stacks and stacks of paper. I'm just starting graduate school, and it it seems like the hardware (e.g. HTC flyer, Samsung Note) and software (e.g. Lecture Notes, Quill, ezPDF) are starting to converge to a point of being usable and affordable, so I'm thinking of giving tablets another shot.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace my dying laptop with a serviceable windows 8 tablet-top (I love onenote) after all the kinks of the 1st generation of windows 8 tablets have been worked out, so I've been hesitant to spring for the samsung note (despite the rave reviews) since they would be filling the same niche. This still gives me a year or so of downtime though, leading me to consider the 7 inch HTC flyer.
My dilemma right now is if you guys think the HTC flyer/view is a good investment right now. It seems like there are rumors for a 7 inch samsung note? And the HTC flyer with windows RT. Although the price for those I'm guessing is going to be $350+ and perhaps out of my student budget. But would the HTC flyer hold its value for a year or so? Should I get used or new? What would be a good price to invest in? Or should I wait for a new device? It's so hard to decide with hardware improving so quickly and everything becoming outdated in a just a few months.
My usage is fairly light. I'm coming from a slow Android 2.3 smartphone and ipod touch 2 (whose smoothness still blows my mind even though it's older than my android phone), so I feel no matter what the flyer is still a big upgrade for me. I'm just looking for a good companion to hold all my pdfs, papers (gonna start scanning all my handwritten notes), while allowing for some handy pen annotation. And if I could connect remotely to my desktop for some matlab and or mathematica I'd be ecstatic.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Flyer is dead. It's not a bad tablet par se, but cannot compare in price to the Nexus 7. There is very Iittle development going on in the Flyer.
Do yourself a favour and buy a Nexus 7 or 10.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
If you are looking for a current tablet with great writing capabilities I'd recommend the Samsung Note 10.1. If cost is your concern and 10" seems too big I think the flyer with a custom ROM, Like Leedroid HC OR Mawakious, would do you well. I've seen flyers as low as $130 on eBay, the scribe pen is on clearance at sites like buy.com for about $26, although I've seen it as low as $19 on eBay, along with a case, which I've seen some nice ones with a pen holder for $13.
So roughly you could pay as low as, pad in some shipping costs (very rough estimates here), ~$180, maybe less.
Samsung hasn't confirmed a 7" note, yet. I wouldn't base my buying on something that does not yet exist.
I still don't regret getting the flyer.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk 2
gersto said:
If you are looking for a current tablet with great writing capabilities I'd recommend the Samsung Note 10.1. If cost is your concern and 10" seems too big I think the flyer with a custom ROM, Like Leedroid HC OR Mawakious, would do you well. I've seen flyers as low as $130 on eBay, the scribe pen is on clearance at sites like buy.com for about $26, although I've seen it as low as $19 on eBay, along with a case, which I've seen some nice ones with a pen holder for $13.
So roughly you could pay as low as, pad in some shipping costs (very rough estimates here), ~$180, maybe less.
Samsung hasn't confirmed a 7" note, yet. I wouldn't base my buying on something that does not yet exist.
I still don't regret getting the flyer.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung has confirmed the 7" note, but not when it will go on sale. I'm sure the price will be $350 + .
If you don;t need a stylus, the Samsung 7.2 tab 2 is a good deal and has current JB ROMs and development for around $149.
I don't regret getting the View a year ago. It is a solid tablet. But I certainly wouldn't recommend buying one now. There are much faster and better supported tablets available today for around the same price. I thought I would use the pen a lot, but I haven't. If I were to get a 7" tablet today, I'd get a Nexus 7, or possibly a Samsung.
If you are on budget, Flyer is a good choice. You can't expect it to have uptodate software or fancy things like window view in galaxy notes but the price/productivity can't be beat. And so far, this is the only mobile size 7inch tablet with stylus in the market. Even if Samsung release a 7 inch note in the future, it will be expensive.
I like my Flyer very much. It is the best personal electronic device that I have ever bought, although sometimes I wish it had SamsungNote software and small stylus. Btw imo, Samsung devices usually do not look good.
