HTC Jetstream – Review
At $700 for the 32GB version, the HTC Jetstream must do something to justify its price, and to convince prospective buyers that of all the available Android tablets, this is the one to buy. Jetstream weighs 1.5 pounds, slightly heavier and chunkier than Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is the Android tablet to beat. Smooth, rounded-off corners make the Jetstream ergonomic in design, and the bezel curves away at the edge, giving the unusual impression of a convex-shaped display.
In the middle of that bezel sits a 1.3MP front-facing camera and an ambient light sensor. The volume rocker up top is nice and big at 1.5 inches long. Then there’s a USB port for connecting with a power supply or for transferring files. A removeable panel on the rear of the Jetstream hides an 8MP double-LED flash-enabled camera, and a SIM-card slot and microSD card slot are concealed in the same bay. On the bottom edge of the HTC Jetstream a pair of stereo speakers deliver decent audio.
The reputation of a tablet is closely linked to the quality of its display, and the HTC Jetstream features an LED-backlit 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel screen. But it’s neither IPS nor PLS powered, which means viewing angles are not as good as those found on Galaxy’s flagship Android tablet or on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer.
Really a tablet that’s considerably thicker and heavier than the competition should justify the extra bulkiness with superior or additional components, yet the Jetstream specs really only match those of other premium tabs – dualcore 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with Adreno 220 graphics, 1GB RAM , WiFi-n, Bluetooth 2.1 and all those features found in a good Android tablet – accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, digital compass. HTC offers the Jetstream with either 16GB or 32GB storage. Additionally, with external styluses enjoying a revival in the mobile world, the Jetstream is compatible with HTC Scribe digital stylus.
The Jetstream features Android 3.1 Honeycomb, a slight black mark against tablets running Honeycomb 3.2, with such improvements as the ability to launch files direct from microSD and improved hardware optimization and widgets. HTC has overlaid its HTC Sense UI on top of the standard Android OS, and various applications are pre-loaded, including free games and AT & T tools, such as the Communication Manager app for monitoring data usage. In terms of performance, HTC Jetstream runs snappily – apps launch rapidly and navigating is responsive. The Jetstream matches other premium tablets for brightness, contrast and video frame rate, and the 8MP rear cam takes good quality photos, if not quite as sharp as those captured by the Galaxy Tab 10.1′s camera.
The Jetstream can use AT&T LTE network in those cities supporting it. The weighty 7300mAh battery gives ten hours of moderate use – WiFi and LTE were both on, we played several mp4 movies and even streamed a 124 minute movie. It’s a good tablet, but it costs more than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which now with 16GB of internal storage, sells for only $490.
Related posts:
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 – Review
- Andy Pad Pro – Review
- Lenovo IdeaPad K1 review
- Vizio VTAB1008 – Review
- Review: Toshiba Thrive tablet
Sign up to the Gadgetmix Newsletter (free) for news and reviews mailed directly to your mailbox CLICK HERE
