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Photo source: Sprint
LA Gadgets Examiner Rating: B
It happens every couple months. A new hyped-up phone is about to come out and everybody labels it the "iPhone Killer." This happened with the HTC Touch Pro last year, the Palm Pre last June and now, it's happening with the just released HTC Hero, Sprint's first Android phone. It's a good phone but it's definitely no iPhone killer. It certainly doesn't live up to the hype of early reviews either. Lets take a closer look:
Specifications
• Network: Sprint EVDO, Rev. A network
• Size: 4.5 x 2.2 x .5 inches
• Screen: 3.2" TFT-LCD color touch screen display
• Operating System: Android 1.5 Cupcake
• Wireless: Bluetooth and WiFi
• Memory: 512MB ROM, 288MB RAM, MicroSD card slot
• Processor: Qualcomm 528MHz processor
• Headphone Jack: 3.5 mm stereo
• Built-in GPS
• 5.0MP digital camera that shoots video
• Multimedia messaging and text messaging
• Multimedia player
Build and design
Sprint's HTC Hero is solidly built. The glass screen is sturdy and hard to scratch while the casing is solid. Their are a minimal amount of buttons, such as ones for the menu, home screen, phone, power, etc. It feels very sturdy in your hand. There is a big speaker on the top that really works well with the speakerphone. There is also a trackball which helps one navigate through web pages and "scenes."
Screen
This has to be the most overrated screen we have ever seen on a smartphone. We were fully expecting the screen to hug us, kiss us, and thrill us like no other based on earlier reviews. While the 3.2 inch, 480 x 320 pixel resolution is nice, the 16 bit color is underwhelming. Because of this, there is a viewable difference when viewing images on the HTC Hero when compared to 24 bit color phones such as the iPhone and the Palm Pre. The differences can also be seen when watching high quality video clips.
The viewing angles of the screen, however, are near perfect - almost as perfect as an OLED screen. The colors do not wash out at all.
Click here to read part II of this review
Click here to read part III of this review
Comments
Pfft you are no expert my friend.
yikes. this guy is a hater. Support your negatives with reality, dude. Being a reviewer requires that you have negative opinions, but you MUST support those opinions with reasoned fact. This is a bunch of mush.
I have never heard any one of the big reviewers or many media sites call the Hero an "iPhone Killer". A quick Google search of "Hero iPhone killer" found your own article on the first page (HTC-Hero-New-Sprint-version-being-called-the-iPhone-killer) saying other people call it an "iPhone killer" when NONE of the quotes posted have anyone saying it is the "iPhone killer". Also in all the quotes given, the main comment was it is the best Android phone out right now. So I definitely DON'T agree the Hero was over-hyped.
I agree on the Pre being over-hyped though, since if you Google "Palm Pre iPhone killer", you'll immediately get a lot of hits from major media sites.
Typical fruit phone fanboy. Any mention of a great new phone and they all start screaming "this is no iPhone killer", even when no one has made that claim. Having had mine since Friday afternoon, I can honestly tell you that I would never consider an iPhone after using this work of beauty. It will only get better when Cupcake 1.6 is released. Way to let your colors show fruit phone fanboy.
Calm down, guys! I have this phone. I don't own an iPhone. I think it is a good, solid phone and it may be a keeper for me. But it just seems way overhyped. All the early reviews, such as CNET, gave it an excellent rating.
WOW, this review is garbage. I've had my HTC Hero 4rm Sprint since last Thursday. I also had the Unlocked GSM Version of the Hero, and I would never, i say never trade this phone for an iPhone. It's insane
Funny, I've been following the Android phones for a long while now, and especially the HTC Hero because it looks like the phone I've been looking for. And in all of my searching, not a single time have I ever heard the term "iPhone killer" used to describe this phone, until this article.
Sounds like you know nothing of the market.
I got the phone last wednesday and while its not an "iphone killer". I wouldnt carry another phone out right now. It has everything anyone would need. No lag on the movement between screens. Tons of apps. Totally customizable. Great phone!! But it today
Well do i get this phone or keep the Pre ? also which has a faster processor ?