Thanks guys for all the comments! From what it seems the hardware definitely is quite out of date, and that the flyer is really only worth it if I make good use of the pen. I guess my media consumption is light (casual youtube, hulu, skype), so hopefully the hardware won't give me issues. For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
@rickwood, what did you originally intend to use the pen for? Was the pen not smooth enough for your intended uses?
Also, how would the flyer/view fare for connecting to a keyboard and remote desktopping/ssh'ing, in case I'm checking on some code on the fly?
Thanks!
EnPaceRequiescat said:
For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case, I usually use the pen when I take notes in class everyday. I'm using the app LectureNotes, PDFView(for pdf import to LectureNotes) and LectureRecodings(for recording with taking notes).
using :
HTC Flyer ICS yetki
HTC Desire MIUI ICS
EnPaceRequiescat said:
Thanks guys for all the comments! From what it seems the hardware definitely is quite out of date, and that the flyer is really only worth it if I make good use of the pen. I guess my media consumption is light (casual youtube, hulu, skype), so hopefully the hardware won't give me issues. For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
@rickwood, what did you originally intend to use the pen for? Was the pen not smooth enough for your intended uses?
Also, how would the flyer/view fare for connecting to a keyboard and remote desktopping/ssh'ing, in case I'm checking on some code on the fly?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The hardware is definitely old but i have used it for numerous task, including media and games. Many "HD" games work great (and no i'm not just talking about Angry Birds, heh)
i've used Skype and Youtube and no issues with HC on those fronts. Never used Hulu Plus and Netflix seems to work fine, slight stutter here and there though.
I've used DicePlayer for playing videos loaded on the tablet and works great with the built-in hardware acceleration up to 720p HD movies.
I've tried using remote desktop, had 2X, and my job uses Citrix, they are "useful" but i think the 7" screen hinders that use more than it helps. It's good for a quick check but productivity-wise may be cumbersome to use. Having a bluetooth keyboard & mouse does help, but the screen real estate is more the issue, at least to me.
The tablet is definitely capable.
EnPaceRequiescat said:
@rickwood, what did you originally intend to use the pen for? Was the pen not smooth enough for your intended uses?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I'd use the pen for light note taking. On paper, I write really small. On the View, for some reason I had a hard time doing this - - all my text came out really big. Not sure if this was due to the small size of the pen, the resolution of the tablet, or the fact that I was using a compatible Fujitsu pen rather than a true HTC pen. In any case, I wasn't pleased with how my notes were turning out, so I rarely use the pen anymore.
Hope this helps
Its actually a kinda rule in mobile tech field and allied, to not compare gadgets with age difference more than an year (in fact 6 months)
So kindly don't compare a quite way-back-released Flyer/View with latest Nexus and note 2/3 etc
My advise, HTF flyer is one of the best-all-in-one device you would find around (in fact a very few are there)
I can keep counting on features and its usability and fill up a page or 2, with REAL-LIFE uses with just a 1 Real-Portable-Device in your Jeans/Trouser/Coat Pocket (and not in a another BAG( which is actually pseudo-portable)).
If short of money, GRAB it quick. Believe me the major rate dip and stuff for this Product is already done/over. The current prices will remain till the inventory(which is already low) gets over (except you knock off some bargained deal with a seller). If you are thinking of some stop gap arrangement (with regards to your win8 tablet..better don;t). Wait a few months..win8 pro would be out in jan 2013. Get a
MS surface pro...and if you like like Win 8, SURFACE PRO would be really a great product (Hope you are saving money for it; Price would be 2-3X times the flyer's cost)
Personally i really like MS surface PRO (not RT)
If have money and cant live without flaunting Newest OS (FYI Flyer runs Jellybean too but not with all functions AON) and Gadget to friends and allied, go for other options. Yes there are some better options and the list will keep adding with time (and more money you are ready to spent)
I advise getting a Flyer than Evo View, if you are looking to replace your phone too.(and cant carry multiple devices)
P.S. Just some experience, in case that helps. I am not a "lets-buy-a-new-phone/tablet" guy just bcoz options are there and money is there in my bank account. I always RIP a product when it is missing/making me difficult to handle some new technology/function which i/associated people need or it BREAKS down.
When i bought My HTC KAISER back in 2007 (For 600$(including shipping) importing a Tmobile MDA vario III version to my country as there were none available here) i knew i made a good choice.
