Sprint HTC Hero available today to Best Buy Reward Zone members
By Paul Miller 
posted Oct 9th 2009 10:47AM
posted Oct 9th 2009 10:47AM
[Thanks, Ted]
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沙发！
Chair!
I JUST GOT MINE!
I need a Hero
I’m holding out for a Hero ‘til the end of the night
It’s gotta be Android
And it’s gotta be fast
And it's gotta be fresh from the box
I need a Hero
I’m holding out for a Hero ‘til the morning light
With Donut for be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And it’s gotta be larger than life
Unfortunately it doesn't have Donut... yet.
You win!
You, sir, just blasted my mind.
This has been stuck in my head all day
Sprint coverage sucks in my area. Any update on Hero for Verizon release date?
Yeah, they should be done testing it in about a year.
My plan allows me to ROAM free of charge on Verizon's network >.>
Does this thing require one of those fancy all-you-can-spend plans, or can I leave it on my old $45 plan w/ unlimited data I use for my Q?
I believe it just requires an unlimited data plan, so yes - it should work. But I would check with some form of a Sprint Rep to be sure.
Its your $45 plan or the Hero, but not both.
We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome
You...not so much...
Wait, did noone else notice that they spelled "Flickr" wrong?
Good catch. This is what happens when marketing isn't "with" the times.
I was looking to see if anyone else noticed and saw your comment...
poor suckr
Maybe it's just that Flickr® is the incorrect spelling and the copy writer was just doing what he/she was taught — to spell correctly.
Btw, if you can't upgrade yet, they're charging $699. WTF is wrong with Best Buy? That price doesn't even make any sense.
For some strange reason these smart phone makers THINK these things are worth $400, $500, $600 even $700. I understand they are all in bed with the carriers, but as so many "tear-down" sites have proven the actual hardware is only worth a couple hundred bucks (if that). Throw in another hundred for R&D on each phone and your still at less the $300.
But, like I said, they are all in bed with the carriers so we get to pay for it...
Anyone that falls for it and spends that much money on a phone deserves to be kicked in the sack anyway.
Don't forget to throw in the money to cover, marketing, distribution, and most important of all profit. Why should companies sell things at cost? If all companies just worked for cost there'd be no reason to innovate.
its $599.99 at best buy
Which is still $120 more than it is at a Sprint store, which coincidentally is also selling them early.
a hero...on sprint
with the strength to carry on?
We don't need another HTC Hero... Tina Turner
HTC should dump all their WinMoan smartphones and go strictly with Android.
all though the hero looks tempting but ill have to wait for the HD2
SP
They should give Hiro from Heroes a Hero.
Didn't you see the HTC Hero backdrop/poster at the dial-a-hero headquarter!?
That was a Pre, or was there a new one?
Too bad I can't upgrade until next month. This is the first phone I have really wanted.
Isn't the Sprint Moment better than this Hero?
I'm going to wait for the Moment to be released in November
I think it has better specs? It's vanilla Android though...no SenseUI
The Moment bumps to a 800mhz processor, up from 525 I believe. It also has an OLED screen, but I have yet to find out if it is multitouch...
It doesn't have SenseUI loaded on it so its probably pretty quick, although if you wanted SenseUI i'm sure someone over at androidcentral will figure out how to put it on other devices.
@timothy_beeler
I've had my white chinny Hero for over three months and it's the best phone I've ever had. (Htc X7500, N95, XDAIIi and iPhone 3G included.)
The OS update last month really got stuff moving and I have not had one lag since. Didn't have many before to tell the truth. I highly recommend it. Sod all the social networking stuff it's the AR apps that rule.
It looks like a t-mobile My Touch.
Gadgetry is fun, but I wish the iPhone monthly service was cheaper.
Haha. I still haven't registered my reward card I got when buying my Sony PRS-300 some weeks ago. :D
And yes, the cashier did hard-sell me the card.
hard sell you something that is free? and gives you rewards points. is this a tough sell?
Wow FNG, you really have brains don'cha? Maybe I was making a simple joke at what the article said and wasn't expecting an anal retentive tool to search the comments so he could make a pitiful attempt to be clever.
And yes, the cashier did annoy me about the card.
Actually, shāfā , which is sofa .
英雄 = Hero, better, but everyone calls the Hero the "Hero" in China.
all i can say i have been playing with the hero since 10:30 and for any one wondering, I have experienced no lag whatsoever, although it does ship with cupcake.
I've been behind you in line since 10:30, can you hurry up?!
