Location, location
Featuring GPS and the full range of Google apps, including Android Market and Maps, the Flyer can be used as a satnav out-of-the-box. All the 50-odd apps I use on my Desire HD installed without a hitch, even if some were clearly not optimised for the higher screen resolution.
Keyboard now has trace
Market apps aside, HTC has loaded the Flyer with some useful software. The Reader e-Book app now has iPad-esque page turn transitions and there is a movie rental/purchase service called Watch. The already fine HTC keyboard has been updated with trace/swipe.
Moreover, Sense remains by far the most usable system for tying your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Flikr accounts to your phonebook. This, along with the 80-odd bundled widgets, is almost reason enough to buy HTC.
Doodling optional
The 4,000mAh capacity of the battery is another spec shared with Samsung’s seven-incher. Continuously looping an H.264 video file, I managed four and a half hours from a charge. Heavy, regular use with the Wi-Fi and cellular radios left on, ensured I was heading to the mains socket every 36 hours or so.