That new design and functions served me for some 3 years without me feeling much to shift over EXCEPT some screen real estate shortage(which gets short with each passing year given the fact how bigger handhelds are becoming) & resistive screen
& then i bought the FLYER (after waiting for its Initial 700$ price to come down to 370$) and i knew that price is worth it for a 7 inch Capacitive HTC's Beautiful tablet with Wifi, 3G, GPS, Dual Cameras, 32Gb+Slot Storage and the Hidden GSM phone(the deal breaker for me). It has replaced my phone too HTC KAISER (which still looks at me the same way.... sometimes when i need to lend a phone to someone(with all functions working and just wear n tear damage))
Also see how i substituted a 600$ product with a 370$ product after 3-4 yrs & latter being a more smarter, more useful and lot more productive product
Thats how technology works and changes & also how usage of product/s changes!
Personally, now, I use it as my All-in-one device
- Mainly for Phone,
- Quick Internet browsing (using Wifi at home & 3G Sim outside)
- GPS
- Voice recorder for notes(in professional work) & life voice-logs(when alone)
- a Drawing Pad for my nephew (They say the "magic" Pen is great)
- Full fledged Alarm Clock
- To-Do List Reminder
- my Music Portable (Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc)) Esp. over Wireless Stereo BT headset
Including playing my music in Car using Aux/Drive/BT input (esp. when Days of CD/Discs are long gone)
- my Video Portable playing 720p HD videos with proper 16:9 Ratio(Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc))
- Gr8 Games when i feeling bored
and Mind you ...if 7 inch real estate is small ...get a HDMI out and you would love the stuff on a big LED or Projector screen.
- Measure Distances & Heights (Smart Rule App)
- Taking Database Backups of my blogs and websites
- Torrents
- Wifi Hot spot for other gadgets
- Occasional Written note taking (kinda to do list only) . Scribe Pen is so handy (Mine came free/included with Flyer)
- Voice controlled Commands (Still researching Voice assistants like Speak to it & utter and they are FASCINATING)
- and the list is endless with what not can be done with loads of USEFUL and PRODUCTIVE apps available esp. after ROOTING the device into a Fully-Controlled (Beautiful-)Beast!
and
LoVVVe it.
(My only gripe (for the money and beautiful device this is).. is why HTC didn't put a flash in and may be they should have added a larger battery. Camera is not good in low light & buttery runs out soon when i use these many functions )
EnPaceRequiescat said:
For those of you for whom the flyer/view was good for productivity, how do you guys make use of the pen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The most useful feature for me is annotating PDF files. I use Repligo app. Another trick is that you can convert Power point (or whatever) files into PDFs and annotate them. I can't find any good app to annotate Word files. Foxit Viewer comes with the Flyer is useless.
I also use the pen for taking handwriting notes. I use Quill (you can get it for free here: http://code.google.com/p/android-quill/downloads/list), and HandyNote. But I'm reducing this load because it is difficult to search the content of handwriting text (with out handwriting recognition). And it's not easy to copy/paste them to other docs. That's not good for my purpose of tracking/reorganizing the notes later. But there are some app for handwriting recognition such as WritePad. Maybe they are good if one practices enough.
In addition, I guess the pen is very useful for people who enjoy drawing.
About the Flyer's competitors from price/(pen)productivity aspect, I don't see any at this point. Maybe there will be some in a year or two. MS Surface is promising but it will take time till the app support from the developers get to an adequate level with Android. Or maybe Apple will start to adopt real stylus and keep suing all Android OEMs, who knows..
I hope it helps.
freworld said:
Its actually a kinda rule in mobile tech field and allied, to not compare gadgets with age difference more than an year (in fact 6 months)
So kindly don't compare a quite way-back-released Flyer/View with latest Nexus and note 2/3 etc
My advise, HTF flyer is one of the best-all-in-one device you would find around (in fact a very few are there)
I can keep counting on features and its usability and fill up a page or 2, with REAL-LIFE uses with just a 1 Real-Portable-Device in your Jeans/Trouser/Coat Pocket (and not in a another BAG( which is actually pseudo-portable)).