But did you notice anything to not like about the phone?
the only thing that i dont like is that there is no proximity sensor. but it does have an ambient light sensor so its not that bad. other than that its a great phone, so far.
Called BB said you had to be a silver member and received a email with a flyer. Does anybody know if this is the flyer on engadget or is there more content. I want to get it today.
im not a silver member nor did i have a flier. just my regular old RZ card. Playin with my hero as we speak. so go get it!!!
@djnewman001; I didn't have the same luck as you; they told me I couldn't get the phone until Sunday seeing as I wasn't a 'silver' member. I did, however, leave the $50 deposit, so I'll wait it out for two days.
wow man thats unfortunate. i heard from the lead salesman at bb if u prepayed you could get it on Sat. might want to call tomorrow and ask about that.
just got back from best buy.
I showed them the flyer.
They showed me the phone.
I showed them my money.
They showed me the contract.
I showed them my existing phone number.
They showed me where I wansn't eligible for an upgrade.
I showed them my increased amount of money.
They refused to sell to me untill sunday.
I showed them my anger.
They showed me the door.
Shakespeare ain't got nothing on you, dawg. A++++++ - would read sonnet again!
Were you trying to get this thing off-contract? Were you not eligible for a 2 year upgrade?
@llamafarm I was attempting to get this off contract, I even told them they could activate it in store. Talked to head sales manager they said it was a liability issue. I will attempt to try another bb in the area after work.
I need some time to cool off. When people say things "are complicated" without explaining themselves makes me very angry. It's at the same level as talking down to someone when you really don't fully understand the subject matter at hand.
I will try later.
It probably comes down to the fact that BB may not get any $ if they don't do an upgrade or new activation for the phone from Sprint or HTC. If they sell it to you off contract or whatever. I looked at that flyer about the 2 day early pickup and it did mention you had to activate a new line or be eligible for the upgrade. Doesn't mean the policy is pointless and they didn't just turn away your business. Good luck at the next store.
Go to a real Sprint store.
We're selling them early, and without the $699 ass raping.
Only $479 here. Then again Best Buy has been know to charge astronomical "retail" prices on their smartphones.
Meh.....
My local BB in Colorado Springs had not heard of this and would not acknowledge the flyer. Told me I need to come back on Sunday.
P.S. I would have been a new customer to Sprint (Iphone 3G user) so it wasn't a matter of eligibility, Best Buy just won't sell the phone until Sunday.
they must have been to lazy to check their database. I would have asked to speak to a manager if i were you.
I have mine on my hip right now. Messed around with the demo in the store. Very solidly built. No lag. Have to read the manual to figure out the how to use it since this is my first smart phone. Been with nextel for 13 years. Time for an upgrade.
yea man i guess we were the lucky ones, that does suck for anyone who couldnt get it today. Pre-orders start selling tomorrow!
lol, you're so funny. at least you're now in the "hip" crowd :D
Does best buy actually have a working demo and not just a dummy phone? I called the sprint story in my area today because I wanted to check it out and they said they didn't have a demo unit up and running. That I'd have to wait till Sunday.
I thought all of best buys phones were dummy phones. So I didn't even check there.
For those with the Sprint Hero, do you have Pandora in the market? I have the GSM Hero and it's not there though it is for the G1/myTouch. Pandora site has a picture of the Sprint Hero as supported...
i did a quick search in market and nothing came up. i will look a bit more into it.
Hmmm... Stupid question, wheres the link? I searched Best Buy's website and the Reward Zone, nothing. :(
For those that pre-ordered, here is the link [pdf] to the BB coupon, scroll all the way to the bottom. Many of the stores are not aware of this so if they try to put the kibosh it, make them check their intranet, it has the information there for them. Sign up for RZ if you are not already a member and print a temp card off the site or write your member ID down. That's all they need to process it for you. Best of luck.
http://image.emailinfo2.bestbuy.com/lib/fef41d77766c04/m/2/RWZ_ESE_20091007_RZCore_Couponsv2.pdf
Will I be able to tether with this thing? I've been using my winmo phone for that quite a bit lately. One of those things that I didn't know I needed until I started using it...
It worked for me, and they even priced matched with sprint, so all together it was 466.
got it today in nyc. sprint does not penetrate elevator doors any better than tmo did. i wonder if verizon does. so i'll spend the next 30 days evaluating whether i don't want a moment, or verizon.
