HTC Hero

Owen

Just announced today, Android OS, but with HTC's own visual layer. The video linked on Engadget is an eye-candy orgasm fest. Specs aren't too shabby either, 530Mhz processor, 5 megapixel camera, coated in teflon to keep off dirt, fingerprint resistant, capacitive screen, multitouch, compass, 3.5mm audio jack, and supports flash out of the box, not bad!

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/24/htc-hero-details-begin-leaking-from-htcs-own-website/#continued

Elessar

This caught my eye on engadget aswell - I am really impressed. And I think it looks well too. The new Sense UI looks fantastic - there are a few videos on youtube now showing it in action.

I think I might go for this when I get rid of my iPhone 1st gen. Impressive specs, good looks and an OS to rival the iPhone...

E: It has GPS aswell.

Owen

I'm very flummoxed now. I was certain I was going to get an iPhone on Friday morning to replace my damaged iPhone, but the HTC is looking like a real contender, and it's out in about a fortnight.

mobius42

A HTC with a headphone jack?!:eek:

This looks very impressive, they've gotten rid of some of Android's missing features like the lack of pinch to zoom and so on. Also, flash support! I think I'd get this over a Palm Pre.

h57xiucj2z946q

I don't think it comes with Google applications, if that makes a difference for anyone?

mobius42

Makayla Purple Backhand wrote: »

I don't think it comes with Google applications, if that makes a difference for anyone?

It's not branded with Google, but it does have Google apps. If you look at the video below you can see Google maps, Google Talk and Gmail applications in the launcher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTDSfbcbBU

PH4T

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'm very flummoxed now. I was certain I was going to get an iPhone on Friday morning to replace my damaged iPhone, but the HTC is looking like a real contender, and it's out in about a fortnight.

Will this be out shortly?

I was thinking of getting a iPhone 3GS or a Nokia N97 but I prefer the look of this.

Oafley Jones

Strange to see the Church of Scientology listed in the footprints. Tom's minions must have taken over HTC... quick someone contact Xenu.:D


Not bad at all, just wish it didn't have that chin.

foobar

Any idea on price?

PoleStar

Does anyone know if this will be available on contract in Ireland?

foobar

mobius42 wrote: »

It's not branded with Google, but it does have Google apps. If you look at the video below you can see Google maps, Google Talk and Gmail applications in the launcher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTDSfbcbBU

Wow, that video looks amazing !!

hal9000

ooooohhh very tempted need a bit more info and a price!

Owen

£431.24 here :
http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/2156/htc-hero/37fbaa7f99cc912a820d207fd9ecdf3b

But that's unsubsidised. If a network takes it up here, it could be a 200-250 Euro phone.

jpogorman

Anyone heard any release date for any Android phone? I can't believe they are so slow considering the lack of smartphones competing with iPhone/O2.

Davy

Orange in Uk are releasing it early july and its free for a 24 month contract

hal9000

expansys.ie selling it for €519 on July 7th
http://www.expansys.ie/d.aspx?i=184566

Elessar

Gah! Same price as the iPhone 3Gs on pre-pay!

Decisions, why must you be so difficult!?

foobar

Elessar wrote: »

Gah! Same price as the iPhone 3Gs on pre-pay!

Decisions, why must you be so difficult!?

Very little storage space compared to the iphone so Its no replacement for an mp3 player.

Professey Chin

foobar wrote: »

Very little storage space compared to the iphone so Its no replacement for an mp3 player.

4/8/16/32(theyre coming)gb microsd and youre sorted for that

00sully

i initally liked the look of this one - but its still a bit thick (only slightly thinner than the g1) and that chin that sticks out puts me right off

im now gonna choose between diamond2 and touch hd. decisions decisions

Get0fix

Would love to see which operator picks up this phone. Looks great that's for sure, and a serious spec sheet to go with it!

Nice - will be watching closely.

mobius42

I think Vodafone have said they're not getting this. O2 have said that they're getting some Android handsets this year, so its most likely them. As for Meteor or 3, who knows.

Either way, it's being released SIM-free in a week or two, so the operator is irrelevent.

Get0fix

Oh cool. Didnt know that, thanks Mobius42!

lafors

OH me likey too!

I was all set for the N97, but I'm really liking the look of this.
I've always had nokia's and as much as I like the look of the N97, I just feel its too high a price point for what it is. It looks great but for a flagship device its slightly off the mark on many things, only slightly though.

