HTC Hero Review
Phone rating: 
In a nutshell: The HTC Hero is a very polished touchscreen
smartphone, running Google's Android operating system. HTC have
raised their game for the Hero, with a new user interface making
it a comfortable yet powerful platform for mobile communication.
It's a very powerful phone and the only reason it doesn't get 5
stars is because it's missing video calling and an FM radio.
Review:
August 2009.
The HTC Hero is the third "Google phone"
running the Android operating system, and these Android phones just
keep getting better! The Hero uses very similar hardware to the
HTC Magic, but there are a number of
distinct improvements. The device has been restyled, giving it a
much more polished look and feel. It feels nice in the hand, with
the trackball and buttons angled forward and easy for the thumb
to use. The Hero is the same size as the Magic, but is slightly
heavier and incorporates a higher capacity battery, giving longer
standby and talk times. It also has an improved 5 megapixel camera.
T-Mobile have released the Hero as the T-Mobile
Touch G2, but it is basically the same phone.
The user interface has also been improved for the
Hero, and this is the first phone to feature HTC Sense, a concept
based around personalisation, communication and a third ingredient
that HTC mysteriously refer to as "discover the unexpected."
The personalisation manifests itself through customisable widgets
that can be placed on the home screen. These give you easy access
to the features that you use regularly, and you can change the size
and design of the widgets to suit your taste. You can also create
multiple profiles, so that your work, weekend and holiday profiles
match the functionality that you need in each situation. Another
new feature called Footprints lets you create virtual "postcards"
related to a specific place, so that you can identify it by its
GPS co-ordinates and then associate pictures, video and notes with
that Footprint. There's no rocket science here, but it does lead
to a very pleasant user environment that is highly tailored to your
personal needs and interests.
The second part of HTC Sense is all about communication,
and this is of course what a modern mobile phone should have at
its heart. As well as the basics of making calls and sending texts,
the Hero is a good platform for emailing, and is also intended for
the Facebook age, with easy access to social networking and photo
sharing sites. The third aspect of HTC Sense is called "discover
the unexpected" and, we think, is supposed to be about connections
between data. Not quite sure about this one, to be honest - if anyone
understands the concept, please post below!
The touch based user interface certainly works
well, and confirms Android as a solid platform for modern mobile
communications. Whether you are phoning, messaging, browsing the
web or taking photos you'll find the Hero a nice handset to use,
and a pleasant overall experience. There's been some talk about
lag in the Hero UI. We'd like to dispel this, as we didn't experience
any lag that could be considered annoying, although to be fair it's
not as responsive as the iPhone
or the Samsung Jet. The screen is
a good size, at 3.2 inches, and has a high resolution of 480x320
pixels (the same as the iPhone),
but it's not as good as some other phones for outdoor use. Android
also seems to be a robust operating system in our experience, outperforming
Symbian in this respect, and on a par with Apple's OS X system when
it comes to choice of apps. The Android Market is shaping up very
nicely in fact, and you'll find a wealth of third party tools available
for download.
The 5 megapixel camera is an improvement over the
3 megapixel one on the HTC Magic, and it can take high quality photos
in good lighting conditions, with autofocus to ensure sharpness.
But indoors it's another matter, with no flash on the camera, and
to be honest it's below average when compared with similarly priced
smartphones (but still as good as the iPhone!) And it's a mystery
why there's no video calling option in any of the Android phones
so far.
The Hero is outstanding when it comes to connectivity,
as it has the lot - Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate, mini-USB
2.0, Wi-Fi and a 3.5mm audio jack (so you can plug in any standard
fit headset, hooray!) It also supports fast 3G data transfer with
HSDPA giving download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. Quadband GSM lets
you use the phone worldwide too.
Battery life, for a smartphone, is above average,
maybe even good!
Overall, this is our favourite Android phone so
far, although it's not such a big step up from the HTC
Magic. The benefits of the Hero, compared with other smartphones,
are the user interface, Android Market apps, and the overall polished
nature of the operating system. There are nice touches such as the
GPS with Google maps and digital compass, and the 3.5mm headphone
jack. Aspects of the phone that are not so hot are the lacklustre
camera and the lack of video calling and FM radio - features that
have been standard on smartphones for years. It's disappointing
that a brand new phone with an advanced new operating system should
miss out basic and obvious features. But hey, that's what the iPhone
did and it didn't stop it becoming a runaway success, so what do
we know about it anyway?
We so wanted to give this phone 5 stars, but we
just can't justify it. But still, a very polished phone, and so
close to being perfect!
The new HTC Desire
fills the few gaps in the Hero's armoury, and is absolutely a 5
star phone.
Features
of the HTC Hero include:
- 5 megapixel camera with autofocus
- Video recording
- Display: TFT, 320 x 480 pixels (3.2 inches)
with auto-rotate
- GPS receiver with Google Maps and digital compass
- Music player (MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA formats)
- Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email
- Ringtones: MP3 ringtones
- Internet: GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA (7.2 Mbps)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data
Rate, mini-USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio jack
- Memory: 288 MB RAM plus microSD memory card
- Vibration alert
- Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) plus HSDPA/WCDMA
(900/2100 MHz)
- Size: 112 x 56 x 14 mm
- Weight: 135g
- Talktime: 420 - 470 minutes
- Battery standby: 440 - 750 hours
HTC Hero Consumer Reviews
Love your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review this
phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so
please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive
language, and please, no advertising!
Average rating from 101 reviews:
Reviewed by JANA ONDREJKOVA from UK on 6th Dec
2011
NEVER AGAIN, AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF MONEY. I BOUGHT 2 HTC G2 TOUCH, BOTH
MESS UP AROUND THE SAME TIME. T MOBILE AFTER CARE SERVICE, REPAIRED
ONE AND FIND A VERY SILLY EXCUSE ABOUT THE SECOND PHONE. FINAL RESULT
I AM LEFT WITHOUT PHONE WHILE I AM STILL PAYING. AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEER
CONCLUDED THAT THE LIFE SPAM OF THE HTC 2 TOUCH IS APPROXIMATELY A YEAR
BUT THE CONTRACT ISSUED IS 2 YEARS APPROX. TMOBIL AND HTC, NEVER, NEVER
AGAIN WILL YOU SEE MY MONEY.
Rating:  Reply
Reviewed by Nathan from UK on 29th May 2010
i have had this phone nearly 1 month, and imo, it is amazing, the camera
is great, i use it outdoors and INDOORS where somepeople have been talking
about the bad lighting, i just took the contrast down and much better,
the intergrated facebook is great so i dont have to get loads of apps
and it is easy to upload pictures, calling quality is great and so is
signal(on 3 in my area it is anyway) internet surfing is a breeze and
loads quickly, no lag, music quality is great, bluetooth let it down
a but with no file transfer, but there is an app on the market that
fixes that, so, overall, a great phone, cant wait for 2.1 though, will
make it even better :),
Rating: 
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Reviewed by john from england on 21st May 2010
The G2 mobile looks impressive but if its a true internet mobile that
you want forget the G2. Its constant connectivity and error messages
make a 10 second you-tube video last 1 hour. Its on screen keyboard
is great for text messages but try using it for completing online forms
and or entering search queiries in search bars - foregt it. the camera
is useless as not only does it have no flash the picture gallery will
only work if you reboot (remove the battery) the phone. An awful piece
of junk which is such a shame as the G1 was brilliant.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Erin Wilson from United Kingdom on
19th May 2010
Oh my gosh the hero is amazing! BUY BUY BUY!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Luca from UK on 3rd May 2010
I bought my hero at the end of 2009 being reassured by the seller (three.co.uk)
and in various press articles that the android OS 2.1 was to be released
imminently and would open up the market to newer and even better apps.
