The HTC Hero is the Taiwanese manufacturer's latest flagship smartphone, a touch-screen device launching in 2009 and attempting to rival Apple's iPhone. Powered by Google's Android operating system, the Hero features a 3.2-inch multi-touch LCD display with a 320 x 480 resolution. Navigation is achieved through a trackpad and onscreen keyboard in addition to the touch screen. The user interface is highly customizable, and aims to integrate basic applications like email and text messaging with social networking services Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter. The Hero enables a variety of multimedia content with support for Flash 9 (and later, Flash 10), not available on the latest iPhone. Other features include a 5-megapixel camera, 3.5mm audio jack, and microSD-expandable storage. Battery life is rated at 420 minutes talk time on WCDMA, and 470 minutes on GSM. It is rumored to have a US release date of October 11, 2009 with Sprint as the carrier.

Where to Buy

HTC Hero 2
MSRP --
Release date October, 2009
Brand HTC
love it
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have it
tag it
Pros & Cons29
Reviews18
Details
Buy It
Competitors11
Comments1
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
17 reviews
75
negative
mixed
positive
12 positive
2 mixed
3 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
3.5mm Headphone Jack.
+13agreedisagree

•
Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
+11agreedisagree

•
Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
+10agreedisagree

•
great integration in social networks
+8agreedisagree

•
First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
+7agreedisagree

•
Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
+7agreedisagree

•
5 megapixel camera
+7agreedisagree

•
The majority of the apps in the Android Market Place are Free !
+6agreedisagree

•
video recording
+6agreedisagree

•
Microsoft Exchange integration
+5agreedisagree

•
Trackball that doubles as an alert beacon
+5agreedisagree

•
Highly customizable - including time-responsive themes (work, weekend, etc.)
+5agreedisagree

•
Text reflows when you zoom in the browser so you don't have to scroll left-to-right
+5agreedisagree

•
Has familiar "call" and "end call" buttons
+4agreedisagree

•
Automatic adjustment of screen brightness using light level sensor
+4agreedisagree

•
new update coming to fix performance and add java
+2agreedisagree

•
Has the most immaculate and original look.
+1agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
need a better processor
+6agreedisagree

•
The "Chin"
+1agreedisagree

•
If you don't buy it sim-free you will wait too much time to install the android updates
+1agreedisagree

•
Uses an older generation ARM 11 CPU, considerably slower than that used by Pre and iPhone
+1agreedisagree

•
No camera flash.
0agreedisagree

•
no studiVZ integration
-1agreedisagree

•
sluggish performance at times - especially in comparison to the new 3GS and Palm Pre
-2agreedisagree

•
very slow to take photos
-2agreedisagree

•
no physical keyboard
-2agreedisagree

•
video record quality leaves much to be desired
-3agreedisagree

•
battery life not as good as iPhone
-3agreedisagree

•
Expensive when bought Sim-Free !
-5agreedisagree


18 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Features

  • Google Android operating system
  • 3.2-inch multitouch LCD display (320 x 480 resolution)
  • 5-megapixel auto-focus camera
  • Trackball
  • Customizable 'Sense' UI
  • Social networking integration
  • Flash support
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • microSD slot
  • GSM/WCDMA data interface
  • Down-link speeds up to 7.2 Mbps
  • Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP
  • Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
  • 1350 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • 420 to 470 minutes talk time

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This report was started June 28, 2009 at 6:24 pm by Kevin90
with the last edit occurring Wednesday, 11:40 PM by Yale
This page has been viewed 1692 times, with 241 edits by 23 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

HTC Hero | White

• HTC Hero Android G3 A6262 Smartphone Unlocked - International Version with No Warranty (White)

• short_description

UPC: 895321000804

EAN: 4710937331172

MPN: HTC Hero (White) - 99HHM005-00

HTC Hero | Black

• HTC Hero Android G3 A6262 Smartphone Unlocked - International Version with No Warranty (Black)

• 8-32 X 1/2" FH Screws (10)

UPC: 660132616328

EAN: 4710937331189

MPN: A6262

Competitors

HTC Hero is ranked 2nd among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Smart Phones »
Motorola Droid (Sholes)

Motorola Droid (Sholes)

MSRP  $299.00    Released  November, 2009
Pros
  • open Android 2.0 OS
  • WiFi
  • large 3.7" touchscreen with high resolution (854 x 480px)
Cons
  • annoying $100 mail in rebate to get to $199 price point
  • flash memory isn't integrated into the device, the only option is microSDHC (not as fast)
  • no multi-touch as in the GSM version for Europe (and though Android 2.0 would support it)
ProSCORE
7 reviews
82
Vote! (2 votes)
vote HTC Hero 0% vs. vote Motorola Droid (Sholes) 100%
Apple iPhone 3GS

