HTC Hero hands-on: Flash, keyboard and ruminations (updated!)
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jun 24th 2009 11:56AM
posted Jun 24th 2009 11:56AM
- The beveled edges along the back makes the handset sit comfortably in the hand, and while the teflon coat doesn't necessarily feel revolutionary, it's going to make a world of difference after a couple of months riding in our grubby pockets. It's certainly solid, but much more so than other "brick" phones.
- The Sense UI (or as HTC terms it, "user experience") riding a capacitive touchscreen offers a people-centric approach to managing your information that is absolutely dreamy at first blush -- though it shares a lot of TouchFLO heritage. In fact, HTC promises to have a very similar Sense-branded experience for Windows Mobile.
- The on-screen keyboard also seems quite useable with a nice simulated haptic forced-feedback bounce when you strike each key in either landscape or portrait mode (which can naturally be deactivated). HTC has built its own touch keyboard from the ground up, and in our brief couple of tests we'd say it's probably the best touchscreen typing experience we've ever felt. It never lags behind, and has great colorful visual cues for its auto-corrected words -- green means it's suggesting a correctly spelled word, red means we've gone off the beaten path, and the T9-style multiple suggestions are heavenly.
- This intuitive one-hander isn't shy with the specs either as we've already seen in the official press release. Our only concern is possible sluggishness from the Qualcomm processor that cause the graphic transitions to stutter a bit and results in screen rotations that feel dangerously uncomfortable.
- We were told that the device we saw was running pre-production firmware so there's still time to tweak -- though not much with a July European launch.
- The Hero is not a "Google Experience" device. As such, you won't find the Google logo anywhere (no big deal) but you also won't be downloading any firmware updates over the air -- sideloading only kids. Not a deal breaker but an annoying and seemingly arbitrary limitation nonetheless. There's still a small lack of clarity of how updates will work with HTC's "mods" living on top of basic Android -- even if they're able to port in new Android versions seamlessly, we imagine there will be some breakage.
- For a device without a physical keyboard, the Hero seems a little thick up against its HTC Magic, Nokia N97, and iPhone 3G counterparts, but not overly so.
- HTC has confirmed that whichever (unspecified) carrier gets the phone in the US will have a modified version, both in software (carrier-specific services) and in hardware chassis tweaks. Just don't take our teflon away, ok HTC?
- Battery is the same larger slab that's in the myTouch, and HTC also claims to have done some vague, unspecified things OS-side to improve battery life as well. "Heavy users will be able to get through a day."
- The camera is responsive and seems to do a fine job at autofocus, but wasn't astonishingly great at first glance.
- The phone will be available for free on T-Mobile UK -- if only we could be so subsidy lucky in the US.
Flash win
Flash fail
Keyboard rotation
Hardware hands-on, typing test
Flash fail
Keyboard rotation
Hardware hands-on, typing test
OMG! It SO DIDNT look that good in the other photos, looked way fatter!!
...that's what she said.
Is that a HTC Hero in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?
did someone say htc hero pro with qwerty later on??
FPS looks like poop
@A1 Plumbing
Im loving the interface, but the fps really suffers from that crappy processor... Why does htc keep doing this to themselves? They seem to have really good software people, and even a great design team, but their hardware people are just slow to the punch.
@ MIA
I think you just described an (Upgraded) g1
I agree, but whyyyyyyyy must is have the "Jay Leno chin" as well? That seriously bummed me when seeing the phone.
NO HEADPHONE JACK, no dice.
HTC just never learns.
Hm, wait a minute: It does appear to have a headphone jack, but it's on an angle.
So either the plug goes in perpendicular to that angled surface (and sticks out awkwardly) or it won't go in all the way because the base of the plug will hit the sloped surface above the jack.
What's the story?
Jay Leno designed this funny-looking handset using his own facial image.
It would have been a game changer for me if it had a QWERTY.
booshit i ordered one off of integrontech.com
No loading apps over the air!? Just seems such a bizarre decision. Did you get any sense as to why that was the case? What difference does it make if it's 'Google experience' or not?
actually after watching the video, i can sort of understand the lack of access to the google market. my guess is they're going to keep this "hero build" proprietary, they've put a lot of work into it. i think when you subscribe to the "google experience" version of the OS they lock you down with some restrictions and also make you open source the work you do (think i read that somewhere...)
