HTC Hero freed from generic box, called best Android device yet

It's not officially available yet, but the fine folks at Android Community have gotten their hands on a HTC Hero and posted up a quick unboxing and overview. Their unit is an unaffiliated generic whitebox model, so it's likely that the retail packaging the rest of us see from carriers will be different, but none of that changes the device itself, which AC thinks is the "best Android device to date." That's quite a statement, but we're inclined to agree -- we'll see if anything changes when we get that US 3G version in our hands. More pics at the read link, video after the break.

[bublik @ Jul 16th 2009 3:01PM]

nicEEEE

[Phoenix @ Jul 16th 2009 4:27PM]

OhYeah, that is almost EXACTLY the same comment you've put on every article. STFU already, we GET THE DAMN MESSAGE.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 17th 2009 12:56AM]

still a crappy processor with no 3D graphics acceleration.

[LondonConsultant @ Jul 17th 2009 6:12AM]

This phone's biggest weakness is its video recording: just 352x288 at 15fps. Unbelievably bad for a high-end phone in 2009...

[John Doe @ Jul 16th 2009 3:02PM]

Cool...hope this shows up stateside soon @AT&T.

[Andrew Jones @ Jul 16th 2009 3:09PM]

This is one of the few things that has some chance of keeping me on with AT&T after my contract ends next year - I've been eying a number of Android phones and, while I might prefer a WiFi only Android device (does such a beast exist?) this would do quite nicely!

[Aaron @ Jul 16th 2009 3:16PM]

I also want HTC Hero on AT&T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mohulis @ Jul 16th 2009 5:33PM]

Really? You guys WANT to stay with AT&T? I know every major carrier has it's shit to complain about - but I'm seriously fed up with AT&T.

[Yagami Light @ Jul 16th 2009 7:57PM]

Dude this phone isnt shitty enough for AT$T

[PEZOLLA @ Jul 16th 2009 3:04PM]

Really, how different is this from any other Android device out there now? It is going to take another company to really come out with something different. The best? Of course, its in a family of 3 devices that are nearly identical. The UI is different, so what...

Most of us are looking for POWER, screen wise increase, and serious graphics power. Hi, can I have MORE memory please?

G1 .. the best device I've ever owned (since 1989). But underpowered. Give us SnapDragon, man.

[Seraph @ Jul 16th 2009 3:09PM]

+1

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 3:23PM]

+2

[Michael @ Jul 16th 2009 3:42PM]

"The UI is different, so what... "

SO WHAT? Change the iphone UI and no one gives a shit. Change the Pre UI and no one gives a shit. The UI is what differentiates and makes or breaks the latest gen touchscreen phones these days.

Makes: iphone, pre, android

Brakes: windows mobile, symbian

The specs and capabilities of phones today are all pretty much the same. The UI is the ONLY THING separating them. The HTC Sense UI very well could be what propels Android into the main stream. Not Specs. Bumping up the processor 50 MHz and adding 256MB of RAM doesn't mean dick to the average user.
.

[Phoenix @ Jul 16th 2009 4:21PM]

And TouchFLO 3D or 2D makes WinMo a lot better (especially the Diamond2/Pro2 version), provided the power is there to back it up.

[Steve @ Jul 16th 2009 4:37PM]

1+ best comment ive seen on engadget in a long time

[Mel @ Jul 16th 2009 5:28PM]

Which device did you have in 1989?

[Arnold @ Jul 16th 2009 6:20PM]

@Pezolla Oh yea, that smart phone that had the backpack PC attached! Early Adoption FTW!!

[Cal @ Jul 16th 2009 8:49PM]

I kind of agree. being the best android device yet isn't really saying much when there are only two other devices available and they're both basically the same phone plus or minus a keyboard. I want to get my hands on one to see what the hype is about though.

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jul 16th 2009 3:06PM]

"AC thinks is the "best Android device to date." That's quite a statement, but we're inclined to agree"

Well, there are only 3 Android handsets on the market....it's not really THAT much of a statement. :)

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 3:24PM]

And all 3 of them are made by the same manufacturer and this one is the newest, so it's REALLY not much of a statement.

[McPOW @ Jul 16th 2009 3:57PM]

Weird, and here I thought Samsung was a totally different company than HTC

[Phoenix @ Jul 16th 2009 4:22PM]

HTC Magic, HTC Dream, HTC Hero. That's the 3 handsets they're talking about. Is the samsung actually available anywhere? The hero isn't quite, but it's up for pre-order certainly.

