Guess what the Gadget Stork delivered on our doorstep today? A robot baby? No. Better. An actual, real,
in-the-Teflon HTC Hero. Let's just say this -- it's pretty much the sexiest Android device ever created. We're not going to go into too much detail right now, as we're planning on delivering a full review next week, but we do want to say that this thing has our eyes glazed over like Scrooge McDuck checking out a pile of gold... if you know what we mean. HTC has truly outdone themselves here, not only with build quality (the thing kind of feels like a luxurious rock in your hand -- it's a good thing), but so far the software seems truly outstanding as well. Of course, we haven't taken the deep dive yet, so for now, feast your eyes on these photos, and get ready for the main event.
Update: Oh why, HTC? Apparently, this thing ain't covered in Teflon at all. According to the company's PR, only the white models are getting the dirt-resistant treatment. We're guessing the unit we have is just sporting a regular, soft-touch coating. It feels good and all... but now it seems so much less special.
posted Jul 17th 2009 at 3:28PM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
sweet greggo @ Jul 17th 2009 3:31PM
SEXY!
Aaron @ Jul 17th 2009 4:14PM
even more SEXY if it's on AT&T!
tyler @ Jul 17th 2009 4:27PM
@ Aaron :: AT&T sucks.. are you high?
Aaron @ Jul 17th 2009 4:40PM
never said AT&T was sexy...
but no way i'm ETFing a family plan on a carrier i've been with for 9 years with good status :P
MarnBeast @ Jul 17th 2009 5:11PM
@chef Yeah, it wouldn't be much to talk about if it was running a stock android install, but the fact that it's not and has such a damn sexy interface completely makes this whole phone. Personally, I find the exterior to be just as sexy, but the software is the real asset here
Josh @ Jul 17th 2009 5:22PM
I'm a little scared of the sort of garbage AT&T would put onto it.
MEAT! @ Jul 17th 2009 5:27PM
Sexy? I want to put that thing on a chiropractic table and fix its broken little back. It looks like someone dropped the master mock-up before it cooled, or Salvador Dali learned to use a CNC.
Jon Mulholland @ Jul 17th 2009 5:31PM
As someone who's actually been lucky enough to have a 10 minute play around with a demo Hero (pics here http://jonmulholland.posterous.com/lucky-me-i-just-got-my-hands-on-an-htc-hero-d) I have to agree. HTC have really outdone themselves this time - the Hero is a very sexy device.
Duke @ Jul 17th 2009 5:50PM
Chin or not, that is one nice looking phone!
LondonConsultant @ Jul 17th 2009 8:02PM
It may look sexy, but what's the quality of its video recording?...
iphonerulez @ Jul 18th 2009 9:15AM
Jay Leno chin looks just as bad on this as the original. Definitely not Reese Witherspoon since her chin somewhat tapers unlike Leno's ski-jump ramp. Looks like somebody put in in a vice and bent it at the bottom. I'm sure it doesn't hurt the overall use of the handset, so it's not that big a deal. It's just so damn ugly it seriously needs plastic surgery. If I had a mallet, I'd try to flatten that sucker. Other than that it seems to be a decent handset.
Nikesh @ Jul 18th 2009 11:31AM
Its always great to hear an unbiased person comment on how crappy another products style is. Why don't we just cut to the chase and say if its not flat in the front, rectangular around, and slightly curved at the back its a crappy design. *sarcasm*
finite_loop @ Jul 18th 2009 6:33PM
sex on fire
nzo @ Jul 19th 2009 1:37PM
F U TMobile, give us HERO!
Templarian @ Jul 17th 2009 3:32PM
Sexy. I really want to try this thing out. It looks so nice.
(I don't mind the chin).
bluesky_v2.01 @ Jul 17th 2009 4:10PM
Indeed, it looks even better in black.
ManoloDF @ Jul 17th 2009 4:20PM
I wonder what this device with its Leno Chin would look/feel like in some fashionably tight pants.
chefgon_ign @ Jul 17th 2009 4:20PM
I think the software looks awesome but everything about the physical appearance of this phone just looks hideous to me. The buttons aren't symmetrical, the trackball is too small, the whole thing is totally squared off with no curves. And the chin! It just looks plain bad.
Maybe I'm just in the minority and I'm not hip with what looks cool anymore, but I can't shake the feeling that this thing would have been universally laughed at if it was running a stock Android install.
Maddy @ Jul 17th 2009 4:23PM
You're not alone @chef. Exactly my thoughts. Far too many sharp edges to look attractive to me. We're in the minority I guess, maybe just within the engadget crowd.
oghowie @ Jul 17th 2009 5:02PM
I didn't like it at first but it's growing on me.
Not amazing but not ugly. I guess you have to have it in hand to see what all the fuss is about?
logicbomb.de @ Jul 17th 2009 5:48PM
until you actually see one and hold it in your hand, the pictures make the chin look a lot beefier than it actually is
Dez @ Jul 17th 2009 7:30PM
@Manolo
I really wonder too, as my Blackjack 2 has worn a spot into most of my tight jeans already (you can tell where the edge of the phone would be even when its not there)
Mikeweezer @ Jul 17th 2009 7:42PM
That's what they all say about Reese Witherspoon.
nowayman @ Jul 17th 2009 9:19PM
now THIS is beautiful.
pleasantlychinny @ Jul 17th 2009 3:32PM
sweet jesus...
i think i may have pooted.. just a tad
Andrew88 @ Jul 17th 2009 3:58PM
You fart when you get excited? I get pink, with uncontrolled glee.