Yeah, I was really excited about the Hero until about 5 minutes ago when I read no OTA market access. Makes me too worry about the whole loss of "Googleyness". Someone needs to cover what else is lost with this.
I need to see this thing in action next to an i7500 now plz.
it was mentioned below that the google market access might be wholly a carrier decision. so it's very likely that you won't have to worry about it "not having" it. i don't think they went sans Google experience to block the market but more to protect the work they did on the UI.
whatever carrier picks up the device (most definately T-mobile but not for 6 months cause they just released magic) they will have app market access put on there. i guarantee it
no its just engadged being stupid see 0:48 in the video (htc hero first look ) it says market
i was shoked too
Whoa now I'm not getting this. How am I supposed to sideload if the only way to get apps is through Android Market? So far I haven't seen any apps being downloadable to your computer.
So, this is an Android phone that can't access the Android Market! Come on, that's got to be the biggest deal breaker I can think of for an Android phone...
they updated the info in the article. we can all stop rage-shaking now hahaha
silly
its not apps. its updates on firmware.
This looks like a step backward from the HD, looks-wise - why put that silly little kick on the bottom?
it protects the trackball/screen when face down
the hero does seem to be more of a software update to the magic than hardware (other than the 3.5mm jack which is totally welcome)
"it protects the trackball/screen when face down"
Surely there is a better reason than this for the chin. Maybe they found in the r&d process that the curve improves voice reception or something.
Regardless, it still ruins the design for me.
still waiting for my sprint HTC TOUCH PRO2.
Do you not think it's good to keep your screen scratch-free and your scrollball lint-free?
It looks like a fat guy trying to do a sit up.
i would buy this just to see how far it would fly if you laid it flat and pounded the bottom with your fist...
I agree about the kick at the bottom, but the slick UI makes up for the kick at the bottom.
Go ask that question to your wall phone from '92. Maybe it has something to do with erganomics and trying to get the microphone closer to your mouth? Maybe? Just a guess seeing that a flat phone pushes the mic further away from your mouth picking up on more static and outside noise. Perhaps you should cup your hand around your ear..maybe you could hear me better then.
Yeah, I lay my phones face down all the time.....
Yeah the kick is lame. Only going to make your pocket bulge out. If it were to really improve the mic reception then they should have made it so the kick can flip from flat to slightly angled, then you have the choice.
I would guess, that the kick is there to help improve button/scrollball use. It raises the buttons/scrollball just enough for one hand use to be comfortable.
Big HTC fan, own a Touch pro...
but this is just plain ugly IMO. The new UI is neat but android is premature.
business users need the more robust winmo 6.5. This is the OS that needs a UI overhaul the most. Here is hoping that HTC focuses on improving winmo interface with tf3d or sense more in the future.
If the screen is glass, it's not going to scratch from being put down face-down.
The iPhone's entire face is flat, and after three years mine doesn't have a scratch on it.
I have to agree on the bottom awkward bend. Wish they just completely throw that out. Still waiting for something to replace my iphone but as far as application goes, nothing top Apple and the smooth interface. I want flash so bad on the iphone.
it looks smaller than I thought!
That's what she said!
Sorry, had to do it. It is a lot more sleek than I was expecting, but I still dislike the chin. Instead of protecting the screen while face down, why not just...not put the phone face down on the table?
@demo
you don't apologize for saying "thats what she said". it's obligatory internet etiquette. remember that.
(just some vital information for your everyday life :D)
u guys made my day well i guess im soo exitid by the phone than i can laugh 4 anything
but thanx
Sweeeeet. But i kinda hate the whole bent/banana shape stuff one phones
That's what she said!
I think it's obvious that the guys from The Astonishing Tribe have been on the design of the Sense UI, once again (as in with g1). It's sorta like a combo between their History lane UI vs. Juggle UI. Though i could be wrong.
Anyknow if it's the same guys doing the UI.?
I hope TAT was working on this.
Those guys deserve a higher profile.
Looks like a great interface... WAY better than the out of box Android experience.
