By Excuse me for sleeping! At 4AM I hopped in bed, thinking this Sprint Hero Announcement was a pretty darn good story I scooped. I wake up a few hours later to find out that it is now even more officially officialized as they have sent out a Press Release will full details!
Sprint’s HTC Hero will launch on October 11th for the price of $179.99 after 2-year agreement and rebate. There was a big debate as to whether the Sprint version of the HTC Hero would have the “chin” we’ve all come to know and either love/hate. The answer? No chin! While I prefer the chin, any way you look at it this thing is 100$ dead sexy!
For those with small monitors, let Uncle Rob help you out:
So it looks like Sprint’s version of the HTC Hero will indeed have HTC Sense! What I don’t understand is why call this the HTC Hero when the design is so radically different? I mean the chin was the main point of emphasis in the style and its gone so…. oh whatever who cares SPRINT IS GETTING THE HERO OCTOBER 11TH!
You can sign up for some type of notification that is mostly undisclosed at Sprint.com/Hero – OR you can do what the COOL people do and subscribe to OUR HTC Hero updates on OUR HTC Hero page! Afterall… we practically broke the news before Sprint did.
My favorite part of this information avalanche by Sprint is how they compare the HTC Hero to the leading flagship devices on T-Mobile (MyTouch), AT&T (iPhone) and Verizon (Storm). The reason I like this is because it could be ANOTHER phone that gets the brunt of the Hero’s brawn… the Palm Pre. How many people do you think will choose the Palm Pre when they’ve got this bad boy to choose from?
[Via Press Release]
hello sprint!
thats a nice everything data plan you have, and oh mai what an interesting revision of the htc hero! i can has?
i like this design i wonder if they changed anything under the hood while throwing it all in to this form factor
the future looks bright for android
I am uber jealous right now. I have verizon. I WANT AN ANDROID. And i dont want the sholes! I want something like this! I want an HTC phone! Come on desire, be a QWERTY android!
Or ill just jump ship and get a G1.
@Shane
Why don’t you want a Sholes? It has a QWERTY and better hardware specs than the Hero. The only bad thing is it doesn’t have an official release as of yet.
I’ve got a Hero in the UK and would probably rather have a Sholes over it. The Sense UI is great and all, but most of the functionality can come from apps and widgets available on the Market. Plus Motorola will probably throw its own Sense-like UI on top. Wait and see…maybe I’ll PM you in a few months to trade my chinned Hero (I like the chin btw) for your Moto Sholes.
I will be getting this and I hate Sprint!…
@Nate
Because the sholes will not have the hack-ability of an HTC device. And i really hate the look of the phone. I mean, i have only seen the renders and prototype of the device, but its still quite ugly to me. Im in favor of a trackball and not a D-Pad. I don’t know, i just feel that phone is going to be ruined in some way shape or form
I can take or leave the “chin” I just don’t like the “brushed steel” look at all. Oh well, won’t stop me from getting it – ugly phone
Is the trackball bigger?
Honestly, I like the new look of the phone, and I might get it if the InstinctQ (or some other QWERTY Android) doesn’t launch soon after it.
looks 100% better, looks like an adult phone. peace out tmo here i come sprint
What kind of 2 year agreement is required? The same $99 unlimited everything plan like the Pre’s?
IMPORTANT POINT OF CLARIFICATION:
In Sprint’s release, it mentions the Hero as the “HTC Hero with Google” just ONCE. So is this technically a Google-experience phone? I was under the impression it was JUST the HTC Hero, no Google branding besides the fact it’s running Android.
i wouldn’t say I think the US Hero is ugly, my problem with it is that it’s not the HTC Hero.
it’s a complete redesign, so just give it a new name instead of confusing people with this crap.
Anyway I’m very happy here in Denmark with my real HTC Hero :)
Finally, a reason to stay with Spring. I was seriously thinking about jumping ship to Verizon because Sprint phones suck and I’m getting extremely annoyed with their “customer service review” calls.
I HATE TMOBILE…THEY COMPLETELY DROPPED THE BALL PICKING THE MAGIC OVER THE HERO..tsk tsk..ive supported tmobile and android from day one..tied into a contract, and now the best andoid phone is on sprint..
It looks like the Magic
I don’t care what you guys call it… THIS IS NOT HERO… This is NOT what I’ve been waiting for. This aggravates me BIG TIME. It was the design of HERO that attracted me the most. I’m not sure what I wanna do now. I may still end up getting it for “Sense”, but, I am VERY VERY disappointed.
Now the question is “is the REAL Hero ever going to make it to US???”
