HTC Hero

[delanvital]

spotify for android

[smilodon]

Seems there is now also a baby Hero, called the Tattoo.
http://www.htc.com/europe/product/tattoo/product-tour.html

ohh and here's something else too

http://android.modaco.com/content/htc-hero-hero-modaco-com/292269/is-htc-preparing-to-deploy-the-new-hero-software-version-2-ota/

[Bob]

spotify for android

Spotify just got themselves another Premium member. Downloading it now and looking forward to test it out

[delanvital]

I think I have come across the Linux-based Android as an image, fx for use with virtualisation. I am not sure if this is more of a curiosity or what :g:

http://www.technobuzz.net/install-google-android-pc-live-android/

[smilodon]

TL mentioned an issue with the official HTC Hero carry case and some unwanted black marks.

I just got one of these and its a cool bit of gear.

http://www.htcheroblog.com/2009/09/09/htc-hero-flexishield-skin-review-video/

[delanvital]

Yesterday I rooted the phone and installed a modified ROM (which includes the leaked HTC Update amongst other things). I found that I had to reset the phone (wipe) before the update worked. That was not much trouble though, because all my contact details (except SMS) were stored via google anyway.

I forgot to format the SD-card though prior to updating, which is actually so easy to do with the rooted phone, and after the update I had the folders with old apps there etc. which were no longer installed. I tried formatting the card from the phone, but that failed and rendered it useless. Format would just blink, and it was registred ans "no OSFS". I then mounted the sd-card and connected to PC via USB and formatted to Fat32 via Windows. All solved.

I have to say, the HTC update is awesome! The pace when scrolling is perfect. No lag.

The modified core solves some issues, adds some functions etc

Included in both 'core' and 'enhanced' versions

- Rooted with 'adb remount' permission and superuser APK
- A2SD included (fully automatic - thanks cyanogen!) - create a EXT3 partition as your second partition to use. dalvik-cache remains on device. EXT4 is NOT supported.
- Added Jbed Java
- Added Spare Parts (run it and switch the 2 animation types to 'fast' for an even better experience!)
- Added Custom Locale for setting non english Locales
- Added android-wifi-tether 1.52 (props to the developer, this is a great app!)
- Added WMSM
- Added busybox 1.15 - tweaked such that 'get information' in Swapper now works as desired
- Added nano 2.09 - text editor for use in shell mode
- Added terminfo and settings to boot.img to allow nano etc. use
- Added tun.ko file (untested, please report on whether this is useful)
- Added files required for Debian linux
- Moved Quickoffice to data partition to allow easy uninstall
- Deleted 'Learn More' application
- Deleted Maps application - install from the Android Market to always stay up to date
- ROM now includes touch focus in Camera app
- ROM now supports shortcuts using BetterCut (and therefore I assume anycut!) in Rosie
- Silenced boot sound (it's still there and can be reactivated with a file edit)
- You can now check your MoDaCo Custom ROM (MCR) version from the about menu. It will display MCR2.0 (core) or MCR2.0e (enhanced).
- Fix for HTC Peep on Vodafone now available here!

Included in 'enhanced' version only

- Added Business Card Scanner
- Added 'Plurk' client
- Added WAP browser
- Added Chinese IME
- Restored Maps app (for users who cannot install it from the Market)

[suicidal_monkey]

...eek, hopefully this unofficial patch/core will become an official patch/core soon then without the "something-fubar-ed" worries?

edit: what are the best deals people have seen/found with the Hero? Is it better to buy one outright and get a sim-only or payg contract or is it okay to get a contract for it (i.e. is the firmware untainted? experiences with vodafone and sony ericssons makes me wary of contract phones...). My current deal suits me well: Ã,£10 simplicity from O2 plus their "unlimited" web bolt on for Ã,£7.50 for a total of Ã,£17.50 per month for ~100 min, ~100sms, ...and a "perfectly adequate thus far" fair use policy.

edit2: how often are you guys having to change your heros? and are you using them a lot or a little to get this battery life?


ta

[delanvital]

...eek, hopefully this unofficial patch/core will become an official patch/core soon then without the "something-fubar-ed" worries?

edit: what are the best deals people have seen/found with the Hero? Is it better to buy one outright and get a sim-only or payg contract or is it okay to get a contract for it (i.e. is the firmware untainted? experiences with vodafone and sony ericssons makes me wary of contract phones...). My current deal suits me well: Ã,£10 simplicity from O2 plus their "unlimited" web bolt on for Ã,£7.50 for a total of Ã,£17.50 per month for ~100 min, ~100sms, ...and a "perfectly adequate thus far" fair use policy.

edit2: how often are you guys having to change your heros? and are you using them a lot or a little to get this battery life?


ta

The patch will be out "soon" officially.

