HTC Flyer VS Kindle Fire

[noollig]

It's an extra 100 bucks for the flyer 16gb wifi version, and I'm not sure if it'd be worth it.

I would mostly use it for web browsing, reading stuff on the kindle app, netflix/hulu plus, and mostly just replace a lot of the stuff I use my phone for with something that has a screen I don't have to squint as much for but can still take places.

I originally thought the kindle fire would serve my needs just fine but then I saw that this tablet was out and only 100 more, which fits my $300 budget. I already don't want a nook tablet mostly because I just don't like the way it looks.

I like the look of the flyer and that it isn't so amazon-centric but hear that you can just slap Go Launcher or something onto it and it'll give you a more tablet-like homescreen instead of a kindle bookshelf.

The fire also has a dual-core 1ghz and the flyer a 1.5ghz single core. I'm not sure if the performance is about the same or if one tops the other.

The main reasons I'm leaning to the flyer is the camera (which I hope can run skype or other video chat stuff) and the possibility of a honeycomb update in the future.

Anyone have any experience with the flyer that could recommend it over the kindle fire or anyone who owns a fire that thinks the flyer would just be a waste of money for me?

 

[rushmore]

Flyer rocks IMO. Please go to the Anandtech web site and read the review on the Flyer and the chipset used. He points out why the Scorpion was a good choice.

Key points why the $100 is well spent:

Fire only has 6gb of free storage, but Flyer has twice that.

Flyer has a micro sd slot and works great with 32gb

Flyer performs better than my Thrive for game emulators and Flash video (Thrive has same chip as Flyer)

Flyer has the full Google market and can use Amazon market too (Fire only uses the Amazon market)

Cameras

Has GPS

Charges with the usb port: HUGE plus.

 

[noollig]

bought it from best buy today. hoping it lives up to my expectations!

 

[mrbigg9969]

I got a Fire initially since I'm an Amazon Prime member, and pretty much buy everything from them. I've now ordered a Flyer and am returning the Fire. It's a nice product, but the hardware is very limited (slow processor, no front facing camera for video chat, no bluetooth, the touchscreen is overly INsensitive (i.e. you sometimes need to tap 3-4 times for it to register, very annoying)). Also, the Amazon software on the fire is pretty, but very restrictive. The only unique software it has is the Video On Demand player. The idea of streaming a movie over Wifi while on the go is a bit weak, since you'd have to buy wifi everywhere (airports, planes, etc). It might make sense at home, but you can't hook up the Fire to a TV like you can the Flyer. And the major flaw, the idea that you can be reliant on your copious Cloud Drive space for storage when you only have Wifi, and so are disconnected quite a bit while on the go, is a killer.

Bottom line, the Kindle Fire is first and foremost a KINDLE, not a full service tablet. It's good as a Kindle, but don't buy it if you want something else.

 

[Snow_Fox]

I also want to throw out there that for a lot of things.. the single core 1.5 ghz processor should actually be faster than amazons dual core 1 ghz processor..

 

[rushmore]

I got a Fire initially since I'm an Amazon Prime member, and pretty much buy everything from them. I've now ordered a Flyer and am returning the Fire. It's a nice product, but the hardware is very limited (slow processor, no front facing camera for video chat, no bluetooth, the touchscreen is overly INsensitive (i.e. you sometimes need to tap 3-4 times for it to register, very annoying)). Also, the Amazon software on the fire is pretty, but very restrictive. The only unique software it has is the Video On Demand player. The idea of streaming a movie over Wifi while on the go is a bit weak, since you'd have to buy wifi everywhere (airports, planes, etc). It might make sense at home, but you can't hook up the Fire to a TV like you can the Flyer. And the major flaw, the idea that you can be reliant on your copious Cloud Drive space for storage when you only have Wifi, and so are disconnected quite a bit while on the go, is a killer.

Bottom line, the Kindle Fire is first and foremost a KINDLE, not a full service tablet. It's good as a Kindle, but don't buy it if you want something else.

Amazon Prime streaming video service works great on the Flyer with Dolphin browser

 

[noollig]

I am writing this on the flyer after a day of playing with it. I am extremely impressed! This thing is fast and looks great! Better than any of the tabs I tried out in the store, I would recommend this to anyone!

 

[Snow_Fox]

I am writing this on the flyer after a day of playing with it. I am extremely impressed! This thing is fast and looks great! Better than any of the tabs I tried out in the store, I would recommend this to anyone!

Congrats!

The first time I played with it in bestbuy.. it had this allure that no other tablet I've played with yet has had.

 

[rushmore]

I am writing this on the flyer after a day of playing with it. I am extremely impressed! This thing is fast and looks great! Better than any of the tabs I tried out in the store, I would recommend this to anyone!

Cool! Shame HTC could not hit this price point earlier- would have been a huge seller.

 

[Snow_Fox]

I think if they honestly wanted to there is still a lot of room to make this tablet a hit.. but, I think they have already moved on...

I mean there is still some demand for this tablet.. the fact that I jumped on it despite having a few dual core options is proof. Plus there are people on XDA trying to grab one who didn't.

No reviews I've ready yet said the single core in anyway inhibited it from running with anything out there for most task you use a tablet for...

 

[droogie2799]

I would definitely recommend the flyer over the fire. There is nothing you can't do on the flyer that you can do on the fire, but the other way around isn't true....