HTC Hero reviews (new Android handset)

[pm]

The HTC Hero is a new Android handset that implements a lot of slick new UI features, multitouch, and finally adds a 3.5mm headphone jack. And, unique among the hyped smartphones (iPhone, Pre, Storm) it has Adobe Flash support.

Engadget posted a review of it:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/23/htc-hero-review/

Gizmodo's review:
http://gizmodo.com/5318860/htc...view-tragically-flawed

TechRadar's review:
http://www.techradar.com/news/...htc-hero-review-610896

Basically the consensus seems to be that the hardware is very nice., the new UI changes make Android much more consistent and aethetically appealing, and there are some welcome changes like Flash support and the 3.5mm jack. But overall the phone feels sluggish - when using the 5MP camera, when flipping around, when browsing and that Adobe Flash is almost unusably slow.

Maybe they can speed it up a bit with some software tweaks. If not, hopefully the Hero 2 will have a faster CPU.

 

[shortylickens]

I am seriously considering this phone. I want a newer Android phone, but I also want a proper keyboard. According to most of these reviews, the touchscreen keypad is nice, but far from perfect. Maybe I should settle for the G1.

EDIT: Most of these reviews seem to be saying the same thing.
"Its nice, but....."

I know the iPhone 3GS is popular, but can it really be as kickass as everyone says? My hate for Apple says it cant be that good. But maybe I should finally see for myself. I have an AT&T phone that I'm turning in this weekend. Maybe instead of getting a refund I should go for it.

 

[zerocool84]

I hate touchscreen keypads. I will never own a phone that uses one.

 

[gorcorps]

Good to hear it has flash support, bad to hear it's so slow it might as well not be there. Oh well...

 

[pm]

According to the rumors, the Android floodgates will open later this year and there will be a lot to choose from. If the G1 (Dream), Touch (Magic) and Hero aren't doing it for you, I wouldn't think it will a long wait until something comes out that has the new features and a keyboard.

 

[SAWYER]

The engadet review says if the software was running on 3gs or pre hardware it would be astounding.
"Wrap-up



The Hero represents a valiant effort from HTC -- though unfortunately, the company appears to have bitten off more than its last-generation hardware can chew. If this build of Android were to be loaded atop the guts of a 3GS or Pre, the performance would likely be astounding, but fused with the two-year old architecture of previous devices, it's mostly disappointing. We're not saying this isn't the best build of Android on the market -- we think it is. What we are saying is that this build is a bit too much for a device like the Hero to handle, and that makes for an uneven, sometimes frustrating experience. Going into the review, we desperately wanted to love this phone, but given the combination of a few poor hardware choices and an OS which outclasses the device it runs on, we can only recommend that you enter at your own risk. HTC has an explosive entry in the smartphone category with what its done on the software side... now it just needs the hardware to match."

 

[abaez]

You can see the sluggishness in several of the engadget videos. I was thinking of buying this unlocked, but there's no way in hell I'm paying for such slow hardware. I'm sure the 3gs or pre hardware isn't THAT much faster, but obviously the software is much more heavily optimized for it.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: abaez
You can see the sluggishness in several of the engadget videos. I was thinking of buying this unlocked, but there's no way in hell I'm paying for such slow hardware. I'm sure the 3gs or pre hardware isn't THAT much faster, but obviously the software is much more heavily optimized for it.

I agree. The software/drivers needs to be optimized a lot more.

My iPAQ PDA from almost 5 years ago feels faster. The CPU is older though the screen is bigger (4") and resolution is 2x more (VGA) and the RAM is only 64MB (1/3). It also runs WM6.

I hope Android gets much better in the next year. I have an HTC G1 and it's nice though I doubt I'll be actually using the HERO build on my phone anytime soon. I tried it a couple of weeks ago and it was really laggy.

 

[vshah]

the palm/3gs cortex A8 is MUCH faster than the arm11 used in all 3 HTC android phones so far.

even overclocking the g1 to 528Mhz shows a noticeable improvement throughout the phone

 

[blackangst1]

UI looks like WM6.....

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: blackangst1
UI looks like WM6.....

The hero/sense ui was created by HTC, who also created the Touchflo for WM. The interface (and some apps) aren't standard Android.

 

[her209]

How does this version stack up against the US Sprint version?
http://www.pcworld.com/article..._surprising_price.html

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: her209
How does this version stack up against the US Sprint version?
http://www.pcworld.com/article..._surprising_price.html

According to that article it functions exactly the same.

HOWEVER.......
Sprint is known to gimp features on their phones, so I will wait for the T-mobile version which does not have that problem.

 

[tdawg]

I was initially interested in the Hero, but I'll be waiting for an Android phone using 3gs/Pre or better hardware.

 

[technologyslice]

HTC make awesome phones.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: technologyslice
HTC make awesome phones.

i thought they did...until i went through 5 HTC touch pros... now i refuse to use anything made/manufactured by them.

 

[boomhower]

Originally posted by: shortylickens

Originally posted by: her209
How does this version stack up against the US Sprint version?
http://www.pcworld.com/article..._surprising_price.html

According to that article it functions exactly the same.

HOWEVER.......
Sprint is known to gimp features on their phones, so I will wait for the T-mobile version which does not have that problem.

Really? VZW used to pretty bad but if anything Sprint bumped up the specs from their GSM counterparts.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: tdawg
I was initially interested in the Hero, but I'll be waiting for an Android phone using 3gs/Pre or better hardware.

Yep, the 3GS raised the bar, I want a faster processor.