It's been
less than two weeks since we laid hands on
HTC's latest
Android masterpiece, the
Hero, and so while we wait to see it again, the cats at Russian site
Mobile-review have gotten some extensive time with a pre-release engineering sample, and give it some high marks for those in the "tech geek" demographic who are looking to pick one up. Some caveats to be had, including the use of pre-release
Sense UI firmware and the curious case of calling the screen resistive, especially since the model we used was definitely the more finger-friendly capacitive, and all the promotional material we've seen show a capacitive model in use. Still, it's well worth a read, if for nothing else than a glimpse at the sample pictures / video we can expect to capture with the phone ourselves.
[Thanks, Fegan]
posted Jul 6th 2009 8:14PM
Bit slow?
This is nearly a week old.
It actually looks similar to the Zune HD without all of the buttons.
A bit. I kind of wish the HD did have buttons.
And you are the product of a failed condom usage attempt, honestly.
You mean "Your first failed attempt of trying to say something smart in this post".
first post and U sound like dumb apple troll ...
this phone is actually dam nice, has great features and you can customize it any way you want (not like iPhone with static list of boring icons). I might get it if it hits AT&T
All I ask is for a G1 with no chin, taller keys, a double-sized battery, and an 1/8 inch jack.
And I don't care if you have to make the phone bigger to do it.
Is that asking too much???
All that sure - but, a bigger screen, and a faster CPU. So far, all android phones have nearly identical specs, with the exception of the ram/rom. I would love to see snapdragon as the hardware platform, as well as an at least 3.5 inch screen. Heck, I wold love a 4" screen! From what I understand... the original, OS and up to 1.5, nothing bigger is natively supported for a screen (3.2). I have heard Donut (2.0) will support larger screens.
yes :] Without a chin, your your neck would meet your upper lip!
The SE code named Rachael has all the things you mentioned Snap Dragon 4inch Screen 3.5mm Jack etc.
Faster CPU means nothing without RAM. So make sure you wish for that too
Without the chin? The chin is the best bit of the G1. Apart from looking smart, and being an instantly recognizable feature, it's vital to the shape of the phone (which is why it feels so much better in your hand, than the iPhone), and also to the function. Through the simple 'chin' solution, you avoid having the trackball (another awesome feature, btw) pressed accidentally, and you also avoid scratches in the display.
STOP BASHING THE CHIN. Seriously, it's such a non-issue it's ridiculous to complain about.
But when the hell are we going to see a VGA Android device? Come on, HTC, you don't really expect me to put down my Diamond and lower myself to iPhone resolution, do you?
In Soviet Russia, Hero previews YOU!
Sorry, that was too easy.
But Russia is no longer Soviet?
The humorlessness is strong with this one.
I'm scared it is
they said android was designed for a resistive screen, not that the unit used a resistive screen
Wow...this is the first phone that almost made me wanna toss out my iPhone. Good job, HTC.
can we get some kind of HTC Android on Sprint ?
U have PRE ... we are all jealous.... NO we need it in AT&T first
I'd agree that we need it on AT&T, but hopefully in the states it arrives without a specific carrier... one can dream...
but AT&T gets a lot of good Phones but as far as Sprint they have the Touch Pro and Pre but I want some Samsung Win Mo/Android phones or any HTC with Android when will this happen?
but i like the word but but really but i do!
but so what le douche
im an iPhone fan, and i have been wanting to get my hands on that phone since i first saw it. stop being such a stuck up fanboy. and yes, i do love apple products
QVGA? WHY?!
Whoops, apparently it's HVGA, not QVGA. Still, who would want a low res display like that when all the big boys have WVGA?
Android isn't optimized for WVGA yet, we have to wait for Donut for that.
Nah forget donut, I'm waiting for the croissant with HD support, but of course the ultimate goal is the browny with full holographic display :D
and the special browny edition will come in a rainbow of colors
aka sprinkles
I think the new os 3.0 is called Bismark, and has a nice tart blackberry jam involved.
Funnel Cake is where it's at
You're all wrong; its gonna be called eclair...Android, Brownie, Cupcake, donut...see the pattern?
Things that go well with drugs?
oh...wait...the alphabet!
I just can't get over the "chin" on that thing. Why does HTC keep doing this? Seems like it would feel weird in the pocket. Do people like how that looks? Other than that, it's a stunning device.
some chicks might like extra chin in the front pocket
chin is @ a 15* angle for 3 main reasons according to executive Horace Luke in charge:
1) Ergonomics for 1 handed use
2) Protect the trackball when flipped over
3) Unique, to be different and stand out
(in that order as well)
The chin makes it more comfortable in your hand and easier to press the buttons on the bottom of the phone. I have the G1, which is thicker and i think has a larger chin, and have had no problems with it in my pocket.
