Sprint HTC Hero quick review
October 15, 2009 by Johan van Mierlo
Filed under Google Android, Phones
I had a quick opportunity to unbox and review the new Sprint HTC Hero device. The Sprint HTC Hero has a customized casing compared to the European HTC Hero version. HTC is also now using their Sense UI (User Interface) on most HTC devices across all platforms.
I have to say that I don’t have many experiences with devices running on the Google Android platform at all. As you can see in the video below I am very impressed with the UI. The HTC Sense UI will give you a familiarity that will allow you to switch HTC devices on different platforms with ease.
The best thing I like about the User Interface are the following 2 items:
- It will combine all your contact’s personal information, e-mail conversation, text conversations, event, social media in different tabs with that contact field.
- I can’t forget it also has multi touch functionality for zooming in and out.
Below you will find a short video with my impression and also the specifications. The Sprint HTC Hero is available for $179.99 after a $100 rebate and a 2-year agreement
Sprint HTC Hero Specifications:
- Carrier: Sprint
- Available: October 11th 2009
- Networks: 3G network EVDO Rev. A.
- Display: 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixels
- Camera: 5MP camera
- Operating system: Google Android
- Input: Touch Screen
- Memory card: MicroSD card slot – 2GB card included
- Storage:
- Connectivity: WiFi, GPS with Sprint Navigation, Bluetooth 2.0, 3.5mm headset jack, Sprint TV
- Form factor:
- Battery: 1,500 mAh battery
- Talk Time: up to 4 hours
- other:
– Accelerometer and light sensor
– Home screen widgets
– Integrated Google services: Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube
– HTC Footprints
– Digital Compass
– Sprint TV with live and on-demand programming
– Quick access to Social Network Sites like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr
– Visual Voice Mail
Johan van Mierlo has been writing and reviewing for the online communities since the launch of the handheld computer Palm IIIe and Compaq iPaq in 1998. He owned and tested many mobile devices including Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian, Android, iPhone and many different GPS and Mobile products.Johan was awarded MVP Windows Mobile Devices by Microsoft in 2008 and 2009 for his community activities last year.
The biggest blunder by Sprint is following in Apple/AT&T footsteps with their bundled plans.
So whether you use it or not the cheapest calling plan is $70. They should have just made it so you could pick your calling plan of choice/need and add a data plan to it.
Also, the no tethering is a HUGE mistake.
What sprint needs is the ability to differentiate themselves. Instead they are sheep following the Apple/AT&T herd.
When will someone put the customers needs first and let that drive their profits????
I’ve worked for almost every major wireless carrier in the past 10 years. The reason carriers are ‘forcing’ customers who activate a PDA with a data plan is because customers are stupid. They say they don’t use data, email, internet, picture messaging (some carriers), GPS services, Google Maps, etc (All which use the internet to send the information), then when they get their $600 phone bill, they call up and complain. They don’t bother to block the services either. I thought they just wanted to use it as a PDA? Apparently they didn’t. So instead of dealing with whether or not to issue a credit, it is now mandatory for those types of phones which are heavy, data-intensive units. There is no point in buying, let’s say, a Hero and not having a data package. You may as well just buy a regular phone. Some of them sync and they all have Calendars and Notepads in them. By the way, Sprint now offers the cheapest plans out there so what’s the complaint?
Thank you for making those very valid points and very well put.