Bad Sprint! I went to a sprint store near by today, the day they would release the phone, only to find out that they don't have any in stock. Sorry, I wasn't a pre-order person since I wanted to try it out for myself. But seriously who plans a launch date on a Sunday when stores won't get deliveries that day. And that was from the guy working at the store.
the author is a jackass. sprint/htc never once said this would be an iphone killer.
LOL, no one and I mean no one has called this phone an iphone killer, matter of fact sprint hasn't labeled any of it's phones iphone killers since the original instinct. Sounds to me like the author is a iphone, steve jobs butt kissing, apple, fanboy. The HTC is no iphone killer but what it is, is a decent phone that has plenty of apps and gives consumers another option of smart phone that doesn't include signing up to at&t's crap network for a device who's sole purpose is to rape the consumer.
Actually, the reviewer did a great job. Other reviewers have indeed asked whether this phone is "an iPhone killer," and the simple fact is that any new phone of this type needs to be compared to the iPhone, which is hands-down the industry leader as the best smartphone in existence-- and make no mistake, I'm no Apple fanboy. I don't own an iPhone, mostly because I refuse to switch from Sprint to AT&T. The HTC Hero is a nice phone, but it simply isn't as sophisticated and as wonderful in its operation as an iPhone. Android apps are not as well-designed or effective as Apple apps, and although that may change, nothing is as easy and intuitive on the Hero as it is on the iPhone. The reviewer summed up the new Sprint HTC Hero very accurately, and didn't praise it just because we were all hoping to love it after waiting so long for Sprint to have a device like this-- he told us the truth, and I, for one, appreciate that.
this phone is better than the iphone my roommate has a iphone and I have to admit im getting a ipod touch for christmas. But I got my hero yesterday and thats excally what it is a hero. I didnt like the new look but after I saw it, it looked sexy, the hardware is dope as heck I love this phone and I can truly say that its better than the iphone. Nice apps lovely hardware and all. I can truly say I am an android fan now. I dont think I will get any other type of phone but an android for the next few years.
Dude! the iPhone has been dead for a while now. Even the S version has nothing new to offer that smart phones like WM and Blackberry haven't been offer for a long time. Worse part is, iPhone lacks a lot of functionality needed for a real work phone.
I wanted to buy one to replace my lost Blackjack but when I started looking for things my BJ did I found that the iPhone as neat as it was it didn't do half the stuff I needed to work.
So if you want an MP3 player that makes phone calls with a really cool interface then get an iPhone, but if you consider yourself a Power User who actually uses his/her phone for work and fun, and who doesn't want to be limited by a vendor, simply get something else. The iPhone is not worth the price, I pay nothing for my HTC Fuze and got a far better phone. And by the way the price for me was not the issue
Actually, the reviewer did a great job. Other reviewers have indeed asked whether this phone is "an iPhone killer," and the simple fact is that any new phone of this type needs to be compared to the iPhone, which is hands-down the industry leader as the best smartphone in existence-- and make no mistake, I'm no Apple fanboy. I don't own an iPhone, mostly because I refuse to switch from Sprint to AT&T. The HTC Hero is a nice phone, but it simply isn't as sophisticated and as wonderful in its operation as an iPhone. Android apps are not as well-designed or effective as Apple apps, and although that may change, nothing is as easy and intuitive on the Hero as it is on the iPhone. The reviewer summed up the new Sprint HTC Hero very accurately, and didn't praise it just because we were all hoping to love it after waiting so long for Sprint to have a device like this-- he told us the truth, and I, for one, appreciate that.