Whoever designed it, props to them, because it's like HTC's Manila (best mobile phone GUI ever) on steroids. If this hits XDA, I'll certainly keep dual booting my phone between WM 6.5 and Android.
BTW, looks like the Sense UI is gonna be coming to Windows Mobile as well...
----
“We’ve been developing this for three years,” said John Wang, chief marketing officer of HTC, in a phone interview. “The point is to enrich the user experience, to make it personal, convenient and give users moments of delight.”
The company calls the new software HTC Sense, and it will be introduced in HTC’s entire portfolio of mobile phones starting with the HTC Hero. The company is the world’s largest maker of Microsoft Windows Mobile smartphones, and handsets running that software will also run HTC Sense in the future...
----
http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=1255
Not bad. Is it free?
thats what she said
I like the look of this. Shame it doesn't come with WinMo 6.5 though.
Consider it a feature. ;)
winmobile 6.5 is gonna be great and all but you gotta love the open-ended attractivness that android has to offer also..cant wait till the cooks over at xda slice out that sense ui and port it over to devices like the g1..gonna be awesome! takes the winmobile idea of touchflo, throws in some sweet android, and then tops it off with the glitzy palm pre interface..whats there not to love!
@loopyoyo: They already did. That's what all the Hero ROMs are.
How cool will it be if there would be dual boot: Android and WinMobile 6.5
I'll still be firmly keeping my iPhone 3G i think lol.
any news on UK carriers?
also one of the best things about android is it's googlyness - if the lack of "google experience" means that it does away with the gps enabled google maps, gmail, etc, then a funky new interface ain't going to save it.
The HTC Hero is going to be available in the UK on Orange and T-Mobile.
Alex
agree. i think one of the best things about the g1 now is the gmail experience, not the marketplace.nothing can touch the integrated gmail app on the g1 for a hardcore gmail user.
nice. at least it's got a carrier with great 3g coverage in t-mobile. in me experience, everything bar t-mobile and vodaphone is useless outside of london.
Hardly useless. I'm on Orange and they seem to have a good 3G coverage up here in Aberdeen. I get a full HSDPA signal at home.
ah, fair enough. did a series of 3g modem tests in the south of england a while back, and t-mobile and vodaphone were the only vaguely usable options for HSDPA access in Hampshire as a whole. some cities were ok, but as soon as you hit the 'burbs everything else dropped.
I really like that new UI... Sleek and stylish.
Hmmm....not a great look having the church of scientology in the 'favorites' list for the browser section of the promo video.
I really wanted Android to do well in the market but it seems that HTC are the only ones really picking it up and the fact that they have to develop their own additions means that the Android developers aren't doing their job in my opinion. Google should be dominating this space. They should be providing a firmware that can compete with the iphone over many platforms and giving people choice (in hardware) with software usability to compete with the iphone.
I was hoping for more out of them after this amount of time.
why not MicroUSB?
HTC usually runs with their own proprietary miniUSB compatible plug called HTC miniUSB. this is fully compatible with mini but contains like 5 more pins so that they can do video out through it as well.
although i haven't seen anyone ever use it for that...
Hi
Spent £530 on a 32GB iPhone last week and I am now back using my HTC Magic. I just love the Android os. As for the Hero, I am not sure if I think its ugly or not. Like the fact that its thin but not the chin.
Alex
but look at materials it will be made off... it won't get any finger prints and so on... and for me it looks great!
After nearly 2 years of iPhone it's time for an upgrade - screw the 3GS, with the Hero I get Flash, real Skype (ie, 3G, not Wi-Fi only) and a unified messaging approach (I had this on the BB years ago and miss it a alot).
" won't be downloading any apps over the air -- sideloading only kids"
does this mean there is no android market
no way if so what is android without its apps
99% of the apps in the android market arent availble in apk
no freakin way i bet they wrote that by mistake
please clarify
Yeah, they made a mistake on it. Apparently it was just supposed to be no firmware updates can be downloaded from what I understand. Android Market will still be there
Do you have any screen shots of text messages or texting input?
Looks nice, but I have far less faith in hardware manufacturers delivering timely, well-integrated software updates (a serious factor when buying a new smartphone) than I do in big software companies.
