View Full Version : New HTC Android Phone- Hero
vsehijpal
24-06-2009, 20:46
Read on The Register (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/06/24/htc_hero_official/)about the new HTC's new Android phone, the Hero. Certainly looks the part, great that it supports flash out of the box. Be interested to read some in depth review with my current deal coming to an end soon (moreso being disapointed by N97 reviews)
Orange and T Mobile confirmed as carriers- think T Mobile might be the better bet, from experience couldn't get a data bundle free from Orange retentions for love nor money.
Professor Abronsius
24-06-2009, 21:01
Looks very sexy!
Some pics here (http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_hero-pictures-2861.php)... :thumbs:
I have a 500Mb Data Package with Orange so good to hear it going to be on Orange. :)
When is it coming out though... ?
Cheers. :)
vsehijpal
24-06-2009, 21:06
Early July Release On Orange (http://androidcommunity.com/orange-uk-to-offer-free-htc-hero-from-early-july-20090624/)
Professor Abronsius
24-06-2009, 21:10
Excellent.
Upgrade due 26th July. :clap:
jermainejones
24-06-2009, 21:20
BBC video here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8117382.stm
This looks pretty cool. For some unexplainable I'm a bit of a Google fan boy so I'm more tempted by this than the iPhone. Never had an HTC either, but they sound cool. Any word of the contract that T-Mobile will offer?
Suspect similar to the G1.
What's with the little bend at the bottom of it? That just makes it a copy of the G1!
In the same way the iPhone 3GS is a copy of the iPhone 3G?
It's made by the same company, isn't it?
nigel_williams
25-06-2009, 11:21
The "chin" helps prevent damage to the trackball when it is face down.
I've got the G1 and I love using Android. Saw the pics on a few tech feeds yesterday and it does look nice, slimmer than the G1 but without the keyboard. Onscreen keyboard is pretty good, but I prefer the hardware version for writing longer e-mails etc.
Interesting to see that HTC have put their own interface on top much like the version they do for Windows Mobile.
Any news on whether the "Sense UI" from this will make its way to other Android devices. I have a G1 and have to say I much prefer the hardware keyboard.
In the same way the iPhone 3GS is a copy of the iPhone 3G?
It's made by the same company, isn't it?
I didnt think it was to be honest.
Any news on whether the "Sense UI" from this will make its way to other Android devices. I have a G1 and have to say I much prefer the hardware keyboard.
Don't think so as the G1 is "with google" branded. Because of the replacement interface the hero has to be de-branded.
The standard interface is pretty good, perhaps one of these days they'll even let us have more than 3 screens? (Doughnut?)
stupendo
01-07-2009, 12:00
Its now appeared on Orange's website but no sign of pricing yet. http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/htc-hero-in-graphite
belgarion_v
01-07-2009, 13:25
I was just about to go for a Nokia N97... but this new handset just looks the business.
Vince
I wouldn't mind this, looks nice, but I'd prefer one with a QWERTY keyboard… Anyone know anythign about this "rumoured" HTC Lancaster? My contract's not up until Mid August, so I'd happily wait till then, but I just haven't heard anything about it yet :shrug:
Wonder if Voda will be picking this up...
We're currently trialling google mail at work, and the android platform is perfect for it.
We have a few Magic devices at the moment on trial and they're not too bad, bu the sense update looks excellent.
Just wondering what the Exchange application is on the Hero. Its supports Activesync for push email and this is my main requirement for new phone.
MC Rubber Chicken
04-07-2009, 16:50
just for your info all of the £30+ plans on orange at the moment have an unlimited web bundles included on them.... and this is only been taken by orange and t-mobile (which tmobile are rebranding it as the g1 touch)
Any news on whether the "Sense UI" from this will make its way to other Android devices. I have a G1 and have to say I much prefer the hardware keyboard.
It sounds like HTC are rolling this out to all of their devices, to replace TF3d on the Windows phones
This is a great walk through of the HTC Hero features...
http://intruders.tv/inqtv/2009/07/01/a-first-look-at-the-htc-hero/
For those moaning about the lip...Samsung's new android device is coming to O2...
http://www.itpro.co.uk/612424/samsung-i7500-coming-soon-to-uk?CMP=NLC-Newsletters&id=ac43094b18c9e118e307a2ae108534fe
Wander if the it'll be possible to get the sense firmware running on it.
Also a good review here: http://www.mobile-review.com/pda/review/htc-hero-en.shtml#13
Very tempted to get one of these, it's just the price that puts me off.
MC Rubber Chicken
10-07-2009, 13:32
out next week in orange store apparently
called orange retentions twice now and they're saying it should be out mid july. will be calling again on the 15th. android is awesome already and the sense ui is the icing on the (cup)cake!!
very excited.
I want to know if it'll let you use use proxies...
For some reason the HTC Magic didn't let you do it...
Looks like it might be August now, Expansys (http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=184566) says 2nd August and Amazon (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=8&url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002BWPWRQ/thedvdforums-21) says 15th :shrug:
belgarion_v
16-07-2009, 13:00
Looks like it might be August now, Expansys (http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=184566) says 2nd August and Amazon (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=8&url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002BWPWRQ/thedvdforums-21) says 15th :shrug:
I followed your Expansys link and it says 20th July for me.
Contemplated getting SIM free but not keen on white - keeping an eye on Orange, I have seen third party offering Orange for less than £40 per month, so here's hoping.
Vince
I followed your Expansys link and it says 20th July for me.
Did say 2nd August so they must've changed it.
belgarion_v
16-07-2009, 15:14
Did say 2nd August so they must've changed it.
It says 2nd August for me now.
Why can't these people just deliver on time :brickwall
Vince
Malabbey
17-07-2009, 18:59
As far as I'm aware, the UK release date is 7th August which seems more likely as that's a Friday. The 2nd is a Sunday and would be very surprised to hear of a mobile being released at the weekend.
anyone managed to bag one yet? i saw one in the orange shop in ealing. think they've started selling them for new customers but retentions don't have them yet.
anyone managed to bag one yet? i saw one in the orange shop in ealing. think they've started selling them for new customers but retentions don't have them yet.Really? Thought they weren't out until August - HTC Hero delayed until August (http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/25677/htc-hero-delayed-until-august.phtml)?
belgarion_v
20-07-2009, 12:53
Really? Thought they weren't out until August - HTC Hero delayed until August (http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/25677/htc-hero-delayed-until-august.phtml)?
I think all these 'delayed' stories come form the dates given on various sites selling the SIM free version.
My wife has just got an HTC Magic, which I think is very good, so the Hero is looking like a very good device.
Vince
What looks likea full review here at Tech radar (http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-hero-617981/review).
Just about to start reading it...
I think all these 'delayed' stories come form the dates given on various sites selling the SIM free version.
My wife has just got an HTC Magic, which I think is very good, so the Hero is looking like a very good device.
Vince
i tried out the magic for a week on vodafone and loved it. the hero looks even better so can't wait!
Bah another review backs up the Tech Radar one, that this phone is under powered and a bit sluggish...
Screw it, I'm not loyal, I am now lusting after this piece of awesomeness...
The Android Sony Xperia X3...
http://gizmodo.com/5319495/android+based-sony-ericsson-xperia-x3-full-specs-and-large-images
Wow!
It;s now available on the orange website!
i've been out of contract since may.
just called up retentions to get it. i pay £35 a month and in the last 6 months had a single bill for £300. they would only offer me the phone for £150.
i told them they were having a laugh but they wouldn't budge at all. they can stick it. i'd rather pay £400 offline or move to t-mobile.
been so excited about getting this but now i'm just ****** off.
stupendo
21-07-2009, 21:05
Just ordered one online, my first new phone for 5 years so hope its a good one!
i've been out of contract since may.
just called up retentions to get it. i pay £35 a month and in the last 6 months had a single bill for £300. they would only offer me the phone for £150.
i told them they were having a laugh but they wouldn't budge at all. they can stick it. i'd rather pay £400 offline or move to t-mobile.
been so excited about getting this but now i'm just ****** off.
That's near iphone money...!
And that would be the 16gb version as well...
i've been out of contract since may.
just called up retentions to get it. i pay £35 a month and in the last 6 months had a single bill for £300. they would only offer me the phone for £150.
i told them they were having a laugh but they wouldn't budge at all. they can stick it. i'd rather pay £400 offline or move to t-mobile.
been so excited about getting this but now i'm just ****** off.
Tell them you want your PAC - they'll almost certainly offer you a far better deal.
