HTC Flyer
Updated: HTC Tablet specs, release date and more
Mobile computing News
By Dan Grabham and Gary Marshall
But the specs didn't blow us away - it's a 7-inch single-core device running an older version of Android instead of one of the dual-core larger options running Android 3.0.
So what do we know about the new device?
The HTC Flyer doesn't have Android 3.0
HTC plumped for the earlier Gingerbread version of Android (2.3/2.4) rather than the Android 3.0 version a lot of the other tablets are using. It seems Honeycomb will arrive on the tablet imminently though.
The HTC Flyer processor is 1.5GHz
The HTC Flyer packs a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor - surprising amidst the slew of dual core tablets being released at the moment. However, it is clocked high at 1.5GHz. There's also 1GB of RAM.
The HTC Flyer has a 7-inch screen
Like the BlackBerry PlayBook and Acer Iconia A100, the HTC Flyer plumps for a 1024 x 600 7-inch display surrounded by an aluminium unibody. That's the same resolution as the PlayBook too.
A 5MP camera with flash resides on the back of the device, and we're treated to a 1.3MP offering on the front for video calling – however voice calling is not supported despite a 3G connection.
The HTC Flyer has a stylus
Yep, you heard that right. Although during our hands on: HTC Flyer review we weren't that impressed by the pressure sensitivity which "doesn't really seem to work that well when trying to annotate text – although the range of brushes and options were accurate and useful."
Every time an application can make use of the new stylus, a small icon pops up in the bottom right hand side of the screen.
We weren't blown away by the video quality on the device we were having the demonstration with, but with the settings unable to be altered at this early stage we couldn't get the brightness to an acceptable level anyway – whether this will be a decent PMP substitute remains to be seen.
The HTC Flyer has HTC Sense
It was rumoured that the skin that HTC uses on its Android phones - HTC Sense - may get a redesign and a new name for the HTC Tablet. HTC has trademarked HTC Sensation alongside a list of devices which include mobile phones, wireless devices and portable computers.
But the Flyer will actually run HTC Sense atop Android Gingerbread. There's a bunch of new 3D widgets, while HTC says it has done a lot of work on the interface - but the only visible difference is that apps are now much bigger of course (as well as working in landscape).
The dual-pane windows for things like video, contacts and mail seem to work well.
The Notifications bar now also gives you quick access to the Settings, as on the HTC Desire S.
The HTC Flyer battery life is said to be good
The charger is a slightly altered microUSB offering, designed to facilitate power to the 4000mAh battery.
The HTC Flyer is thin and light
The HTC Flyer is really light at just 415g, and with a thickness of just 13.7mm. It will fit nicely in a bag, though is 7-inch too small for you, especially if you've used an iPad? The device also has a thick iPad-like bezel.
The HTC Flyer has the standard HTC buttons
There are controls for the Menu, Back, Search and Home functions which glow when in use. Otherwise there's just a volume switch.
When is the HTC Flyer UK release date?
According to DigiTimes, Apple Daily says that a JP Morgan analyst says that Google is messing around with its Android support. Motorola is Google's priority for 3.0, LG will be priority for 3.5 and HTC follows on, which means the HTC Tablet won't ship before the second quarter of 2011.
We're betting on a March or April HTC Flyer UK release date.
The HTC Flyer price may be $790
One DigiTimes report took a stab at the HTC Tablet price, and it predicts that without subsidy it'll be $789.75.
On February 21 the HTC Flyer hit German pre-order, with pricing set at €669.
The tablet was listed by the company itself; so if we use a straight currency conversion that gives the HTC Flyer UK pricing of around £563 – not at all bad for the tablet, in our view.
The HTC Tablet price might be zero
Download Squad says the HTC Flyer will launch on Verizon in the US with a price tag of zero depending on the tariff you choose. Similar deals are likely here: we've already seen Three, T-Mobile and Orange offer subsidised iPads.
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