Best HTC phones and devices

HTC has delivered some of the very first Android-based phones and they continue to produce well-reviewed devices with the latest versions of Google’s phone OS. At the recent Mobile World Congress, HTC described some of their upcoming Android releases, which includes new phones and a new Android-based tablet.

The company created a customized user interface for Android that they call “Sense”. And, for many users it makes more sense than the stock Android interface. Best of all, Sense makes it easy to find your apps.

The Best HTC Phones:

HTC Desire S

The follow-up to the popular Desire model, the Desire S sports the same 1GHz processor but features a new aluminum unibody case with rubber grips at the top and bottom, a 5-megapixel camera and flash, and the ability to record in 720p HD. Like HTC’s other phones, the Desire S runs their Sense UI. The Desire S supports DLNA technology that lets you stream content like video directly from your phone to DLNA-capable TVs and gaming consoles.

HTC Evo Shift 4G (Sprint)

Sometimes “best” means inexpensive like with the HTC Evo Shift 4G, currently only $99 with contract at Sprint. True, the phone doesn’t offer the highest end hardware – only 800MHz not a 1GHz processor and no front facing camera for example – but it still delivers great features.

The Evo Shift 4G features a sharp and bright screen with a slide out full QWERTY keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera and flash, 4G-network support and the phone will run as a Wi-Fi hotspot. As with other HTC Androids, this phone runs their friendly Sense UI.

HTC Thunderbolt

This powerful device boasts 4G capabilities to offer blazingly fast connectivity. It features a very large 4.3 inch LCD screen, front and rear cameras, and runs the latest version of HTC's Sense UI. But all that muscle comes at a cost: With all this technology and fast speed, the battery can become depleted quickly, so bear that in mind before buying. It's also a bit heavier than many of its bretheren, but its giant display and 32GB of storage space will certainly keep power users happy.

HTC Droid Incredible 2

The follow up to the hugely successful Droid Incredible, its new incarnation is more of a refresh of an older device rather than something groundbreaking. Still, it's a great choice for Verizon users until something new comes along. The Droid Incredible 2 has a smart, unibody design, improved camera, a slightly larger display, and a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon processor which is also used in the HTC Thunderbolt. No 4G/LTE capabilities does set this device back a bit though, but it might work as a nice upgrade for many.

Magic Tablet Ride

HTC has launched into the Android tablet market with their new “Flyer” device. It features a seven-inch screen, a 1.5GHz processor, and HSPA+ wireless for high-speed Internet access. The Flyer supports Flash version 10 and HTML 5 so that you can browse all the fanciest websites without any issues.

Special to the Flyer is HTC’s new Scribe Technology for pen input. HTC says people will “rediscover the act of writing” by using the Flyer to sign contracts, take notes, draws pictures, even write on web pages. Also, the Flyer has debuted a new service called HTC Watch that allows you to download TV and movie content to your tablet. The tablet also supports an online gaming service called OnLive. OnLive promises the ability to play gaming console-class games on your TV by using the service’s “cloud” without any set-top box. Bestselling games like Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, NBA 2K11, and LEGO Harry Potter are on tap. The Flyer was released in the spring so is still relatively new to the market.

Making “Sense” of Android

HTC’s Sense UI tries to make Android’s overall look and feel, as well as app downloading, easier to use. First, with Sense, your Android’s home screen widgets pop and even animate in cool 3D. Next, there’s a tight integration between commonly used apps. For example, when you make a new calendar appointment – everything you do before selecting ‘Done’ will become part of the appointment, like extra notes or web links.

On many Android phones, newly downloaded apps just appear on your screens, usually in alphabetical order by title by default. It can be confusing and you may need to scroll around before finding an app you just downloaded. With Sense, you have special folders for Favorites and Recently Downloaded Apps. This is a great addition to the standard Android UI that allows you to find newly downloaded apps with just a couple of taps.

You’ll still use the Android Market to download all that apps you want. Just find the Market icon, tap it, then use the categories or search bar to find apps that interest you.

All in all, HTC produces exciting Android products that are available at several major carriers and retailers. HTC continues to innovate with their Sense user interface and groundbreaking new elements like the pen-input Scribe Technology.

HTC Flyer Tablet Priced at $499

The 7-inch Android tablet, HTC's Flyer goes up for pre-order in Best Buy stores. The tablet will cost $499 for a 16 GB model with Wi-Fi, but there's no firm release date. For now, Best Buy is going ahead with a vague timeline of "later this spring." A 4G model will launch on Sprint this summer as the HTC Evo View.

