Archive for August, 2009

HTC Hero review

Straight off the back of my HTC Magic review, and earlier than expected, Matt called to announce we have one of only 2 HTC Hero handsets in the country but we haven’t got it for long, as apparently it’s quite popular already.

How will it stack up against the Magic? I was pleased overall with the Magic and would have been tempted to buy one if it wasn’t for the Samsung Galaxy and Hero due to be released, so was the wait worth it?

As Matt mentioned in his HTC Hero unboxing video this is probably the final retail unit, but not the final box.

Edit – the final box is now available here.

The HTC Hero

What is in the box?

• HTC Hero
• USB to miniUSB sync / charge cable
• USB adaptor to AC charger with UK plug
• Stereo headset

HTC Hero Specification:

• Processor: Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz
• Operating System: Android™
• Memory:  ROM: 512 MB / RAM: 288 MB
• Display: 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 320×480 HVGA resolution
• Network:  HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz – Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds
  – Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• Device Control: Trackball with Enter button
• GPS: Internal GPS antenna
• Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
• Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g
• HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Camera: 5.0 megapixel color camera with auto focus
• Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1350 mAh
• Talk time: Up to 470 minutes for GSM
• Standby time: Up to 440 hours for GSM
• Expansion Slot: microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
• G-sensor
• Digital Compass
• Dimensions (LxWxT): 112 x 56.2 x 14.35 mm (4.41 x 2.21 x 0.57 inches)
• Weight: 135 grams ( 4.76 ounces) with battery

General

The top of the device is the slot for removing the back as well and the much welcomed 3.5mm audio jack

HTC Hero top view

The left hand side is the recessed up/down volume rocker which fits nicely with the bevelled shape of the Hero. There is also a small logo stating ‘HTC innovation’.

HTC Hero left side

Nothing on the Right hand side as with the Magic

HTC Hero right side

The base as the miniUSB sync / charge housing which is next to the microphone hole

HTC Hero bottom view

The back of the phone is found the F2.8 Auto Focus 5 mega pixel camera, once again lacking any flash or portrait mirror. In the middle of the back casing is the lanyard hole and at the top beside the camera a speaker hole.

HTC Hero back view

On front of the HTC Hero there is a large slot holding the earpiece, under which is the brilliant 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 320×480 HVGA resolution, covered in the review.

HTC Hero front view

Next is a row of 4 buttons from left to right the ‘answer’ button, ‘home’, ‘menu’ and finally the ‘end / power’ button.

Below which is the trackball and a longer rocking button which is ‘search’ on the left and ‘back’ on the right.

Overall the device is a good size, again, being a good compromise between a big enough screen and not too big a phone. It feels well made, with a silver bezel running ¾ of the way around the sides and top, as picked up in the video the 4 buttons on the front, are also highlighted in the same.

The talked about lip on the bottom of the device wasn’t an issue for me and made the device easy to handle and although I expected not to like it (because if it jutting out and being noticeable in the pocket) it really wasn’t a problem. When on desk face down it actually lifts the majority, if not all, of the screen away from the surface and stops it getting scratched.

Software

I am not going to cover this is great dept as it has been done on Matt’s preview at the launch and also covered on the G1 and Magic reviews. I would like to mention a few highlights for me.

The new HTC sense UI is a great step forward, and with the additions of things like ‘aHome’ and the normal ‘Android’ home makes the device very customisable, but out of the 3, I now prefer the new HTC variant. You can change the screen regularly to stop it getting tired and you can have it as cluttered or basic as you like.

Points of note here is the introduction of the widgets which can be added or not as you wish, me being a gadget freak couldn’t have enough of them. Handy inclusions are application widgets, as seen, which allow you to quickly turn on and off things like Wifi, Bluetooth or GPS on the tap of the screen. I have also included a countdown widget to important events such as cycling to Paris.

Further extras, like a bookmark widget for your most commonly used websites, and shown here a twitter widget. Not to mention the improved and impressive keyboard.

All add together to make life easier and a pleasure to use.

Matt has also lent me some software to try out and me, being me, thought I’d try to get it to work on the android, it was at this point that I realised there is no File Manager on the HTC Hero, or the Magic come to that, fortunately the ‘Market’ came to my rescue with the free download of ‘Astro’ which let me interrogate the SD card. Just one example that for all the things the manufacturers omit, someone out there has solved it and developed it, mostly free of charge, I like android.

Review

In an awful lot of ways this is exactly the same as the Magic, different people will have different views as to which they prefer, Me, I prefer the HTC Hero, as for me it looks more professional and the black/chocolate/grey version looks even better. Put side by side with the Magic the Hero is slightly longer and pretty much identical in width and depth. The addition of the Sense UI is a huge step forward and I liked it so much I added a similar style interface to my trusty old Asus P526 as well.