If short of money, GRAB it quick. Believe me the major rate dip and stuff for this Product is already done/over. The current prices will remain till the inventory(which is already low) gets over (except you knock off some bargained deal with a seller). If you are thinking of some stop gap arrangement (with regards to your win8 tablet..better don;t). Wait a few months..win8 pro would be out in jan 2013. Get a
MS surface pro...and if you like like Win 8, SURFACE PRO would be really a great product (Hope you are saving money for it; Price would be 2-3X times the flyer's cost)
Personally i really like MS surface PRO (not RT)
If have money and cant live without flaunting Newest OS (FYI Flyer runs Jellybean too but not with all functions AON) and Gadget to friends and allied, go for other options. Yes there are some better options and the list will keep adding with time (and more money you are ready to spent)
I advise getting a Flyer than Evo View, if you are looking to replace your phone too.(and cant carry multiple devices)
P.S. Just some experience, in case that helps. I am not a "lets-buy-a-new-phone/tablet" guy just bcoz options are there and money is there in my bank account. I always RIP a product when it is missing/making me difficult to handle some new technology/function which i/associated people need or it BREAKS down.
When i bought My HTC KAISER back in 2007 (For 600$(including shipping) importing a Tmobile MDA vario III version to my country as there were none available here) i knew i made a good choice.
That new design and functions served me for some 3 years without me feeling much to shift over EXCEPT some screen real estate shortage(which gets short with each passing year given the fact how bigger handhelds are becoming) & resistive screen
& then i bought the FLYER (after waiting for its Initial 700$ price to come down to 370$) and i knew that price is worth it for a 7 inch Capacitive HTC's Beautiful tablet with Wifi, 3G, GPS, Dual Cameras, 32Gb+Slot Storage and the Hidden GSM phone(the deal breaker for me). It has replaced my phone too HTC KAISER (which still looks at me the same way.... sometimes when i need to lend a phone to someone(with all functions working and just wear n tear damage))
Also see how i substituted a 600$ product with a 370$ product after 3-4 yrs & latter being a more smarter, more useful and lot more productive product
Thats how technology works and changes & also how usage of product/s changes!
Personally, now, I use it as my All-in-one device
- Mainly for Phone,
- Quick Internet browsing (using Wifi at home & 3G Sim outside)
- GPS
- Voice recorder for notes(in professional work) & life voice-logs(when alone)
- a Drawing Pad for my nephew (They say the "magic" Pen is great)
- Full fledged Alarm Clock
- To-Do List Reminder
- my Music Portable (Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc)) Esp. over Wireless Stereo BT headset
Including playing my music in Car using Aux/Drive/BT input (esp. when Days of CD/Discs are long gone)
- my Video Portable playing 720p HD videos with proper 16:9 Ratio(Home, Office and Travel(Airplane; Trains etc))
- Gr8 Games when i feeling bored
and Mind you ...if 7 inch real estate is small ...get a HDMI out and you would love the stuff on a big LED or Projector screen.
- Measure Distances & Heights (Smart Rule App)
- Taking Database Backups of my blogs and websites
- Torrents
- Wifi Hot spot for other gadgets
- Occasional Written note taking (kinda to do list only) . Scribe Pen is so handy (Mine came free/included with Flyer)
- Voice controlled Commands (Still researching Voice assistants like Speak to it & utter and they are FASCINATING)
- and the list is endless with what not can be done with loads of USEFUL and PRODUCTIVE apps available esp. after ROOTING the device into a Fully-Controlled (Beautiful-)Beast!
and
LoVVVe it.
