# HTC Hero



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Anybody here use/got one? 
I fancy a bit of retail therapy, and the Xperia X3 is too far away, was curious to know if they are any good? Essentially replacing a Palm Tungsten 2 which is just a straight PDA.


----------



## Dougster (Jun 12, 2007)

I have been singing it's praises since it came out.

Great bit of kit and different from the iSheep.

I use Meebo for IM, Astro file manager and Aldiko for some cracking free book downloads.

GPS navigation also worked perfectly the twice I have had to use it.

New apps are becoming more and more available.


----------



## HJW (Feb 23, 2008)

Wait for the Nokia N900 to come


----------



## 738ALR (Sep 8, 2009)

AVANTI > I've got a touch HD and love the software. But the Hero looks so much better and seems to be getting even better reviews.

I'm not sure its a one-handed phone, but you'll get used to it. I've managed to get all of the useful apps working including TT7 with traffic.

I'm sure it will be a great choice. 

Andy


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

On some occasion I will want to use it for tethering my netbook to the net (must keep up with DW ) Also what is the camera function like for indoor use?


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

738ALR said:


> AVANTI > I've got a touch HD and love the software. But the Hero looks so much better and seems to be getting even better reviews.
> 
> I'm not sure its a one-handed phone, but you'll get used to it. I've managed to get all of the useful apps working including TT7 with traffic.
> 
> ...


That's good to learn, even more eager to try one now


----------



## Dougster (Jun 12, 2007)

Camera seems OK and has geo-tagging.

I also have FX camera which is a fun little app.

It's certainly not a one handed phone!!


----------



## robsonj (Apr 14, 2007)

I'm due an upgrade in a fortnight, the htc hero's on my shortlist, along with the n97, then n900( if its coming out shortly) and the iphone 3g if its released on orange


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2009)

The Hero would be a great way to go since it's running Google's Android and since it's open source should be plenty of groups out there producing software for it. Best thing you can do is look at youtube video reviews best way to find out some of the flaws. Because at the end of the day it's the flaws that will out as why you hate the phone.


----------



## tlzeebub (Feb 13, 2008)

I've had my Hero for a couple of months after using WMD's for the last 6 years and I love a lot of the Android functions, although I hate the battery life it's absolutely pants, and for some reason I cant get it to sync with Vista although it's ok with XP, could also do with a flash for the camera.


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

Apparently the firmware update has sorted all the performance issues and lengthened battery life too. The only issue is the network specific versions haven't been released yet - sim free is fine though.

I'm holding out for the X3 atm - I really want Android and I've always liked the SE build quality - the video of the UI looks good along with the 1GHZ snapdragon CPU which seems to be a monster in the HTC Leo (running winmo 6.5 - and it's making that run quick it's got to be good).

The only issue remaining is to see when the X3 gets confirmed and a release date along with it coming to O2. In the mean time, if O2 take the hero after loosing iPhone exclusivity then i'll be happy, I don't think the Pre is going to do it for me.


----------



## ROBS3 (Oct 31, 2008)

I've had a play with this in carphonewarehouse - and really liked it. Obviously not a thorough test, but seemed very easy to use, and some great functions/tools etc. Just a shame Vodafone aren't stocking it


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

I have decided to go for the SE Satio, should get it 13.10
Satio


----------



## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Oh that Satio looks nice!

Let us know who you get on with it. I really wanted a Hero but O2 still say no plans to sell it yet. The Satio looks like a good alternative, better camera too.


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2009)

The Leo looks good with the better CPU HTC seem to finally realise they can no longer trot out a new phone with ageing architecture.

The SE have any spec's? the last SE phone I got was a good phone but boring (what I called the GCIE, German Car Interior Effect ) that and I missed calls because it was very quite on full volume and the vibrate was very weak, thankfully I never had the problem with the centre joystick and still works like new.


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Shiny said:


> Oh that Satio looks nice!
> 
> Let us know who you get on with it. I really wanted a Hero but O2 still say no plans to sell it yet. The Satio looks like a good alternative, better camera too.


