Smartphone Review

The HTC Hero is an Android-based device that offers tight integration with Google and social networking sites such as Facebook and Flickr, but also works with Exchange ActiveSync.

It also has all of the standard features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as a 5 megapixel camera with video capture.

It is currently available in the U.S. only as an unlocked GSM phone from eXpansys. It’s a joy to use, but it comes with a hefty pricetag since there’s no carrier subsidy. However, Sprint is going to release a version of this phone next month, for less money down. Still, the unlocked version is the only option for AT&T and T-Mobile customers.

BUILD & DESIGN

The Hero comes in two versions, and these have different designs. My review unit is the unlocked GSM one.

The first thing you’ll notice about this version of the Hero is that it’s quite different in design from the typical smartphone. The one I have is white, with a matte finish and silver accents. It’s also available in black.

There are very few buttons, and all of them are located below the screen. A trackball centers the lower portion of the device, and the bottom is actually “bent” upward like an actual phone.

In some ways it’s kinda awkward, like when you put the phone in your pocket and it doesn’t lay flat, but in other ways it’s quite nice. Not only does that little bend set your phone apart, so it isn’t as much of a cookie cutter device, but it also angles the microphone towards your mouth for better sound quality (and it lessens my tendency to talk way too loud, as I usually do when conversing on a mobile phone).

There are volume controls on the left side of the device, but since they’re made out of the same matte white plastic as the back of the phone, it took me quite a while to figure out they’re there. Now that I’ve figured it out, I like the minimal effect — it’s obvious that the designers wanted to create a device that was both attractive and functional.

The microSD slot and the SIM card slot are both located under the back cover of the device, with the SIM card slot underneath the battery.

The Sprint version of the Hero has corners are more curved, and it lacks the bend (see here). These differences are really just on the surface, and the two versions are otherwise identical.

Display
The screen measures 3.2 inches and runs at 320 by 480 pixel (HVGA) resolution. In practice I found it to be extremely bright and clear when used inside, and still readable outside in direct sunlight, though of course it washes out a bit under those conditions.

Photos and videos look very good, especially in full screen mode. I didn’t notice any major lag or ghosting issues at all.

Keyboard
The Hero doesn’t have a physical QWERTY keyboard, but it does have a rather nice virtual one. The keys are fairly large, and while I had a few issues with hitting the right key in the beginning, practice has helped quite a bit.

Numbers and punctuation are accessed by tapping a key at the bottom of the screen, to the right of the space bar.

My only complaint about the virtual keyboard is that the spacebar needs to be larger, as I found it to be the hardest key to hit consistently during my testing.

PERFORMANCE

This is the first device I’ve tested that is based on Google’s Android operating system, and it has been a great experience.

In all respects the interface is completely clear and understandable, but also attractive and enjoyable to use. Thanks to the hefty 528 MHz processor, I never had to wait for applications to open and everything was super speedy; the only delays were related to the network, when I was waiting for web pages in the browser.

Wireless/Call Quality
Call quality is very good — there weren’t any problems with background noise at all. I could hear my callers, and they could hear me loud and clear. I won’t say that you can hear a pin drop on the other end of the line, but I don’t have any complaints about clarity.

Productivity
I am really impressed with the productivity features included with this device. Once you link your Google account, all of your contacts and calendar entries are quickly synced up, saving a lot of time and frustration. If you want to really customize things though, you can edit your contacts into custom groups, pick a particular ringtone for each one, or even set a preference to send their calls directly to voice mail (which would be perfect for an annoying ex who keeps calling).

I also really like how things are organized; tabs at the bottom of the contact card allow you to see your text, email and call histories, and if you’re logged into Facebook and there happen to be friends there, you can see all of the updates relating to a particular contact while viewing their card. The same also applies to Flickr albums as well, which means that it’s much easier to keep up with your closest friends without being overwhelmed by a torrent of information in a generic Facebook application, for example.

Email is of course one of the most important, and setting up both Microsoft Exchange and Pop/IMAP accounts was dead simple, with (almost) flawless results. I say that because sub-folders aren’t supported, which is a major drawback for me. I get an amazing amount of mail, and I make very heavy use of labels and filters in Gmail to keep everything organized. I can see email in my inbox just fine, but I can’t access any of the mail in any sub-folder.