Does anyone know how updates work with Android phones?
As its open do the bugs get fixed pretty quickly?
Are there many applications available for it?
Anyone give me a good HTC/Android forum to read up on it?

mobius42

lafors wrote: »

Does anyone know how updates work with Android phones?

This phone will be slightly different for updates than other Android phones. There won't be over the air firmware updates like the G1, you'll have to download them from HTC.

lafors wrote: »

Are there many applications available for it?

The Android Market is the next largest app store after Apple's. There wouldn't be half as many apps but there are a lot of interesting ones. Have a look at a few here: http://www.android.com/market/ &
http://gizmodo.com/tag/android-apps/

lafors wrote: »

Anyone give me a good HTC/Android forum to read up on it?

http://www.xda-developers.com/ is good for downloading custom firmware and general tips and hacks.

chalkitdown

Is this the Bruce Forsyth of mobiles?

Easy Rider

I like this phone, would be great if a network took it on....Vodafone are losing out more and more.

They have no decent smart phones and they keep on passing up new devices that people want. They phoned me the other day and said I was due an upgrade, which I knew for the last two months and they then tried to get me to 'upgrade' to an inferior phone to my current one while on the call (even saying they knew what phone I already had) and that the phone would be free if I agree now...obviously trying to pin me down with another year contract!

I said no, that you have no decent phones on the market and I could leave the network due to this...So, anyone buying SIM free? Would it work out cheaper anyway? And who would be the best network to go with, I would be looking to use it heavily for browsing etc...

P.S. I don't think I mind the chin, anyone else finding the Iphone has become a tad boring?

elderlemon

Same here - we have 3 phones on vodafone all are end of contract and all are sim free. Vodafone doesn't have anything appealing in their line up.

On the hero - I really don't like the chin , enough to rule out the phone. What I would like is something like the N97 but with android and an FM radio!

Not a lot to ask for?

Easy Rider wrote: »

I like this phone, would be great if a network took it on....Vodafone are losing out more and more.

They have no decent smart phones and they keep on passing up new devices that people want. They phoned me the other day and said I was due an upgrade, which I knew for the last two months and they then tried to get me to 'upgrade' to an inferior phone to my current one while on the call (even saying they knew what phone I already had) and that the phone would be free if I agree now...obviously trying to pin me down with another year contract!

I said no, that you have no decent phones on the market and I could leave the network due to this...So, anyone buying SIM free? Would it work out cheaper anyway? And who would be the best network to go with, I would be looking to use it heavily for browsing etc...

P.S. I don't think I mind the chin, anyone else finding the Iphone has become a tad boring?

mobius42

Easy Rider wrote: »

P.S. I don't think I mind the chin, anyone else finding the Iphone has become a tad boring?

One of my reasons for wanting this phone. I've had an iPhone since they came out here and, while it is a great phone, I'm bored with it and want to try something new. Also, being able to run background apps, having a decent notification system, push Gmail, Flash and the openness of Android are also appealing.

I don't mind the chin; I'm not sure why people seem to dislike it so much.

Easy Rider

Radio would be good agree. The N97, really the software looks so outdated, so I can understand going for the Android OS....In relation to the chin, I don't think it is that bad, but I would still like to see it in the flesh, which might prove difficult...

What is the story with Vodafone? Are they just going to go with Samsung phones like the Jet...?

Sundalic

Very interested in this phone. Was on for getting an iphone but found out there's only Edge coverage at work and since our work internet was removed mobile internet is pretty important to me.
If I buy a sim free Hero does anyone know if I'll be able to fully set it up on 3? I asked their customer support but they seemed to think I'd only be able to use voice and text and not the internet.

Amalgam

This link was squirelled away in Engadget comments:

€459

http://www.loveno.be/nieuws/1110

Seems to be unlocked. (the phone has to be sold 'open' in Belgium I think)

As mentioned before, wish it didn't have the 'chin'. The day a totally flat Android phone comes out, I'm sold.

Professey Chin

Sundalic wrote: »

Very interested in this phone. Was on for getting an iphone but found out there's only Edge coverage at work and since our work internet was removed mobile internet is pretty important to me.
If I buy a sim free Hero does anyone know if I'll be able to fully set it up on 3? I asked their customer support but they seemed to think I'd only be able to use voice and text and not the internet.

You can fully set it up on 3. Ive a g1 running perfectly on 3 and the exact APN settings are around here for it somewhere

Easy Rider

I would be interested in moving to 3 if I get the phone.