(My only gripe (for the money and beautiful device this is).. is why HTC didn't put a flash in and may be they should have added a larger battery. Camera is not good in low light & buttery runs out soon when i use these many functions )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldnt agree more and glad I got my for christmas
Expansys.ie were doing good deals on them, less than 250euro, which is one of the cheapest places I've seen them retail for new
Simple, the flyer is a capable device that was thrown to the side immediately after release. It performs well enough to be functional at most task but does little great. For me it is a better device than a nexus 7 because the nexus is stripped of allot of functionality the flyer has. If you want to be up to date with software do not consider this device. If you are looking for a small screen tablet that is versatile this is probably still the best option although I have not spent much time with the galaxy tab 2.7
A frustrating device for me because I enjoy its abilities but miss the tweaking custom rom aspect of a device that has good after sale development from the OEM
Flyer
mcord11758 said:
Simple, the flyer is a capable device that was thrown to the side immediately after release. It performs well enough to be functional at most task but does little great. For me it is a better device than a nexus 7 because the nexus is stripped of allot of functionality the flyer has. If you want to be up to date with software do not consider this device. If you are looking for a small screen tablet that is versatile this is probably still the best option although I have not spent much time with the galaxy tab 2.7
A frustrating device for me because I enjoy its abilities but miss the tweaking custom rom aspect of a device that has good after sale development from the OEM
Flyer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, thank you guys so much for all the good input! I think I'm gonna try for the flyer -- seems like a good budget way to try things, particularly the pen. I'm hoping that I can start to use it as a scratchpad of sorts, in addition to reading scanned notes (I write large so hopefully the 7" screen is adequate even when my writing gets shrunk). The lack of usb otg (at least, without an external power source) is a slight shame, but hopefully i'll be able to live without via bluetooth and the cloud.
Also, I didnt know that the Flyer could be used as a phone! Is this through 3G VoIP, or does it actually have a cell radio?
Happy new years guys!
Both
EnPaceRequiescat said:
Also, I didnt know that the Flyer could be used as a phone! Is this through 3G VoIP, or does it actually have a cell radio?
Happy new years guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you indeed missed a major function of this beast. Through 3g Voip as well as Cell radio
Happy new year to u too. Get yourself a gift
P.S. USB OTG issue is also a minor gripe... exact situation is being discussed here ( with possible options including USB -Y cable)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1082909
I would not recommend spending your money on any tablet or smartphone device that is over 20 months old. The specs are not even last gen, they are 2 generations old.
That said, there isn't much better in the 7" form factor. I love the 7" tablet size. But unfortunately, the manufacturers have relegated this size to the budget/low-spec end of the spectrum. Mostly thanks to the low priced Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7. And Samsung has joined the "race to the bottom" with its mediocre spec'ed Galaxy Tab2 7.0. The technology of smartphones has left 7" tablets in the dust, its such a shame.
Unless the pen functionality is really important to you (I personally never use it on the Flyer) I'd probably go for the Nexus 7. Yes, its missing some big features. But its simply much better supported by both its manufacturer and the dev community. This forum has become quiet as the grave. So you won't even get much of a community here to chat with or get help if you want to root and S-Off, flash ROMs, etc. Yes, there are still a few devs that soldier on, and other community members still trying to keep this forum alive. But the Flyer's best days are long gone.
I don't regret a bit buying the Flyer when it first came out way back in the summer of 2011. And I still use it every day. But if I didn't already have the Flyer, I wouldn't buy one now. Probably I would get a Nexus 7, wait to see how good the 7" Note is, or wait to see if any higher spec 7" tablets are on the way (doubtful).
I agree with most that has been said. If you want/need the pen and want 7"... get a flyer/evo view. I have a view and use it almost daily for writing. I always had notepads and sticky notes all over the place, now its all within lecturenotes (sweet app).
If you think you'll "maybe" use the pen... get a nexus or other 7".
I use the crap out of the pen and am looking to get another flyer/view for a friend as a gift.
Only if you really need the pen should you consider the GTab 7 2 or HTC Flyer. Having played with both I think the better option now is the Samsung model. But again, only if you really need the pen. If you can live with a capcitive stylus go with a Nexus 7. It will be supported for a long time to come and will always be on the latest OS
/*
AidenM said:
Only if you really need the pen should you consider the GTab 7 2 or HTC Flyer. Having played with both I think the better option now is the Samsung model. But again, only if you really need the pen. If you can live with a capcitive stylus go with a Nexus 7. It will be supported for a long time to come and will always be on the latest OS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, the galaxy tab2 7? Doesn't that only use the capacitive pen? also, it seems like i can't find that secondhand anywhere, and new costs $200, so I feel I might as well get the nexus7 if I'm foregoing the digitizer.
I'm also the kind of person who had notepads and sticky notes all over the place, and notes involve math that say, swype is not good for (though it is quite fast), which is why the digitizer is a big draw. But from the comments people are giving, and how fast technology is moving, it seems like it's almost better nowadays to just buy new (so... the samsung note7 whenever that comes out), just like how I can't imagine buying secondhand computers these days.