BlurMagic @ Jul 17th 2009 5:27PM
Jizz. In. My. Pannntttts.
Alex @ Jul 17th 2009 3:33PM
if only it would come to sprint.....
ichheissesuperfantastisch @ Jul 17th 2009 3:57PM
not a pre fanboy, huh? refreshing.
decypher44 @ Jul 17th 2009 4:15PM
Alex, I was thinking the same thing.
Alex @ Jul 17th 2009 4:20PM
@ichheissesuperfantastisch
Guess what phone I ordered just yesterday? :D
i guess i would preder android nevertheless, but I will have to wait and try webOS before I can critique.
spacemanspork @ Jul 17th 2009 4:30PM
@Alex: Hah, I just got a Pre too, but I was really waffling on it because I was hoping the Hero would come out for Sprint, but then decided I didn't really want to wait like 8 months for a phone that might or might not come.
Ben Vaughan @ Jul 17th 2009 5:07PM
Good lord yes. Please please come to Sprint. The Pre was *such* a let down.
Mopo @ Jul 17th 2009 5:25PM
I wish this came to Tmo instead of myTouch...
I like my Pre, not the best thing since sliced bread, but it works as advertised. The battery life hopefully will be improved. I don't see how it was a "let down"?
joaquindel @ Jul 17th 2009 5:26PM
Here is an interesting link pertaining to the Hero on Sprint.
http://www.phonenews.com/exclusive-sprint-hero-samsung-wimaxcdma-android-device-8288/
Jonathan @ Jul 17th 2009 7:09PM
Mopo, for me, the Pre was a letdown in a few ways but I'll be brief. It was buggy and would require restarts often, telling me to free up memory and that I have too many cards open when I had one or no cards open.
The biggest issue was its build quality. The top slider layer was wiggly. You can see on websites everywhere, it wiggles, it begins to peel, hell some even seperate completely. I paid full retail, and I didn't mind, but even at $199 I don't want my phone to feel like a wiggly plastic toy. It was really bad, and tons of users agree.
Bugs get fixed, but the build quality was too big of an issue. Returned it.
xplode @ Jul 18th 2009 1:48AM
so weird. got my pre on launch day - and i've seen the "too many cards" message -once- and i use the crap out of my phone, regularly have between 4 and 6 apps but sometimes much more than that. no wiggle too talk of, if i move the top layer against the bottom when fully closed i have a play of about 1mm. still, to this day. and i use it every day, lot of sms:ing opening the slider all the time etc...
my only complaint was in the beginning my gps wouldn't lock like three times in a row. after a reboot that fixed it - haven't seen that happen since. oh - and it crashed on me once, first day, first time i hooked it up to usb. dragged a 3gb older of music over and it locked up hard mid way through. also never seen that happen again.
so i would call bogus on a lot of the crap some people spew - if it wasn't for the fact that a buddy had the wiggle and the reboots on his. replaced it, had wiggle again. so it happens. how often, is the question. either really quite often, or the wigglers are a vocal bunch... hard to say.
i'm loving my pre. it's a first gen phone, it's not perfect, but i'm loving the potential, webos rocks and in the meantime i have no major problems. just installed the mojo sdk and will be cranking out apps any day now :)
that said, and to be on topic, hero does look sexy... minus the chin. and not as sexy as the pre imo.
Alex @ Jul 18th 2009 10:37AM
damn now you guys got me scrrd. i dun wanna crack the back in half when removing the port cover...
os is great, build seems cheap....but pretty ;D
Jonathan @ Jul 17th 2009 3:34PM
I don't get the chin. I mean, I've never held one so I can't speak from experience but it looks awkward.
Am I way off?
Phoenix @ Jul 17th 2009 3:42PM
it's supposedly to do with a natural holding position, fitting the shape of your face and protecting the important stuff in the event of a fall.
tande @ Jul 17th 2009 4:26PM
@Phoenix: Its not just a fall. Its supposed to keep you from messing up the track ball when sliding it in and out of a pocket. The pocket hits the "chin" before the trackball.
oghowie @ Jul 17th 2009 4:29PM
@ tande
Did the first G1 and Blackberries even have a problem with that?
Phoenix @ Jul 17th 2009 4:36PM
... the first G1 had a chin as well *facepalm*
Deed @ Jul 19th 2009 6:22PM
That and, I remember hearing of several instances of the trackball on Blackberry devices becoming loose/dropping off, which probably happens when it rubs against one's pocket. I guess the chin's a better implementation than I previously thought.
CJ @ Jul 18th 2009 8:09AM
And the blackberries have a rather high failure rate when it comes to the trackballs.
It's the same as the Hiptops.
Chad @ Jul 17th 2009 3:34PM
Of course it's going to be the best thing going....The friggin carriers kept their hands off of it. When it drops to $500 Unlocked I want it.
ichheissesuperfantastisch @ Jul 17th 2009 3:58PM
hopefully a year from now it will have fallen to $350-ish, oltherwise I won't be able to afford it :(
Alex2 @ Jul 17th 2009 3:35PM
you're way on..the chin is out of place.
other than that...its hot
Gregory Clarke @ Jul 17th 2009 3:35PM
Very nice! I was just researching this phone today. Is this a NAM version? Is one in the pipes?
jay jay @ Jul 17th 2009 3:37PM
ashame this isn't coming to the U.S.