But after a few weeks I noted that the update was needed to get the
phone workable; eg, my desktop win pc boots in less time than the htc
phone :( I've been watching all the rumours fly around about late march,
april 16th, april 26th, early may and now June... JUNE release date
(the google release was in late october and nexus google-HTC phone with
android 2.1 was in early january). Meanwhile on the HTC site there are
NO clues as to what is happening or what might happen. It's still a
good phone but I was very much hoping to use a few of the features of
2.1 and I couldn't be LESS impressed by HTC's attitude to keeping owners
NOT informed about what's going on. I have *NO* confidence in a June
release and am beginning to suspect that HTC are allowing these constant
rumours to circulate to keep people buying heros whilst never actually
bothering to update them at all. Why should they, with so many new phones
to sell coming on line? In the end, this is the first, last and only
HTC phone I purchased. no more HTC for me. or yes.... if you sell me
it for £100, it does not worth more money...
Rating: 
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Reviewed by Paul from England on 29th Apr 2010
Excellent phone much more flexible than an iphone and very adaptable,
great touch response screen, great call quality, my best phone to date.
Rating:
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Reviewed by raby from scotland on 4th Apr 2010
i went back to my iphone after 3 weeks, its slow, clunky and annoying
surfing the web. the biggest problem is when surfing it opens websites
zoomed into the pagee...
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by David from England on 1st Apr 2010
I've had mine for over a month now. Very stable and reasonable battery
life (vertainly as good as my old SE W910i anyway) I feel that the positive
side of thisphone has been wella dn truly emphasised already adn so
I will share the 2 major problems that I have found. 1. Bluetooth file
transfer is impossible (this is an Android problem) 2. WiFi is notoriously
hard to keep working. It will connect but it seems impossible to get
the data to reliably transfer and so the browser just pauses and times
out. If you read the extensive contributions to the 'Android Forums'
(just google it) and then search for 'Connect via WIFI problems' you'll
soon get the picture. For this reason, my otherwise bargain phone only
gets 3 stars tiny.cc/y12d3
Rating: 
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Reviewed by Dom from UK on 31st Mar 2010
iPhone killer this is not! Unresponsive and clunky touch screen. Frustratingly
bad keyboard. Inputting correct key is a risky business - works better
for text and emails as the phone brings up some word suggestions but
still poor and be warned when having to input keys for any other reason.
The battery life is poor has to be charged every night. Widgets are
slow to load. Will not connect to my home wifi while all my other devices
can. But my main gripe is its inability to sync to my work email account.
Effects include no emails and contacts have vanished and then reinstated
themselves for no reason. Factory restore did not help. Two of my work
colleagues have had these issues with the addition of the music player
switching itself on while on a call as well as the phone switching itself
off on occasion. In all, the HTC hero is the poor sad cousin of the
iPhone and does not in any way compare to the user experience on that
device. To sum up – slow, clumsy and comes with a range of connectivity
and syncing issues. Avoid.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Mitch from Uk on 29th Mar 2010
annoyes me as it drops calls ALL THE TIME waste of money its that bad
tht im trading it in D:
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by laxipati ballagee from uk on 17th
Mar 2010
i love this phone i had it for 1 months and the operating system by
google is great the camaras gd very happy bit disapointed with the bluetooth
Rating:
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Reviewed by alan baker from uk on 15th Mar 2010
Major problem with this phone is that there is NO bluetooth from handset
to handset ! Bought for wife , had phone 5 days , cannot see benefits
of all the widgets and very slow connection speed along with the inability
to transfer by bluetooth all her music and pictures plus battery life
v poor , so putting on ebay tomorrow .
Rating:
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Reviewed by Sandeep.R from England on 15th Mar
2010
This is simply an awesome phone, I have been using it for almost 6 months
now and completely satisfied with it's features and usability. The battery
life is much better than the Smart phones available in market.
Rating:
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Reviewed by tony from England on 13th Mar 2010
@ Boss that is simply not true everyone in my school chooses a hero
instead of an iphone and my school isn't some kind of geeky school I'm
gona get the legd as I prefer the amoled display, flash and up to 16GB
expandable. This phone is great tho. Anyone who gets this phone now
is a dumb person because they will end up regretting it in a couple
of months when the legend comes out.
Rating:
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Reviewed by SUPER HTC MAN from U.K on 3rd Mar
2010
people dont even do videocall, it is kind of awkward and uneccessary
its better to download last fm than to have a radio app taking up space,
as some radios do cause problems also ppl that use loudspeaker on radio
are the iphone irritating type just like the ones in the tv ad prancin
about, it is a very smart phone with a bit more common sense and maturity
than the avarage iphone user, there is no tv ad for hero because it
is like the ferrari of phones, if you want the quality and prestige
that lets you make the right decision between a i(immature)-phone or
a Hero, be new be different , be a HERO !!!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Boss from UK on 2nd Mar 2010
I believe HTC Hero is for adults and iPhone for teenagers and women.
Rating:
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Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
2nd Mar 2010
Are women not adults?
Reviewed by Matt from Uk on 1st Mar 2010
This phone is simply amazing. Doesn't need the hardware that the nexus
one or the touch hd 2 has to run smooth. Its off the pace of the iphone
by milisecond(s)! Android is simply outstanding. There are so many apps
that have so many functions. keep you entertained for hours...if you're
even thinking about comparing it to the iphone, go for the iphone since
you'll most likely have a biased opinion, even after using the hero.
If you accept the hero open mindedly, its fabulous in the sense, it
will do anything you throw at it. Still manage to be smooth and presentation
is awesome! One downside for me is that some of the widgets take up
one whole screen, like the (full) calender or the (full) music player,
text messaging and the mail, they could've put in a bit of work for
those, it could've been better but I'm nitpicking here...the androir
market is on the rise and rising a hell of a lot faster than apples
app store did...i wouldn't be surprised if it overtook it by the end
of this year...
Rating:
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Reviewed by tony from peru on 21st Feb 2010
I was going to buy this phone then i had my doubts: -the memory card
only supports up to 2GB! -the media player isn't amazing -no 16m screen
I'm going to w8 till the htc Legend comes out looks like its defiantly
gonna beat the iphone but then they'll probably release something even
better, i hate iphone but i have to say the rumours looks like it will
be better than a netbook, anyway the phone is good but if you wana pend
big jut wait till the legend, tho right now its the best phone on the
planet right now
Rating:
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Reviewed by JT from UK on 21st Feb 2010
No need to say much more as its all been said before this phone ROCKS!!!!!
Rating:
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Reviewed by J from UK on 15th Feb 2010
Got the HTC Hero on Friday 12th Feb... So far, I'm impressed. Wireless
connection was v.easy to set up. Email was v.easy to set up. Apps are
easy to install and use and move around the screens. The only thing
it could do with is a flash, you need lots of light for pics & vids...