I don't spend much on my contract but really want one of these! Phoned Orange but they said i can't upgrade until the 25th as i need to be with them for 3 months. Going to try and get to an Orange shop to check it out first though.
Tell them you want your PAC - they'll almost certainly offer you a far better deal.
Already got my PAC code a few weeks ago. Tried the whole spiel. Called up again twice today. First time got nothing but the second time the guy was really nice. He said he couldn't budge on the price but knocked 10% off my rental. Works out at £87 for the phone that way. I took it but may well give it back within the 7 days and sign up as a new customer.
That's near iphone money...!
And that would be the 16gb version as well...
Exactly! It's ridiculous how much the iPhone costs in the first place on a high contact but how do Orange think they can get away with the same thing.
Got mine today. Absolutely love it!
stupendo
23-07-2009, 21:23
Mine arrived, have been playing with it for a couple of hours now. Seems quite good I think it will take quite a while to get the best out of it. See it has Exchange Activesync so might set that up at work tomorrow and see how it goes.
Ideally would like to know how much data I am using as I think you could soon use the 500mb that Orange give but cant seem to find anything on the Marketplace that would show it.
The interface is quite nice and quite intuitive, couldn't work out why Google Latitude couldn't find me then I found the option to switch on GPS!
chuenmanc
24-07-2009, 12:36
Ideally would like to know how much data I am using as I think you could soon use the 500mb that Orange give but cant seem to find anything on the Marketplace that would show it.
I got mine on Wednesday. Download NetCounter from Android Market. Gives a useful breakdown of usage and allows you to set up a notification at a certain usage level.
The Your Account page on Orangeworld also gives a data usage figure, but it doesn't appear to be real-time - not sure how often it gets updated.
I've been thinking of getting one but am worried about the thing crashing a lot and being slow on certain apps. Can anyone confirm if this is the case?
chuenmanc
24-07-2009, 22:14
The only crashes I've had are with a third party iPlayer-alike app, beebPlayer. Otherwise the phone is pretty fast and smooth.
belgarion_v
25-07-2009, 08:35
Not had any problems with it at all, only had it a couple of days.
As for 'laggy' reports, I put these down to iPhone fanboys trying to say 'their' phone is the best, best thing about the HTC is NOT having iTunes on your PC - now that makes your PC laggy.
Syncing contacts, calendar etc with your google account seams pretty seamless, I know you can do it with mobileMe but how much does it cost?
Started playing with a few apps - Google Street Maps and Google Sky Map using the compass is truly brilliant.
This makes my previous phone (Nokia N95) look seriously old and slow.
Oh and for anyone who has seen the HTC promo video on the web, there's a copy on the phone too - and it still says that the phone offers 'Massages' :n0rty: at about 1:48 into the vid :lol:
Vince
KeyserSoze
25-07-2009, 10:03
Is this only available on Orange? Is web browsing unlimited and free?
I have just been given one for free on Orange, said I was leaving to get an Iphone and bingo the phone was free. Now I am worried you cant sync contacts with Outlook on Vista 64 which means no contacts on phone!!! Arse.
And yep, browsing is free and unlimited as long as you stay under 500 meg a month.
I have just been given one for free on Orange, said I was leaving to get an Iphone and bingo the phone was free. Now I am worried you cant sync contacts with Outlook on Vista 64 which means no contacts on phone!!! Arse.
And yep, browsing is free and unlimited as long as you stay under 500 meg a month.
What sort of contract is that on? I phoned up and the best they could do was if i signed up to an 18 month contract at nearly £20 a month and i could get the phone for £146. Are you sure browsing is free and unlimted as long as you stay under 500meg a month?
What sort of contract is that on? I phoned up and the best they could do was if i signed up to an 18 month contract at nearly £20 a month and i could get the phone for £146. Are you sure browsing is free and unlimted as long as you stay under 500meg a month?
I have been with Orange since they started (a long , long time). I called them up last night, asked for a PAC code said I wanted an Iphone. They put me through to another department who basically said stay with us and the phone is free. They have lowered me onto a £20 a month plan with free net usage (under 500 meg), unlimited texts. I'm sure browsing is free as I currently average around 400 meg a month on my HTC Kaiser with them and don't get charged for it.
I have just been to an Orange phone shop in Cheltenham where they are selling the Hero. The price shown is FREE with 18 month contract of £20 or more.
Darkside23
25-07-2009, 16:57
on the web site you have to spend a minimum of £35 a month to get the phone free
i ordered mine yesterday (new customer switching from vodafone) and i got free phone on dolphin 45 - 18 months, 1200 anytime minutes, unlimited texts and 500mb anytime mobile internet browsing.
the plan costs £39.14 a month but i got it reduced to £34.15 as i'm also switching my Broadband to orange and an operator told me i would get this for £14 a month instead of the £22 it turned out while placing the order
I'm looking at buying a MicroSD card for mine (when it gets here) anyone recommend one please and where to get it? What is the maximum size it will accept (IE will it accept 8 gig HCSD cards?)
belgarion_v
25-07-2009, 22:59
You can get it on a 12 month package too.
On the Orange website, select the HTC Hero, then go to select your plan.
At the top there are 2 tab, the left one "our top pay monthly plans" is preselected and shows some plans.
The right tab "find a plan". It will list 18,24 and 36 :eek: month plans.
But there is a link "see 12 month plans" and you can still get it for free, it'll cost you over £40 a month, but only over 12 months.
I elected to pay a little bit up front and went for a cheaper monthly rate.
Don't forget to ADD the 500Mb internet plan, this phone is needs a data plan.
I thought these deals were the best, you can get the phone for an overall £550 kind of level which is only £150 more than SIM free but includes plenty of "free" minutes and texts.
If you pay a little bit up front it will reduce the overall cost.
Vince
I love it but might be returning mine and get it as a new customer. Splashed out £150 on mine I spend way too much to be made a mug of. At least I've tried it out and know I love it.
Not had any problems with it at all, only had it a couple of days.
As for 'laggy' reports, I put these down to iPhone fanboys trying to say 'their' phone is the best, best thing about the HTC is NOT having iTunes on your PC - now that makes your PC laggy.
Syncing contacts, calendar etc with your google account seams pretty seamless, I know you can do it with mobileMe but how much does it cost?
Started playing with a few apps - Google Street Maps and Google Sky Map using the compass is truly brilliant.
This makes my previous phone (Nokia N95) look seriously old and slow.
Oh and for anyone who has seen the HTC promo video on the web, there's a copy on the phone too - and it still says that the phone offers 'Massages' :n0rty: at about 1:48 into the vid :lol:
Vince
I'm definitely no iPhone fan. This is my 7th HTC. I do love the phone but there is a bit of lag now and then. To be fair when you're running 10+ apps at once it's to be expected. And it's no deal breaker.
I have been with Orange since they started (a long , long time). I called them up last night, asked for a PAC code said I wanted an Iphone. They put me through to another department who basically said stay with us and the phone is free. They have lowered me onto a £20 a month plan with free net usage (under 500 meg), unlimited texts. I'm sure browsing is free as I currently average around 400 meg a month on my HTC Kaiser with them and don't get charged for it.
I have just been to an Orange phone shop in Cheltenham where they are selling the Hero. The price shown is FREE with 18 month contract of £20 or more.Been into the Orange shop in Cheltenham today but it's only free on contracts of £35 or more.
Basically i don't think i'm going to get a better offer than paying the £146, i haven't been with Orange long and i'm only on sim only so haven't earned enough points as it were to get a better deal. As long as i get the 500meg for free with that might go for it.
I'm definitely no iPhone fan. This is my 7th HTC. I do love the phone but there is a bit of lag now and then. To be fair when you're running 10+ apps at once it's to be expected. And it's no deal breaker.
Mixed blessing the multi-app. Its nice to be able to run all the apps, but equally if you want predictable responsive behaviour you can see why apple set things up for single apps on the iPhone.
Wishy, Have you got the phone? I am concerned that come Tuesday when it arrives I wont be able to sync the ferkin thing as all the reports I've read say it doesnt support Vista (let alone Vista 64 which I'm running). Not going to be a great start if I cant get my 200 contacts onto the thing.
nigel_williams
26-07-2009, 22:54
It's a bit like Windows Mobile in that way, apps are basically minimized rather than closed. I have the G1 and it can lag sometimes after a few apps are running, but on the whole I love Android as an OS.
