@Sugartits: No. I've never seen VZW offer data only. The only place I've ever seen data only offered was on the old sidekicks and that was only for deaf people. #htcdroideris
Have fun paying for the required $30 data plan. Does anyone else realize you can get an iPhone for $99 and be required to pay for a data plan? I would rather have an iPhone. Actually I would rather have an iPhone on the Verizon network. Then I would be ephing happy. #htcdroideris
@wkm001: Wait so your argument is that I can get a one year old phone with less features, less (theoretical) storage and a crappier network yet pay the same price up front and monthly?
@tande04: Oddly enough my wife loves the Droid and will be getting it. I'm sticking with my work BBerry. Just so you know I'm not an Apple fanboy. #htcdroideris
So the upgrade to 2.0 will be downloadable? I don't want to buy this phone if HTC will come out with another 2.0 phone for Verizon a month later! #htcdroideris
@Samantha Buck: It will probably be OTA, not a download, but yes, it will be an upgrade, not a new phone. Those days are gone. Now you'll actually pay for bumps in specs as it should be. #htcdroideris
@tande04: I was just gonna ask that. The review makes it sound like you're stuck with 1.5, but I was just thinking why wouldn't you be able to upgrade the OS? I just didn't want to look like I didn't know anything even though I don't, heh.
@maven2k: HTC has already announced 2.0 for the hero (and assumedly the hero variants).
It could end up being a carrier issue. Maybe sprint will get the push and VZW won't but I don't think so.
Regardless one of the benefits of android is that the whole root thing is pretty simple. Its not that hard to get any version any time you want it. #htcdroideris
@maven2k: "HTC told me they'll upgrade to 2.0 once they've worked out all the bugs between 2.0 and Sense." So, looks that there's a possibility for 2.0 on newer HTC fones. Seems that there are a couple of engineering gaps between HTC's stuff and 2.0's architecture. #htcdroideris
This is what I love about Android. Make the handset manufacturer's compete to differentiate and offer different features. Fore example, my wife would like this phone because she's not big on physical keyboards, it's sleek and attractive, and the interface is nice.
Me, I'd like the Droid for it's gi-normous screen and (slightly) faster processor. We can have basically the same functionality with the features we'd like. #htcdroideris
@OCEntertainment: I appreciate the sentiment, but I think the whole robot-death-from-above ad is awesome.
@Dabogimp: Actually I'm still holding off. Our contract isn't up until either December or February, and at the rate these phones are coming out, even the Droid would be stale by then.
I'm looking forward to something with a huge screen, a snapdragon, 2.0 (or 2.5?), multitouch, and a physical keyboard. #htcdroideris
Data is data; why charge extra just because it has a better/different OS? I had a Nokia 6555 and then an HTC FUZE. Another family member has an iPhone 3G. We're in an EDGE area. With the 6555 on $10 Family Data, I was pulling ~50-60 MB a month while the iPhone was using all of 30 MB. With my FUZE I'm pulling ~100 MB a month and still wasting $30/mo on the same, useless PDA Personal plan. #htcdroideris
@dragon: ONE: Well, I guess for these devices it makes sense. I was asking because on T-Mobile the G1/MyTouch requires an expensive data plan (well, it's $25/mo), but a "dumbphone" can get an internet plan for $10/mo, because, I'm guessing, they're assuming you'll use the internet less.
Though I'm on an iPhone with the 5.99 plan :D And I also have the TM506 to tether 3G data with...for 5.99/mo...
The video was good enough for me to taste the salt water. Nice report, good details. This is why they keep Blam around. ;) #goproherohdwidecamerareview
Sorry HTC, but after gazing my eyes upon the Moto Droid; I'm going to wait to see whats next in the pipeline...plus I have Sprint. :( #android20onhtchero
@Neimo:
Negative.
I'll probably rue making this statement but I work for Sprint, and I currently have a Pre. I love my Pre, and Sprint is the tits, especially the plans. I'm just open minded enough to realize hotness. #android20onhtchero
This sounds wonderful to me, I really can't wait for Sense UI + Eclair to come to my phone.
Anyway, I am also getting a bit annoyed by the general tone with the Hero. I can't speak for the GSM version, but the Sprint (CDMA) version is very polished as it is. Personally, I think the Sprint version looks a bit better, with the exception to the button area. If you look at the back and top of the phone, you'll probably agree.
Far as I can tell, there is no lag in the UI, it does take a second to switch from portrait to landscape. It can tend to bog down if I am running too many applications in the back, but taskkiller eliminates that problem. Website zoom is very smooth (as opposed to one review video I watched). The ability to continuously type on the virtual keyboard is unmatched by almost anything. I miss the keys A LOT, but 95%, it knows what I want, and it's seamless, you just keep typing.
If you ask anyone who has the Hero, or even a few fans of HTC, they'll tell you this phone is the one to get for 2009, and probably most of 2010. #android20onhtchero
@Ninety-9: Presumably sometime next year HTC will come out with a Super Hero using a Cortex-A8 and most people won't bother with the original. So with respect to your prediction the question is will it come out before July? #android20onhtchero
@Ninety-9: The software update a while back fixed most of the lag. I was running the original Hero ROM on my HTC Magic -- it lagged like shit. I re-flashed my Magic with the updated, faster Hero ROM and its very fast (but obviously still no where near the iPhone's speed).