I can’t believe this. The Euro version of the HTC Hero is so much sexier. The brushed metal and button layout on the bottom are both terrible. I was really looking forward to seeing the Hero come out on the market, but they just castrated it by getting rid of any sex appeal it had. I would be embarrassed to show this to my friends with iPhones.
So how much “faster” is a hero compared to a G1? I like my G1 and all, but sometimes it can really slow down without very much running at all. I love android, and I really like the look of the hero, but I need more speed!
I love my chinned Hero better :)
This one looks much worse than the original Hero except for the layout of the buttons which is definitely more organized.
But what about the screen size ? is it 3.5″ ?
Rob, what are you talking about with the Pre? It’s obvious why Sprint didn’t compare it to the Pre. Because it’s on the same network! The three phones they compared it to are the flagship smartphones of the three competing carriers. Why on earth would they want to compare it to another phone on their own network? That would only hurt the sales of both devices. Clearly this ad is meant to bring over T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon customers, not make Sprint customers decide which phone they should upgrade to next.
I was looking around and also discovered that the Hero will be available in Asia soon. The Thai HTC site (http://www.htc.com/th/) already has it posted (with the chin) but it is still not available in the country. I spoke with a HTC rep and he said that it should be in Thailand in October also. He didn’t know the price yet.
I was really hoping to get the chin Hero. This is disappointing.
No chin is okay. As long as they have a different color. That metallic color is just wrong.
I’m very excited about this announcement! Hero is going to be in my hands come October 11th for sure.
I did notice an inconsistency with the chart though – it says the battery is 1500mAh but the HTC site http://www.htc.com/www/product/hero/specification.html says 1350mAh. Who is right? Where is that picture from anyway?
@ Dan
I feel like Rob is right on here. The Pre is going to take the brunt of the damage on this.
The redesigned HERO, whether you like it or not, is a very capable smartphone, running Android, with a UI that gives the Pre a run for its money. Include the Android Market, and I really don’t see a contest.
Sure, the HERO will help Sprint convert some new customers, and I think those customers are the same ones that would have sprung for a Pre. Now, I’m not so sure.
Oh! I get it! Still trying to look like that damn iPhone! As you can see, plenty of us anticipated the original Hero design and now we have something different. The Sprint rep sold me on this phone two weeks ago but now I am not so thrilled at all. You know people who want an iPhone get an iPhone! People who want a Hero DON’T want an iPhone. Shame on you!
@Dan Reread the section more carefully,think it through, and then ask your questions. Rob knows they’re on the same network, and didn’t say anything about them comparing the phones, rather would the Hero get more sales? / Will the Pre sales go down? Now Sprint customers have 2 nice smart phones to choose from.
Wow. I’m a long suffering Verizon customer and was really looking forward to making the switch once this phone crossed the pond. This new revision is hideous though, too bad.
Anyone else notice that the Sprint hero states it has a 1500 mAh battery while the “euro” hero sports a 1350 mAh battery. I wonder what other internals have changed.
I need this phone… but I need it for T-Mobile :(… will it be unlocked???
To little, to late Sprint. I have move on to the myTouch — and I had been with Sprint for 9 years.
@Juan
If this is anything like the Pre, it doesn’t require the $99 simply everything plan, just the $69 everything data plan.
This is the best looking hero ever the only thing that will prevent me fron getting this is if the instinct q has a flash on the camera I plan on getting this and the nokia N900
What’s messaging integration?
That… is not a hero.
I was ready to get it day one yesterday.. now I’m conflicted because I don’t want to import the $600 chinned version, but I don’t want that thing that doesn’t look as cool AND has no keyboard.. i was willing to let the lack of a keyboard slide before when it looked so cool. But now… wtf
It isn’t distinctive now. It looks like a winMo
Oh thank God they got rid of that hideous chin. I was just going to tolerate that thing just for Sense UI, but now this is phone that I won’t be embarassed to pull out in front of people.
“32. Jesse wrote on September 3, 2009
Anyone else notice that the Sprint hero states it has a 1500 mAh battery while the “euro” hero sports a 1350 mAh battery. I wonder what other internals have changed.”
Europe uses GSM which is not as energy intensive as CDMA. I wouldn’t be too worried about that alone.
This phone is sooo soo hot. I love my HTC Touch Pro. This is my 4th HTC phone. I am a fan of thier products and I recently got an iPod touch. While I am not interested in switching to the iPhone w/ at&t I am left craving more after to use windows mobile. I think with the combined creativity of Android, HTC’s phone & Sprints simply everything plan I can not go wrong.
