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)
WHY CAN’T AMERICA GET THESE DEVICES AT THE SAME TIME!? you know how much the demand is here in the US for these types of devices? Seriously, wtf. I hate how late we are.
I want this phone!!!
The design of this isn’t that great. The chin needs to be removed. It the most ridiculous thing ever put on a phone. I don’t understand HTC’s decision with this. Also why the 3.2″ screen still?? can’t they make it a little bigger? at least 3.5″ …. it only makes sense if you want to compete with the iPhone’s market.
The software looks great though … HTC would really have a winner if they could have the HTC sense UI on the “T-mobile MyTouch 3G” I don’t see why this isn’t possible if both phones will be released around the same time. Obviously in different countries but none the less, still the same time. I wonder if the Mytouch 3G would be able to download that UI later. If so, I know what phone I’ll be getting!
The chin is there to protect the trackballs. If you didn’t have a chin (or at least something coming out) the trackball would get damaged easily.
@ Justin
Is that your own opinion??
Because blackberry, sidekicks and a lot of other phones are flat with trackballs. They NEVER have any issues. I’ve owned a few, so I’m speaking from experience. If that’s HTC’s reason, they are full of shit!
@Geniuz no it isn’t my opinion. There was a video in which an HTC engineer commented on that being the reason why they put the chin. If you look at the magic it has a mini chin and it goes out right around the trackball.
@ Justin
Yeah, well then HTC is full of it. Just because they say it “protects” doesn’t mean it really does. I don’t believe everything I hear. Blackberry has the trackball close to the center of the phone with no chin. The phone is flat and I’ve never had a problem.
@Geniuz HTC may be full of it but that is one of the reasons they are putting the chins on the phone. When my G1 is set face down the trackball sits pretty much flush with the counter. I’m sure it is not a coincidence that the trackball lines up perfectly.
*GASP*
Very nice. Simple but very appealing.
This may be the phone that may push me towards android.
Must follow it….
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Tumwater United States
Hmmmmmmmmm….
HTC IS APPLES’S BIGGEST COMPETION. THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT DEVICCE
What’s this a gravity sensor? They just 1up the iphone I’m getting this hopefully thru ebay =)
Geniuz your wrong because i owned every sidekick and about 3 blackberry’s.. Now i own the G1 if you look at the sidekick and the blackberry they have a lil hole where the trackball is placed inside so its protected while the G1 and HTC fones dont have that lil hole that the ball is placed in.. Its all out in the open so the chin keeps it protected a bit but thats still a lame excuse and typing in iphone and the g1 are basically the same in landscape i know i used both and owned both at one point..
Also i forgot to mention the chin isnt even that bigg.. Its madd small i dont know why u guys are bugging about it..
To whoever asked:
You’re not seeing any resolutions higher than 480×320 because Android doesn’t yet support them.
Higher res support (WVGA and beyond) is in the pipeline for the next Android release.
And, thanks to xda-developers, you’ll be able to install this OS on a G1 or Magic as well.
@ Sunny
Yes I understand and that’s what I’m talking about … it’s a poor design if that’s the reason. Because it shouldn’t be that hard to have the scrollball inset to keep the phone from having the infamous “chin”
dual-band 7.2Mbps HSPA/WCDMA ?
Is this another stupid Android for T-mobile frequencies?
What’s so great about Android? No one has ever explained this to me.
That UI looks slick. One of the primary objectives of Android is to make it easy to customize or skin it to your liking, and HTC has done a great job from what I can see.
I’ve been reading that apparently we can install this Sense UI on the G1/Magic courtesy of xda-developers. What I’m wondering is whether it would be possible to install Sense UI on non-HTC branded Android phones as well?
If possible, then that might give some hope to VZW customers waiting on their first Android phone, which apparently is a Motorola slider coming out in a few months.
Looking on the HTC website, there are photos of it in black, so thats at least one possibly ticked of?!
First impressions are that this phone looks pretty amazing – htc have done what seems to be a great job on the software.
Don’t really know what it is about “the chin” though. Admittedly I’ve never used G1 or Magic, but would it not serve the function of bringing the microphone closer to your mouth when on a call?
Like I said I’m unsure, but you could say that there’s a bit more visible design intellect than with the iphone.
I could see myself with this phone, but full judgement will be reserved until playtime comes along. Good work HTC on continually putting out phones that can compete with iphone.
When did a “Digital Compass” become a distinctive feature of cellphones? As I recall, it was called GPS
Whatever that Apple releases for its iPhone becomes something that other manufacturers highlight.
I feel sorry for all the companies that keep track of everything done by Apple [most companies?]. Instead of wasting energy and manpower in shadowing Apple and releasing cloned useless features they should come up with something new or, at least, improve what they have accomplished.
For instance, INSTEAD OF launching the phone with a “DIGITAL COMPASS”, they could have put A FREAKING LED LIGHT for the camera!!! That is a useful feature, I keep using the one in my cellphone as a lantern.
By the way, the form factor resembles a shovel… and not a nice one.
Nice looking phone, kind of sexy!
I’m moving from Canada (Rogers) to the Netherlands for the next few years.. Currently have a BB Bold and contemplating whether to unlock it or get one of these beauties, especially if it’s zero $$$ contract.
I’m so looking forward to Europe vs the stank consumers get in Canada!!
Really Hope Att will get this device