[k-sound @ Jul 16th 2009 5:20PM]

@phoenix
yes, in fact it is, in Germany (O2) and France(bouygues).
I'm driving to France this weekend to get mine.

IMHO the Galaxy doesn't get the respect it deserves, it's often considered as the same as the HTC magic because it has similar power. But honestly, slim nice design, 8G storage (+ 32G), amazing screen, better battery what more could you want ...

[Phoenix @ Jul 16th 2009 6:56PM]

well then that's 4 devices, 3 of which are made by the same company. maybe 3/2, but I would include the Hero.

[Jason @ Jul 16th 2009 3:08PM]

Can't wait. If this comes to ATT I may switch from my iPhone 3G to it.

[Return of Jackson...whoo! @ Jul 16th 2009 3:43PM]

You mean you did not run out and buy the 3G "S" when is was released?

Thou are not welcomed in the house of Apple until thee has repented!!!!

[Pre-determined @ Jul 16th 2009 7:48PM]

for that reason alone...don't hold your breath. ATT will drag their feet with Hero... just watch. My eyes are on Sprint.

[Rudy @ Jul 16th 2009 9:49PM]

same here

[Tyrsis @ Jul 16th 2009 3:07PM]

I would seriously consider the hell that is AT&T for this phone.

[Michael @ Jul 16th 2009 3:44PM]

As if the other carriers are SO wonderful.

[cocoviper @ Jul 16th 2009 4:29PM]

@michael

at least the others actually have nationwide 3G networks...

[Michael @ Jul 16th 2009 4:35PM]

@cocoviper like t-mobile, right?

[y3k.nik @ Jul 16th 2009 3:07PM]

You certainly werent kidding when you said generic.. were you...

[Simon @ Jul 16th 2009 3:07PM]

http://www.youtube.com/user/coolsmartphone
these people have many many more videos on the HTC hero and answer alot of user questions.
i'm personally excited for the phone and can't wait for it to come out.

[Winters @ Jul 16th 2009 3:27PM]

Indeed! they have a week with Hero and the guy tells of his experience with it during those 7 days. Quite nice format, I would say. Too bad for the wobbly camera though..

[Verythrax @ Jul 16th 2009 3:19PM]

It's cool, beautiful and such, and the same applies to Sense as well. But if that proprietary mumbo jumbo prevents it from using the actual Android apps, I fail to see how it can be the "best android phone ever made".

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jul 16th 2009 3:20PM]

It's 100% compatible with Android apps. HTC just reskinned the UI.

[Verythrax @ Jul 16th 2009 3:33PM]

There was not an issue that it prevents the phone form accessing the android market?

[Bryan @ Jul 16th 2009 4:19PM]

Nope it accesses the market fine.

[Phoenix @ Jul 16th 2009 4:23PM]

All Android apps and the market work perfectly. It's OTA Android OS updates that doesn't, but I'm sure HTC will do their own version I'm sure. The normal version updating OTA wouldn't be good anyway, since it would overwrite SenseUI and the other enhancements.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Jul 16th 2009 3:22PM]

This is one beatiful phone. iPhone has been pwned more than once by now...Yet fanboys beg to differ... /facepalm.

[Look_Around_You @ Jul 16th 2009 3:24PM]

Did you hav-ta go and do that?

[Hey Ya @ Jul 16th 2009 3:23PM]

In a world of four or five Android devices, is it really that hard to make the best one ever.

It's like when Apple calls each iPhone release "the best iPhone ever." Wow. Congratulations guys. You released a device that's better than two other devices.

[Lazy Genius @ Jul 16th 2009 4:13PM]

but apple does do that... they will go as far and say "the fastest and most powerful iphone yet!"

[Steve @ Jul 16th 2009 4:41PM]

you would be pretty pissed off if the new iphone wasnt there fastest, most powerful iphone lol

[Hey Ya @ Jul 16th 2009 5:35PM]

That was kinda my point, Lazy...

[Epsilon-Not @ Jul 16th 2009 10:09PM]

Well, what do you want them to say?

"The new HTC Hero. Eh, it's okay, we guess."

[Hey Ya @ Jul 16th 2009 10:40PM]

The point is, when all you're competing against is a couple other devices, it's not that tough to be the best of the bunch.

[Ryan Hearn @ Jul 16th 2009 3:25PM]

hmmm... my 1st gen iphone IS getting rather old...

[bluesky_v2.01 @ Jul 17th 2009 2:16AM]

Have you considered getting the iPhone 3GS? It's got a compass!
Huh? Huh!
ehh . . .