I use mine waaay too much and with GPS, bluetooth, wlan and hours and hours of toying about, it lasts a bit more than 24 hrs. Normal usage like a phone etc would be 2-3 days imho. Charge every other night perhaps

[GreenYoshi]

Just bought an HTC Hero, its soooo cool. Orange isn't the best but its still pretty good, they are doing a deal atm for 1200 miuntes, unlimited texts and unlimited data (with some strange fair use policy attached, you get 500mb day time use and unlimited evening use for the internet, I think...).

http://www.phones4u.co.uk/shop/shop_contract_details.asp?ItemKey=284100

The google star map is great with the gps, you can point hte phone to any point in the sky and it will show you where each star is in each constelation...

[Jabbs]

Hi guys

I've been (trying) to follow all this talk of Hero's etc because my work have asked me to source new phones.

We have to stay with Vodafone (which could be limiting I don't know)

• We (three of us who go out 'n' about a lot) need phones that will be very good on the internet where a fair amount of typing will be rquired
• We will probably taking plenty of photos too so good camera is important
• Would be nice to get push email but not essential
• Battery life not important as long as it will last a day without having to plug the phone into a charger everytime we pop back in to the office
• Would also be nice to sync with either Outlook and/or Hotmail contacts/emails

I like what you guys are saying about the Hero although I'm not sure if Vodafone do it as I can only see the HTC Pro2 (don't really know what the difference is tbh)

Also considering: Blackberry's and N97

What do you reckon?

[delanvital]

The nice thing is that it doesn't enforce any DRM. The bad thing is that anything you bought through iTunes won't play on it.

Not defending iTunes at all but - you can use the songs you have purchased w/o DRM, m4a-format, which is more common now.

• We (three of us who go out 'n' about a lot) need phones that will be very good on the internet where a fair amount of typing will be rquired
• We will probably taking plenty of photos too so good camera is important
• Would be nice to get push email but not essential
• Battery life not important as long as it will last a day without having to plug the phone into a charger everytime we pop back in to the office
• Would also be nice to sync with either Outlook and/or Hotmail contacts/emails

I like what you guys are saying about the Hero although I'm not sure if Vodafone do it as I can only see the HTC Pro2 (don't really know what the difference is tbh)

Typing - if you type in landscape mode I find it good. I type 2-finger, but goes ok fast. It is a bit different though, not feeling the keys, and I type wrong from time to time. That said, the spelling correction and word prediction is quite good. I am satisfied with it, but not all yay. I type faster than regular t9 though and I guess I need to learn to type all over, but dont mind because I am already adequately fast. I keep comparing to sitting on a regular keyboard.

Camera - it is an ok camera. I am very pleased with 5Mpix which allows me to zoom pics on the pc afterwards. In the upgraded ROM I am pleased with being able to point the camera at a scene and then touch the screen where the focus should be. That is sweet. I have done some pic comparisons with that new smart C-whatever Sony phone which takes good shots. My friend took a pic of the same setting as me. Colourwise, it is the same, it is also nice and crisp. The main downside: it is a bit darker and there is no light function on it. So, if you are in dark areas... All I have to compare with is the SE w810i 3,2mpix and that Sony phone (which takes absolutely ace pics).

E-mail etc - it is designed for being on the net permanently, basically. you can find whatever you want in apps. For example your texts forwarded to email automatically, just to mention one. It is, however, very focused on reducing MB-usage, you can fx set very fair sync intervals and disable syncing when the GPS detects you are in specific areas - or enabing Wi-fi when the gps finds that you are in the office, and disabling it when you are out, to save the battery. And so on.

Battery life - with your usage it can do that for sure. If you use gps and wifi, you suck it up pretty quickly, 6 hrs non-stop usage with lots of movement and internet traffic would drain it, but stand-by goes on forever. The difference between usage and stand-by is quite big. Regular phone usage for me would make it last 2-3 days. Note that it charges pretty quick via USB-cable. I reckon you could charge when transferring pics - unless you use the wifi ofc.

Sync - it syncs with Outlook and so on, havent tried it though. Hotmail, I would access directly on the phone via browser? If hotmail supports pop3 you could also do that for sure. I dont think that is a problem, mail on the phone, in general.

My 2c mate

[Jabbs]

Ahh thanks Del, that answers a few questions. 5Megapixels? Should be enough for what we need it for I hope.

We need to get this sorted in the next few weeks so still looking.

Difference between Hero and Pro anyone?

[smilodon]

Hero = Android    
Pro = Winmobile  :sad:

I was going to do a write up about the new rom upgrade but sadly the upgrade has bricked my phone. It upgraded fine but then would not boot past the HTC logo, even after a hard reset.

So this will be a check of how well or badly //www.devicewire.com and HTC deal with a dead phone. E-mailed both tonight.......

[smilodon]

And we're back. Hurrah for Twitter. HTC on Twitter suggested I yank out the SD card as the phone boots. There was an error message ans when I cleared that I went straight through into the OS. Sorted!

[Jabbs]

Hero = Android    
Pro = Winmobile  :sad:

I was going to do a write up about the new rom upgrade but sadly the upgrade has bricked my phone. It upgraded fine but then would not boot past the HTC logo, even after a hard reset.

So this will be a check of how well or badly //www.devicewire.com and HTC deal with a dead phone. E-mailed both tonight.......

Hmmmm ok - I hope Vodafone can somehow find us 6 HTC Hero's then!