If you have a Gmail account already setup, you can import contacts using a CSV file. The Import function says:
"We support importing CSV files from Outlook, Outlook Express, Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail, Eudora and some other apps. We also support importing vCard from apps like Apple Address Book. "
Good to know you don't have to go with a 24 month contract, I refuse to sign up to more than 18 month (even that's pushing it).
Wishy, Have you got the phone? I am concerned that come Tuesday when it arrives I wont be able to sync the ferkin thing as all the reports I've read say it doesnt support Vista (let alone Vista 64 which I'm running). Not going to be a great start if I cant get my 200 contacts onto the thing.
I've got a G1. Same base OS, but HTC have put a lot of their own software on it, and it remains to be see how good this software is. (Where as the google OS itself is spot on). I'd keep the G1 myself, mainly because I love the hardware keyboard, and its the best thing for SSH ever.
Suggestions you can export to a gmail account are correct. And the gmail account is very very useful with these devices. You can update your contacts and calander from the browser and have them automagically get to your phone.
One thing thats also useful, you can add a "Phone" label to your contacts, have the phone sync only this label. Hence people you don't want to loose the number for, but don't actually call ever can sit there without cluttering your interface.
I couldn't comment on the email client on the hero, but on the G1 the gmail client is a lot better than the plain email client. And gmail can automate pickup from multiple pop3/imap mailboxes for you - admittedly only once an hour or so.
When I plug my phone into XP Pro, is shows as a external drive but I cannot access it. Any ideas?
chuenmanc
28-07-2009, 14:23
Have you opened the notification area and selected that you want to 'Mount' the phone?
I dont get anything like that showing? I got the new hard drive found and then nothing else.
In fact if I right click and select properties, it knows its an Android phone but it cannot be browsed to via explorer.
chuenmanc
28-07-2009, 14:50
No, the notification area on the phone, not the computer. It's in the top left of the screen. Once you plug in the USB cable you should see the USB symbol and a sync symbol in there. Drag it down, and it'll give you the option to 'Mount' the phone. This lets the computer see the SD card.
No, the notification area on the phone, not the computer. It's in the top left of the screen. Once you plug in the USB cable you should see the USB symbol and a sync symbol in there. Drag it down, and it'll give you the option to 'Mount' the phone. This lets the computer see the SD card.
Whoops. I suppose it would have told me that in the manual? Sorry , its working perfectly now (hangs head in shame).
Any recommendations for RSS readers? I would like one that I can just import my OPML straight into if possible.
Looks like i'm gonna have to wait to get one of these, orange can now only offer me the phone for £151 on an 18 month contract at £20pm, and that doesn't include any internet usage. Bit too pricey for me.
Like the iPhone, these are designed for "unlimited" tarriffs - if your paying the standard £2.50something a meg its going to get costly very quickly.
I don't have a clue what bandwidth I'm using. T-Mobile don't print it on the bill, but they've never objected to my (fairly average) use.
Whoops. I suppose it would have told me that in the manual? Sorry , its working perfectly now (hangs head in shame).
Any recommendations for RSS readers? I would like one that I can just import my OPML straight into if possible.
Try NewsRob. It syncs with Google Reader. I'm sure you can import your OPML into that online.
Cheers rav2k I'll give it a try tomorrow.
..snip... What app works best for adding custom ringtones (from MP3 library)?
MC Rubber Chicken
28-07-2009, 22:11
can someone confirm of deny that you are unable to use bluetooth for file transfer like the iphone? or is there a 3rd party app out to get around this yet?
Been looking at some stuff about this phone and indeed it looks great. (from a techy persons point of view)
I do have 1 question:
If you chat to most middle aged people and pretty much every school kid, they will have heard (and many would like if the price was not silly) an iPhone.
Quite a number would have iPods of some flavour etc etc...........
How are they going to get to know what the hell a HTC Hero is with the Android operating system?
Or in other words, is it going to get into the public consciousness?
can someone confirm of deny that you are unable to use bluetooth for file transfer like the iphone? or is there a 3rd party app out to get around this yet?
I've had a go and don't think you can. I don't think has the necessary bluetooth profiles.
Been looking at some stuff about this phone and indeed it looks great. (from a techy persons point of view)
I do have 1 question:
If you chat to most middle aged people and pretty much every school kid, they will have heard (and many would like if the price was not silly) an iPhone.
Quite a number would have iPods of some flavour etc etc...........
How are they going to get to know what the hell a HTC Hero is with the Android operating system?
Or in other words, is it going to get into the public consciousness?
I doubt it. To be honest I like the fact it's different and not everyone will have it.
nigel_williams
29-07-2009, 00:36
One of the things that drew me to Android was the whole "open" ideology. On top of that, the costs of buying and running the iPhone was just too high for me when I primarily wanted a data based tariff. Not being one of the iSheep, I like to have something different, especially after 2 previous Windows Mobile handsets which were more trouble than their worth and not finger friendly.
I saw some stats the other day which said iPhone has pretty much cornered the online browsing market, something like 47% which is pretty amazing considering the short timescales and entering an already established market. It did say Android has overtaken WinMob which again is good considering there was only 1 handset. Will try and find the report and provide a URL.
Haven't tried it myself, but I believe Ringdroid can do custom ringtones.
I've had a go and don't think you can. I don't think has the necessary bluetooth profiles.
Bluetooth Fileshare at 2 euro seems to do it, requires root for recieving, but not for sending.
Re vs the iPhone - again, i wanted something open. You can get apps from the marketplace, you can get apps elsewhere. No attempts to stop rooting, no recall of apps. No option for anybody to moderate the apps i want on there, decide that its better for me if i go via iTunes, etc.
Apple have closed down the system far too much for my tastes.
Flip Martian
29-07-2009, 12:11
I doubt it. To be honest I like the fact it's different and not everyone will have it.
Its exactly that that attracts me to it. I saw my mate's iphone - very nice, very swish - but this is something not everyone has and, on the face of it, looks like it competes on most levels at least. The apps in the android shop look to do all of what I would have wanted the iphone for. Really just waiting for some "final version" reviews...
nigel_williams
29-07-2009, 13:49
This was the article I mentioned on market share, Android is now ahead of Windows Mobile: http://androidandme.com/2009/07/mobile-analytics/android-pulls-ahead-of-windows-mobile/
Also this: http://lifehacker.com/5324724/bad-apple-an-argument-against-buying-an-iphone
Anyone got any recommendations for apps to try then?
I cannot get Rings Extended to work on mine, any alternatives?
NewsRon - mobile google reader
Telegraph - more of a Guardian reader but they don't have an app!
1337pwn.com - xbox live friend alerts
last.fm
beebplayer - iplayer and live bbc channels
SMS Backup - backup texts to gmail
SMS Schedule
ES File Explorer - not sure why Android doesn't have a file explorer already
Locale - allows for automatic changing of settings depending on time, location, calendar status
nigel_williams
30-07-2009, 09:33
Anycut - puts any shortvut on the desktop
AK Notepad - note taking app
Compass
Digital Clock Widget - Nice big clock widget for desktop
FotMob - Football scores as they happen
Google maps - Give you Latitude also
GPS Status 2 - GPS satellite positions
Movie Finder - Cinema schedules
My Tracks - Records your movements and displays in Google Earth
Pac Man - Classic
Places Directory/NRU/Qype - Listing of pubs, bars, places of interest
Quickpedia/Wapedia - quick access to wikipedia
ShopSavvy - Scans barcodes and gets prices from web
Shazam - Identify music by recording a sample
Sky Map - Shows stars and constelations
Twidroid - Twitter app
TuneWiki - MP3 playback with lyrics
Weatherbug - Weather forecasts
Voice Search - Voice recognition for Google searches
Toggle Settings - Control phone profiles
I think that's enough to get on with!
dysfunction
30-07-2009, 12:00
Gah! I want an Android phone now! :(
Mine is scheduled to turn up today, but as I'm at work all day I'll have to pick it up from the sorting office tomorrow :(
I still cant get Rings Extended to work :(
Thining of really returning the Hero now. I do love it but it does seem to lag quite a bit at times. Especially in the Messaging app where the keyboard doesn't respond. I've been using the task manager to close Apps down too but it doesn't seem to be working. I love the phone but having serious doubts.
Rav2k, what phone were you using before the Hero then? (Please don't say an Iphone!!)
A HTC Diamond. And before that 5 other HTCs.
Doing a factory reset on it to see if it helps. I really do wanna keep it but it's lagging a bit too much. No one else having this problem?