Honestly, I'm ready to ditch my iPhone 3G, and I would really love to have this phone.
Only concern is, I've grown to love the seamless synchronization of my contacts and calendars with my MobileMe/MacBook Pro. Anyone know if there are any services available like this?
You know,
There are two things that tempt me to the Mac platform... one of them is the promise of seemless integration between MobileMe/iPhone/Web on a family pack. The other is the ease of use of iPhoto.
THere are great things happening in the MS cloud including Mesh (love it) but I still find MS's online offerings to be a mishmash.
Anyway I'm drifting away from ym point... I can appreciate your appreciation of seemless integration.
If only I could see evidence of Tim Schaaf laying the foundation for the same with his current employer
"and you can customize it any way you want (not like iPhone with static list of boring icons). "
Really? Icons are a selling point to you? Besides, you can change them too with Winterboard.
Parab,
He means you can customize EVERYTHING on it; not just the icons. It's the great thing that PCs have always had over Macs, and WinMo has always had over iPhone; you can customize anything you want on them.
I'm wondering if the reviewer didn't realise the screen was capacitive, and was 'tapping' it with a fingernail, hence the intermittent response. There's no other reason to assume the screen is less responsive than the iphone or samsung, as it's the same technology. You don't really get an 'unresponsive' capacitive screen.
Yeah, I'm seriously wondering how reviewers can't tell from capacitive or resistive. Do you live in an empty room with nothing but your fingers to poke the screen with?
In fact, it is said "TFT matrix, capacity type screen" in the review.
Maybe bad translation?
I have yet to see an iPhone fanboy in engadget say something intelligent.
Is there a regulation that Android phones have to be bland and boring looking?
Your tastes =/= everyone else's. Get used to it.
I wont even dignify with a proper response...so..
bliodkah
thank you ShogunMaster
you can't. welcome to engadget
How do those mobile-review people get phones so fast?
In Soviet russia, the phone previews y-... i think you all kinda get the drift here
This one is actually sexy. Good work HTC. Unfortunately, T-Mobile seems to be busy drumming up the already-obsolete-before-launched myTouch.
Iphoners - Until the Iphone can multitask its not a smartphone, no one cares.
I really ant to see this phone function. The mytouch I'm using has 4 panels, 6 widgets and an average of 6 icons per panel and it loads slow. Its just alittle faster then the G1. This has 6 panels with the same specs. Do they not want us to use them? As for the 1ghz processor android will need to function and multitask properly expect 4-6 hours from the battery unless they go ahead with a 2600 mah battery. Just put an Omap 3 processor in there. We'll forgive the fact your biting off of Palm.
The next time I hear "Our company is switching over to Iphones" I'm replying " Really, Toys'r'us gives their employess phones"
Well, I'm a custom-mer...I'd like to get my hands on one.
"it looks like a failed attempt to beat the iPhone, honestly"
u kidding me? this thing looks gorgeous compared to my iphone.
IMHO, it has too many buttons for a touch screen phone. 6 plus a track ball.
This android looks GOOD!
Yes and no. You yourself can't delete the messages, but Engadget can do it for you. Just make sure your messages are really defamatory, spam, or written by iEye. They'll take care of it for you.
I love apple and the cocoa touch OS but i really hope that other cellphone/PMP makers can outdo them. So far i think apple still has the best platform but maybe this HTC beauty can usurp the kings.
I hope tmobile gets this. I want this to be my next phone. 288 megs FTW..
this phone looks sweet
i would totally get it if it had a 3.5mm headphone jack.
im a dumbass
Saves us the trouble.
This phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top. The only thing that bothers me is its having too many buttons. Those could be accessed through soft keys or some sorts.
This is one nice phone, DO WANT , I can't complain about any of the features , its perfect
I know this is gonna seem like a dumb question, but what kind of keyboard is that?
I have a feeling morons call first just to piss people off.
I will gladly upgrade my G1 to this if T-Mobile keeps in the tradition of bringing Android handsets to the US.
They've just copied this entire article and posted it here!!!
http://www.gadgetcom.com/htc-hero-pre-release-model-taken-for-a-spin-previewed-in-russia/
'Previewed in Russia"? Uhh, that not just some random reviewer in Russia, that's Mobile-Review.
Alphanumeric/Cyrillic
For use in countries that use Cyrillic, i.e: Russia.