The Flyer's claim to fame is an optional pen-HTC calls it the "Scribe"-that doesn't quite behave like a stylus. The Scribe isn't used for navigation, but for marking up web pages and creating handwritten notes. A built-in notebook app allows the user to record audio. Eventually, HTC will open up Scribe to third-party developers who want to add notation to their own apps. No word on HTC Scribe pricing just yet.

It's a neat-sounding feature that distracts somewhat from the Flyer's potential drawbacks. Instead of Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the Flyer will ship with Android 2.4 and tablet optimizations through HTC's Sense interface although HTC's Flyer only matches it. The Flyer is also a bit chunky, at 0.51 inches thick.

Best Buy is taking pre-orders for HTC Flyer at $499.

HTC Flyer: The Pen Makes It Special

HTC has posted a new promotional video for its upcoming Android tablet, which will either be named the Flyer -its moniker in the video -or the smartphone-like Evo View 4G when it arrives this summer. As tablets go, the specifications for the Flyer are impressive but far from unique: a 7-inch, 1024-by-600 display; 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor; 1GB of RAM; 32GB of internal memory; a microSD card slot; and dual cameras (5-megapixel rear, 1.3-megapixel front). What makes the Flyer unique is its pen-input feature. Despite the woeful history of pen-based tablets, HTC is giving it another go with the Flyer. If one can trust HTC's promo video, the Flyer's pen implementation looks pretty slick. The abilities to notate in eBooks, comment on documents and Web pages, and sign contracts with a stylus add a new layer of functionality to today's tablets. A pen is also better for many drawing and photo-editing tasks, as the video carefully illustrates. It'll be interesting to see if HTC's pen-input makes the Flyer a standout in an increasingly crowded tablet market.

HTC prepares Flyer, Stylus-based iPad 2 rival

With the launch of Apple's new iPad 2 imminent, companies like Samsung are rethinking about their tablet strategy, while deep discounts are expected for Motorola's Xoom tablet. But HTC, the company responsible for the Evo 4G and Droid Incredible smartphones, has already lined up a million orders for its new Flyer tablet from retailers and carriers.

That number may not be the best comparison point. Samsung moved 2 million of its tablets to retailers, while Apple sold that many iPads in just 60 days. But the HTC Flyer has some interesting features to recommend it, perhaps even over the iPad 2.

The Stylus is the draw..
Windows-based tablets of old, like Palm Pilots, needed a pen-shaped stylus to interact with their pressure-sensitive touchscreens. You could use your fingers, but it wasn't as precise and you needed to apply more pressure. Capacitive touchscreens like the iPad's, meanwhile, are sensitive to body heat, making them easy to use with your fingers but hard to draw or write on.

The HTC Flyer features the best of both worlds: It has a capacitive, multitouch screen like the iPad 2's, but it also comes with a working stylus accessory for drawing and taking notes. An app syncs your drawings with the online Evernote service, and the built-in e-reader app lets you highlight and annotate books. And despite the Flyer's 7-inch screen size - making it about the same size as a Kindle, or half the size of the iPad 2 - it recognizes when you've got your hand on the screen while drawing.

Content and apps..
Since it's powered by Google's "organic," open-source Android operating system and meets Google's hardware requirements, the HTC Flyer will let you buy apps from the Android Market, which has over 150,000 at last count. It will have its own "HTC Watch" movie store, for access to video content; and apps for Pandora Internet radio, Amazon's MP3 store, and Jamendo's free Creative Commons music are all available in the market.

The downside, of course, is that it doesn't have access to iTunes or the iTunes App Store. There are already 65,000 apps designed just for the iPad, whereas very few Android apps have been designed with tablets in mind. Now that Android has seen its 3.0 "Honeycomb" release, though, which was made for tablets, more tablet apps are on the way and while the HTC Flyer isn't shipping with Honeycomb, HTC has tweeted that an upgrade to Honeycomb will be available soon.

Live video gaming..
Perhaps the Flyer's most interesting feature, besides its stylus interface, is its integration with the OnLive gaming service. OnLive lets you stream games to your PC or television using a controller and a high-speed Internet connection, and it will be built into the Flyer at launch. No word yet on how well it performs, though.

As another possible downside, the pen input feature didn't seem quite mature when the Flyer was introduced last month, plus there's no silo to store the pen in. Worse, it requires its own batteries. The feature of having one, though, may be compelling on its own if HTC works the bugs out; and my personal experience with HTC products has been that they're extremely well-made.

Coming soon..
No release date for the HTC Flyer has been given. But, Sprint is rumored to be debuting an Evo-branded tablet at the CTIA Wireless conference this month.