I have gone from a HTC Kaiser to the Hero and the only time I've had it lagging so far is when I go to the manage apps screen or open google sky map. The only trouble I am having is one of ring tones as the default ones are pants and cant change to anything else. Is yours an out of the box Orange version or have you unlocked it ?
The factory reset's really done the job. It's so speedy now. Must be an app or plugin slowing it down. Very annoying.
Flip Martian
30-07-2009, 21:11
Interesting to get a user's opinions on it, cheers. I guess at least you have a solution for the slowdown. My HTC Tytn/MDA Vario III slows to a stop occasionally after continued app use. Rebooting sorts it out but it is annoying.
Darkside23
30-07-2009, 21:40
wheres the 'task manager' or 'manage apps' option your talking about?
pretty sure i have loads of apps running from general playing..
stupendo
30-07-2009, 21:43
Thining of really returning the Hero now. I do love it but it does seem to lag quite a bit at times. Especially in the Messaging app where the keyboard doesn't respond. I've been using the task manager to close Apps down too but it doesn't seem to be working. I love the phone but having serious doubts.
I have the odd slow down but using Task Manager to kill them sorts it out.
Out of interest what apps have you installed, perhaps one of them is slowing it down?
I think the handset is great, had quite a few Windows mobile/WinCE phones before this and this is the dogs ******** compared to them!
Apps I have installed
Battery status
Task Manager
Movies by flixster
Picsay - photo editor
Handcent SMS
Appmanager - backup your applications to the SD card
Places Directory
Netcounter - keep track of how much data you are using
Google sky map
Shazam
Shopsavvy
I've listed most of the apps in post 84 plus a few more. Was using Task Manager off the market by Wing Tseng.
I do love the phone and android. I'm so bored on WinMo and this is way better. But the lag is bringing back repressed memories of phones crashing and freezing!
How long are people getting in between battery charges?
Fully charged the phone last night before bed. Was down to about 15% by 16:00. I am a very heavy user though. Calls, texts and data.
You're doing better than me then it seems. I switched mine on around 7.30am today, used it a lot through the day and it told me to charge around 3.30pm!
lol. glad i'm not the only one. it's annoying but i can live with it. normally at home or work so can always charge it.
fredfox_uk
30-07-2009, 22:32
Does anyone use the Hero with MS Exchange ? What's it like ?
nigel_williams
30-07-2009, 23:31
Battery life is bad on the G1 also, although to be fair I had similar problems with a Windows Mobile phone which was also "always on".
You can try switching off 3G as this uses a lot of the power and you don't really need it unless browsing. I use the Toggle Settings app to do this quickly.
Power manager seems to help, worthwhile at a quid.
It doesn't seem much worse than the iphone, certainly not when i've done a "like for like" day with mates with iphones.
I've just found out that you don't actually need Ringdroid at all! After spending three days trying to get it to work (and failing) all you need to do is to add folders called ringtones, notification, alarms to the root of the SD card and select them from there without Ringdroid being installed. My SD card didnt come formatted with those folders and I only found it by accident while trying to use some FTP app. But I suppose at least I know now. :clap:
Chivalry
31-07-2009, 22:44
can anyone give a little discription of the Andriod OS? atm i have a Nokia N95 which is symbian.. and i can load all sorts of things into it... even as far a Garmin or tomtom for gps in the car...
Are these easily installed into the android OS? or is it very software specific like the Iphone..(only takes apple apps)
I like the freedom of being able to put whatever i want onto my phone... not whats been "allowed" for me to use,,, cheers :)
nigel_williams
31-07-2009, 22:58
It is more open than iPhone, apps don't need an Apple seal of approval to be in the market. You can also add apps from a 3rd party source by going to Settings->Applications and click the "Unknown sources".
As much as I love the way Apple make hardware (iMacs, iPods, iPhones) which look DESIGNED as opposed to thrown together by some tech people who have no idea about simple ease of use...............
I also totally dislike the way they tie things down, and more fool them, as they could be as big as Msoft now if they'd taken a different route all those years ago, but anyway............
Having seen the iPhone and the way the hardware is (as I would say) Polished, and the "Polish" the apps have. Nice icons, nice design, ease of use.
NOT Techy, so much as simple and easy and user friendly.
How does Android and their apps compare?
Are they as polished and designed to be easy on the eye, easy on the brain and easy to use, or are they more techy apps with techy settings.
Not sure I'm explaining myself very well.
But like a iMac, you might load a program, click a few nice icons and get the job done, whereas on a PC you might have 100 options in various pull down menus and pop up boxes scattered all over the place.
Does lack of "apple control" means it's all a bit techy and rough?
nigel_williams
01-08-2009, 01:01
You raise an interesting point, the positive side of Apple's moderation means that there are established standards. This is the general ethos of Apple in controlling the hardware they don't have to support 3rd party hardware on their devices. So in someways this is poor for the users as it stifles choice and possibly innovation.
I'm not suggesting that Apple packages IT for idiots that can't do techy stuff, but it does make it more accessible and gives a higher user satisfaction. User abilities vary widely, so what I think is easy to do, people like my brother for example will really struggle. But Apple should be applauded for revolutionising the mobile phone in what was an established market.
So horses for courses really, pay the extra for an iPhone and enjoy a nice safe and consistent environment.
Given the Android development environment, the apps do seem to have a consistent look and feel. Of course you can't make all apps look and feel identical, but I've had no problems picking things up and just using them.
Someone summarised the 2 ideologies nicely: With iPhone you are expected to be a consumer, buying apps from the app store. With Android, it encourages you to develop and innovate..... but you can buy apps from the market also ;)
Thanks for the reply.
I guess it would be nice if there is some quality/ranking or something when it comes to Android stuff.
Myself, I've always been the person who like techy things, but I also love things that have been finished (polished) well.
Like a console game. It's made to look nice (normally) all the rough edges are smoothed off, loading screens may be animated, option pages might have nice graphics etc etc.
Wheras (esp in the past) the same game on a PC might just be the same, with a basic bar moving up to load the next level, a basic menu system.
It does the same thing, it's just not had the same time and (polish) applied to all parts of the whole thing.
Something just struck me, and I hope this is not true,
Apple don't tie developers onto the the iPhone do they?
I mean, say I write a nice app for the iPhone and it gets approved. Apple don't then say to me, it will only be accepted onto their app store if I don't write/port the exact same program over the the Android system as well, so my program can be enjoyed on both systems?
Does anyone use Wordpress? I've looked everywhere for an app for it but can't. I wondered if I've missed it or there just isnt one (which seems weird if not).
Interesting:
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/06/compared-to-the-htc-hero-the-iphones-materials-suck/
nigel_williams
01-08-2009, 14:00
Seems that Apple and AT&T are not playing fair, abusing the position of the Apple App Store to reject applications: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/26015/fcc-google-voice-iphone-row.phtml
Apps are rated on the Android Market with a 1-5 star rating. It's generally a good indication of the app quality though you do get the occasional 1 Star with "This sucks" type response.
If you want to browse the market with a web browser, you can use: http://www.cyrket.com/
As no-one has said it, do I take it that a developer can write a nice app, have it approved for use on the iphone (even if it's free) then write the same app for the Android OS?
Apple are not controlling apps so that they have exclusive rights to any app (unless apple themselves have written it of course?)
I'd guess an any app writer would want his/her app on both platforms if possible.
nigel_williams
01-08-2009, 18:15
I don't know for sure, but there are certainly apps that appear on both the iPhone and Android. The difference might also be in terms of revenue i.e. how much of a cut Apple take in selling through the app store.
Not a brilliant review here:
http://gizmodo.com/5318860/htc-hero-review-ambitious-but-tragically-flawed
Not a brilliant review here:
http://gizmodo.com/5318860/htc-hero-review-ambitious-but-tragically-flawed
Seems to me
A) HTC have overloaded the device with widgets, which has compromised speed. Because google have created an open system, HTC are free to do this. Ok, HTC have somewhat bodged the speed - but the fact that one company hasn't done a perfect job doesn't mean the concept is bad. Openness is good, and its up to the consumer to decide if a particular handset meets their requirements.
B) Your comparing against the iPhone for speed. The iPhone allows a single task to run at a time - you can't (For example) leave an msn client running at the same time as your browsing without convoluted push messaging mechanisms. I've always said android running multiple apps at the same time is a mixed blessing - it does impact the speed, but equally its way more useful.