Rating:
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Reviewed by Ryan Curtis from UK on 12th Feb 2010
I've had this phone for a few months now, and i love it. It can be laggy
at times, but the over all result is outstanding. Beats the iphone by
a mile as there is endless amount of costumization you can do to the
phone, and NO restrictions like the iphone either! Buy now! :)
Rating:
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Reviewed by Kev from Scotland on 9th Feb 2010
I've had the htc hero (g2) for about 3 months now & I still can't put
the device down! I'm constantly finding new features 3 months in. The
sense UI is just AMAZING!I It's like having 4 different phones when
you customize the different screens with htc & android widgets. The
txtn is brill, I tend to use the "phone" keypad mode. I just find it
really easy and fast to use, even if you type in a few wrong letters
in a word the hero still gets the word you were meaning to type! I've
tried this out a lot meaning to type errors but the predictive txt just
comes up with the correct word. Internet browsing is a REAL pleasure
to use, it's very fast on 3g/HSPDA I done a test using speedtest. net
app from android market & I got a download speed of 3.6mb, now that
is fast for a mobile smartphone! So I don't even bother using my home
broadband WiFi router. It also plays flash content from the websites
you surf & does it pretty well too. Now multimedia...the music player
that is built in works well with good quality sound, I have a 16gb sandisk
micro sdhc card in minds with nearly 10gb worth of music & video, they
play just fine with No lag worth mentioning. I did download median player
from the market just for an alternative, that app is good aswell as
the default player. I just love the way everything just works on the
phone, No hassles, just a great experience. I think this is a phone
that people who are into their gadgets will love! But a friend of mines
who isn't as interested in the gadget side of the phone as me doesn't
really like hers, it's because she isn't using all the widgets and features
as they should be used so I think it will be going on eBay. To sum it
up in my honest opinion this is the best phone I've had or used in all
the years I've had a mobile/mp3/portable internet device. who needs
a mobile phone/netbook & mp3 carrying around when you can have it all
in a great looking compact device? So glad I went for this choice. I
also done a good bit of research before purchasing and the reviews say
it all & it's won 4 or 5 prestigious awards too. Just have a go on a
hero and I'm sure you will be hooked! . 5 stars :)
Rating:
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Reviewed by mango from ireland on 7th Feb 2010
Brilliant! have had so many phones and this one is by far the best,
The Sense UI is really polished and very smooth. The latest firmware
has nearly eliminated all lag, and the 2.1 should eliminate further!
apps are great too. Also, you DO NOT need specific software for this
phone as you do with iphone/itunes, there are NO restrictions and it
can be used as a mass storage device, so NO syncing and that rubbish
with iphone. OUTSTANDING phone. Friend has the N1 but this is more polished
(yes slower) and more user friendly. LOVE IT
Rating:
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Reviewed by doug from england on 3rd Feb 2010
great phone battery on my phone last for about 2 days when i play with
it alot and about five day on standbye great. no freezing. so much better
than the samsung tocco ultra i had before. i give it top marks.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Sam from england on 31st Jan 2010
very good phone that has everything you could ever want but the battery
life really does let it down. i cant go a full day without it going
flat so for that reason i really wouldn't recommend it. i bought this
basically because i didn't want to pay for an iphone but it really is
the only way to go.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Norman Cook from England on 25th Jan
2010
I have to agree with the consensus; this is an awesome phone! The only
serious omission is the inability to send files via bluetooth to other
phones. Hopefully this will be addresses in 2.0 / 2.1 when it is released.
Rating:
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Reviewed by McTavish from Scotland on 21st Jan
2010
I recently upgraded to this phone, having previously had a Nokia E71.
I am finding the Android platform to be a revelation. Where my Nokia
really laboured to keep up, this Hero seems effortless by comparison.
The transition between screens and programmes is as fast as I need.
Clearly, where several programmes are running simultaneously, there
will be a degree of 'lag', though this is not a significant issue. I
am particularly impressed with the App's available via the Android Market.
Quite apart from the novelty factor of innumerable games and the like,
there are some excellent, free and valuable applications: 'Beebplayer','
Taskiller' and 'SMS Popup' to name but three. I have spent much time
working through this phone’s capabilities and I am very impressed.
For me, the stand-out uses of this phone (apart of course, from being
a phone), are wireless/internet capability and email. The technical
capabilities make browsing a real pleasure. This is the kind of phone
that unlimited mobile data geeks (like me!) are going to love. The touchscreen
is clear and bright with the facility to customise the screens to suit
your preference. I can’t say I need FM Radio. This phone offers
every possible ‘want’ by way of Internet radio anyway. The
camera does the basics well. If I want videocalling, hey, I use my laptop
and webcam. This is a phone, which does many things but not others (it
has no hoover attachment). The 2gb Micro SD Card supplied is sufficient
to begin with, though I've substituted this for 8gb, as I like to have
movies to hand. Quite apart from merely being a sharp communicator,
it'll keep you amused in a myriad of ways. Simply pop into Android Market
and clean up on the vast array of freebies of almost infinite variety.
The phone has a sure-footed and robust feeling about it, striking a
pleasing balance between style and functionality. I particularly appreciate
HTC Hero being so different in styling to the smartphone competition.
This is the best mobile phone I've had, by far. If you want a stylish
yet practical smartphone that’ll perform most tasks extremely
efficiently, then HTC's Hero will make an excellent choice.
Rating:
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Reviewed by daz from wales on 15th Jan 2010
great phone had 2 weeks no freezes .no problems,only problem getting
used to it ,always had sony ericssons
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Reviewed by John W from UK on 14th Jan 2010
So easily worth 5 stars. Your site lists the Nokia 5800 as 5 stars and
this phone is available on similarly priced plans and wipes the floor
with the Nokia. With the exception of FM radio and video calling (but
who ever uses that?) it has everything you could want at this price.
Best phone I have ever owned by a long way.
Rating:
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Reviewed by rob from england on 14th Jan 2010
ght this phone for christmas and its been great no problems and i think
harry from england has got a dud one if it keeps breaking. i've had
no trouble of signal thts ur netwrk usually not ur phone and its not
slow no problems brillant phone worth buying any day unless u want 2
be a sheep and have a iphone :) lol
Rating:
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Reviewed by Harry from England on 8th Jan 2010
Good phone to start, then just gets annoying, the touch screen is useless
trying to text is a nightmare the calibration is terrible, it is so
slow constantly freezing, i have done rom updates, its still bad and
i never get any signal, hardly an iphone competer, do notbuy!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Jonesurf from UK on 8th Jan 2010
Don't understand why this website only gives this phone 4 stars, when
most of the consumer reviews give it 5 stars, along with most of the
very positive reviews on other more notable sites!!! Strange. Don't
listen to the reviewers of this website, listen to the consumers and
other more technical reviews. This phone has set a new standard in phone
tech, and it's awesome that they've managed to pack so much into what
is comparatively basic spec. Android is well utilized here. I would
imagine there will be quite a few phones based on this phones skeleton.
GREAT phone!
Rating:
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Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
8th Jan 2010
Different people have different opinions. Ignoring minority opinions
is called "intolerance."
Reviewed by Danny from England on 7th Jan 2010
What can I say. Ive had soooooo many phones over the years and this
one tops them all including kicking the iphone!!!! I should ive had
two. I highly recomend this phone. If your stuck in the world between
the Iphone or the HTC, trust me and get the HTC Hero you will not be
dissapointed.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Rick from UK on 7th Jan 2010
Had Hero for several months now. I was very unsure about choosing this
phone. I've been a long term user or Windows Mobile on many touch screen
PDAs. I can genuinely say Android is like a breath of fresh air after
WM5. If you are in the same predicament, don't hesitate a moment longer.
There is not a single thing I miss about WM, and I felt sure I would!