So if I go for this price plane:

http://www.three.ie/priceplans/relax90.htm

And this add on (the Mobile broadband 10gb usage)

http://www.three.ie/priceplans/paymonthly_addons.htm

Does the 'mobile broadband' mean I can surf on my phone (not use it as my modem for a laptop for example) and the total would be 40 euro's?

Professey Chin

Easy Rider wrote: »

I would be interested in moving to 3 if I get the phone.

So if I go for this price plane:

http://www.three.ie/priceplans/relax90.htm

And this add on (the Mobile broadband 10gb usage)

http://www.three.ie/priceplans/paymonthly_addons.htm

Does the 'mobile broadband' mean I can surf on my phone (not use it as my modem for a laptop for example) and the total would be 40 euro's?

Yep with that add-on you can surf on your phone or tether it for use with your laptop. Same one I use

Easy Rider

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Yep with that add-on you can surf on your phone or tether it for use with your laptop. Same one I use

Sweet...I pay 30 euro on Vodafone for next to nothing...plus the ability to use my mobile for my laptop if ever needed...nice...

PH4T

Easy Rider wrote: »

Sweet...I pay 30 euro on Vodafone for next to nothing...plus the ability to use my mobile for my laptop if ever needed...nice...

Vodafone have a 1GB Add-on for €8.26 +VAT.

You can also thether your mobile with your laptop. I use it all the time with my Nokia N95 and Eee PC.

Brian Griffin

Anyone know when an English or irish site will have colours other then white?

Easy Rider

PH4T wrote: »

Vodafone have a 1GB Add-on for €8.26 +VAT.

You can also thether your mobile with your laptop. I use it all the time with my Nokia N95 and Eee PC.

Yeah, 1 GB, so I would pay 38 euro or pay 2 euro more for 10gb broadband.

Sundalic

Brian Griffin wrote: »

Anyone know when an English or irish site will have colours other then white?

That's what I'm waiting to see too.

bren32

Really like this phone. Does anyone know what the resolution/format video recording Android handsets are capable of?

lafors

Mobile-Review have their review of the Hero up.
They seem to like it even though theirs was an engineering sample.

Here

Mr E

Thanks for the review link, lafors. They're hard to come by!

I've been watching this phone with interest for the last fortnight, and I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get it. Expansys are now listing it as having a July 20th release date (next Monday). Hopefully a couple more reviews pop up this week to completely convince me!

Dingatron

Good video review here. Seven days with the Hero. I think I'll ordering one in a few weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wELCCUchWhc

Easy Rider

Review here too, five stars http://stuff.tv/Review/HTC-Hero-review/

Mr E

Looks like the Hero has been pushed back to August.
Expansys are saying August 1st, Amazon are saying August 15th.

http://www.expansys.ie/d.aspx?i=185805
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002BWPWRQ

Get0fix

Reviews are looking good. Will have to see what people say once it gets released.
Any word on which Irish carrier might pick up this device?

Dingatron

First not so good review

http://gizmodo.com/5318860/htc-hero-review-ambitious-but-tragically-flawed

Hummm....

mobius42

Dingatron wrote: »

First not so good review

http://gizmodo.com/5318860/htc-hero-review-ambitious-but-tragically-flawed

Hummm....

They only really faulted it for its poor performance (which I suspected considering its processor). That being said, I've seen numerous videos of this online and it didn't look any slower than my iPhone 3G. Maybe it compares badly with the 3GS' processor.

Mr E

Interesting to hear both sides of the story, Dingatron. Thanks for the link.

Pity the comments turned into "Apple iPhone vs. the World", but there was one interesting gem in the middle of the fanboism:

I found that the HTC Hero stores a swap file on the MicroSDSH Card (swapinfo.txt)...

I first used my Hero with a Class 4 card and it did have a bit of sluggish feel to it when closing out applications and then quickly opening another. (The 2GB MicroSD card that comes with the Hero was only a Class4)

But then I switched to a Class 6 card and the sluggishness seemed to just vanish!

Everything worked just great and as expected

mobius42

Mr E wrote: »

Pity the comments turned into "Apple iPhone vs. the World", but there was one interesting gem in the middle of the fanboism:

This iPhone vs everything attitude is starting to annoy me. Every phone is compared to it and if a phone doesn't beat the iPhone in every way, it's deemed a failure. I understand that these phones are competing with the iPhone but they treat the iPhone as what all other phones should strive to be and I don't think that's a good metric.