C) This is an OS which has been available to purchase for about 8 months. Development has been very rapid, frankly for smartphone apps its generally weeing all over S60 and Windows Mobile - both are looking very tired in comparision. I'm really looking forward to seeing what other handset manufacturers produce from the android. Things are only going to get better.
D) Apple are evil, and will only let you install the apps THEY want you to, and will take 30% for the privilege. This reason alone is a darn good reason to be buying an android handset.
D) Apple are evil
Anyone who uses phrases like that when comparing devices doesn't look too great :lol:
A couple of annoying things:
1. Signal strength seems to be pretty low compared to all the other phones I owned.
2. The phone goes to sleep when making a call which is a pain in the backside.
nigel_williams
02-08-2009, 22:29
Why The FCC Wants To Smash Open The iPhone
Right about now, Apple probably wishes it had never rejected Google Voice and related apps from the iPhone. Or maybe it was AT&T who rejected the apps. Nobody really knows. But the FCC launched an investigation last night to find out, sending letters to all three companies (Apple, AT&T, and Google) asking them to explain exactly what happened.
Full article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/01/AR2009080101074.html?referrer=digg
I must admit I'm struggling to wonder why we need to be able to multitask many apps on a mobile.
The palm could never multitask and it was loved
The pocket pc could multitask and it was disliked generally
As long as the phone can do the basics at the same time I dunno why you really need to have apps running that you are not needing.
Now I guess a load of people will tell me how wrong I am :)
Anyone who uses phrases like that when comparing devices doesn't look too great :lol:
Well yes, but in the same thread we have an FCC investing why apple are preventing competing apps using "their" device.
There have been numerous apps apple have rejected / removed. With google, free choice is still there. If its not on the marketplace, you can download out-of-channel.
I must admit I'm struggling to wonder why we need to be able to multitask many apps on a mobile.
The palm could never multitask and it was loved
The pocket pc could multitask and it was disliked generally
As long as the phone can do the basics at the same time I dunno why you really need to have apps running that you are not needing.
Now I guess a load of people will tell me how wrong I am :)
Your wrong ;)
You can leave an MSN client running in the background
You don't have to ssh back in every time you get a phone call
A couple of annoying things:
1. Signal strength seems to be pretty low compared to all the other phones I owned.
2. The phone goes to sleep when making a call which is a pain in the backside.
1. That might be down to network, or the fact this might be the first time your using that network on 3g?
2. Its battery saving, tap menu twice and your back where you were. No problem.
Looks like i'm gonna have to wait to get one of these, orange can now only offer me the phone for £151 on an 18 month contract at £20pm, and that doesn't include any internet usage. Bit too pricey for me.
Ok so ignore what i said, my desire to get this has overtaken my initial limits on what i was willing to pay! Gets delivered tomorrow!
Currently on Vodafone and thinking of switching to Orange for this. Deals on Mobiles.co.uk (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=158) look good!
I'm going for:
Orange Dolphin 40
£10 Discount
(24 months)
1200 mins Any
Network Anytime + Unlimited Texts
+ 500MB Data
WITH FREE GIFT
9 months 1/2 price
or £50 Auto Cashback
Going for the 9 months half price by redemption option, and factoring in £10 in total for redeeming the cashback by post, it'll cost me a total of:
30 x 24 - 9/2 * 30 + 10 = £595 for 24 months. This is PLENTY for me, and works out at £25 per month...
Currently on Vodafone and thinking of switching to Orange for this. Deals on Mobiles.co.uk (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=158) look good!
I thought that until i saw this (http://www.ciao.co.uk/Reviews/mobiles_co_uk__87437).
:lol: oh well too late now, went and signed up after posting that. According to the website, it should be with me tomorrow!
A couple of annoying things:
1. Signal strength seems to be pretty low compared to all the other phones I owned.
2. The phone goes to sleep when making a call which is a pain in the backside.
I've actually found reception to be great and significantly better than my Touch Diamond which the Hero replaced.
Seems to me
A) HTC have overloaded the device with widgets, which has compromised speed. Because google have created an open system, HTC are free to do this. Ok, HTC have somewhat bodged the speed - but the fact that one company hasn't done a perfect job doesn't mean the concept is bad. Openness is good, and its up to the consumer to decide if a particular handset meets their requirements.
B) Your comparing against the iPhone for speed. The iPhone allows a single task to run at a time - you can't (For example) leave an msn client running at the same time as your browsing without convoluted push messaging mechanisms. I've always said android running multiple apps at the same time is a mixed blessing - it does impact the speed, but equally its way more useful.
C) This is an OS which has been available to purchase for about 8 months. Development has been very rapid, frankly for smartphone apps its generally weeing all over S60 and Windows Mobile - both are looking very tired in comparision. I'm really looking forward to seeing what other handset manufacturers produce from the android. Things are only going to get better.
D) Apple are evil, and will only let you install the apps THEY want you to, and will take 30% for the privilege. This reason alone is a darn good reason to be buying an android handset.
If you remove some of the Widgets then the phone runs just fine. I did a factory reset on mine last week and afterwards it really did fly performance wise. Really do think that as time goes on and Android gains traction the open nature will mean it really shines.
Just got the phone today and really liking it. Lots to learn and taking a bit of time getting used to it, but it's a pretty sweet piece of kit.
One thing i can't get to work properly is the alarm - if i set it then switch the phone off it doesn't work. Any ideas?
One thing i can't get to work properly is the alarm - if i set it then switch the phone off it doesn't work. Any ideas?
Yes, The alarm doesn't work if you switch the phone off ;)
Why would you switch your phone off anyway? If you want not to be called pop it in flight mode.
Yes, The alarm doesn't work if you switch the phone off ;)
Why would you switch your phone off anyway? If you want not to be called pop it in flight mode.
Because i use my phone as my alarm to wake up in the morning, so want to switch it off to save the battery. It's what i've always done with all my mobiles so strange it doesn't work on this one :shrug:
Dave h-j
05-08-2009, 09:48
EDIT: Woops, thought I was in the iPhone thread.... Move along....
Thinking of getting one of these now after reading on here and the net. Dialaphone (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=365&url=http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/search.aspx?oc=12DOL40X02&product=HTC_Hero&term=18&dataallowance=-1%2c999999&downloadspeed=0%2c0&rowqty=10&sortkey=10&order=0&page=1) has a pretty good deal on.. Phone is free with Dolphin 45 on 18 month contract and is now £35 per month plus 6 months half price line rental, so the average rental is just over £29 a month and that includes data package!! Sounds good to me but what does anyone else think? Are dialaphone ok to deal with? Thanks
Because i use my phone as my alarm to wake up in the morning, so want to switch it off to save the battery. It's what i've always done with all my mobiles so strange it doesn't work on this one :shrug:
Must be a feature on some phones whereby the processor, GSM, etc all gets switched off and the alarm clock remains. In any event, the android doesn't do it.
Realistically, these phones are "charge every day" devices anyway (As is the iPhone and a lot of other smartphones, in all fairness) - so you may as well just charge it at night.
nigel_williams
05-08-2009, 12:22
I use the Toggle Settings app to switch my phone into flight mode at 1am then back on again in the morning. This does still use some battery power, but very little as the radios are off. So the phone is just in standby so an alarm should work, though I've not tried it.
Steve-W - I've used Dialaphone for such a contract before, and they were fine. As long as you keep on top of things, with sending off the redemption claims, you should be OK.
I think the deal I mentioned on www.mobiles.co.uk is a little better but it's a 24 month contract, so depends if you want such a long contract!
I use the Toggle Settings app to switch my phone into flight mode at 1am then back on again in the morning. This does still use some battery power, but very little as the radios are off. So the phone is just in standby so an alarm should work, though I've not tried it.
Ah right, might have to check this out although can't seem to get on the market, think it's because i haven't used my new sim yet as wanted to see how i get on with the phone first.
Anyone bought any accessories yet? See there are screen protectors available but surely these would affect how you use the touch screen?
You can try locale as well. It lets you tune various settings depending on time, location, calendar events. I use it to turn off push sync at night.
Everytime i try to connect to the market i get the message "Can't establish a reliable data connection to the server. This could be a temporary problem or your SIM may not be provisioned for data services."
I can connect to the internet via mobile or wifi and have phoned Orange who've sent me updates, but it still doesn't work :?:
Everytime i try to connect to the market i get the message "Can't establish a reliable data connection to the server. This could be a temporary problem or your SIM may not be provisioned for data services."
I can connect to the internet via mobile or wifi and have phoned Orange who've sent me updates, but it still doesn't work :?:
Are you connecting via Wifi or via 3g? Can you load any webpage at all?