In spite of a couple of mealy-mouthed people below, I agree that this
is most certainly a 5* phone and no mistake, and I'm no easily impressed
12 year old either (add 40 years!) LOL No phone of this calibre is entirely
glitch free and this is no exception, but there is nothing I'm not entirely
happy living with, and the coming firmware upgrade to 2.0 will really
move this devise forward! iPhone? Strictly for chavs now!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Graham from Scotland on 31st Dec 2009
Had this phone since September and I still love it. It has so many features
and I never run out of uses for my phone. I came from a K800i and own
an iPod touch (familiar with the iPhone OS), and HTCs SenseUI simply
owns all other interfaces out there. Get this phone, it's awesome.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Dave from UK on 29th Dec 2009
Excellent phone, does nearly everything well, and has great battery
life.
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Reviewed by Niki from UK on 29th Dec 2009
I bought this phone about 3 weeks ago. And i am still amazed by everything
it does! Its so good, it keeps doing these little things that impress
me further! I was a bit worried about buying it, becuase i originally
wanted the iphone, and wasnt sure how the Hero would compare. But I
personally think its better! It does everything the iphone does, in
most cases better than the iphone, and it does more! And it was about
£300 cheaper! If your having any doubts by this amazing phone, dont
worry! Its amazing! :)
Rating:
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Reviewed by steve from england on 16th Dec 2009
WOW , what a phone,had a lot of phones in my time but this easily beats
them all. Fantastic apps,looks and feels great,would have this phone
over the iphone anytime. Only downside to this phone is the lack of
a flash on the camera,but with all the other features it more than makes
it up.
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Reviewed by sid from uk on 15th Dec 2009
WOW,defo great fone
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Reviewed by Lauren from Englnd on 14th Dec 2009
Hate THIS PHONE. SamsuS5600 is bettaaa goodd i hate it
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by WANTS THIS PHONE from HTC HERO on
14th Dec 2009
everyone loves this phone there is only like 1 person on the whole list
that says its rubbish, and that guy probs was just unlucky cos it was
a manufacturing mistake, IT HAPPENS TO ALL OF THE MANUFACTURERS.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Kris from UK on 12th Dec 2009
Moved from a Samsung Omnia 1, which, I have to say is possibly the worst
phone I have ever experienced using, and completely put me off touchscreens.
Having been stuck with it for 15 very long months, but reading the good
reviews ab out this phone, I thought i'd risk going for another touchscreen.
Receiving and using this phone in comparison to the Omnia felt like
what people must have felt watching TV for the first time. ABSOLUTELY
BRILLIANT. The look is great, Android OS is amazing, wish more than
anything it had a flash, but for work, communication, browsing and loads
of fun, this phone IS outstanding. -and not a ****** I-phone which is
even better!!
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Reviewed by Amy.S from Scotland on 11th Dec 2009
AMAZING PHONE. Sooooo worth the money, its really responsive and i like
the little ball that you can move at the bottom of the phone, lol. Good
camera, not so good at night tho. The battery lasts ages so im happy.
Great internet and supports flash, the apps are awesome.
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Reviewed by layla from UK on 7th Dec 2009
i love this phone the only thing i despise is the price i wish it was
cheaper on pay as you go but still fab phone!
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Reviewed by Lee H from UK on 27th Nov 2009
What can I say about this phone. My first touch screen phone and it
is excellent. Upgraded with Orange from Nokia 6500 slide. What an upgrade!!
As everyone says shame about camera, yes could do with flash but then
my old nokia had flash but pics also came out great when turned off
flash and they do on the Touch, though would recommend downloading camara
zoom fx app as vast improvment on standard camera widget. There are
so many great apps to download from the market and so easy to search,
install and use. My app recommendations are: Shopsavvy - scan cd,books
etc barcode and it will list cheapest places to purchase the items.
PKT Actions Ebay - Ebay app Gmote - connect to your pc and use phone
as remote to control your music/films but will also allow you to stream
to your phone! There are loads that could put, but half the joy is finding
them for yourself, also search for HTC Froum for great help and tips.
Overall does everything I need and more, was considering Iphone from
Orange but for £34 month contract for 600 mins and 500 texts(compared
to £20 contract currently on with 200 mins and unlimited text, dont
need many mins with magic numbers and my text usuage is a lot!!!!)and
also pay either £80 something for 24 month contract or £187 for 18 month
contract not worth it. Get this phone you will not be disappointed.
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Reviewed by Mr Plow from UK on 24th Nov 2009
I love this phone as much as anyone but come on people we all know it's
not worthy of 5 stars! Three simple reasons - no flash, no fm radio,
poor battery... can everyone stop pretending these things don't matter.
Loren, people are only giving it 5 stars because it's the first real
alternative to an iphone. Now let's all calm down before we hurt ourselves
:)
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Reviewed by Loren from UK on 23rd Nov 2009
OK - had the phone for just over 4 months now. And have upgraded my
score from 4 to 5 stars. The phone just gets better. How many phones
can you say that about. My girlfriend who hated the phone (partly cos
I love it so much), now loves it & admits it's a great phone. She loves
the apps, that are easily downloaded and deleted again. And with the
new firmware - I have no problems with it being slow in any way! You
know every now and then a gadget comes around that makes you wonder
how you ever got on with out it. This is that kind of gadget! If you
wondering whether to buy, just look at all the 5 star responses. The
iphone didn't even get this much positivity. Well done HTC
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Reviewed by Chris from North Wales on 12th Nov
2009
I've had this phone for about a week now, I upgraded on Orange from
a Nokia N82. I have to say that it simply is the best phone I have ever
had, It excels in every respect... The touchscreen is very responsive
and everything works fast with no lag like previously mentioned. The
several home screens is a fantastic feature you can just about customise
everything you could think of!! I love the fact that everything is so
accessable. The only real downside to the phone is the lack of flash
on the camera... but personally I didn't use the camera much on my old
phone and for takin photo's outside the Hero is perfect at 5MP. To sum
it up this is a must have phone... iphone's are all to common and having
compared them side by side the Hero won.
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Reviewed by nobby from uk on 12th Nov 2009
Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.Kids said i wouldn't
be able to use it,proved them wrong.What a great phone. Take a couple
of days getting to know it and then you'll love it.Don't be like the
rest and want the i-phone, get a hero.
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Reviewed by Ben B from UK on 12th Nov 2009
I have now had this phone from t-mobile for 4 days, and can seriously
say that the only problem with it is the Battery life, I can live without
the FM radio, and video calling, which you can get anyway if you really
want them.... It could however do with a flash on the camera, but if
u want a near perfect camera, buy a camera not a phone... The 7 home
screens are brilliant, I have widgets everywhere, perfectly integrated
with my twitter and facebook... My favourite app at the moment is imusic,
download songs straight to you phone, and I can use them as my tones,
perfect... Android will soon take over the iphone and itunes, its only
a matter of time before all the little things that are missing all come
into place... I have had alot of phones and this is the best one so
far...
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Reviewed by Dave B from UK on 12th Nov 2009
Had this phone about a month and LOVE it. It keeps getting better too
as HTC upgrade the operating system to the latest Android version and
more apps come out. I really think there will be more android apps in
the next year or so than there are iPod ones. The only thing it's missing
is a flash on the camera. That would really make it brilliant. As it
stands it doesn't take great photos inside.