Typing is great, though, except for in the web browser, where it's practically unusable due to the lag. I can type very fast on my Magic, and even though the iPhone allows me to physically type faster due to the better responsiveness, overall the Magic wins because of its superior spell-check. #android20onhtchero
I still don't understand as to why Gizmodo keeps harping on the "tragically flawed" aspect as the firmware update that's now standard issue on the phone virtually eliminated all the sluggishness they complained about. Seemingly every other gadget site out there have acknowledge the speedier update yet Giz seems either oblvious to it or unwilling to mention it. #android20onhtchero
@TheScantronman: Here is the simple breakdown for you: We hates Android, my iPrecious, we hates it forever! Oh wait.. Android 2.0 has a lot of nice features... uhhh Uhhh UHHH GIZ HATES FILTHY ANDROIDSES! Niiiice iPhone, my iPrecious... iPrecious... #android20onhtchero
We're still not 100% sure what android 2.0 really looks though if I'm not mistaken.
We've got a Moto version of it but I've seen nothing to indicate that is how the regular 2.0 build is going to look. I'm sure that sense will look just fine on top of it and all features will be preserved.
@tande04: I'm pretty sure that motorola said this is your basic "google experience" android phone.. I interpret that as run of the mill android 2.0 #android20onhtchero
@Sir Gibler: I just took that to mean they didn't re-purpose it like they did with blur. I never got the impression that it wasn't still skinned. Could be wrong. #android20onhtchero
@tande04: we know how it looks, they officially released the 2.0SDK (Which includes the 2.0 emulator, which you can play with on your pc). #android20onhtchero
Why is this news? Shouldn't this be a given? That's why I love my iPhone. There's no question of whether or not I'll be getting an update.. -_- #android20onhtchero
@jellotime91: It is a given. How is there even an iPhone comparison in there? Maybe if they were charging $10 for it you could at least make a iPod touch comparison. #android20onhtchero
@tande04: it's not really a given. Are we forgetting that Android phones from the same maker (HTC) don't all get the same software officially? And there are Android phones still being sold while we have no idea if they will get the 2.0 update or not. The G1 likely will not, yet it is still being sold on contract on many carriers. #android20onhtchero
@jellotime91: You know I'm going to have to give you that.
Its still mostly a given though. Android has pushed all updates just like apple has with the iphone. There is hardware limitations here that will likely prevent it from being on the G1 (which is a current phone but defiantly at the end of its life). Thats just how it works though. Even the updates on the iPhone is still hardware limited. #android20onhtchero
@jellotime91: I still have no idea where this idea that the G1 won't get anything past 1.6 popped up. It just seemed to spark out of nothing, never really get confirmed, and is now treated as fact despite that no figures on how much space the 2.0 update will take have ever surfaced.
Besides, it's never really a given that you'll ever get an update for a device. Eventually apple will release a new version of the iPhone that will software that is just too much for the old 1st generation iPhones to handle. It just so happens that Android is evolving quite quickly now, so hardware is more prone to being tossed asunder.
Besides besides, the carriers have a lot of say about what updates they push, and carriers can suck sometimes ;) #android20onhtchero
@fryhole: The point is Apple hasn't sold the first gen iPhone for 2 years now, so after they haven't been selling it for 3 whole years come June, they shouldnt provide updates for it anymore because nobody who bought it on a contract during the time it was being sold still has to use it.
The G1 and other android phones are still being sold on contracts and we don't know if they will receive the 2.0 update. The G1 is being sold in Canada on THREE YEAR contracts. Do you honestly think that the G1 is going to get an android 3 or 4.0 update when it comes out? HELL NO.
They shouldn't be selling the device anymore when they don't have plans to continue releasing updates for it. It's totally unfair to the consumer, and the way android updates are done the consumers are pretty much in the dark, whereas with the iPhone you plug it in and iTunes tells you there's an update. :/ #android20onhtchero
@jellotime91: I get what you're saying, but I think what's worth keeping in mind is that there hasn't been any substantiated proof that the G1 and the Magic won't get the update. Beyond that, I think when you lock yourself into a phone for 2 years you just have to expect that something cooler is going to come out before your contract is up, software or hardware. You buy a phone for what it is, not what it could be. Receiving updates after purchase isn't a guarantee, but the android companies seem to be continuing the trend of updating as long as it is reasonable (see the 2.0 rumors working on the G1, or the Hero getting 2.0).
The fact is, no one is yet selling a phone that for sure won't get this update. All we have are rumors, and the telecom's shouldn't stop selling a phone that people will buy just because of a rumor it won't get an update in the future.
