I’ve been watching with interest the proliferation of tablet computers that have been hitting the market since the introduction of the iPad.
Now, at the risk of being branded a show-off, I sold my first tablet PC in 2006 because it wasn’t as much use to me as a laptop. It was a Compaq TC1000 running a tablet version of Windows XP, and you had to use a stylus to operate the touch-screen. It also had a keyboard that connected to it to convert it into a laptop. Happy days…
The issue with it was that it was a compromise, neither a ‘proper’ laptop, nor a ‘proper’ tablet; as a tablet it was too heavy and unwieldy, and as a laptop it was underpowered.
Fast forward 5 years and Apple bring out the iPad, the same screen size as my old Compaq, but that’s where the similarity ends… Hot on the heels of the incredibly successful iPad came no end of similar devices, and now, a quick flick through any technology catalogue will reveal a plethora of such devices.
The question is, what are they for? Is there a place for them in business, or are they just the latest in a long line of over-hyped solutions looking for a problem?
To try to answer this I’ve been testing an HTC Flyer. The reason for choosing this particular device is that it too has a stylus, and I have a specific application in mind for one of my customers that require signatures to be captured by mobile sales teams.
Techy bit
The Flyer has a 7” screen, running at a resolution of 1024 x 600. It runs Android 2.3, and has wireless and 3G connectivity. It also has Bluetooth, a GPS, and 2 cameras; 5MP rear-facing, and 1.3MP front facing.
End of Techy Bit
The form factor fits nicely in my hand, and feels more secure that the larger iPad, which I was in constant fear of dropping when I tried one. Screen is bright and crisp, and looks excellent, and web browsing using a wireless connection is nice and fast.
Setting up my email account was simple, and HTC has a built-in application called Friend Stream which you can use to access Facebook and Twitter through a single interface. The bundled apps are fine, and as with all Android devices, there is a huge selection available from the market, some free, some you need to pay for.
The stylus works fine, but appears limited in its usefulness. There’s a note-taking application built-in, but I couldn’t work out a way of getting anything I wrote converted to text for editing in a word processor. It could of course be that my handwriting is too indecipherable for a machine to cope with…
Sketching with the stylus was easy enough, and when it’s in use, you can select different pen types, colours, and line thicknesses.
So back to the question; what’s it for?
It’s no replacement for a laptop, and if you need to write long reports, or do anything that needs a keyboard this is probably not for you. If, however, you need a portable device to pick up email, browse the net, and keep up to date with your social media feeds, this could be just the ticket.
The only downside is the price, which at over £500 for the wifi/3G model is at least £100 too expensive in my opinion. I’m not sure I’d buy one, but I don’t want to give the one I have on loan back.
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