For me this phone is comming out just in time. I have been getting the, “Lets see what else is out there” itch.
I gotta say; I feel a little defeated by Sprint’s ‘redesign’ of the Hero. I loved the angular version. This just isn’t the Hero, period. It’s nice that it’s Sense and all, but is a completely different phone than the Hero. I was all ready to jump ship to Sprint the second that the Hero landed on US soil, and now I’m conflicted. I will, however, withhold any definitive judgement until I see some hands on of this thing.
hhhhhhhhhh i couldnt care les since that this will probably not be coming to dubai and the too old cheap look
but i loooved the table putting specs next to iphone is hilarious i really dont know why people like the iphone
ps:android market is over 10.000
Not sure what they are saying about “messaging integration”.. but the myTouch comes with Aim, MSN Live, and Yahoo messaging.. has SMS.. I suppose I could also hook up Google’s messaging thingy as well, if someone I knew was using it.
anyone can put any sense or whatever on their phones…this is android. flash away! however, i can say that this phone is not worth leaving t-mobile for.
Sprint Hero-chin=no sale
._. I want this phone badly, don’t have Sprint though, and don’t want to pay a lot of money for it unlocked or w/e.
I am so glad I am in Hong Kong and we will get the real HERO releasing in a week or 2. Not this wannabe.
what the hell is wrong wit u guys? the euro design sucked…it looked like some Japanese POS….this looks more luxorious and grown up
Okay, so I was one of the ones who remarked on the first leaked photos of this phone. I absolutely hated it! I said that if Sprint didn’t bring out the original Hero (like in the UK), that I would NOT be getting it. Well, I may have to eat my words. I am actually starting to kinda like this design. Not more than the original, but it’s sorta starting to grow on me, plus they got rid of the fugly gold stripe. I think I will be getting it the day it comes out. Glad I stuck with Sprint all this time, hoping that Android would finally get here. Wait almost over.
You seem to be mistaken sir. That is not a hero. ಠ_ಠ
Never mind, I’m sold on these screenshots.
http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-6454_7-10001474-1.html?s=0&o=10001474&tag=mncol;page
MY contract with AT&T is up in OCTOBER! now that is some awsome news! bye bye iphone! hello HERO! (thought i liek the white chin casing better :( … ohwell!) and i’m stoked cuz my company offers 25% off sprint plans! HERO plus only paying 55$ a month instead of $70! noo thats a steal!
I have to say I am sad, I liked the look of the UK hero so much more, I dont really care about the chin, but this is not what the hero is, this is like the hero 2. But right now I am wanting an android phone BAD so most likely I will suck it up and still get this phone that is not as nice. I will just end up buying it outright I bet.
why can they put a head phone jack in this one and only a ext usb on my mytouch?! Im forced to carry around this stupid adapter!
I liked the aesthetics of the European design better but practically this will fit into a pocket easier. I’ve heard rumors that the device discount comes with the Simply Everything plan but I don’t need the minutes so I would want a cheaper plan. Anyone know if the phone discount applies to the cheaper plans?
No one has mentioned how HUGE it is that Android is coming out from under T-Mobile! Just by being on another carrier, the Android should see an eruption in action/buzz/app development/coverage/etc.
I love sprint’s Simply Everything plan. It’s cheaper than my Wife’s iPhone plan and includes MUCH more. I also love touch flo on my Touch Diamond. The Hero subtracts WinMo6.1, replaces it with Android, upgrades touch flo to sense, AND adds multi-touch!!!
Chin or no chin, this phone is a definite BUY!!! They could redesign it to look like a 1990’s walkman…I’d still buy it. As long as the screen works, that’s all I need.
It’s not the design loss of the chin.. It’s the finish.. If they had kept to a consistent color scheme instead of the shiny plate for the buttons, it would look like a more polished unit, and less like pieces fit together.
Just an update. I went to the HTC shop and talked with a sales person. He said that the Hero should be released in Thailand on the 15th of September and comes with the chin. You can place a 1,000 baht ($29) deposit for the phone and pay the full amount 22,900 baht($674) when it arrives on the 15th.
man you morons are hopeless first of all if you liked the original design you must be a tween cuz it’s not very adult at all this new version is more business and adult form factor and the cry babies that left for the mytouch well i hope you like your slow avg 3g google experience because we all know that sprints ev-do network is way better and the hero is not a google experience phone that is why HTC was able to develop SenseUI which google is not letting them put on other google branded phones. bottom line is chin or no chin it’s still the best android phone in the states and will be a competitor to the iphone i’m dropping my Pre for this no doubt
Valnomien.. I would drop the Pre as well, if I was you.. Even the “cry babies” with their slow myTouches, have both periods and commas available to them. Your attempts to write as an adult, business enthusiast, is thwarted by the lack of ANY punctuation.
i don’t have a clue what yall talkin bout but i have a htc touch & the diamond so this phone is right up my alley yay!