Of course none of that changes the face that if I don't get the 2.0 update with my G1 from T-mobile, I'll be upset. But the benefits of an open platform are that someone will get the update to the phone if it is possible, it just may be a bit more work. #android20onhtchero
@fryhole: Your posts on this subject have been the most logical and well thought out that I've read in a while. Please, keep up the great work, but be forewarned: Logic won't always save you from the trolls and fanboys. No doubt, with commenting this sharp, you'll soon have a star to shield you, as well. #android20onhtchero
11/05/09
Because google voice is on Android no? #htcdroideris
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Awesome. #htcdroideris
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It could end up being a carrier issue. Maybe sprint will get the push and VZW won't but I don't think so.
Regardless one of the benefits of android is that the whole root thing is pretty simple. Its not that hard to get any version any time you want it. #htcdroideris
11/05/09
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Me, I'd like the Droid for it's gi-normous screen and (slightly) faster processor. We can have basically the same functionality with the features we'd like. #htcdroideris
11/05/09
11/05/09
@Dabogimp: Actually I'm still holding off. Our contract isn't up until either December or February, and at the rate these phones are coming out, even the Droid would be stale by then.
I'm looking forward to something with a huge screen, a snapdragon, 2.0 (or 2.5?), multitouch, and a physical keyboard. #htcdroideris
11/05/09
After paying $100/mo for service, why would you not pay an extra Benji up front and get the Droid?
Too many devices leads to failure imo! (this is moot if the plans are different - those monthly savings are what really adds up!) #htcdroideris
11/05/09
Data is data; why charge extra just because it has a better/different OS? I had a Nokia 6555 and then an HTC FUZE. Another family member has an iPhone 3G. We're in an EDGE area. With the 6555 on $10 Family Data, I was pulling ~50-60 MB a month while the iPhone was using all of 30 MB. With my FUZE I'm pulling ~100 MB a month and still wasting $30/mo on the same, useless PDA Personal plan. #htcdroideris
11/05/09
Though I'm on an iPhone with the 5.99 plan :D And I also have the TM506 to tether 3G data with...for 5.99/mo...
It almost seems wrong. #htcdroideris
11/05/09
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10/28/09
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10/28/09
Negative.
I'll probably rue making this statement but I work for Sprint, and I currently have a Pre. I love my Pre, and Sprint is the tits, especially the plans. I'm just open minded enough to realize hotness. #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
ps
the Sprint NFL app sucks balls. #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
Anyway, I am also getting a bit annoyed by the general tone with the Hero. I can't speak for the GSM version, but the Sprint (CDMA) version is very polished as it is. Personally, I think the Sprint version looks a bit better, with the exception to the button area. If you look at the back and top of the phone, you'll probably agree.
Far as I can tell, there is no lag in the UI, it does take a second to switch from portrait to landscape. It can tend to bog down if I am running too many applications in the back, but taskkiller eliminates that problem. Website zoom is very smooth (as opposed to one review video I watched). The ability to continuously type on the virtual keyboard is unmatched by almost anything. I miss the keys A LOT, but 95%, it knows what I want, and it's seamless, you just keep typing.
If you ask anyone who has the Hero, or even a few fans of HTC, they'll tell you this phone is the one to get for 2009, and probably most of 2010. #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
10/29/09
Typing is great, though, except for in the web browser, where it's practically unusable due to the lag. I can type very fast on my Magic, and even though the iPhone allows me to physically type faster due to the better responsiveness, overall the Magic wins because of its superior spell-check. #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
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10/28/09
We've got a Moto version of it but I've seen nothing to indicate that is how the regular 2.0 build is going to look. I'm sure that sense will look just fine on top of it and all features will be preserved.
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Its still mostly a given though. Android has pushed all updates just like apple has with the iphone. There is hardware limitations here that will likely prevent it from being on the G1 (which is a current phone but defiantly at the end of its life). Thats just how it works though. Even the updates on the iPhone is still hardware limited. #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
Besides, it's never really a given that you'll ever get an update for a device. Eventually apple will release a new version of the iPhone that will software that is just too much for the old 1st generation iPhones to handle. It just so happens that Android is evolving quite quickly now, so hardware is more prone to being tossed asunder.
Besides besides, the carriers have a lot of say about what updates they push, and carriers can suck sometimes ;) #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
The G1 and other android phones are still being sold on contracts and we don't know if they will receive the 2.0 update. The G1 is being sold in Canada on THREE YEAR contracts. Do you honestly think that the G1 is going to get an android 3 or 4.0 update when it comes out? HELL NO.
They shouldn't be selling the device anymore when they don't have plans to continue releasing updates for it. It's totally unfair to the consumer, and the way android updates are done the consumers are pretty much in the dark, whereas with the iPhone you plug it in and iTunes tells you there's an update. :/ #android20onhtchero
10/28/09
The fact is, no one is yet selling a phone that for sure won't get this update. All we have are rumors, and the telecom's shouldn't stop selling a phone that people will buy just because of a rumor it won't get an update in the future.
Of course none of that changes the face that if I don't get the 2.0 update with my G1 from T-mobile, I'll be upset. But the benefits of an open platform are that someone will get the update to the phone if it is possible, it just may be a bit more work. #android20onhtchero
10/28/09