The screen is, as with the Magic, brilliant, it is totally responsive with even the lightest of touches. Swiping the home from side to side is registered immediately without the need to keep repeating the actions as with previous less sensitive models. I have been using my Diamond a little this week and I have to admit the Hero makes if feel silly and sluggish.

The camera has seen an upgrade to 5 mega pixel from the Magic and although better still not that good, missing the flash etc. Still a lot of room for improvement HTC.

HTC Hero camera and MicroSD card slot

The call quality is also up to the job as with the Magic, I have read about issues with these units freezing up, but I must say that I have found the Hero to be completely reliable and no issues at all.

There is a issue in trying to sync these devices with Windows, having to download and install the SDK (458 MB) wasn’t the easiest thing to do in the world, and once loaded it wasn’t that easy to use either, that said sync with Gmail and contacts was a doddle and easy to set up straight from the off with the phone doing most of the work, as soon as you register or log in via the initial set up screens.

Conclusion

I like it, I prefer it to the Magic, but that is personal choice and I am sure many will like the Magic over the Hero.

The day to day use and the endlessly customisable screens make this device great to pick up and play with in quieter moments. The automatic updating of weather, twitter and so on keeps everything up to date and current without any hassle.

Would I buy one? I might well; I just need to have a look at the Samsung Galaxy (i7500) to be sure. A leap to the android side is definitely on the cards, but I will still have to have a windows variant hanging around as well.

From what I hear the Galaxy is not far away and hopefully with the swift release of the Hero, Samsung may be obliged to get their finger out. Overall being spoilt for choice can’t be a bad thing.

Review by: Steve

Samsung i8910 Omnia HD Review

Introduction:

The Samsung i8910 Omnia HD is the first mobile device capable of HD video recording and playback. This snazzy feature will certainly generate some interest but there is a whole lot more to the Omnia HD as it has superb specs all round.

The Samsung i8910 Omnia HD

The ten second review:

Device: Samsung i8910 Omnia HD

Price: £451.95

Summary: A top end Symbian S60 device sporting HD capabilities and an 8MP camera.

Best of: 8GB internal storage, HSDPA, WiFi, Camera.

Worst of: Symbian OS, Quick office, Dimensions.

What’s in the box:

• Handset
• Battery
• Charger
• USB Cable
• In Line Headset
• Software Disc
• Manual

Take a look at Matt’s Samsung Omnia HD unboxing video for more details.

Samsung Omnia HD Specification:

• Dimensions: 123x 58 x 12.9mm
• Symbian OS 9.4 Series 60 5th Edition
• Weight: 149g
• Battery: Capacity – 1500 mAh
• Display: 360 x 640 pixels/3.7 inch
• GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 (Quad-Band)
• Camera: 8 mega-pixels (auto-focus)
• HD Video Recording (24fps)
• Video Streaming
• E-mail (POP3, SMTP, IMAP4, MS Exchange)
• 8GB (internal)
• microSDHC (external)
• microUSB
• 3.5mm AV connector
• Bluetooth (2.0)
• AGPS
• Digital Compass
• HDMI TV Out
• Office Document Viewer

General:

The top of the handset contains a speaker and also the 3.5 headset jack. It has a nice plastic cover to protect it.

Samsung Omnia HD top view

The bottom of the device houses another speaker and also the microphone.

Samsung Omnia HD bottom view

The left hand side of the Omnia HD contains the microSD card slot and also an up/down volume rocker.

Samsung Omnia HD left side

The right hand side has the phone lock button, the USB port and also the dedicated camera button.

Samsung Omnia HD right side

At the top of the front of the device is the front facing camera and also a light sensor. At the bottom are the send, end and menu keys.

Samsung Omnia HD front view

The back of the handset contains the 8MP camera lens and the flash.

Samsung Omnia HD back view

Review:

Part of me was excited about reviewing the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD and part of me wasn’t. I was looking forward to checking out the hardware but the Symbian operating system defiantly does nothing for me. Anyway, I decided I would give the device a fair review so here goes.

The Omnia HD is a big handset. That’s not a bad thing but it can make using the handset one handed a slight problem. I couldn’t actually reach my thumb to the top left corner of the screen. Like many other devices the Omnia HD has a 3.7 inch screen but unlike other devices it also has a few centimetres above and below the screen. I was comparing the phone to the HTC Touch HD. The Omnia HD is not as wide as the Touch HD but is defiantly taller. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing I don’t know. It all comes down to personal preference. I would have a go of the handset in store before deciding if it’s the right one for you. Especially if you have small hands!

The device certainly feels well made. In fact it feels a bit of a beast in the hand. It’s quite weighty and feels almost rugged. The hardware buttons on the phone are made from a combination of plastic and metal and I would say they are built to last.

Like the recently launched Samsung Jet, the Omnia HD sports an AMOLED screen. This produces crisp bright vibrant colours that defiantly give the home screen the wow factor. The only downside is that it’s not great outside in direct sunlight.

