We're concerning ourselves with two devices which can't quite make up their minds what they are this time around, as we compare HTC's Flyer with Samsung's Galaxy NoteIf you're in the market for a device with a little more screen space than your average smartphone, this comparison is for you, as we're taking a look at HTC's Flyer, a tiny tablet which packs a punch and Samsung's Galaxy Note, a small but perfectly formed hybrid.
Will bigger turn out to be better or will the Galaxy Note win us over with its diminutive stature and charm? Let's find out!
Processing and memory HTC's Flyer is powered by a single core 1.5GHz CPU that performs well, and will keep the device running a nice turn of pace even under duress.
The device's drive-train is backed-up by 1GB RAM, which keeps pace with everything else on the market to date, allowing the Flyer to multi-task in a brisk and orderly fashion.
Samsung's Galaxy Note is driven by a fast 1.4GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and also offers a Mali-400MP GPU, which will make short work of even the most taxing 3D games and visual effects.
Samsung also opted to fit the Galaxy Note with 1GB RAM, which will allow the device to age well.
The HTC Flyer comes with 32GB storage, while the Galaxy Note comes in 16 or 32GB flavours, and both support
micro SD cards up to 32GB in size too.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Form, Build and Portability HTC Flyer - 195.4x122x13.2 mm, 420.8g
Samsung Galaxy Note - 146.9x83x9.7 mm, 178g
Seeing as we're dealing with two oversized devices here, weight and size are a definite issue.
The HTC Flyer comes in at 420.8g, making it a tad on the heavy side for a tablet of its size. Construction is up to HTC's usual standard though, and the device feels all the better for it.
Size-wise, it isn't too much of a heavy lump and we could quite easily cart it around all day without it feeling like too much of an encumbrance.
The Samsung Galaxy Note is the opposite end of the tablet scale, though - in fact it's more of a smartphone on steroids.
The device weighs a mere 178g, too, which is not much more than the average chunky smartphone and its small form factor make it ideal for carrying around. You wouldn't even notice it was in your jacket pocket unless you thought about it (or have incredibly small pockets).
The Galaxy Note does arguably suffer from Samsung's reliance on plastics and, like most of its brethren, it feels like it should be in a toy shop, rather than alongside bleeding-edge gadgets.
While the HTC Flyer does have the better craftsmanship we still wouldn't choose it over the Galaxy Note, though, simply because it doesn't offer enough to warrant the extra inches and ounces.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Software Both of these devices run on Google's
Android platform, specifically version 2.3 (Gingerbread), and the OS performs as you'd expect. It's brisk, secure and has oodles of room for customisation. And let's not forget you also get access to the tons of apps and games available in the
Android Market.
The Galaxy Note comes with Samsung's
TouchWiz UI 4.0 added to the OS, and while it takes a bit of getting used to it is a welcome augmentation, with added social networking features, widgets, apps and other tweaks.
Similarly the Flyer comes with HTC's lauded
Sense UI, which brings with it custom apps, eye-candy and social networking functionality.
Both of these custom user interfaces add plenty to the Android foundation, but Sense UI is definitely the more mature of the two and is glorious to look at too! Whereas TouchWiz still has some way to go before it's the well rounded UI that it purports to be.
Winner - HTC Flyer
Screen
The HTC Flyer features a 7-inch LCD touchscreen that operates at a resolution of 600x1024 pixels and has a disappointing pixel density of only 170ppi, which is light-years behind its market leading competitors.
In terms of performance the screen is sound enough, with nice colour reproduction and responsiveness, but it never goes beyond average.
Samsung's Galaxy Note features a lovely 5.3-inch
Super AMOLED display that operates at a resolution of 800x1,200 pixels and offers up a pixel density of 285ppi, which is much more up to speed.
What the device lacks in screen size it more than makes up for in clarity, too, thanks to the Super AMOLED's amazing deep blacks and vivid colours.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Optics
Samsung has imbued the Galaxy Note with two cameras. A primary 8-megapixel, with autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection and image stabilisation, as well as 1080p video capture.
The secondary camera is a 2-megapixel offering that makes video-calling a really positive experience.
Performance is solid overall and keeps up with Samsung's tradition of producing high functioning smartphone cameras.
HTC's Flyer is also fitted with two cameras. One 5-megapixel primary, which has an autofocus and geo-tagging, as well as a 1.3-megpixel secondary for video-conferencing.
The Flyer's performance is in keeping with HTC's standard, which is to say disappointing. Photos captured in ideal light conditions are nice enough, but overall it isn't something that you could (or would want to) rely upon.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Note
Final thoughts
Samsung's Galaxy Note has aced this little test without breaking a sweat. It's a solid device that offers a great balance between size and performance.
HTC's Flyer, on the other hand, suffers from its lack of direction and it's a mutt that is too big to throw in a pocket and too small run with the big boys, like Motorola's Xoom and Apple's
iPad.
There's nothing majorly wrong with it, but there isn't really anything to shout about either, and for that reason it has been soundly defeated today.
12:05 AM
Simranpal SIngh
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