White Line
06-08-2009, 16:18
I'm seriously thinking of getting one of these. I currently have a Nokia N97 which seems to just work, if you know what I mean. I had a Touch Pro and it was a bit clunky at times. The Android marketplace is a big pull for me though. :)
stupendo
06-08-2009, 21:48
Everytime i try to connect to the market i get the message "Can't establish a reliable data connection to the server. This could be a temporary problem or your SIM may not be provisioned for data services."
I can connect to the internet via mobile or wifi and have phoned Orange who've sent me updates, but it still doesn't work :?:
Maybe a stupid question but have you a signal and have you got Mobile Network, under Settings, Wireless control switched as without this there is no gprs/3g switched on.
belgarion_v
07-08-2009, 10:01
I'm seriously thinking of getting one of these. I currently have a Nokia N97 which seems to just work, if you know what I mean. I had a Touch Pro and it was a bit clunky at times. The Android marketplace is a big pull for me though. :)
I had an N95 and was going to get an N97 till i saw the HTC Hero, best move I ever made, people talk about it being laggy etc, but I'll tell you one thing, it makes my old Nokia look like something from the last century.
Maybe a stupid question but have you a signal and have you got Mobile Network, under Settings, Wireless control switched as without this there is no gprs/3g switched on.
I've had no problems with the Market place... or the Internet etc.
If you have a Wifi connection, it will automatically use that rather than 3G etc for any data connection ie Internet, Market Place, Facebook integrations, email etc.
Vince
White Line
07-08-2009, 12:48
Can you get graphical smilies in texts on this? It's something I really miss from my old Nokia 6500. :)
belgarion_v
07-08-2009, 13:43
Can you get graphical smilies in texts on this? It's something I really miss from my old Nokia 6500. :)
Yep, on Android, they show up as little green Android smilies - I don't know how many different ones there are though.
Vince
Can anyone recommend any good games? (free of course)
Oh and which APP is the most accurate when it comes to reading barcodes for cheap prices?
stupendo
07-08-2009, 20:18
I now have a fault with my Hero, it has stopped recognising headphones in the socket. The headphone socket still works if you manually switch it on with an application but it doesnt auto sense anymore.
Have sent an email to HTC as per this (http://androidforums.com/htc-hero/7102-htc-hero-headphone-jack-problem.html) thread on the android forums and will ring Orange in a bit to see if they know about the fault and will swap it out.
nigel_williams
07-08-2009, 23:38
The main barcoding app I use is Shopsavvy, although there is also Barcode Scanner.
I've just ordered the Hero on Orange from Dialaphone and should get it Tues!!
Was just wondering what size micro SD card does it come with and what is the max capacity it can take?
It comes with 2 gig, but I beleive it can take up to 16.
Anyone recommend any good wallpaper sites ?
KeyserSoze
09-08-2009, 19:52
Which provider is everyone on and how much are you paying?
I'm seriously considering one. Its between this or the iPhone. Was hoping this would be slightly cheaper but its not really.
nigel_williams
09-08-2009, 20:11
I have the G1 on T-Mobile. Paid £50 for the phone, 100min/txt and "unlimited" data for £20 a month on 18 month contract.
iPhone is nice, but too expensive for me as I use mostly data.
Maybe a stupid question but have you a signal and have you got Mobile Network, under Settings, Wireless control switched as without this there is no gprs/3g switched on.
Yep everything was switched on and working. Did a google search and basically (and stupidly) the only way to fix it is to reset the phone, then enter the details straight away at startup. I didn't do it the first time as i didn't have an account, but now i've reset and entered the details it worked :shrug:
G2 on T-mobile the same (combi15+internet) £20 a month tariff, though I paid near £190 for the phone.
As I'll mainly use the phone for data it's cheaper for me to pay the £190 and £20pm than get the phone for free on a higher tariff.
Anyone recommend any good wallpaper sites ?
Try the backgrounds app on the market.
White Line
10-08-2009, 13:57
Yep, on Android, they show up as little green Android smilies - I don't know how many different ones there are though.
Vince
Cheers, that's sold it to me then. Just ordered a SIM free white one so look for it in the classifieds in the next few days... :lol:
Chivalry
10-08-2009, 23:35
orderd mine :) went for t mobile, 18m , £34.26p a month with 700 mins , unltd texts and internet and 50 quid cash back,, phone was free.. shall be here tommorow!! (well today technicaly) :)
White Line
11-08-2009, 07:42
Woohoo! It's arrived! I can see the Apple influence already just with the box it comes in, quite lovely. Off for a mess with it. :D
I'm currently out of contract by a month or two with Orange Online, when I check the upgrade options even if I choose the £40 a month Dolphin plan they still want £166 for the Hero handset.
Can I cancel with Orange Online and get one of the better deals from an Orange reseller? Would I be able to keep my number?
I'm currently out of contract by a month or two with Orange Online, when I check the upgrade options even if I choose the £40 a month Dolphin plan they still want £166 for the Hero handset.
Can I cancel with Orange Online and get one of the better deals from an Orange reseller? Would I be able to keep my number?
Ring them up and ask for your PAC code. They will put you through to retentions who should offer you a better deal
That didn't work very well, I ended up with my PAC code. They only offered me £146 on the handset even when upgrading to a double price tarriff to what I'm on now. So am I free to get a contract with another orange reseller and keep my number?
That didn't work very well, I ended up with my PAC code. They only offered me £146 on the handset even when upgrading to a double price tarriff to what I'm on now. So am I free to get a contract with another orange reseller and keep my number?
I think you might have to port the number to a PAYG sim and then port it back in.
That didn't work very well, I ended up with my PAC code. They only offered me £146 on the handset even when upgrading to a double price tarriff to what I'm on now. So am I free to get a contract with another orange reseller and keep my number?
You would have to port away from orange, i think getting a free tesco payg sim would do it, and then port back onto an orange contract.
Its a shame orange are been so mean with the upgrades, i am now out of contract and it lists the price as £166 online too :( I think i'm going to jump ship to t-mobile, they have a much better data plan anyhow
Flip Martian
12-08-2009, 06:06
T-Mobile seem to be offering better upgrade deals too - I'm on the now defunct FlexT 25 and they've offered me the phone for about 75 quid through the auto upgrade thing on the website!
I've set up this phone several times now for people at our company and for myself and it seems vital that you input your gmail / email account when you start the phone otherwise it seems not to work correctly if you try and do it after. (Or it could just be me).
White Line
12-08-2009, 15:04
I love this phone, it's a world apart from my previous phone (soon to be sold N97). I don't know what all the fuss about lag is because I've not experienced any. The only time the phone wasn't as responsive was when I was listening to music via bluetooth (which it does marvellously) and I wanted to send some texts, which is something I've always found to be the case on any phone. Maybe it's something to do with operator branding because mine is a SIM free model.
It's perfect for me with all the Google and Facebook integration, it sync'd up my contacts and calendar on the first boot up. The only things missing were the Google tasks but I downloaded an app called Astrid (?!) that's a wonderful tasks manager. The marketplace is awesome!
My SD card has a gazillion media files on but the phone indexes them very swiftly and puts each folder as an album in photos. It's pretty nifty being able to view my mates' photos as though they were there on my phone in albums, I love that.
I haven't used an iPhone since they were first released so I don't know what the latest ones are like, but in my opinion the Hero is a much better phone.
Got my PAC code this morning with a "please don't go" letter :P Will give them another chance to work something out. I don't mind paying something towards the phone but I don't want to pay ~£150.
Was watching a lot of Youtube reviews of the Hero last night, I could definitely see some speed issues - one vid would show it running fine while another would be dog slow - is it just a case of people having too many widgets running which slows it down?
Just ordered one of these on an upgrade from Orange. I'm in an 18 month contract with 3 months remaining which I think is the earliest I am entitled to an upgrade. Got the phone for £40.00 plus a free 500Mb data package.
Won't be here till Monday but I can't remember being this excited over a phone before (well, not since the last one anyway!). There seem to be some great apps for Android, far better than the very limited choices my N82 seems to have.
Was watching a lot of Youtube reviews of the Hero last night, I could definitely see some speed issues - one vid would show it running fine while another would be dog slow - is it just a case of people having too many widgets running which slows it down?
I have yet to see my phone slow down when scrolling between screens so it has to be something to do with how many background apps you're running. My only worry at the moment is the 500 meg per month on Orange has gone right out of the window. :eek:
I'm only using aroind 10meg a day, and this is quite heavy use. I've also installed Opera Mini, which is perfectly OK for surfing most things, and quicker too. It compresses webpages so they load faster.