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Reviewed by Neil from UK on 11th Nov 2009
Update. The WI-FI does log you back in to a paired network! Widgets
are cracking, just got a free eBook reader with a huge catalogue. Going
to London with work so have downloaded loads of apps for restaurants
and POI. Cant recomend this phone enough.
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Reviewed by David from UK on 8th Nov 2009
My first touch screen phone, first HTC and first review! Had the phone
just under a week and already feel compelled to write some thoughts
down, i upgraded to the Hero on Orange, after having the S.E C902 for
15 months, i went through 3 of those handsets so whilst i cant yet comment
on the reliability of the HTC i am certainly hoping its better than
the S.E...The Hero reminds me of an Apple product, packaging, design
etc, its all a nice experience from the start, upon first powering up
it can be a touch daunting, but the phone is quite intuitive to navigate
around and quickly i found out where things were, i havent touched 75%
of what this thing can do! Ergonomically i find the Hero is great, the
back is a soft touch plastic which feels warm and tactile in your hand,
the chin feels natural too, screen is simply fantastic with definition
to die for, and the whole design of the hardware and screen works beautifully
together. The touchscreen is fine to get on with, quick to resp ond
with just the odd time it takes longer than normal, i noticed this to
be the case more so when the battery was low. Visually the operating
system is very cool and customisable which is nice, with multiple screens
to flick to, to set up the things you want to use on a regular basis.
The phone comes with a very good pair of in ear headphones which sounded
surprisingly good through my ipod classic, and very close to a pair
of Sennheisers i recently purchased, which was a refreshing change to
see these bundled with a phone, i found it easy to transfer music and
pictures across, sound quality from the music player is more than good
enough, and im so impressed i will use this in the car and while on
the move, saving my ipod for the house hifi a bit more. Im not using
a lot of the social networking features but i do have unlimited internet
for free with Orange so can leave it switched on meaning the phone updates
the weather and things, its all very slick, hopefully it will last and
not breakdown! All in all 5 stars from me, i can forgive any potential
failings other people see, because its a phone, it was a free upgrade
and it does everything really really well, top marks to HTC!!
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Reviewed by jai from uk on 8th Nov 2009
amazing phone,bought it after reading the reviews here. still early
days, however very happy and totally worth it.
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Reviewed by aran from uk on 7th Nov 2009
Simon from China writes "this phone is not for average user. There is
a learning curve to understand the android system eg upgrade the rom,
root, widget etc." I'm a programmer and technically proficient in messing
with phones. I havent "Rooted" or "updated the ROM". As for widgets,
piece of cake! I've had it for 4 months, its an Awesome phone, best
phone I've ever had, not had a single problem with it, yet! Camera is
not to shabby and takes decent shots if the light is good, no flash
though :( Battery life is a little poor, but makes it through the day
no problem, it gets alot of use too. Get a desk charger, car charger
and a spare charger for the bedroom (I bought all three on ebay for
less than a tenner, with a car cradle and screen protectors), problem
solved. android market place is cool and easy to get apps and games.
Good solid phone.
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Reviewed by Neil from UK on 4th Nov 2009
My first HTC and my first touch screen. Out the box its very user-friendly
asking a few questions it will soon have your email and social networking
sites all nicely synched. However its doesn't synch with iMac, not a
biggy as I can get my calendar off my Gmail account. Next problem i
had was searching for contacts to send SMS/Email I had, a long time
ago, lost all my contacts after my phone had been water damaged, since
then I have stored all contacts on the SIM card. To get the most from
the OS you have to save all contacts to the handset, this was when you
search for people it will very quickly find them. I dont consider this
to be a negative, just a bit different from what I'm used to. Contacts
or People as the widget says can easily be sent messages in any form
quickly and easily. Andriod has lots of widgets already built in. FaceBook,
Twitter, Flickr, you tube, gmail, a weather app and a number of games,
google maps. More can be downloaded from the Market. The size of the
handset is nice and is a good weight. The screen is nice and bright
and the definition is outstanding. I found the touch screen very responsive,
only requiring the lightest of touches. I would like the WI-FI to automatically
log into a network once it has been turn on and found an already paired
connection, or again i might be doing something wrong. Texting is simple
even my mans fingers can mange to hit the right keys when its in landscape
mode. A great handset that I would recommend.Oh the ringer is nice and
loud and the sound quality of the earpiece is also very good!
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Reviewed by David from UK on 2nd Nov 2009
my first touchscreen and it's going to take me a while to get used to
it. i love it, but i find text entry a bit fiddly at times and im having
some wifi issues at the moment. it's a really solid handset though which
makes a nice change for me, and it feels really nice in the hand. I
really like the physical design - the chin/chamfered edges is a refreshing
change. the main reason why it only gets 4 stars from me is because
it doesn't have an fm radio. yes i know you can download last.fm but
i havn't got an unlimted data plan for that.
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Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
2nd Nov 2009
Wow, someone agrees with us!
Reviewed by Wotan from UK on 30th Oct 2009
Why do u need FM radio when u can down load an app that gives u internet
radio with around 500 stations? Looks the best android yet untill we
get the motorola droid.
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Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on
30th Oct 2009
Because you need a reliable 3G connection and unlimited internet access.
Reviewed by Zayid from New Zealand on 29th Oct
2009
Imported this and LOVE IT. I am usually very cautious with enw technology
but this phone is AMAZING
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Reviewed by dave from uk on 25th Oct 2009
Had hero for 3 days and its brilliant. Always had nokia but not anymore.
5/5 10/10 Just get it.
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Reviewed by Simon from China on 24th Oct 2009
I have hero for almost a week and my comment is that this phone is not
for average user. There is a learning curve to understand the android
system eg upgrade the rom, root, widget etc. I have to find a widget
to patch the phone because the earphone cannot works....that's embarrassing.
overall the phone is quite well built as expected from HTC but will
not shine if shown next to iphone. It is a 'Google' phone which need
to connect to web most of the time, be careful if you are travel overseas
due to the high rates. As mentioned by others it is not a lousy phone
and the new android system has potential but let see.... 3.5 star for
me.
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Reviewed by kevin from uk on 23rd Oct 2009
i had same problem as you jake from uk, trackball & backlight, and headphones
stopped working. I contacted t-mobile & they sent me a brand new phone
2 days later ( i was out of the 7 day return policy) had it about 1
month! the courier just picked up the faulty phone (swapped it for new
one) so im guessing it`s a common problem as ive read before the firmware
upgrade alot of ppl with the same problem...my replacement has been
great!! so far so good!! i too love this phone...best out there & 10
times better now that t-mobile has upgraded the firmware to fix lag.If
you havent updated it yet get over to t-mobile forum & get it done..you
wont be dissapointed people!!.The new replacement you get jake will
probs have the updated firmware...goodluck. ps: just say on the phone
that u know other users who have had same problem & got a replacement
handset sent out ;)
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Reviewed by Jake from uk on 21st Oct 2009
I still love the hero/g2, but mine is slowly dying... First of all the
headphone jack, backlit buttons, trackball, and charge lights died after
about 3 weeks. And recently its become slightly sluggish and the main
speaker is faulty (some kind of skin-thin membrane covering the speaker
has perforated) so ringtones sound terrible. This is unfortunate, as
it is still amazing and the best phone i've ever had. Ok so the media
player is a bit disappointing, as is the camera and video recorder but
those features were only missed momentarily. Apart from the inability
to transfer files via bluetooth... extremely annoyed! The screen is
awesome both in quality and its touch responsivness. Level of personalisation
makes it seem built just for you, can't really fault any of its other
features (messaging etc). And regarding battery life, weirdly enough
that has improved over time to my relief. If it weren't for the technical
faults i'd highly recommend this phone to everyone without feeling guilty...