Apple iPhone 3GS

MSRP  $199.00    Released  June, 2009
Pros
  • much faster processing
  • video recording
  • larger storage capacities
Cons
  • AT&T is not supporting many of the new updates quite yet - 7.2Mbps HSDPA in 2011, no tethering information/pricing, no MMS until later this summer
  • no background running apps
  • not a revolutionary upgrade
ProSCORE
32 reviews
68
Vote! (4 votes)
vote HTC Hero 75% vs. vote Apple iPhone 3GS 25%
Palm Pre

Palm Pre

MSRP  $199.99    Released  June, 2009
Pros
  • full 3.5mm headphone jack
  • removable battery
  • backlit QWERTY keyboard
Cons
  • no higher capacity models
  • exclusive to Sprint for the first half of 2009
  • no expandable memory
ProSCORE
21 reviews
71
Vote! (4 votes)
vote HTC Hero 100% vs. vote Palm Pre 0%
Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou)

Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou)

MSRP  $999.00    Released  October, 2009
Pros
  • excellent camera: can replace a regular point-and-shoot, though no optical zoom
  • modern operating system (Symbian S60 5th Edition: multi-tasking, touchscreen etc)
  • powerful processor (ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz)
Cons
  • too expensive!
  • slow switching between landscape and portrait
  • landscape on-screen keyboard is either too small (not full width) or fullscreen (can't see the rest of the screen any more)
ProSCORE
2 reviews
77
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou)  
HTC HD2

HTC HD2

MSRP  --    Releases  January, 2010
Pros
  • massive high resolution (480 x 800px) 4.3-inch touchscreen display
  • amazingly well designed interface - feels like it's not a Windows based device
  • packs a next-gen 1GHz snapdragon CPU
Cons
  • slightly larger than the iPhone (which is already quite large)
  • no internal storage
  • Windows Mobile based
ProSCORE
2 reviews
75
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote HTC HD2  
LG GW620

LG GW620

MSRP  --    Releases  December, 2009
Pros
  • Android
  • Full QWERTY keyboard
  • Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
Cons
  • Resistive Screen
  • no stand-alone GPS functionality (according to current spec sheet), always need carrier's data coverage to enable GPS
  • No Ogg / FLAC
ProSCORE
2 reviews
75
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote LG GW620  
Acer A1 Liquid

Acer A1 Liquid

MSRP  --    Released  September, 2009

The Acer A1 Liquid Android is a touchscreen mobile smartphone announced in July and slated for either a September or November, 2009 release alongside the C1, E1, F1, and L1. Meant as a ‘Google-friendly’ phone, the A1 Android will be the only one out of the group to be based off of Google’s Android...

ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote Acer A1 Liquid  
Samsung i7500 (Galaxy)

Samsung i7500 (Galaxy)

MSRP  --    Released  August, 2009
Pros
  • only Android smartphone with significant (8GB) internal memory (fall 2009)
  • 3.5mm audio output
  • standard microUSB for charging & PC connection
Cons
  • very short battery life (3h) despite high capacity battery (according to reviews like techradar.com in fall 2009)
  • annoying functionality of lock button
  • OS reportedly not as fast as other Android smartphones on same 528MHz processor
ProSCORE
2 reviews
76
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote Samsung i7500 (Galaxy)  
Nokia N97 Mini

Nokia N97 Mini

MSRP  $700.00    Released  September, 2009
Pros
  • 3.2" touchscreen display
  • full QWERTY keyboard
  • 8GB of internal storage
Cons
  • not much smaller than the N97
  • no lens cover
  • keyboard is worse than that on the original
ProSCORE
3 reviews
68
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote Nokia N97 Mini  
Motorola Cliq

Motorola Cliq

MSRP  $699.00    Released  August, 2009
Pros
  • full QWERTY keyboard
  • WiFi
  • 5MP camera with auto-focus
Cons
  • software is still buggy - can lead to freezeups
  • enhanced BLUR widgets (eg/ "Happenings") cannot be resized, relocated or removed altogether
  • no internal storage
ProSCORE
3 reviews
70
Vote! (0 votes)
vote HTC Hero   vs. vote Motorola Cliq  
Samsung Omnia HD i8910

Samsung Omnia HD i8910

MSRP  --    Released  February, 2009
Pros
  • 8.1MP camera for large photos and full 720p/24 video
  • beautiful 3.7" AMOLED screen with large 360 x 640 resolution
  • large 8-16GB of internal storage
Cons
  • doesn't run a real customizable OS with downloadable applications
  • will be extremely expensive and/or subsidized by long term contracts
  • no standard button keyboard
ProSCORE
7 reviews
71
Vote! (1 vote)
vote HTC Hero 100% vs. vote Samsung Omnia HD i8910 0%

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Comments

1.  avatar peteg00 said:

i doubt the iphone is going to loose ground with this guy ...
Aug 12, 2009 10:03pm
Some HTML is allowed. Your comments remain editable after you post..

Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

kdm

avatar
July 13, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
75
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
2 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
  • Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
  • The majority of the apps in the Android Market Place are Free !

Cons

  • No camera flash.
  • Expensive when bought Sim-Free !

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Erik

avatar
August 5, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
72
negative
mixed
positive
13 pros
5 cons
want itwant it
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • great integration in social networks
  • First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
  • Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
  • 5 megapixel camera
  • video recording
  • Trackball that doubles as an alert beacon
  • Highly customizable - including time-responsive themes (work, weekend, etc.)
  • Text reflows when you zoom in the browser so you don't have to scroll left-to-right
  • Has familiar "call" and "end call" buttons
  • Automatic adjustment of screen brightness using light level sensor

Cons

  • need a better processor
  • sluggish performance at times - especially in comparison to the new 3GS and Palm Pre
  • very slow to take photos
  • video record quality leaves much to be desired
  • battery life not as good as iPhone

Competitors

Erik prefers HTC Hero over Apple iPhone 3GS, Palm Pre
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Nils Mosbach

avatar
August 2, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
80
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
2 cons
love itlove it
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • great integration in social networks
  • First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
  • Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
  • The majority of the apps in the Android Market Place are Free !
  • Microsoft Exchange integration

Cons

  • need a better processor
  • no studiVZ integration

Competitors

Nils Mosbach prefers HTC Hero over Palm Pre
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

salimfadhley

avatar
October 15, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
70
negative
mixed
positive
14 pros
6 cons
want itwant it

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • great integration in social networks
  • First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
  • Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
  • 5 megapixel camera
  • The majority of the apps in the Android Market Place are Free !
  • video recording
  • Microsoft Exchange integration
  • Trackball that doubles as an alert beacon
  • Has familiar "call" and "end call" buttons
  • Automatic adjustment of screen brightness using light level sensor
  • new update coming to fix performance and add java

Cons

  • need a better processor
  • The "Chin"
  • Uses an older generation ARM 11 CPU, considerably slower than that used by Pre and iPhone
  • No camera flash.
  • sluggish performance at times - especially in comparison to the new 3GS and Palm Pre
  • no physical keyboard

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

hdbdude

avatar
August 9, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
15 pros
0 cons
love itlove it
want itwant it

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • great integration in social networks
  • First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
  • Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
  • 5 megapixel camera
  • The majority of the apps in the Android Market Place are Free !
  • video recording
  • Microsoft Exchange integration
  • Trackball that doubles as an alert beacon
  • Highly customizable - including time-responsive themes (work, weekend, etc.)
  • Text reflows when you zoom in the browser so you don't have to scroll left-to-right
  • Has familiar "call" and "end call" buttons
  • Automatic adjustment of screen brightness using light level sensor

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Competitors

hdbdude prefers HTC Hero over Palm Pre, Apple iPhone 3GS
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Klas Karlsson

avatar
October 6, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
92
negative
mixed
positive
12 pros
1 con
want itwant it

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • First phone to feature the HTC 'Sense' User Interface
  • Is not restricted in the media formats it can play, which means (unlike the iPhone) there is less time-consuming file conversion !
  • 5 megapixel camera
  • The majority of the apps in the Android Market Place are Free !
  • video recording
  • Trackball that doubles as an alert beacon
  • Highly customizable - including time-responsive themes (work, weekend, etc.)
  • Text reflows when you zoom in the browser so you don't have to scroll left-to-right
  • Has familiar "call" and "end call" buttons

Cons

  • no studiVZ integration

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Asier L?pez Vega

avatar
October 14, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
4 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • great integration in social networks
  • Microsoft Exchange integration

Cons

  • If you don't buy it sim-free you will wait too much time to install the android updates
  • No camera flash.
  • sluggish performance at times - especially in comparison to the new 3GS and Palm Pre
  • battery life not as good as iPhone

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

gbox

avatar
August 14, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
75
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
2 cons
love itlove it

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • 5 megapixel camera
  • video recording
  • Highly customizable - including time-responsive themes (work, weekend, etc.)

Cons

  • need a better processor
  • no physical keyboard

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

dom

avatar
September 29, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
71
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
2 cons

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
  • Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
  • Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.
  • great integration in social networks
  • 5 megapixel camera

Cons

  • need a better processor
  • No camera flash.

Competitors

dom prefers Motorola Droid (Sholes) over HTC Hero
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

ark_v2

avatar
August 9, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
25
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
3 cons

Pros

  • 3.5mm Headphone Jack.

Cons

  • need a better processor
  • No camera flash.
  • very slow to take photos

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
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