Also, no OTA Apps might be a dealbreaker for me. I bought iFitness, a workout tracker, on a whim while working out. I bought a WiFi disk utility, Discover, at a client site when I realized I needed an easy way to transfer files to my phone. A new 3 dollar game is a great way of killing time in an airport. Will this also limit the ability to do in-app purchases?
They just said no OTA firmware updates(!)... not OTA apps(!)...
The photos look much better than the press shots, that UI is to die for, I like the kick out stops it acting like a bar of soap and popping out of my hand also protects the screen if it falls face down.
sheesh, how greasy are your hands?
Whoa what do you mean by not being able to download apps over the air?
What will happen to all the apps I have on my G1? :(
The HTC Magic in Sweden doesn't come with the "google experience" either. You can still use the Android Market on it though.
that first picture makes the phone look incredibly thin and sexy. I was so exited until I saw the side pictures and found out its not as thin as i though. I'm glad for HTC though, they make fine handsets :)
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/articles/htchero.html
flash support oob is the real winner here
ooh, i'm wondering if it needed to be a Googleless phone in order to get multitouch on there...
As the owner of three Winmo devices, two are which are HTC... all I can say is more garbage.
this is ANDROID.
Read carefully.
A-N-D-R-O-I-D.
Not WinMo.
ANDROID.
If he is referring the the garbage Qualcomm processor they pollute all their phones with, then he has an excellent point.
The fact that this has a 3.5mm jack is a big step forward, but thats a step that should have been made 2 years ago, not in mid 2009.
Trust me. HTC is to be hated for their irritating design choices, and this isnt enough to break from that trend. They are still trying to clear out their processor inventory, which is a damn shame. This could have been a real winner.
No one on the corner got Swagger like us, swagger swagger , swagger like us..
I sanged swagger songs for you guys.
Wow! That looks great.
Come again? No market=No deal. Sure they will hack market into it very fast, but I hate when I get a device that can't do anything out of the box. Come on - how long do you spend on the homescreen admiring the beoutiful UI anyway. I have a G1 now but I'm seriuosly considering an Iphone for my next handset if thinks don't develop in a good way for Android (meanning better devices). The 3.2" screen is
just pathetic. I like the chin btw, can't understand why everybody complains about it - it's a destinctive feature of android phones and
if not very usable and ergonomic, it makes the device stand out. The magic has better design hands down, so I think HTC should have done better.
Wow thanks Engadget for killing HTC Hero sales before they even start by spreading false information! The app store IS available over the air. Everyone calm down.
That chin protrusion is a big turn off for me. I can't see that feeling comfortable in a pocket. What were they thinking?
Looks good plus Flash! Not sure I like no over the air app downloads though.
For a sec there I thought my tricky iPhone/Android/Pre good old nokia decision had been made.
This is a customized version of Android so does that mean that you won't be able to install future Android updates? Presumably there is a chance they will break the Sense UI so will we have to wait for a new version of sense as well or will there be no updates at all?
I'm guessing this is part of the reason for no "over the air" apps and because it's not a "google experience" phone that means no built in gmail etc. Does that also mean you can't install it separately?
Google Maps is now a free download like any other app from the Market. [Which, btw, also means they can add features to it without an OS release. Very nice.]
I imagine GMail could be distributed the same way.
I'm wondering how Android OS releases will be handled. I imagine it will be HTC's burden to incorporate any of the new features into their OS and release them at some later date (if they even choose to do so).
If you look at the gallery that Slashgear put up on their site, you can see the Android Market on it. and Google Maps. So maybe there are over the air app downloads??
And on this side of the Atlantic we're still waiting for the inferior myTouch to do us a favor and get released.
Dinner Thursday night with April AND Jasmine... nice!
after looking to the photos, am i the only one who thinks the designs is absolutely Ridiculous?
Although UI is Awsome.
Not every phone has to look 100% the same.
Via la difference...Or some frenchy saying.
HTC Hero designer seems to like Jay Leno.
real nice looking phone.
and wonderful seahawks qwest field background picture =D!
Not bad:)
In the looks department, I think it's up there with the iPhone 3G!