I just hope t-mobile replace mine :(
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Reviewed by A Jane from UK on 19th Oct 2009
i got to play with this phone for a while and it is absolutely gorgeous.
first off, when you get it in your hand it feels luxurious. it actually
fits so perfectly, it is as if it is part of your hand. the screen is
crystal clear and the touchsreen is highly responsive. it feels homely
and only requires one hand to operate. the customisable home screens
are beautiful and the network operates pretty seamlessly. it comes with
an SD card to expand the phone memory too. i do feel however, that while
it may take influence from the iPhone, it does not try to compete with
the iPhone in any way. instead it just tries to look like itself, and
sticks to being itself. i fell in love with the phone, and would prefer
this phone over the iPhone any day. this phone gently, but stylishly,
ushers you into the age of touchscreen, widgets and smartphones, whereas
the iPhone is best suited to someone who wants a phone for absolutely
anything and everything [and i mean ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING - i tried the
iPhone, and it is MAJOR!] life has to offer. Remember, everybody is
different. So some may prefer the HTC Hero, whereas others may be suited
to the iPhone. But for me, i feel much more at home with the Hero. I
guess you could say it's my hero! [i know that was an AWFUL play on
words, but i just HAD to do it!] :-)
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Reviewed by htcuser from uk on 18th Oct 2009
some cases this phone is good but this is the second one i have had
in 2 months due to problems with google applications. The battery life
is v poor has to be charged every night without fail. No bluetooth and
no flash for the camera which i would of expected on this phone. phone
keeps cutting out during calls and does not log missed call. Applications
are good would like to see more variety. Would still consider getting
iphone over this one.
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Reviewed by dr jay from england on 16th Oct 2009
I love the g2 the only thing is that u can watch tv on the g2 like the
iPhone witch let's the phone down also a lot of The app don't work property.
Even so it is a great phone.
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Reviewed by Ian from UK on 15th Oct 2009
The Hero is 95% as good as the iPhone 3GS at 50% of the cost. Simple
as. I've used both extensivley and if I had unlimted money would probably
have the iPhone but as I live in the real world the Hero wins hands
down. Feels great to use and has everything a real-world person needs.
Oh and before the iPhone police come round I love the iPhone but it's
just too expensive.
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Reviewed by Gen from UK on 14th Oct 2009
I dont know why this dint get 5 stars! Who uses video calling?! And
if you want a radio get the spotify or last.fm apps, if you want to
check the traffic or news headlines there are plenty or widgets and
apps to do that at a touch of the screen. The customisability (is that
a word?) is what really swings it for me, it's fantastic. If anything
could be better its the battery life but it can't be perfect, nothing
is. :D
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Reviewed by Ash from UK on 13th Oct 2009
Had the Hero for roughly 2 mths. Got to admit that I was on the verge
of returning the handset during the first week, would definitely have
returned if Orange had supplied iPhone. However I'm now pleased that
I didn't. Agree with most previous reviews, got to sort the camera &
inability to download flash player is a joke. However most of the reviews
that I've read have failed to mention that file xfer via Bluetooth isn't
compatible, which disappointed me the most & for these reasons I can't
possibly give it any more than 3 stars. Hopefully the next version will
be more complete.
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Reviewed by Terry from UK on 10th Oct 2009
who uses video-calling anyway? Really?
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Reviewed by Craig from UK on 8th Oct 2009
This phone is a whisker away from perfection, simple as. Starting with
the basics, the phone is stunningly designed and very well built - you
can feel the quality. Some reviews question whether people will loathe
the jutted lip at the bottom of the handset; believe me, it makes the
phone so much more comfortable to hold. The touchscreen is an absolute
joy to use, the best I've tried. This makes messaging and general typing
so easy, you immediately forget the drawbacks of using all-touchscreen
- amazing spell checker and autocorrect makes it easy to learn to type
with 98+% accuracy. Unlimited personalisation and seven screens to fill
with widgets and apps - all easy to download from the app market. Battery
life is excellent for such a powerful phone with a bit of tweaking.
There's seriously nothing to dislike and considering free apps can provide
the functionality some reviews slate the phone for not having, there's
no reason for the lower ratings. If you're considering an iPhone, try
this first. In my opinion, it's better and doesn't cost an arm and a
leg on contract. Can't recommend enough!
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Reviewed by toriaoxford from UK on 2nd Oct 2009
Further to my previous review from 26th September, I was obviously having
a blonde Essex girl moment or three! Because the handset is NOT Mac
compatible, you HAVE to sync it with Windoze XP or Vista. You have to
download and install the sync software and ROM update directly from
the HTC website and Bob's your uncle! It's all set up now, working as
it should. You will find the software on the SD card if you hook up
your phone to a PC in 'hard drive mode'. You can then, whilst you're
there, add all the photos and music you want as I don't think you can
use bluetooth on this phone for transferring files either way! All in
all a great little handset but I still think it's probably too much
for me and I don't think I'd utilise all the options on it - but I guess
it's better to have too much rather than too little. I'd say go for
it - you've got nothing to lose but make sure you get a decent case
for it and a screen protector, especially if you buy it SIM free as
I did!!!!
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Reviewed by Toria from UK on 26th Sep 2009
Hmm, not sure about this one! It's a great little handset but I cannot
for the life of me get it set up. I haven't been able to find the software
on the included SD card so unsure if I've done everything necessary
for the handset to be set up correctly. I've managed to set up Google
email account and work account but can't see how to upgrade the firmware,
despite finding the firmware option - perhaps it's up to date already!
It is infinitely configerable but perhaps too much so for me. In two
minds as to whether to keep it. Will give it a go for a little while
(it's SIM free). Any advice gratefully received as there is no complete
setup guide - perhaps I'm being a thicky blonde!
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Reviewed by Nozzy from UK on 22nd Sep 2009
This phone is awesome...you know when Google gets behind something,
that its gonna be awesome, and this is true for the phone. The good:
capacitive touch screen fast and responsive, bright, good size not too
big or small, 7 home screens, easy to download loadsa useful apps, games,
all for free - still haven't needed to buy any apps!! fast wi-fi, google
integration with search functions, maps, sky map, compass, widget functions
work very well, no need to even go into menu if you set it up good enough.
Ultimate customisation possibilities - suit individual needs. Mp3 player,
GPS, wi-fi, facebook integration, track ball, motion sensor, youtube
viewing is great. The bad: it does have am adverse effect on the battery,
probs 2-3 days max with moderate-high usage, camera not great, no flash,
loudspeaker not very loud and oddly positioned at back, instead of sides
like is the norm now, problems syncing with windows, required some googling
to find guides and a widget to fix it in the end, awkward volume button
location, small internal memory, could do with extra ram and faster
processor. Overall still a 5 in my book, and with google and android
market it will always beat apple. 5 Stars
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Reviewed by Loren from UK on 16th Sep 2009
OK - so I loved "Ed" from the UK's comment about the phone. Basically
it's rubbish because the iphone is better... I think he's only made
himself look dumb, and he adequately represents most of the iphone user
community. It's better than anything, but they don't know why or how...
probably because it's better colour!!?! Ok - so firstly, the "chin"
looks stupid and your friends will initially make fun of you, but once
they actually hold the phone in their hand - ALL of my friends agree
it's more comfortable to hold and therefore, use. Ergonomics is so important.