Tommy likey! Tommy want Wingie! I love this website… I am so stoked to get this phone! The Chin was cool, But hey. We’re Americans and we’ve always been a little different. So our Hero should be too. I want people to know I’m from the USA when I whip out my HERO… How’s that for puncuation? I didn’t go to college son!
Thanks Uncle Rob.
i’ve been waiting for the hero to drop in the states all summer long, i loved the chin on the original UK version and was disapointed with this chinless version. but what disapointed me more was the brushed metalic finish and the button pad looked way better on the uk version. as long as its the same internally and still comes with flash (sprint has failed to mention if this version will come with flash as the uk 1 did)then i guess i’ll still end up getting it, but won’t be as happy as i would’ve hoped
The chin was the worst part of the original design in my opinion. Maybe it’s because I’m old fashioned, but I care more about what’s under the hood than the aesthetics of the phone. Maybe it’s because I remember a time when mobile phones were the same size as my sneakers. Anyway chin or no chin an android phone with my everything plan is right up my alley. Tidbit for current sprint customers get this phone at your local bestbuy and skip the mail in rebate from the sprint store.
I am confused?If you look at the picture above, you see two different Hero’s. Track ball or pads look different and there seems to be more curvature on one of the designs. Are they the same phone or will there be two different designs for us to choose from?
spacejam: It’s just different lighting.
Question: I bought a Palm pre a few months ago and it’s been a disappointing experience. Battery horrors, phone gets white hot, touch bad blanks out. I’ve already returned one and I’m about to return another.
I’d love to get the hero next month, but I’m not sure how to upgrade so quickly without shelling out major bucks.
Any help greatly appreciated.
@59> “They could redesign it to look like a 1990’s walkman…I’d still buy it.” Hilarious. Best quote ever.
If I knew about this phone I would have never gotten the Palm Pre. Now it looks like I am going to have to sell my Pre on craigslist and go get this once it comes out :) This phone looks like it will smoke the pre, the pre is taking to long to come out with anything good for it.
I really like how they include everything i need. great camera, touchscreen and a track ball which in my opinion is always nice to have. I also like how HTc but there interface on top of Android. I have the Diamond right now and live the interface. So i cant wait to get the Hero on Oct. 11 and see what it is like. CANT WAIT!! :)
Now this is my hero…
I personally held off on the Palm Pre in anticipation of a better offering from Sprint. What can I say – the wait may be paying off soon :) I love the Hero and will give it a good consideration, especially after I get a change to play with it in store.
its doodly good i just hope it does not hang up!
I am a total phone geek – of course I have the Palm Pre – oh how I am rethinking that choice!! The Hero is everything the Palm Pre said it would be in so many ways. Like stated before they are being too slow with updates and fixes! We can’t even change the text notification sound! Three Pre’s in a room & if someone gets a text everyone is diving for their phone!! So frustrating! I’ll end up paying retail for the Hero – but I think it will be money well spent. I guess I’ll keep my Pre as a spare.
Im leaving both tmobile and ATT for this phone and like someone stated above, I HATE sprint! I had bad experience with sprint about 6 yrs ago. I hate their cust service, and how they turn your phone off so abruptly over 1 penny… But this Hero phone has got me feeling like its gonna be worth the switch.. plus my company gets that 25% discount with sprint.. wow! This is a deal I feel like I cant pass on!
Can you buy the real hero then and use it under sprint?
I will be getting a Htc Hero. I tried the Palm Pre and it sucks. Hope this phone lives up to all that it is supposed too. I currently have a Htc and love it. The Hero has everything that my current Htc does not. Headphone jack, a GPS that works, a larger screen, better keyboard, WiFi, better camera, Track ball vs Dpad, more apps, acceloromator, up to a 32 gig card. I believe that Pandora will work on the Hero. They show it on their Web Site. Pandora is awesome! It sounds great on the palm pre. Hope it sounds as great on the Hero. Off the Pre order the HTC HERO!
I am feeling the HTC Hero’s look. I am currently with Verizon and have the storm which I like as well. I am a little hesitant to go back to sprint because of their piss-poor customer service, but you cannot beat their everything plan for $99.00. I want an android phone, but do not like the look of the Sholes. Having a difficult time deciding between the Cliq and Hero. I may just settle for the sprint cost effective service after all. Verizon is breaking my pockets. Sprint customers how do u rate the service?
