The HTC Hero: My Second Favourite Mobile Device Ever
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been playing around with the HTC Hero. The US guys reviewed it way back in July, and while I don’t disagree with anything in that review, there are still a few things worth mentioning about the Android phone now that it has finally hit Australian shores.
1. Where’s the Proximity sensor?
Every single time I finished a phone call, the screen was blank. I didn’t know if I was still connected or not. Mostly I was, and had to press a button to turn on the screen, then press the hang up button. This phone needs a proximity sensor.
2. Optus and their mother fracking App Market block
Hardly the fault of the phone, but I was testing using an Optus SIM card, and couldn’t purchase any paid apps. That’s frustrating to the nth degree, and with the only workaround to either switch providers or flash the ROM, there are probably going to be a few disgruntled customers who buy this without doing the proper research.
3. HTC Peep – a mixed bag
I love the fact that the HTC Twitter app, Peep, will convert smiley faces to little Android graphics. But I hate the fact that it doesn’t include any replies unless the reply tweet starts with your username.
4. Music/Video is a bitch to get onto the device
This was mentioned in the US’ review, but seriously – I know iTunes has become a bit bloated in recent versions, but it still shits all over having to drag and drop your music and videos, especially if you’ve got a lot of music to copy over. On the plus side 3.5mm headphone jack!
5. Despite the fact the phone’s always connected, it doesn’t always update.
The Hero supports Exchange email, and automatically refreshes Twitter. Yet I’d often find things would come through on my PC much more quickly, and with the Twitter app I’d have to manually request a refresh despite having it set to automatically do it every 15 minutes. The exception was Gmail, which was blindingly efficient as expected.
6. What about data?
I was testing the Hero using my iPhone’s SIM, so I had no worries about data usage. But considering the Hero is being sold outright, and it’s designed to drag information down from the web in real time in the background (like weather and Twitter, for example), the data use could pose a problem for some users who don’t get a decent data plan with their phone plan.
Yet despite these things, the Hero is easily my second favourite handset ever. Some of its functions – like intelligently managing your contacts with your Facebook contacts, email ease of use and the whole Sense UI – are fantastic. As an alternative to the iPhone, you can’t get much better (in Australia at least). Just don’t use an Optus SIM card…
- Next Post: Remainders – Stuff We Didn’t Post (and Why) »
- « Previous Post: This City’s Christmas Tree Lights Go Off Unless 15 People Ride Bikes
Comments
Wow, It turns out I was just heading to eBay to slap down some cyber-cash for one of these babies, but was feeling still a bit hesitant… Now my doubts have been completely quashed!
Optus isn’t blocking paid apps. Google’s dropped the ball on that one.
How? Paid apps work on every other telco. Love to hear your explanation…
Out of curiosity, do the ‘other’ telcos you mention offer their own payment-system or do they default to Google Checkout? If the former, then maybe its a question of Checkout not working properly (in some areas), outside the US.
:) Been incredibly happy with my HTC Magic with 3 yet.. after hearing about all this Optus bullsh*t I’m so glad I jumped ship to 3. The coverage might be poorer but when it DOES work I was astounded by how much faster the 3′s data network was compared to optus. It’s amazing that companies feel like (and sometimes manage to) get away with this stuff!
did you experience any lag whilst scrolling through menus?? this was mentioned in the US review – I have a feeling there may have been a firmware and/or software upgrade that rectified this…
Not overly – at least nothing that I noticed consciously…
now we just need it on some damn plans.. come on Virgin!
I’ve got a HTC Magic, which up until the other day had a Hero ROM running on it. Worked flawlessly. Hardware wise, the Magic is practically identical to the Hero, so if you are a bit tight for cash, you can get a magic for a few hundred cheaper and run Hero roms on it.
Beware of HTC’s large screen phones.
Any force applied to them, even taking off a screen protector, is enough to produce “newton rings” and the screen stops responding to touch.
Not much use for a touch screen phone.
HTC refuse to cover this by warranty and refuse to negotiate. expect to shell out up to $500 to repair it. With no guarantee that the next screen won’t do the same thing.
Design or Materials fault but they won’t cover it by warranty.
so I assume your favourite device is an iPhone?
I have owned a Hero since mid august in the UK. If you have a google mail account, you can register your credit card and buy apps that way. Yes while it is nice to be able to get charged on your phone bill for apps, it is not the end of the world.
In the UK/US there were firmware updates in september. If you are buying a phone new, just ask the provider whether it includes the new firmware (it probably does).
I think the Hero is the best smartphone out there. I dont like the mail exchange though. I forward all my emails via google mail and send receive is instanteous. THe emails are displayed will full pictures etc
1. Where’s the Proximity sensor?
Yea it doesnt have one but as for u problem with hanging up a call try just hitting the power button the far right..
2. Optus and their mother fracking App Market block
Not a fault of the phone at all.
3. HTC Peep – a mixed bag
Then get twitteroid or just disable Peep
4. Music/Video is a bitch to get onto the device
Heard of iTunes Agent? It lets u sync ur hero with itunes!
5. Despite the fact the phone’s always connected, it doesn’t always update.
Well the iphone wont even notify you on twitter updates without some form of work around.
6. What about data?
Hold down the power button and turn off mobile data. Plus that is something the user should look into its not the phones fault. You dont even have the option of turning off data on the iphone..
To me it sounds like someone has become quite accustom to the iphone.
I don’t understand why every Giz reviewer sees the lack of additional softward to sync music as a problem. Surely being able to just drag and drop music onto the phone is easier than having to install an application to do it?
I see this as a benefit rather than a disadvantage.
Agreed! Drag and drop media shits all over having to install crappy itunes for anything!