24-06-2009: HTC today presented her newest Android device: the HTC Hero. As a debute on the HTC Hero, HTC's newest personalization service will be live: HTC Sense. We flew to London and met the HTC Hero and Sense
By: Willeke de Haas
HTC planned a press conference in London today and presented the HTC Hero there, HTC's newest gadget that operates on the Android system. The HTC Hero is not just a device. At the beginning of June already knew that HTC aould present one or more devices on Londen today, but the HTC Hero itself has been wandering around in the rumour circuit since January, when the full roadmap of HTC found her way to the web. Today the moment had arrived to introduce the HTC Hero to the world, together with HTC Sense, HTC's personalization service that will first operate on the HTC Hero.
HTC Hero
The HTC Hero is, as I just mentioend, an Android device. This makes the Hero HTC's third Android device and this time it is again clear that the design of the Android family will not change for now. The HTC Hero is a candybar device with a somewhat curved form at the bottom so the device matches the shape of your face when you're using it to make a call with.
HTC listens well to her consumers, soemthing that HTC lovers namely recently noticed as a big disadvantage is the nedless polishing of the display. A large display is of course very welcome for reaching the internet and viewing videos, but the disadvantage often is that you have to keep on cleaning it all the time. That is someting HTC now resolved and she now uses a fingerprint-resistant coating on top of the 3.2 inch display. With this, the display will not easily pick yup fingerprints and grease, which saves a lot of annoyance.
HTC Hero
When you have the HTC Hero in hand you just have to get used to it. This is not what a regular mobile phone feels like, right? No, that's indeed right. The white variant of the HTC Hero is namely equipped with a Teflon coating. This gives the device a soft touch and again a more robust and less slippery feeling. The HTC Hero will not slip through your fingers due to the Teflon coating.
The HTC Hero is perfect for multimedia experience. The device namely offers expandable memory so you can take along as many files, music and photos as you like. The listening to music is a true pleasure, you can even plug in your own headsets due to the 3.5 mm headset port. So, no hassle anymore with the delivered earplugs that aren't that comfortable anyway.
A good multimedia experience is not achieved by only offering a musicplayer. A 5 megapixelo camera is placed at the back that should capture your spontaneous moments. If you then have to make it to a date it is very convenient to know that HTC implemented a GPS receiver and compass in the device. Ideal when you know that you will exactly how to walk and talk in combination with Google Maps and Google Streetview.
HTC Hero
Operating on Android, the HTC will offer a convenient internet browser with which you can easily record your favourite pages, browse through pages and search for things that aren't only focused on the internet browser itself, but on the entire device. This search engine also searches your Twitter contacts, Facebook friends and your uploaded photos.
HTC Sense
HTC Sense debuts on the HTC Hero and will appeal to many people. HTC Sense is an extra layer on top of the Android system, wtih which you can personalize your device so the things that are most important to you are the easiest to access. HTC Sense is a serve in itself that will operate on all HTC devices that have Android or Windows Mobile.
HTC Sense
So, what is HTC Sense exactly and how does it work? HTC Sense is actually about three fillars: Make it mine, Stay close and The Unexpected. With the pillar "Make it mine" HTC gives you the feeling that the HTC Hero is made for you and by you. With this pillar you can furnish your device as you like and indicate how you want to gain access to certain functions and services. If you find the weather and friends networks the most important, you add widgets of these services to the start display. You like business programs? You add the widgets of your favourite business apps to your start display.
With "STay Close" you get an all-in-one overview of all forms of communication that are possible with the HTC Hero. You therefore get more than just a separate overview of your missed calles, but an overview in which all calls, SMS messages, Flickr photos, updates of your friends networks and such are indicated. You therefore have an instant view of what's new, what you've missed in the meanwhile and you can stay best in touch with friends and family.
With "Discover the Unexpected" you can experience technical details. As the name already says: you experience the unexpected. This unexpected can be found in a windscreen wiper (as we also came across with HTC's TouchFlo 3D interface) or the direct indication of a quick way to dial numbers. But you can also view your content in an entirely new way with the Unexpected, think of your music, your Twitter updates, your e-mail and your photos.
Enthusiast?
Live photos of the HTC Hero will be online later today. At the moment we write this we are meeting the HTC Hero and HTC Sense in a very expanded way and we will be able to show you the very first live photos of the device later today. So, please keep refreshing the homepage for the first experiences and photos! The HTC Hero, the first device with HTC Sense, will reach the shops round July. The salesprices haven't been announced yet.