Too small - too fiddly, too big - to embarrassing. This phone is just
right! And buttons on the phone all in the right places creating an
almost ...organic(?) experience, and only takes a short while to get
used to it. Android is awesome, and again the software matches the hardware
in its usability. The pairing of emails and Facebook is simple to use
and actually quite cool, allowing maximum exposure to your social life.
IT ALL SIMPLY MAKES SENSE! After having a Sony phone and seeing the
improvements on the latest Samsung phones though, the camera was a bit
of a let down. HTC needs to sort this out. To make such an incredible
phone, then give it an OK camera without even a flash, is just strange,
let alone leaving it without a video- calling function!?! My other issue
is with the processor and memory. Considering the phone is so highly
tunable, it doesn't make sense to run it off a mediocre processor, and
seemingly minimised memory. As a consequence, iphone users will find
using the Hero like suffering from jet lag. It can be slow at times
which is frustrating to say the least. The Hero IS awesome in so many
ways! HTC just need to add: a video calling function, much better camera
WITH a flash, a faster processor and larger internal memory; THEN this
phone will definitely be an iphone killer. As it is, it's only an alternative.
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Reviewed by kevin from uk on 14th Sep 2009
This phone is EXCELLENT!!! sooo many different options to customise
the entire phone. Why is there no tv ad for this though? alot more sales
would go on if there was, i miss not having a dedicated camera key and
a few other tiny features, but there is just so much to this smartphone
that the little things don`t seem to bother me. If you are considering
buying this.....GO FOR IT!!! 5 STARS :-)
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Reviewed by Howard from UK on 14th Sep 2009
This is my first 'smart' touch screen phone, getting the hang of it
now and the more I learn my way around it the better the phone gets!
Mind you, I still cant get email reminders from my smtp based email
address. "Server not responding" is all the phone says. Nor have I worked
out how to download music onto my phone from Microsoft media player.
I am assuming this is due to my ignorance and nothing to do with the
phone. I can download photos and apps' This must be one of the best
phones on the market right now I recon!
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Reviewed by Ed from Uk on 8th Sep 2009
Had this phone for 1 week and it's rubbish. Took it back and got an
iPhone 3gs that is much better, faster and love the apps ! Please don't
buy this phone very poor
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Reviewed by Alvinboy from UK on 7th Sep 2009
Dats a wonderful phone.. People who find it bad because of its caera
need to buy a camera for their pictures.. Its just an outstanding phone
which kills the iphone 3gs..
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Reviewed by Buddha's Fat Brother from Scotland on
4th Sep 2009
I have to agree with the majority of reviewers on here and ask WHY NO
FIFTH STAR?? This is my fourth HTC phone and they just get better and
better. I did consider going to the darkside but everyone I know who
has an Iphone has had to return it at least once for repair of some
sort. Not something I have heard of any HTC. This latest HTC phone offering
has everything a grown up user would want. If I want the radio I have
one in my car ETC if I want to use Flash on my camera I use my camer
this is a phone and communication device and for that I think this is
still untouchable.
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Reviewed by the prof from scotland on 3rd Sep
2009
the t-mobile G2 touch ( or the htc Hero ) is the phone you have been
waiting for, but not with out some faults which once you use the phone
these can be easily over looked . the look the feel of the phone is
just right , fits the hand and not to big in the pocket looks very chic
with only 6 buttons and a roller ball on the front( nice in black i
think). the screen is nice and bright and very crisp, very on par with
the iphone . setting up was very easy and to be honest only took a couple
of hours mucking about to find my way about the phone itself . setting
up wi fi was easy and once connected the widgets were flying down and
everyone of them was free . the camera is maybe a bit of a let down
but this is not a camera phone. if you want a phone to take good picures
in all lighting conditions light/dark ect ..dont buy this buy something
else this is not to say it can not take pictures , it has a 5 mp camera
at the back ,and in normal light conditions can give good results but
anything dull or low light the pictures are dark; to be honest a flash
would of been the bees knees. getting around the phone is easy once
u have gotten used to the UI which is excellent adding removing widgets
is very easy, every screen you can have you're own way whatever you
want; the widgets pre installed are very nice from the start before
downloading any which were on the same par . there is a few things i
am having to get used too, like messaging and useing the screen to type
but the more i am using the G2 the easier it is getting. the screen
its self is very responsive even with my big fingers . this phone is
all about communication and that is what a phone is for ,not taking
pictures or sounding like a mini stereo but communicating and in this
day and age it is the internet which we use and this phone is brilliant
very fast excellent sizing of pages and text running off the wifi in
my house it was on the same par as my lap top 'it is that good '. if
you go into a shop for a demo of the phone try google maps look for
a place get onto street view and when you physically turn round 360
degrees the view on the phone does as well ...amazing . you have direct
access to facebook myspace ect youtube works a dream though some flash
on some sites wont work but hey i get the same thing on my laptop.phone
calls are just about the norm for anyone has has used mobile phones
before so nothing scary there . the phone sounds fine as well not fantastic
but not the worst ,same as battery life which will probably need a full
charge every second day or every day if heavy with use (which trust
me you will) but you have to expect this from a phone of this kind ,
i would have no problems buying a second battery and haveing it spare
in my jacket in case the battery went dead on me .blue tooth is a bit
of an issue as it is only intended for connection of headset not to
other phones ??? found this strange but there is a widget that lets
you connect if you really need it . so too sum up excellent phone many
many uses and expanding all the time with widgets . no flash no radio
so what the iphone aint got them and i have never used the radio on
a phone communication+internet this has to be the best there is if it
did have full bluetooth and a flash for the camera it would of been
perfect mobile phone to date without doubt still it gets 5/5 with no
hesitation from me. defo better than iphone p.s. full instructions are
on memory card in adobe reader format and take a little while to learn
the phone and how it works every make model is not the same again do
not know why this site only gave it 4 stars it has got to be 5 if the
iphone gets 5 and THIS IS BETTER ???????????
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Reviewed by Jas from UK on 3rd Sep 2009
Had the G2 (what it is known as on T-Mobile) for a week now and it is
a great phone. The only difference on T-Mobile is the branding of the
phone and on start-up screen. The touch screen is very responsive and
I have not noticed the slowness mentioned by others, only the video
playback is a bit sluggish. One problem is apps can only be installed
on the phone memory (ways round this are available but I will not risk
messing up the phone) so it is a bit limited to how many you can have,
but is plenty of space for apps you will actually use. The apps store
is not as large as apples but is growing and has plenty of apps to keep
you busy. Very happy with this phone and agreed if the iPhone is 5 stars
so should this.
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Reviewed by Anthony from Cov, UK on 25th Aug 2009
Just got my Hero today and am completely chuffed with it! It's was a
hard choice between buying the hero or iphone (I think I spent less
time choosing my first son's name!)both phones have there pros and cons,
overall the hardware on the iphone is better and more powerfull, but
with the hero you get a much better user interface. And so the Hero
won it or me in the end, and all pretty much due to the price, the iphone
is more expensive and has a longer contract, compared to the better
deals you can get for the hero. The touchscreen is a joy to use as you
flick your way through the phone, and it's all so easy to set up and
use (very intuitive). From the web browser to the all the free social
networking apps, being online and intouch has never been easier.I have
however noticed a bit of slowness on occasions as the Hero's hardware
struggles to keep up with the software, but it was in no way something
that would greatly disturb me (THERE IS AN APP FOR THAT - all you need
to do is download the task killer app, which lets you turn of unused
apps/software running in the background using up system resources).