Yes, I had a good think about how I use my phone and the camera takes a 'hammering' so a cam with a flash was essential, after looking at some video reviews that is what sealed it for me and I already have SE handsets and like the way they do what they are supposed to and bug free. Shame the OS was not Android but I think it will still cover all I need and some more


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> The Leo looks good with the better CPU HTC seem to finally realise they can no longer trot out a new phone with ageing architecture.
> 
> The SE have any spec's? the last SE phone I got was a good phone but boring (what I called the GCIE, German Car Interior Effect ) that and I missed calls because it was very quite on full volume and the vibrate was very weak, thankfully I never had the problem with the centre joystick and still works like new.


I've seen the spec around somwhere but I can't find it now - but it's very very similar the HTC Leo.


----------



## Bo2007 (Apr 3, 2007)

the X3 is very nice too


----------



## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

check out www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk if you want the white Hero on Voda or T-Mobile on good deals.


----------



## robsonj (Apr 14, 2007)

i've just upgraded to a hero on orange, looking forward to getting it


----------



## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

Just waiting for my contract to run out before I get one, does anyone know if it has all the usual orange menus and add ons that usually ruin any phone they touch?


----------



## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

It will have some I think, but if you get a white one they are SIM free so you can do as you please.


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

ryand said:


> It will have some I think, but if you get a white one they are SIM free so you can do as you please.


Another advantage of sim free is you can get firmware updates as soon as they come out - down side is that it will cost a bit wad of cash and then you have your tariff on top - worth waiting for a month or so to see if any other networks pick it up in competition to iPhones on Voda and Orange.

I am/was all set for getting it but it looks like they are releasing more HTC handsets that are running Android with the Sense UI and more powerful hardware so I'm waiting patiently for O2 to pick on of them up.


----------



## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

Mother-Goose said:


> Another advantage of sim free is you can get firmware updates as soon as they come out - down side is that it will cost a bit wad of cash and then you have your tariff on top - worth waiting for a month or so to see if any other networks pick it up in competition to iPhones on Voda and Orange.
> 
> I am/was all set for getting it but it looks like they are releasing more HTC handsets that are running Android with the Sense UI and more powerful hardware so I'm waiting patiently for O2 to pick on of them up.


The white one via www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk is SIM free but without the SIM free cost.

This might be an option if you dont want Android
http://www.htc.com/uk/product/hd2/overview.html


----------



## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

I don't get why they're making themselves look good on these websites saying they give you a discount of 2.5% on account of VAT. It's only going back up soon but I bet they won't make a thing about it and it doesn't affect them anyway, they pay it straight over and they just care about net figures. Grrr


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

ryand said:


> The white one via www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk is SIM free but without the SIM free cost.
> 
> This might be an option if you dont want Android
> http://www.htc.com/uk/product/hd2/overview.html


Aha of course it is, being on Vodafone - should have spotted that, cheers pal.

Yeh the HD2 looks good - touch flo 3D on that should be a nice compromise - but apparently there is a similar specced unit in the works that'll be running Android so we could be in for a real treat!


----------



## robsonj (Apr 14, 2007)

i got my hero yesterday and upgraded to the new rom the same day, just downloaded it from the htc website, its designed for orange contract phones as well so no problems at all


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

did you use it on the old ROM at all - or put another way, running the new ROM, do you think it's nice and fast (Not just fast enough but actually quick)?


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

@Ryand - Thanks for that link mate, I've just ordered mine


----------



## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

Mother-Goose said:


> @Ryand - Thanks for that link mate, I've just ordered mine


No worries, what did you go for?


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2009)

Friend bought two Samsung Tocco Lite's for his kids the other day in the local Orange store there where 3 people in there with Hero's and problems.

So who's got one and finding it has no problems? I am still waiting for Orange to acknowledge they are in breach of contract with my Touch HD. I had a look on that phones direct and seen the N900 but its not out yet so how are they selling it? Nothing says pre order. Other main stream sites seem to be advertising it as pre order only. Another phone that has caught my eye is the HTC Leo with its 1Ghz cpu.

Anyone bought contracts from phones direct before? Any problems? They seem cheap when compared to going to a shop in local shopping centre (yes I get the direct part honest  /giggle). Who do you ring when you get a problem, phone company of phones direct?

Thanks peeps, since getting dicked by Orange I want my next contract phone to be 18-24 months of bliss .


----------



## Tom_O (Jul 1, 2008)

I have a Hero and have had precisely no issues.