In other ways the overall email experience is better than with my iPod Touch, thanks to the inclusion of QuickOffice. While it takes an extra step to download any email attachments, they open very fast with far superior rendering as compared to Documents to Go on the iPod. A PDF Viewer is also included, with excellent results — the application opens files very quickly, and is gratifyingly responsive to finger scrolling and zooming. Without editing features you won’t be able to change any important documents on the road, but if you just need to view Microsoft Office and PDF files you will most certainly be pleased with the HTC Hero.

When I launch Google Maps, I found that the GPS quickly had my location zeroed in quite accurately, but the real treat is when you start searching for points of interest. Tap in Starbucks and the (several) nearby locations are displayed. When I chose the nearest one, I got the full address, as well as options to show it on the map, get step-by-step directions, place a call, or see the actual street view, just as you could on a PC. Additional details such as business hours, payment methods accepted, and web address are available, provided by SuperPages.com, as well as reviews from Citysearch.com. The overall navigation experience is much better than the typical subscription services offered by the mobile carriers, lacking only voice-guided directions.

The included web browser works beautifully, providing a wonderful near-desktop experience. In my testing it was rather slow, but I lay most of the blame there on the relatively poor wireless coverage in and near my office. When I tried the Hero at home, for example, web pages loaded more quickly, but it still didn’t offer blazing speed.

But you have to keep in mind, the version of the Hero I’m using can’t access 3G networks in the United States. It was designed for Europe, so AT&T’s 3G network wasn’t doing me any good.

Entertainment
Just because this HTC model has a lot of productivity built into it doesn’t mean that it can’t also be a fun device. Out of the box it includes the Peep Twitter client, as well as a YouTube viewer, a music player, and Teeter, a labyrinth-style game. YouTube videos look pretty good, especially in full screen mode, but not spectacular.

The music player is relatively basic, but it works fairly well. You can shuffle songs, create your own playlists, and view your music library by artist, genre, or album title. Sound is far superior through headphones, with the external speaker being just adequate. It’s loud, but the sound quality is rather tinny, so earphones are a must unless you’re just sharing a short clip with your friends. Thankfully the headphone jack on the top of the Hero is the standard 3.5 mm size, so you can use your own set without an adapter.

Camera
The camera takes really nice pictures and even more importantly makes it very easy to share them via Facebook, Flickr, Google Mail, Peep, or Picasa.

Basic settings include the ability to set the resolution, white balance, and brightness, or use the optional self-timer. You can geo-tag your photos if you wish, and more advanced photograpers can alter the contrast, saturation, and sharpness properties too. I was also surprised to see that you can crop photos and rename them directly on the device, no computer required.

• Sample Picture

A camcorder mode is also included for video enthusiasts. You can limit your videos to either one or three minutes or remove the limit entirely if you have a large removable memory card for storage.

Battery Life
This is one of many areas in which the HTC Hero simply shines. I used it quite heavily, with the device set to download new mail every fifteen minutes, and I had a hard time wearing the battery down completely — to the point that I might not bother to take a charger with me if I was just on a two or three day business trip.

I’m not exactly sure how they did it, but I didn’t have that constant nagging fear of a dead battery that I’m used to with other devices, and it’s a nice breath of fresh air.

CONCLUSION

I’ve really enjoyed my time with the HTC Hero and it’s going to be hard to send back the review unit.

In some ways it “out iPhones the iPhone” with ease of use and tight integration with Google and social networking sites such as Facebook and Flickr, though I do feel that the Safari browser on the iPhone offers a much faster web surfing experience. Its lack of 3G in the U.S. contributes to this slowness.

This device would be perfect for the person who wants to stay connected, but with a minimum of fuss. The built-in applications are so comprehensive as to supply almost anyone’s needs, though the Android Market is also available for more specialized situations. It obviously doesn’t compare to the vast multitude of applications available on Apple’s App Store, but that also means that you won’t have to wade through a ton of junk to find what you really need.

All in all the device simply works, but you’ll have to have deep pockets if you want one for yourself, as the current price for the unlocked version at eXpansys runs roughly $566. But if you’re willing to lock yourself into a two-year Sprint contract you can get it for $180 with mail-in rebate.

Pros:

• Great display
• Very fast response; I never felt like I was waiting for the phone to catch up to my wishes, except when using the web browser
• Well integrated with Google, Facebook, and Flickr

Cons:

• The GSM version has an extremely high cost since there’s no carrier subsidy in the U.S.
• This version’s “Bent” bottom form factor takes some getting used to — it feels comfortable in the hand, but not so much in the pocket
• External speaker is adequate, but for music you’ll really want to use headphones