Guilty, I have had Sprint for almost 8 years. I hear everyone talk about crappy Sprint Cust Service. I have never had an issue EVER. Whenever I call, I have always had excellent response, friendly voices, and knowledgeable people. Unfortunately I live in a small town, and nearest “service Center” (not store) is an hour drive away, so kind of a pain! I have had the HTC Touch for almost 2 years, and it has been a love/hate kind of thing. Does everything I needed a business/personal phone to do. But Touchscreen texting/entering is clumsy at times. Touch-Flo was nothing that it was cracked up to be, and had to replace phone after about 1-1/2 yrs (screen failed and unit just STOPPED, no fix possible). Had the $7/mo maintenance plan (stealing AMEX…Dont leave home without it!) Love the look of this Hero, but not sure, not familiar yet with Android, but know I am really hating WinMo 6.1. Decisions, decisons!! Happy Hunting ya’ll
i really dont see what the big deal of the chin. it has no keyboard so whats the point of it looking like the g1 when it wont even have a keyboard and then new design is very sexy and its obvious that us always changes their designs when it comes to phone just like att did with the touch dimond 2 and other carriers with the touch pro 2 so we get what we get. i been dying to get the tp2 on sprint but it doesnt look like the price will be dropping anytime soon so i might as well give andriod a try. who knows i might like it better then wm the only thing i would reallyl ike on this phone is touchflow 3d on the main screen that would make me love this phone but as of now i really like it hopefull fall in love lol
I really like, and im feeling the style of this phone,, i will be getting this october 11th,,!!
Why is it 599.0 at bestbuy? Is it unlocked? It says sprint….
sprint service is great never lose calling (except nextel).
but customer service does suck ass. cant wait for hero to come out…looks killer
Those who care SO much about what this phone looks like over the UK version are so F’n funny. As long as it does what it says it does under the hood and the sense UI works as advertised I could really care less about what it looks like as long as it’s not as thick as a brick.
I mean who really pulls out there phone to show off how it “looks”? I care about what it can DO first.
I WILL BE STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE SPRINT STORE ON THE 11TH AT 6:00AM LLS I AM REALLY PRESSED FOR THIS PHONE I HAD THE HTC PRO AND IT HAS A PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING I HAVE THE INSTINCT I REALLY LOVE THAT PHONE I AM JUST PRESSED TO FINALLY GET A UPGRADE HERO HERE I COME
Does the sprint version still have the teflon coating?
I cant get my notification noise to change on my hero..it says it does in the list but when i get a message it is the same noise that it came with originally.. can anyone help??
OK, now that I have had my hero since 10/09/09 (Thanks best buy rewards zone) I am happy to report, this is the besy phone that has even been in my hand. I was skeptical about the on screen key board. My last phone was the touch pro. However, it works better and faster than the full hard qwerty. Good job HTC, and thanks Sprint.
Upgraded from Samsung Instinct to the Hero on 10/12. Like night and day! I passed on the Pre after hearing about a possible Android phone (Thank goodness). I really wanted to love the Pre, but it was just…not…all…that. The Hero on the other hand is the BEST phone I have ever used in every possible way. The iPhone can’t carry this thing’s water. This phone can be tethered by simply checking one box under the wireless settings– no rooting or 3rd party app necessary. I’m getting Rev. A speeds tethered– 1.4 down, 800 up. One Kick @$$ phone.
What are you guys talking. Chin is ugly. This phone feels way better in your hand.
I LOVE Sprint and can’t wait until April 1, 2010 when I get to upgrade and get my HERO!
do not get the htc hero..ive had several problems.. biggest is with deleting text messages this is my 2nd replacement phone of the hero..cuz sprint techs could not fix the problem after hours of trying on the phone..i was able to delete any of my text messages and only way to correct it was to do a hard reset and i lost all my info on phone..that did not correct the problem so they send me replacement phone..and now the same problem is going on excep this time i now cannot get picturemail to open at all..once again sprint told me cant fix text messages being deleted and only way to fix the picturemail problem was to download an update for the phone will in doing so will wipe out everything u have in your phone
oh and the htc hero takes the worst pictures ever..mine always came out with a yel tint and it wasnt adjusted to do that ..and blurry ..poor quality im crappy phones this latest phone took way better pics..infact i must say the palm pre my old phone took the best high definition pictures out of any phone ive ever owned ..htc pics suck big time