Everything works fine. The best application out there is "TasKiller". You can kill any open tasks that you aren't using, but which are taking up memory and CPU.

It even survived it's first drop onto a hard wood floor. Fine.


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2009)

Just picked up on what Mother-Goose was saying there, if you get a unlocked phone on contract then get an unlocked phone which is basically only O2 at the minute thqat don't lock their phones. Then you can add flash to a new firmware the minute it comes out to fix bugs, anyone confirm this on O2? Sorry to drone on about the whole Orange problem but if I were a betting man and if Orange hadn't locked the phone, I could had flashed to the newest firmware plus I am sure the phone would work better than it does/did (may it RIP).


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> Just picked up on what Mother-Goose was saying there, if you get a unlocked phone on contract then get an unlocked phone which is basically only O2 at the minute thqat don't lock their phones. Then you can add flash to a new firmware the minute it comes out to fix bugs, anyone confirm this on O2? Sorry to drone on about the whole Orange problem but if I were a betting man and if Orange hadn't locked the phone, I could had flashed to the newest firmware plus I am sure the phone would work better than it does/did (may it RIP).


The gist of getting the handset on O2 is that you aren't actually getting it from them - you get the SIM Only tariff and buy you're own phone - you'd obviously choose the unlocked Sim Free version which is open to absolutely any network. Because of this you can update the software as soon the manufacturer releases a new version, you don't have to wait for the networks to validate (and ruin it with their own bloatware).

Now the deal I got from mobilephonesdirect.co.uk (which Ryand prosted the link for) is very very good - the deal is with Vodafone but it's effectively the same principle as the deal I mentioned above with O2, you get the SIM Free version of the phone and a tariff with Vodafone, the real kicker here is that, for some reason, if you do this, mobilephonesdirect.co.uk are giving you the phone for free if you do it - brilliant.

@ Ryand - I went for the £25 option - 100 mins, 300 text and unlimited Web (which is 500mb fair useage but after a call to Voda I've found that they don't really kick up a fuss unless you're really spanking it, month after month....or if you tether it).

I looked at it and thought that I could upgrade the tariff to the £30 a month option if I find that I end up using more than my allowance.


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Well, I got my Satio today


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

Avanti said:


> Well, I got my Satio today


oooo - first impressions?


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Mother-Goose said:


> oooo - first impressions?


TBH dissapointed , I have had a K700, K750 and K850 I expected the Satio to be all the other SE phones and some more, so far shock horror  there is no equalizer for the music, no RDS on the radio, seems to be no way to change the text tone alert, seems other bits are missing, I'm not sure if when you load the data suite other functions become available, there are no games on here (not that I use them) oh and make sure you have Windows SP2 or 3 as the software will not load onto the pc, seems the Aino will be a better purchase (if youcan live with a slider) .Ok the wifi and touch screen work fine, but so it does too on a tocco lite


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

That's a bugger mate - have you seen if there is a firmware update available for the phone?

There is for the Hero which I'll be installing straight away, I also had to do the same with my current Nokia 5800 - it did vastly improve it.

IF there isn't, do you think it'll be going back?


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Mother-Goose said:


> That's a bugger mate - have you seen if there is a firmware update available for the phone?
> 
> There is for the Hero which I'll be installing straight away, I also had to do the same with my current Nokia 5800 - it did vastly improve it.
> 
> IF there isn't, do you think it'll be going back?


To be fair I was ordering it originally directly from SE, they were ue last friday (9th) then there was talk that they had been recalled for low and behold a software update, Then crapphonewarehouse had thm in yesterday even though they were not due until today, the guy at SE seemed surprised , also the unit was £100 cheaper from CPW, last night I did look on the web and there is talk of a recall etc, I think there is a software uploader on the SE site but I have not tried it, I cannot even find what oftware edition this has, it only tells me about symbian 6 v5


----------



## robsonj (Apr 14, 2007)

Mother-Goose said:


> did you use it on the old ROM at all - or put another way, running the new ROM, do you think it's nice and fast (Not just fast enough but actually quick)?


I used the old rom briefly before upgrading to the new one, its not worth getting used to the phone then upgrading the rom a week later as it restores factory settings so you have to back up all your stuff.

