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.

As much as I like the touch-based iPad--and to a lesser degree, the Samsung Galaxy Tab--I've felt that some tools would benefit from a more precise input device (e.g., a stylus). It'll be interesting to see if HTC's pen-input makes the Flyer a standout in an increasingly crowded tablet market.

Contact Jeff Bertolucci via Twitter ) or at .