Like many recent Samsung devices the Omnia HD uses Samsungs Touchwiz interface. This is a nice way of customising the three home screens with widgets. Each screen can contain different widgets and the theory is that this makes it easy to select your favourite programs. In reality though this was a bit of a pain as switching home screens can only be done once the widget bar is open. I could select programs in the menu using the same number of screen taps as if I was using the multiple home screens.

The Omnia HD has another feature while on the home screen. Swiping the screen to the right opens the main menu. A bit pointless I thought considering the device has a dedicated menu key between the send and end keys. Swiping to the left opens up a favourite contacts application. Here you can add your friends and family etc and have each one represented by there photo. This bit I liked.

At the bottom of the screen are four shortcut keys – telephone, contacts, messaging and menu. Yes a third way to access the menu! The screen is extremely responsive and these shortcut keys do a good job.

Using the on screen keyboard was a nice experience. The Omnia HD has three options for inputting text when creating a message. Option one is a standard alphanumeric keypad. The keys are really big and make typing with speed easy. The second option is a full QWERTY keypad which automatically switches the phone into landscape mode. Here the buttons are slightly smaller but still fairly easy to use. The QWERTY keyboard is made up of three rows of letters and can be switched with the tap of one key to access numbers and symbols. The third option is handwriting recognition. This works but certainly needs some practice. If you are in a hurry to compose an email or SMS then don’t bother with this option.

I was rather impressed with the camera on the Omnia HD. Most people think that more megapixels equal a better picture which is not the case. However the camera hardware is clearly of a reasonable quality as I took some pretty good pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41110738@N04/3785646440

The settings on the camera were very easy to use and if you had the original Omnia they are very similar.

Viewing images on the device is also good. You have the option to view them full screen and swipe to move to the next or there is a slideshow option.

Video recording on the Omnia HD was impressive. The phone is never going to replace a real HD camcorder but compared to all other mobile phones on the market its way better. You can actually record video and watch it full screen on a PC without the video appearing blocky. The video recording interface is just like the cameras so dead easy to use and tweak settings.

Listening to music on the Omnia HD was pretty good. The speaker was nice and loud and produced a good quality sound. Once I connected the supplied earphones in to the 3.5 headset jack (thank you Samsung) and performed my “Metallica” test I was blown away. The sound quality was fantastic and I cannot fault it at all, apart from me being a bit deaf now!

The music player interface is always nice on Samsungs. The buttons are a good size and everything is straight forward to use. Rotating the handset into Landscape mode removes the music players keys from the screen and replaces them with the album cover work. You can then swipe forward and back through all the albums and select the one of choice.

There is certainly plenty of room to store music, videos and pictures. The Omnia HD I was sent came with a respectable 8GB of onboard storage and the option to extend this with a microSD card. I believe there is also a 16GB version but either way that’s a tonne of storage space.

Web browsing on the Omnia HD was as good as I expected but as it’s a Symbian device its not the best browsing experience. The web pages themselves render well and reading what’s on the page is nice. One of the nicest features with the Omnia HD is that the web browser supports both flash and java. This will allow you to watch videos on websites without having to use dedicated applications such as youtube.

Zooming can be performed by either a double tap or there is a dedicated on screen key which pops a zoom bar onto the screen. This way you can select the level of zoom.

Rotating the phone allows for a landscape view but on both views I could not get the webpage to be full screen as there are always a few on screen buttons which I could not seem to get rid of. This problem does not exist on some other operating systems.

Whatever my personal opinions are, the browser does what it’s meant to and that is lets you browse and it performs well.

The Omnia HD has built in WiFi to make web browsing as fast as possible. If you do not have access to WiFi fear not as the handset comes with HSDPA/3G.

Another Symbian disappointment is the Quick Office document viewer. You have to buy an upgrade for it which really sucks. If you are buying the phone SIM-free and paying hundreds of pounds for it, in this day and age you would expect it to be easy to at least create a word document straight out of the box.

The Omnia HD has built in GPS and although my handset did not have any pre-installed navigation software on it I did download Google maps and the GPS found my location quickly.

Conclusion:

I would love to say I really like this device but I can’t as there is one thing that in my opinion lets it down and that’s the Symbian operating system. The hardware is good but the device would be better if it were a feature phone like the Samsung Jet.

If you are looking for a media device then it will serve you well. There are certainly other handsets out there that do pretty much the same job (apart from the camera/video recording) and these will give you a better user experience.

My advice is that if you are currently a Symbian fan or looking for your first smartphone then you will enjoy the Omnia HD. If you are already using a smartphone then I would suggest choosing Windows Mobile, iPhone OS, Android or the forthcoming webOS from Palm.

The Omnia 2 will be with us soon. It’s a Windows Mobile device with a heavy Samsung interface over the top of version 6.1. If I were you I would definitely wait for this device before making any decision.

Review by: James