Doesn't always present them as well as the default browser though.
BiscLimpkit
15-08-2009, 00:24
I've been looking into HTC phones and noticed this is getting a lot of attention. Is there any reason you guys aren't considering either the:
Touch HD
Touch Pro 2
Touch Diamond 2
All of which have bigger screens and higher resolutions? (Apart from the Diamond 2, which also has a 3.2" screen but higher resolution).
I've been looking into HTC phones and noticed this is getting a lot of attention. Is there any reason you guys aren't considering either the:
Touch HD
Touch Pro 2
Touch Diamond 2
All of which have bigger screens and higher resolutions? (Apart from the Diamond 2, which also has a 3.2" screen but higher resolution).
Because they're Windows Mobile and not Android.
White Line
15-08-2009, 03:32
Because they're Windows Mobile and not Android.
Troodat. I had a Touch Pro and although the qwerty keypad and screen were very very nice, the Windows OS was a total dog. I also had a Samsung Omnia a few months back and no amount of tarting up can hide a clunky old Windows.
BiscLimpkit
15-08-2009, 08:08
I was thinking that might be the case. I'll watch a couple of video reviews on youtube of the Hero and make a decision. Thanks you two.
Flip Martian
15-08-2009, 09:18
Well I've prevaricated long enough - after watching some more vids on youtube last night I've taken T Mobile up on their "kind offer" and upgraded my battered Vario III to a Hero. Doesn't look like it will arrive for maybe a week so I guess demand is high/stock is low. But its black, cheap(ish), low cost plan and it was done by clicking a couple of buttons. Whoo!
BiscLimpkit
15-08-2009, 12:54
What are the details of their kind offer? Thanks.
Does anyone know if the Hero battery will charge over a USB connection? Have Googled but I'm either being dumb or there isn't a definitive answer?
It does charge over USB. Apart from a headphone the USB is the only other connection on the phone.
Thanks, is that via another USB port or the AC adaptor though?
There is no AC adaptor port. It only has a single USB port. To charge via the mains you plug the USB cable into the plug which you plug into the mains.
Does anyone know if the Hero battery will charge over a USB connection? Have Googled but I'm either being dumb or there isn't a definitive answer?
Yep it does. Don't think it actually says it does in the instructions though.
Flip Martian
15-08-2009, 22:02
What are the details of their kind offer? Thanks.
Well for me, on a very low (now not offered) tariff for about 3 years, they offered the phone for about 70 quid. Either that or they'd knock a tenner off my bill each month... As I pay around 30 quid a month for minutes, texts and internet and I don't need a higher costing tariff, it works out pretty well for me.
BiscLimpkit
15-08-2009, 23:59
See on a 500MB internet allowance (i.e Orange) - how long can one browse the net for? Does anybody come close to reaching that amount? T-mobile looks appealing due to its 1GB cap...
See on a 500MB internet allowance (i.e Orange) - how long can one browse the net for? Does anybody come close to reaching that amount? T-mobile looks appealing due to its 1GB cap...
I am on a 500 meg allowance with Orange and am now close to 800 meg this month. I've called Orange (twice to check) and been told that its called 500 Meg but classed as a fair use allowance so I shouldnt worry about getting charged for the extra data.
KeyserSoze
16-08-2009, 10:26
ljp, what do you use the internet for on the phone? I assume just checking email throughout the day and maybe google maps now and again won't reach 500mb too quickly?
BiscLimpkit
16-08-2009, 11:29
I take it using skype eats into the data allowance too? (Unlike 3 where it's free)
use beebplayer and you can quickly eat up your allowance.
ljp, what do you use the internet for on the phone? I assume just checking email throughout the day and maybe google maps now and again won't reach 500mb too quickly?
Er emails from several accounts. A lot of internet use if I am out of the office (I run several online shops). I have no idea how I manage to eat the data like I do I've even put Netcounter on to check that the figures Orange are telling me aren't porkie pies! :lol:
I would say that an average person wouldnt get near the 500 meg unless you start to watch video's or stream any data like Spotify.
BiscLimpkit
16-08-2009, 19:14
Ok I searched the net and it seems that 1GB data allowance = approx 40hrs on Skype. Obviously free on 3 network. Interesting...
On T-Mobile i've never been given any grief over the amount of bandwidth i use, i used last fm a lot when i first got the phone, always using it for email. Lots of SSH (Obv bandwidth efficent)
Has anyone got theirs to file transfer via Bluetooth yet?
Flip Martian
18-08-2009, 12:40
I upgraded with T Mobile online on Saturday morning, had the "thanks" email telling me I'd get confirmation of delivery date shortly... its now Tuesday and still waiting for the email! They did say 5 working days on the website anyway, so I'll assume it ain't arriving this week...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYV9NNoI8Hc
This video shows that an imminent update will apparently reduce all lag...?
I upgraded with T Mobile online on Saturday morning, had the "thanks" email telling me I'd get confirmation of delivery date shortly... its now Tuesday and still waiting for the email! They did say 5 working days on the website anyway, so I'll assume it ain't arriving this week...
I ordered mine on t-mobile (not direct tho) and have been waiting over a week now because they say t-mobile are out of stock....
Flip Martian
20-08-2009, 12:11
I ordered mine on t-mobile (not direct tho) and have been waiting over a week now because they say t-mobile are out of stock....
Aha, thanks. Doesn't surprise me they're out of stock necessarily (new model, much in demand) but an email saying so would be good. They've not updated my account at all - I still get the option of upgrading my current phone to a Hero for the same price... Maybe I can get more than one and flog the extra ones when they turn up :lol:
(yes I'm kidding, before anyone posts to say that won't happen...) ;)
Flip Martian
21-08-2009, 20:52
Well I'd ordered an upgrade last Saturday at just over 70 quid.... Got messages from T Mobile (text, voicemail and an email!) today saying they couldn't fill my order and please contact them...
Rang them tonight. My old contract was a 12 month one, and they only offer G2s (ie Heros) on at least 18 month contracts. 2nd thing was they couldn't offer it on my current (now defunct) tariff but they'd "see what we can do for you"... After examining my usage they offered me contracts at 25, 30 and 35 quid a month all incl "unlimited internet" all on 18 mth contracts. The girl actually recommended that with my recent usage the cheapest plan would probably be ok, so I went for that... I asked how much the phone would be on top and she said "normally we only offer it free on 35 quid a month and above but we li like to keep our best customers and we'll give it you for free"!! I can only assume cos I've been with them about 4 years maybe...:)
Anyway - result! Brilliant customer service, a far better than expected deal - which I didn't even have to haggle for. And I rang at 6.30, the deal was done after about 15 minutes and she said the phone would be with me tomorrow by 1pm as they'd just had new stock in today (Dynamic - she did say they've been out of stock for a few days until today's delivery so maybe yours will arrive shortly).
Anyway, thanks to T-Mobile - great service.
nice one flip, if only orange were as customer friendly! If it all falls through when I call Orange next week I'll look at T-mob.
Anyone got any recommendations for RSS readers that don't rely on Google and can import OPML into them?
Flip Martian
22-08-2009, 10:24
Quick update - just arrived. Top marks for service!
BeyondPod can import OPML, and it's a really good reader. Not used the OPML option before myself, as I simply synced with my Google Reader account. (but this isn't a necessity, just my preference. Free for a week so probably worth a go and see if you want to buy it after that. I've found it to be amazing, great for Podcasts too!
Flip Martian
22-08-2009, 17:34
Much easier to set up email with this than I found with my Vario III I must say. And more intuitive to use I think. Would rather have had a paper manual (still not worked out how to access the one on the memory card!) but most things seem to be pretty straight forward. Loving it...and not even hit the Marketplace yet... :)
Much easier to set up email with this than I found with my Vario III I must say. And more intuitive to use I think. Would rather have had a paper manual (still not worked out how to access the one on the memory card!) but most things seem to be pretty straight forward. Loving it...and not even hit the Marketplace yet... :)
Plug the phone into the pc. Then at the top of the phone screen go to your notifications by swiping down the screen. The option to mount your phone will be shown. Mount it and it will appear as an extra drive on your PC / Mac. Your manual is on the new drive that's shown.
White Line
22-08-2009, 19:23
Or use the phone's built-in .pdf viewer. ;)
Or use the phone's built-in .pdf viewer. ;)
Of course, I just didnt know if Flip Martin was like me and couldnt figure out how to view the memory card on a pc (its so obvious when you know how).