I owned each Iphone since they were released. As there were improvements with each release (3GS not so much), i was never completely happy with the Iphone. To me the Iphone was an Ipod first, a phone 2nd. That being said, I picked up the HTC Hero on Sunday and can not put it down. i love the personalizing aspect of the phone which allows me to set up different themes for when im using the phone for work, socializing, home, etc. im not going to go into every feature here, there are plenty of reviews and blogs that do that. i will say there was a bit of a learning curve to get used to using this device coming from the Iphone, but after an hour or so i was able to easily navigate my way through the phone. as far as it being an "iphone killer," i wouldnt peg the Hero as that, hoever i will say that as more androids are released to the market and make their way to AT&T, Iphone sales will decline. I should also mention i was paying $160 a month to AT&T and now pay Sprint only $99.99!
I am in doubt, I currently have an Instinct S30, and as its previous ancestor it sucks monkey balls... The Hero seems to be the hot phone on the sprint network. What are yalls opinion? Should i give it a try?
David. You said "but it simply isn't as sophisticated and as wonderful in its operation as an iPhone"- Based on what? What neither the reviewer or you have not done is a real comparison based on features, functionality, and phone capability. Which it is really bogus. There is no meat to this article but simply a lame description of the Hero's hardware. However I do agree that the only way to kill the iPhone is based on popularity, for that a phone vendor like HTC will have to do a good marketing campaign just like Apple knows how to do. Don't get me wrong, I think the iPhone is a good phone, but not the best, and certainly not the best work phone.
Actually, the reviewer did a great job. Other reviewers have indeed asked whether this phone is "an iPhone killer," and the simple fact is that any new phone of this type needs to be compared to the iPhone, which is hands-down the industry leader as the best smartphone in existence-- and make no mistake, I'm no Apple fanboy. I don't own an iPhone, mostly because I refuse to switch from Sprint to AT&T. The HTC Hero is a nice phone, but it simply isn't as sophisticated and as wonderful in its operation as an iPhone. Android apps are not as well-designed or effective as Apple apps, and although that may change, nothing is as easy and intuitive on the Hero as it is on the iPhone. The reviewer summed up the new Sprint HTC Hero very accurately, and didn't praise it just because we were all hoping to love it after waiting so long for Sprint to have a device like this-- he told us the truth, and I, for one, appreciate that.
Actually, the reviewer did a great job. Other reviewers have indeed asked whether this phone is "an iPhone killer," and the simple fact is that any new phone of this type needs to be compared to the iPhone, which is hands-down the industry leader as the best smartphone in existence-- and make no mistake, I'm no Apple fanboy. I don't own an iPhone, mostly because I refuse to switch from Sprint to AT&T. The HTC Hero is a nice phone, but it simply isn't as sophisticated and as wonderful in its operation as an iPhone. Android apps are not as well-designed or effective as Apple apps, and although that may change, nothing is as easy and intuitive on the Hero as it is on the iPhone. The reviewer summed up the new Sprint HTC Hero very accurately, and didn't praise it just because we were all hoping to love it after waiting so long for Sprint to have a device like this-- he told us the truth, and I, for one, appreciate that.
Actually, the reviewer did a great job. Other reviewers have indeed asked whether this phone is "an iPhone killer," and the simple fact is that any new phone of this type needs to be compared to the iPhone, which is hands-down the industry leader as the best smartphone in existence-- and make no mistake, I'm no Apple fanboy. I don't own an iPhone, mostly because I refuse to switch from Sprint to AT&T. The HTC Hero is a nice phone, but it simply isn't as sophisticated and as wonderful in its operation as an iPhone. Android apps are not as well-designed or effective as Apple apps, and although that may change, nothing is as easy and intuitive on the Hero as it is on the iPhone. The reviewer summed up the new Sprint HTC Hero very accurately, and didn't praise it just because we were all hoping to love it after waiting so long for Sprint to have a device like this-- he told us the truth, and I, for one, appreciate that.
If its not an iphone killer, it comes damned close.
I gave thought to getting the iphone but like was said, for one phone it is about $160 a month, not including all that apps that you are going to have to buy. (90% android apps are free)
My sprint plan has unlimited everything and my bill is about $20 cheaper, oh and thats with 4 lines included!
So even though the hero may not be an iphone killer, atleast its not "killing" my pocketbook which is most important
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