I was the first (and only) person waiting for BB to open this morning, flyer in hand. They knew all about it, wanted to sell me the phone - none in stock. WTF. Wrote me down and said they might get them in today after 11.
Have a "Pre-sale" - but have none in stock. BB is lacking (again) in customer service.
I will be happy if I get one before Sunday through BB, just didn't want to have to make two trips and have them not prepared.
WHAT DID FLIER LOOK LIKE. DID IT LOOK LIKE TOP PAGE. I DIDNT GET ONE BUT WANT TO GO GET TODAY SINCE I PRE ORDERED. SORRY FOR CAPS WORKING ON A PROJECT AT WORK
yea the BB were hit or miss. the one I got mine at had 15 in stock but another one right around the corner had none. crazy.
Anybody got it to work on SERO?
No one will get a Hero activated on a sero plan it has an everything plan requirement just like the instinct and pre. And no matter how hard someone at sprint tries to activate i on a sero they can't the billing system won't allow it.
http://www.petitiononline.com/SERO/petition.html --- Lets get this thing signed. Pass this around at other Sprint/ Mobile forums.
Sprint already said via the BAW forums that SERO is dead for any new phone, you can transfer any normal dumb phone but no "smart phones" will be added to SERO plans. Phones like the Hero and Pre are not available in the drop down list for SERO plans, and the SERO plans are not available in the drop down list for the Hero and Pre.
Let Sero die already. I need Sprint to stay alive making money, on their already cheap everything plans.
10 years from now when the people are paying $200 plus for these plans $69--$99 will be a hell of a deal, but $30 (SERO) will be highway robbery, Even if it is on an HTC Touch Pro2 or some other WinMo phone. I'm sure by then We will just have everything wired straight into a radio in our brains with no use for Smart Phones.
Do I get this or the Pre
You can tether using an app called PDAnet for Android. It's not at the Marketplace. Go to http://www.junefabrics.com/android/ for more info.
nice link, thanks
I just called my local BB, they have 5 Hero's in and will only sell them to RZ Silver or Gold members, I think I may get one tonight.
Ah nope, guess sprint decided that my upgrade alotment was to high and some time in the last week or so cut it to $75 from the $150 it was. So with that and no other rebates the phone would of cost $399, not gona happen.
I just bought two at 10 AM in Orlando with the flier posted in the thread on engadget last night and then used a 10% off coupon as well from the same 6 page flyer. All I did was sign on to become a Rewards member before I went to the store. When I got home, my neighbor decided he wanted the phone so I printed both flyers, he signed up as a rewards member, and walked in and bought the phone sans 10%. The East Colonial store got 29 in and as of 40 min ago had 12 left. He had too drop sero for it, but with a 25% business discount it all works out the same.
Called BB, apparently there are only two stores in the state of WA that sell Sprint phones: Vancouver, and Kennewick. I think I'll wait till sunday and buy from Sprint. -looks down-
Just an FYI, I may or may not work for sprint and I may have activated about 4 HEROs today purchased through Sprint Telesales. I'd call them now, don't wait til Sunday, and if they say no try try again.
Thanks, I called them, but they'd have to ship it. I'll wait until Sunday instead.
DEAR ENGADGET:
We are now offering the Hero in Sprint stores! Stop by your local Sprint Store to pick one up!! Also: The Instinct HD has arrived!! YOU CAN FREAKING GET IT TOO!
I'm not kidding. I'm selling them right now... in my store. What. Up.
What store you working at?
I called my local store and they said no, wait until Sunday.
ok so I got my hero at 10:30EST and the lady that sold it to me called me back frantically and said she just found out that I needed a coupon and flier to purchase, lol. i did her a favor and went back in so she could scan the coupon and re-do the charge cuz she had to cancelled it. Shes lucky im a nice guy :-)
What's the cheapest non-SERO plan this will work with??
Was told this was only for SILVER REWARD ZONE MEMBERS and that they had sufficient stock for Sunday.
Was told I had to be a SILVER reward zone member
and to come back on Sunday, as they had sufficient stock.
Thanks for wasting my time for a trip to the dumb store
Is Radio Shack going to have this on Oct 11th?? I'd rather buy there.
Radio Shack is garbage, why would you want to buy there?
i bought my last 2 phones there.
best buy is not worthy of my business
and best buy isn't sponsoring Lance Armstrong's cycling team.
Yeah, but Best Buy will probably be in business in a year or two, "The Shack" wont.
Plus the people working there are idiots. You're definitely better off buying it from an actual Sprint store.