Tbh i've had to send the phone back as i'm a taxi driver and there's no voice activation on the phone , gonna go for an n97 mini ot sony ericcson satio instead


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

robsonj said:


> I used the old rom briefly before upgrading to the new one, its not worth getting used to the phone then upgrading the rom a week later as it restores factory settings so you have to back up all your stuff.
> 
> Tbh i've had to send the phone back as i'm a taxi driver and there's no voice activation on the phone , gonna go for an n97 mini ot sony ericcson satio instead


I'm wondering if the missing functions are available on the Satio by way of installing Apps.


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

My GOD this phone is schweeet!


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Mother-Goose said:


> My GOD this phone is schweeet!


Which one the Hero or the Satio, I must confess the Satio has grown on me and I'm now glad I bought it


----------



## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

Mother-Goose said:


> The gist of getting the handset on O2 is that you aren't actually getting it from them - you get the SIM Only tariff and buy you're own phone - you'd obviously choose the unlocked Sim Free version which is open to absolutely any network. Because of this you can update the software as soon the manufacturer releases a new version, you don't have to wait for the networks to validate (and ruin it with their own bloatware).
> 
> Now the deal I got from mobilephonesdirect.co.uk (which Ryand prosted the link for) is very very good - the deal is with Vodafone but it's effectively the same principle as the deal I mentioned above with O2, you get the SIM Free version of the phone and a tariff with Vodafone, the real kicker here is that, for some reason, if you do this, mobilephonesdirect.co.uk are giving you the phone for free if you do it - brilliant.
> 
> ...


As an existing voda customer, if I want this deal, do I have to cancel my current contract, insurance ect and renew with MPD?


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

spitfire said:


> As an existing voda customer, if I want this deal, do I have to cancel my current contract, insurance ect and renew with MPD?


I don't think so - my contract is with Vodafone direct and not with MPD but the best bet is to give them a ring, the guys I've spoken to have been really helpful and very polite.

My understanding is that you really only need to speak to MPD if you have a handset issue.

@Avanti - I was talking about the hero at the time, but glad you are getting on with the Satio - getting your head around Symbian can take its sweet time.


----------



## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

Let me get this straight. Looking at the price plan at the top of this page http://www.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk/Brands/HTC/b509/n443/p18610.aspx £20 + nearly £25 line rental = nearly £50 a month. Sorry if I'm being a bit thick here but is that not rather expensive. To hasten matters, after having the same phone for 3 years, I gave it a bath today


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

You've got the wrong end of the stick old chap, it's £25, it gets to that price because the normal tariff is £20 + the additional £5 for the internet bolt on


----------



## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

I see, thanks for clearing that up:thumb: Still trying to convince her indoors. She's a sceptic:lol:


----------



## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

It seriously is a good deal isn't it, almost too hard to believe!

After having the phone for 2 weeks I can say its an absolute peach. One of the guys at work has the Magic (same hardware and OS but no Sense UI) and he's got some serious phone envy - the Sense UI makes it for me. Apparently the Donut build of Android is coming to the Hero soon (his magic has got it now) which ads and improved market place (and dev tools - this should mean better apps for the Market).

The Camera isn't fantastic in anything other than well lit conditions though, just so you are aware.


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Mother-Goose said:


> It seriously is a good deal isn't it, almost too hard to believe!
> 
> After having the phone for 2 weeks I can say its an absolute peach. One of the guys at work has the Magic (same hardware and OS but no Sense UI) and he's got some serious phone envy - the Sense UI makes it for me. Apparently the Donut build of Android is coming to the Hero soon (his magic has got it now) which ads and improved market place (and dev tools - this should mean better apps for the Market).
> 
> The Camera isn't fantastic in anything other than well lit conditions though, just so you are aware.


When I see some adverts for the Hero, there is a clock on display along with the weather, is this the usual standby screen or is it an app running?


----------



## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

I've not seen the ad, but i'm sure it's the home screen your talking of.:thumb:


----------



## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

spitfire said:


> I've not seen the ad, but i'm sure it's the home screen your talking of.:thumb:


A pic of the screen is here
screen

Tis a cool home screen if that's the case, I have seen it on windows mobiles too but not symbian


----------



## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

Yep that's the HOME screen which scrolls horizontally to reveal more, like bookmarks and text messages.


----------