Flip Martian
22-08-2009, 21:23
Of course, I just didnt know if Flip Martin was like me and couldnt figure out how to view the memory card on a pc (its so obvious when you know how).
Hadn't got round to connecting to the PC yet. :) But I was after accessing it on the PC rather than the phone, so cheers for that.:thumbs:
White Line
23-08-2009, 06:55
I blame Apple's influence for HTC making the box so small that a CD wouldn't fit in it. :lol:
belgarion_v
24-08-2009, 13:07
I think putting the manual and Sync software on the memory card is a good idea.
After all, most people would copy the manual off a CD onto their PC and then the CD is redundant, a waste of plastic / resources.
Vince
Has anyone found a screen protector that covers the entire screen i.e so that it covers the black border as well?
I got some off ebay but they only cover the lcd display area so you can feel the edge as you swipe your finger across!!
The official ones do. 2 for £5 from Play when I got mine. Mucked up the application of the first one, but second was fine. :) Good value for a fiver!
For those Android users who are also Facebook addicts, please join the following group.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30076312297
may make no difference but only takes a min.
White Line
29-08-2009, 06:07
I've just downloaded an excellent keypad replacement called TouchPal, it's free until the end of September. You can easily flick between QWERTY and Phonepad and you get predictive text everywhere. I think it's been out on Windows Mobile for a while but was just recently released for Android.
Trying desperately hard not to become an appaholic, but TouchPal is very nice.
Also find it much easier hunting around the marketplace using Cyrket (http://www.cyrket.com/) just to browse, unless direct recommendations come from here :)
nigel_williams
29-08-2009, 12:59
You could try this keyboard also: http://lifehacker.com/5344955/get-a-better-android-keyboard-no-rooting-required
belgarion_v
29-08-2009, 16:04
Just tried TouchPal and its even better than the HERO built in keyboard :)
Also heads up that Layar has been released on Android, its an augmented browser, if you don't know what that is, go to google and look, its erm got a lot of promise.
Been touted about on the iPhone, but it looks like Android gets it first :thumbs:
Its kinda like google maps / streetview, but it shows the view through the camera on your device and overlays items requested such as restaurants on in a kind of 3D way, it uses the built in compass to know which way you're looking just like streetview.
It was shown on BBC's Click program last week so you can check it out there too.
Vince
nigel_williams
29-08-2009, 16:19
Layar is similar to Wikitude, I think that was one of the first augmented reality apps.
belgarion_v
29-08-2009, 23:12
Layar is similar to Wikitude, I think that was one of the first augmented reality apps.
Yeah, that looks interesting too.
Looks like its not out on iPhone yet as well :D
I've recently been up to Aberdeen where I demonstrated Google Streetview on the Hero and people were amazed at what it could do, just add a little bit of this augmented browsing and then mobile internet will finally come of age.
Vince
White Line
30-08-2009, 15:58
You could try this keyboard also: http://lifehacker.com/5344955/get-a-better-android-keyboard-no-rooting-required
It just seems to be the standard Hero keypad, let me know if I'm missing something. :?:
Has anyone found that people have said they have sent you texts but you've never received them? I've had a lot of people tell me I've not replied to their messages since having the Hero and am beginning to wonder if its them or the Hero.
nigel_williams
30-08-2009, 21:29
It just seems to be the standard Hero keypad, let me know if I'm missing something. :?:
Maybe I should have put that post in the G1 thread, you're right, it is the HTC keyboard from the Hero.
White Line
31-08-2009, 10:25
Has anyone found that people have said they have sent you texts but you've never received them? I've had a lot of people tell me I've not replied to their messages since having the Hero and am beginning to wonder if its them or the Hero.
Now you mention it I have had that happen a couple of times, maybe there is a bug. :(
Now you mention it I have had that happen a couple of times, maybe there is a bug. :(
I've had it several times over this weekend. It looks like if the phone isnt in signal range when someone sends you the message it doesnt actually appear. ( Well for me anyway).
stupendo
31-08-2009, 17:38
I've just downloaded an excellent keypad replacement called TouchPal, it's free until the end of September. You can easily flick between QWERTY and Phonepad and you get predictive text everywhere. I think it's been out on Windows Mobile for a while but was just recently released for Android.
Downloaded this but couldn't see the attraction, what am i missing? :thinking:
Has anyone connected the Hero to their works Exchange email? Any comments?
Downloaded this but couldn't see the attraction, what am i missing? :thinking:
Don't know if you could do it before, but the different keyboard layouts depending on landscape or portrait, and the predictive text even with the full qwerty keypad.
Plus it's a nicer colour :)
edit: am I missing something, or is there no "hide keypad" button like on the default keypad?
edit2: oh, just use the back button :)
Is there an official Spotify app yet? Or a replacement for Droidify?
Sick Boy
06-09-2009, 17:50
Is there an official Spotify app yet? Or a replacement for Droidify?
Is there an unofficial spotify app then????
Is there an unofficial spotify app then????
Google Droidify.
unrealnils
06-09-2009, 22:02
Hey guys i've never tried anything other then the basic phone like a sony w880i
had a n80 but didnt use much of its features so bare with me ifthese questions are silly
I been checking out that g2 phone it looks the **** !!
I love the idea of being able to surf whenever i want, use it at work/train to surf things like betting sites,you tube and gmail easy.
Also i saw the dave chapelle , rick james app on my mates G1 phone, excellent :lol:
Whats movies like on this ?? could i use it to watch films at work (lunch break)
whats iplayer like ? can you download stuff to you're phone and watch later ?
are most apps free ??
After researching this phone i gotta have one !
and am i right in thinking its unlimited net so i can watch as much youtube and iplayer as i want ?
thanks
Any recommendations for programs to convert mpg files to be able to view on the Hero?
If anyone is interested in speeding up Sense UI and cannot wait for the official firmware release Paul@MoDaCo (http://android.modaco.com) has released a custom ROM including the new speedier firmware. I managed to do the upgrade following the "complete newbie (http://android.modaco.com/content/htc-hero-hero-modaco-com/292018/04-09-2-0-the-modaco-custom-rom-is-here-2-versions-based-on-the-new-update/)" instructions ;)
I also upgraded the radio firmware and am getting much better signal and wifi range than I was previously.
(I'm not responsible for any damage or loss of data that occurs if you decide to use this update - remember to back everything up etc etc)
Any recommendations for programs to convert mpg files to be able to view on the Hero?
Try Videora. Works great for me. Use the presets for iPod touch 2g.
Cheers Rav2k I will give it a blast.
Official Facebook app now on the market.
My Hero is def. losing texts that are sent to me. I borrowed another phone yesterday and over the day sent 100 texts to myself. Two didnt arrive. Never had this before so I am assuming its the OS and not Orange losing them.
What is the best task manager app?
Task Manager by Wing Tseng is great.
unrealnils
11-09-2009, 13:00
awesome phone
What are everyones best Apps then?
stupendo
12-09-2009, 21:20
Facebook app
Places by Google
Movies by flikster
Handcent sms
Pkt auction eBay
Flip Martian
13-09-2009, 07:38
Trying to get a thread going to discuss Apps here, if anyone's interested (save wading through this thread a bit!):-
http://www.thedvdforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=582409
Anyone here on Orange? I'm just about to call them and ask to send this phone back due to it missing text messages. Another guy in the office has exactly the same problem with his. I'm wondering if its an Orange problem or a Hero problem.
Flip Martian
14-09-2009, 14:52
On T Mobile here and not had any prob with texts going missing as yet...
I've called Orange and they are swapping the phone for me, it seems a few of the first batch they sent out have a problem no matter how many times they try and update them via SMS. Its due with me tomorrow, which means its time to back up the apps!
vsehijpal
14-09-2009, 15:44
The new ROM has been officially released by HTC- supposed to speed things up a bit. Assume Orange and T Mobile will cascading it out soon?
gertrude
15-09-2009, 16:34
Well, the now ROM is released in Norway/Sweden, and there is a general english version, but the UK site is not shoing it yet.
The release is imminent apparently.
G
Litterally, after I repliedc to this, the HTC reloaded and the ROM was there!!
Off to try it now.
G
Anyone got it running on Orange yet then?
gertrude
15-09-2009, 16:42
Sorry, mine is generic. Just about to try it now, but is there no way of backing up the phone and all of the apps installed on it already?
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.