The HTC Flyer flaunts the Android tablet trend by using a heavily customised version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread instead of Google's own tablet software, 3.0 Honeycomb.
The Flyer's main competition, the Motorola Xoom, LG Optimus Pad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, serve up an untouched example of Honeycomb, the version of Google's operating system that was built specifically with tablets in mind.
The Flyer will eventually get an update to Honeycomb, but not until
HTC has taken the time to wrap it up in its Sense user interface.
It sounds like madness -- how can we crave a tablet that's still rocking a phone version of the Android OS? But despite a heavy dose of scepticism, seeing the Flyer in person shows there are definitely advantages to HTC's old-school approach.
HTC's glossy, bright widgets look more welcoming and usable than Honeycomb's blue wireframes on a black background. On the other hand, using the Flyer feels more like handling a giant phone, while Honeycomb's 3D interface gives us the impression of standing in a big room.
We'll be reviewing the Flyer and the various Honeycomb tablets with
an open mind in our full reviews. But just to convince you that the
Flyer has a shot at taking on its honey-covered competition, we've put
together an exhaustive, yet exhilarating, walkthrough of the tablet's
user interface. Click the photo gallery above to get started.