The Android based, HTC Hero phone is closely integrated with Google and social networking sites such as Flick and Facebook and is widely available in T-Mobile subscriptions. In the USA, it is sold in unlocked GSM platform with a higher price tag, since there is no carrier subsidy.
The HTC Hero has a 3.2inch HVGA screen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. Display is bright and clear when viewed inside and is quite good in sunlit areas. Photos and streaming images are also good, especially in full-screen mode. You can modify resolution, brightness, colours, saturation and other standard image settings. Pictures can be cropped and renamed directly on the phone, without the need for a computer.
The HTC Hero operates solely on touch-screen and lacks a physical QWERTY keyboard. Buttons are reasonable large, with the number and punctuation keys located at the bottom of the touch-screen. However, the space bar needs a bit of tweaking, as it is the hardest virtual key to tap.
The interface is stylish and easy to navigate. With a 528-MHz processor, applications are launched in no time and tasks run smoothly. There is no problem with background noise and the overall call quality is good on the 3G network.
Both Microsoft Exchange and Pop/IMAP e-mails work with HTC Hero. However, the use of subfolders is limited, making it difficult to label and categorise mail. Overall, e-mail experience with HTC Hero is fine, attachments open quickly and the built-in QuickOffice allows you to view PDF and MS Word attachments.