Anyhow, serously consider this phone as your next !
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Reviewed by Rob from England on 23rd Aug 2009
If this doesn't get 5 stars only because it lacks an FM radio then why
does the iPhone 3gs get 5 stars. This phone is much better alla round
and the battery lasts much longer, deffinately look at this phone if
your in 2 minds about buying an iphone.
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Reviewed by D from UK on 22nd Aug 2009
THE HERO IS A SWEET PHONE I HAD IT 4 DAYS I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT
ONLY THING I THINK NEED CHANGIN IS U CANT CONECT BLUE TOOTH TO OTHER
PHONES NOT GOOD WHEN I WANT PICS AN SONGS OFF OLD PHONE BEATS ANY PHONE
I HAD
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Reviewed by Nedz from uk on 21st Aug 2009
G2 Touch..... good phone but unable to down load any apps or connect
to WIFI, T mobile not that help full. However quality bit of kit
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Reviewed by Jamil from UK on 21st Aug 2009
Fantastic. I returned my N97 (although was in two minds at the time)
after having used many N series devices including N82 and N78..but once
I got the Hero very impressed...my first HTC and couldnt be happier....I'm
sorry Nokia but sort it out...all the frustrations waiting for updates
is gone...yes minor bugs MAY exist in the Hero (havent found any) but
definitely not as the state of the N97. How Nokia expect to allow customers
to wait for updates with obvious bugs that should be sorted before release
is beyond me. Anyway with this phone only problem im having is inputting
text (at high speed)..dont think I could use this to work on documents...email/sms
is okay Form factor, size, even the 'chin' absolutely fantastic...weight
feels good, brushed aluminium borders fantastic... Trackball, touch
screen brilliant... Some people whinging on abt Apps compared to Apple...visit
youtube....the Market place (android) probably has more FREE apps than
iTunes apps or whatever...and seriously theres so many anyway...and
it can only improve...(tho google need to clean it up abit and allow
more search filters) Im sold with HTC..heres to a new long relationship!
Say No to Nokia.
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Reviewed by Jamie from UK on 19th Aug 2009
Reading these reviews is so frustrating. My G2 touch is a very good
phone but I am unable to download any apps, sync my tiscali e mail or
play BBCiplayer vids - it doesn't let me download flashplayer. Have
been on phone to t-mobile support for hours and they're able to offer
next to no advice, apart from saying it does not support flash player
so I can't watch BBCiplayer, and that I should contact google. Currently
3 stars for the phone and none for t-mobile. I just want someone to
help me get it to work. Am still in the seven day approval period, so
may well hand it back and go over to 02 for an i phone.
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Reviewed by jim from uk on 18th Aug 2009
I agree with adam and mevster. 5 stars please.
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Reviewed by adam from UK on 17th Aug 2009
The main reason for the site not offering the HTC hero stars is due
to the lack of FM radio and video calling. The lack of Fm radio concerned
me but the lack of video calling is not a problem. Anyway to get to
the point I found three different apps for FM radio on the phone and
do believe that the phone NEEDS to be bumped up to 5 stars
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Reviewed by mevster from UK on 16th Aug 2009
So you take away one star from this because it does not do video calling
or radio. Does the Iphone 3gs have video calling or radio? You can download
Last.fm from Android Market for free, you can listen to all BBC Radio
Broadcasts live over the air thanks to BEEB Player, again free from
the Android Market. You can do voice memos, vido recording, infact everything
the iphone is doing on its 3rd attempt, you can do on this phone and
the G1. So please why is one star missing? Whats the real reason.
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Reviewed by Rampart from UK on 11th Aug 2009
The HTC Hero, hero by name and nature. This phone, although far from
perfect, is the Buzz Lightyear to Apples Woody. The iPhone has become
something of an industry standard and yes, some would argue deservedly
so but you know when you get something that is just a bit 'too good'
for its own ...good? To me the Hero is the grown ups' iPhone. I got
mine barely a week ago and have rarely put it down since, I've downloaded
apps, watched movies, listened to music, set my Footprint and set up
about a dozen favourite web pages. My contacts are set up with their
pictures, such is the customisable home screen, even my sausage like
fingers are becoming acclimatised to the tiny (even on side on view)
keyboard. No camera flash? Dubious video camera? Annoying volume that
you press every time you are watching something lengthways on? Stuttering
video playback (whereas the iPhone has flash memory, the Hero has to
read from the Micro SD Card)? All of these annoying 'isms' pale into
insignificance when the phone in its entireity just works. I love the
angled 'jaw', the iPhone-esque sensitive touch screen, the windscreen
wiper that clears your screen when a rain cloud from the weather widget
pours droplets of water that obscures your view of the homescreen, there
are just so many lovely, well thought out touches to the Hero. That
said, you really should be able to send files by bluetooth, that you
can't without going into the root is a serious slap on the wrist for
HTC. I've reserved my main gripe for last though: the battery life,
but truth be told that is my own fault, when you have a phone this good
continual use and playing with it is always going to wear the darn thing
down. Bottom line, I love it and with the prospect of more and more
Android apps of higher and higher quality being developed as we speak
the iPhone has a proverbial terrier snapping at its all singing heels.
No question, five stars.
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Reviewed by Kris from UK on 11th Aug 2009
Recieved my phone this morning. Was in two minds whether to go for this
or the iPhone, think i made the right choice. Superb touch screen, brilliant
software, camera is good, ability to customize everything is fantastic.
will have to see how things like battery life work out but for me its
beating the iphone in every department, including looks.
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Reviewed by Antony from UK on 10th Aug 2009
brilliant phone, fast internet, easy to use, great applications, loud
speaker, good camera. Only downside is the battery life is rubbish if
your using the internet but thats to be expected! would reccomend to
anyone
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Reviewed by Browny from easytown on 6th Aug 2009
Quality phone, it beats the iphone hands down, better camera, faster
internet, cooler design! 5star rating from me
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Reviewed by Jim from UK on 5th Aug 2009
Had this phone a week now and love it. Great shape and excellent UI
not to mention the ability to customize everything make this phone a
real head-turner. My mates are seriously jealous! There are so many
apps available to download including games, utilities, entertainment
and networking not to mention them all. The only downside for me is
sometimes is a little slow to respond to touch and the processor has
been noted to be a little too slow for a device of this calibre. Still
wouldn't swap it for iphone though! Android Rocks!
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Reviewed by A.B from UK on 4th Aug 2009
amazing phone! Much better I phone.
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Reviewed by Jazzy from UK on 3rd Aug 2009
Just sold my iPhone as this thing is so much more enjoyable to use.
Great UI does all you could want a can only get better with updates.
Easy to set up, super quick gps lock, great keyboard, adequate camera.
Slick social app integration, reasonable battery life considering i
cant put the thing down. Excellent web browser and clarity from the
screen as well as good clarity when making calls. Get a class 6 micro
sd card, this helps with access to the card for music and pictures!
Great music player, very well put together piece of kit. Looks like
android has made its mark! This phone is ACE!
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Reviewed by Anam from UK on 31st Jul 2009
finally HTC made a phone which has blown the i phone straight out of
the water lol.
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Reviewed by ak from PAKISTAN on 29th Jul 2009
the brilliant version of the G1 android phone
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