HTC’s Hero is now official, features HTC Sense UI
Right on cue, HTC has announced its latest Android device in the Hero. With many of the Hero’s specs being the same as the Magic, the handset does manage to beat out the Magic with its 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, 3.5mm headphone jack (finally!!!), improved battery life and Adobe Flash support. But what makes the Hero really exciting is the fresh new GUI overlay. Much like with TouchFLO 3D for Windows Mobile, the new HTC Sense UI gives Android a much needed injection of style and functionality by allowing users to keep the content that matter to them — such as weather, contacts, photos, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and bookmarks — at their fingertips.
Another feature found within Sense is Scenes, which essentially allows users to switch from “work to weekend mode” (think of it as Modes on Nokia’s Eseries but sexier) and also helps organize emails, texts, photos, Facebook updates, call logs and more per contract entry much like Palm’s webOS. The Hero’s dedicated Search button features Spotlight-like search, meaning finding the contact, email, app, Tweet and more you’re looking for couldn’t be more simple. One last thing — the Hero is coated in Teflon that not only feels soft to the touch and thus easier to grip, but also protects the devices paint job from your greasy hands.
The Hero will be available next month in Europe with Asian availability coming in the later summer months (Orange UK has already announced it will be carrying the Hero in graphite for as low as £0 on contract this July). As for North Americans, well, we’re just going to have to wait for a little while longer. Hit the jump for the complete specs, some pics and a video.
- Android with HTC Sense
- 112mm x 56.2mm x 14.35mm, 135g
- Qualcomm MSM7200A 528MHz processor
- Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band 7.2Mbps HSPA/WCDMA
- 512 ROM / 288 RAM
- 3.2″ HVGA capacitive touchscreen
- 5.0 megapixel camera with auto-focus
- Gravity sensor
- Digital compass
- WiFi 802.11b/g
- GPS
- Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR + A2DP
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- microSD
- 1350 mAh battery
- 420 minutes talktime / 750 hours standby (WCDMA)
I’m very impress with the UI.
nice going htc, another great device so far it looksl ike
What’s with the Jay Leno chin on these HTC Andriod devices?
This is what the T-Mobile MyTouch should have been! It definitely would have been the IPHONE killer! Finally HTC. Keep them coming. The worm finally comes thru the APPLE!
You all should check out the HTC Hero facebook page… There is a 4:50 minute video there from HTC on the UI… Its absolutely fantastic!
But warn your spouses… because you will run out and get one NOW after watching that video…LOL
Price point of £0 on contract from the get go is making this very attractive over a iphone 3gs. Though needs to be black. Pity its on orange.
i think you may have mixed up your specs Michael, 512 ROM and 288 RAM not the other way
tmobile? if this is on verizon im switching
So excited about this phone.
It looks great, and I’ve always loved the chins. I don’t get why people don’t like them but w/e.
I only hope it gets a better battery when it comes to the US. even if it gets a little fatter. Also wondering if it has the Android Market, and if all current apps will work on it. *crossingfingers*
Nice. This needs to come stateside asap instead of the stupid “magic”.
That chin… That stupid chin…
i honestly think this could be the best smartphone out.. i would probably take this over a tp2 or a 3gs.. and im a wm user.. only comp is that toshiba super phone but they dont have htc.. i bet google and ms made htc sign an agreement not too produce its own os.. if htc did no one would be safe
Why the chin…I don’t understand. If they would have put all these specs in the Magic then we would of had a true competitor to go against the iPhone. How the hell is anyone going to type on the soft keyboard in landscape mode? Seriously. And why not a bigger screen? Maybe I’m the minority but I am not happy with the hardware at all…the software is awesome though.
Lord…if this work of art will not be coming to the states anytime soon/or at all, please let it be available soon overseas, unlocked, and be under $500, that is all I ask.
All i have to say is this is a beautiful phone. Great specs to make anyone please with it. Great GUI overall, excellent build, not to big on the chin thing but nothing less expected from HTC.
But, in other hand. I would like to see it with bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS & GPS, wifi with b/g/n and 512 ram. Oh and snapdragon 1GHZ processor. IMO.
Oh yea and a 1700mah battery squeezed in there somewhere. But again, its just IMO
Yuk. Android. Fail.
Does anyone else not see that an almost brand new OS has to be modified to look good so that people will buy it?
With all the new OS’s this past year and a half, and more coming, you’d think this would be a big downer for Android. I don’t know, seems odd to me.
HTC does it again! HTC knows how to build smartphones! Good Job HTC!
Maybe Apple canceling my iPhone order becuase if a screwup with AT&T is an omen. Been waiting so long for a good Android phone.
WOW, that is a sexy phone (even with the chin)! I hope this drops on VZW. The only decent phone service in my area is VZW and TMO…
I really like this phone! So this would only work on Tmobile (3G) in the US?
whine whine whine… how is anyone gonna type blah blah blah stupid chin blah blah… here’s an idea: go try it before you say anything. I haven’t heard any G1 users complain and I’m a G1 user and the ‘chin’ helps me hold the phone steady (I mean using the virtual keyboard as well as the physical on the G1) and it gives a more solid base to use the trackball. Unless you got fat fingers like Andre the Giant, which means you probably wouldn’t be buying ANY HTC phone in the first place then.
Isn’t it worse that WinMO is how old…and they still haven’t found an alternative UI to make it usable?
Does Android not support anything above HVGA?
And why doesn’t HTC make their own OS with the features and services of WinMo & Android? It seems like they know how to make some hot ass software