Verizon to Launch Android Powered HTC Hero
There’s a couple hardware modifications and one big one is that the buttons below the trackball are, as we’re told, not physical, but touch-sensitive buttons. Look for it to drop in November on Big Red.
News link: here
31 Responses
10.13.2009
Thank you Verizon for this show of faith.
10.13.2009
I’m still holding out for this: electronista.com/articles/09/10/01/moto …
10.13.2009
Atta boy verizon!
10.13.2009
I’d be envious if I couldn’t run the ROM on my G1. I’m glad to see Android picking up steam, there was never a doubt in my mind that it would. It’s only a matter of time now, Apple…
10.13.2009
Someway, somehow, verizon will lock this down.
10.13.2009
Its not a new Hero, its the HTC Desire. electronista.com/articles/09/10/06/htc. …
10.13.2009
This is bad for Palm, they should have gone to Verizon first to grab up all the people waiting for a great smart phone on that network.
10.13.2009
I absolutely love my G1. Would never go back to an iPhone, but this HTC generation is seriously lacking in the speed department.(this is just my opinion, don’t hate me)
10.13.2009
I was planning on replacing my aging VX6800 pretty soon, now I think I’ll wait until these hit the market. Windows Mobile has worked for me, but it just seems to chug for no reason at times, even with hardly any 3rd party aps installed. I look forward to trying Android…
10.13.2009
I don’t understand the desire to go to Verizon. Sprint has a Hero with a MUCH cheaper plan and they roam on Verizon. Sprints network is big enough where if you need roaming you won’t go over the data usage limit anyway.
10.13.2009
Good to hear, but I’m waiting for the Sholes… it will be a much more technologically superior device to the Desire. (that isn’t a Hero, by the way.)Big Red won’t be able to lock the Sholes/Tao/Droid down because it will be a With Google device.
10.13.2009
If you watched the news conference today reporters specifically asked questions regarding this. They very plainly and in normal terms specified that the first android phones on the verizon network would be shipping with android market and google voice. There was even a quote that you’re either open, or not. And the verizon android phones will be open.God I can’t wait. I’ve been out of contract on my Treo 700wx for almost a year and a half waiting for a decent phone to come to the network. It seems that I should finally get a new phone in the next month or so.
10.13.2009
The original HTC Hero was WAAAYY better looking. Why the hell did they get rid of the little lip at the bottom?
10.13.2009
dammit. I wanted to buy original GSM HTC Hero with chin and asymmetric buttons. Why do they have to f*** up the design
10.13.2009
Been waiting 5 months out of contact to get this phone.
10.13.2009
Verizon seems to aim to become the "open" carrier in the US.First they joined the Open Screen Project, then, they embraced Google Voice and now Android.They even declared "Either you have an open device or you don’t."I wish there were carriers like this in Canada ….
10.13.2009
I’m a little worried that they’ll have the Android with a set of standard applications and then Verizon will block the marketplace and only let us use those apps. Some articles seemed to have quotes that seemed a bit too carefully worded, I hope I missed the big picture of where this is headed.
10.13.2009
You hear lies.
10.13.2009
The problem with all of HTC’s current Android phones is that slow ass Qualcomm MSM7200A processor. It feels like a first gen iPhone. Once they upgrade it to something that actually handles the OS, I will switch.
10.13.2009
w00t!~
10.13.2009
Also, I have full access to the BlackBerry marketplace through my Verizon subsidized BlackBerry device so I don’t see why they would specifically target Android. There’s also a much smaller Verizon marketplace with a bunch of overpriced Verizon games/applications.
10.13.2009
My MyTocuh seems fairly responsive and snappy to me. I have quite a few running apps on it as well…
10.13.2009
The Sholes will be using the same processor as the Pre. Not sure about the Desire/Hero/whichever this one is.
10.13.2009
Was hoping AT&T would get the Hero. But Verizon? Hell. I’m dropping AT&T moment it comes out.
10.13.2009
I really hope they don’t cripple it or force us to use their horrible "Get It Now" app store.
10.13.2009
The hero is the worst of them all. It uses the same processor, and yet upgrades to the HTC Sense UI, which requires more power to be smooth.
10.13.2009
So glad to see Android finally blossoming. It’s the only mobile OS that has the potential to compete with Apple in the apps arena, and the only way that’s going to happen is proliferation. I especially like that it’s starting to turn up on PMP’s as well. Even more exposure.
10.13.2009
I hear the Hero has the hardware of a G1 with a more resource intensive GUI. No thanks
10.13.2009
Am I the only one that thinks that is a fugly ass phone? Have you seen the better pictures of it? It reminds me of an 80s Buick.
10.13.2009
IMO, asthetically, Sprint Hero>GSM HERO>Verizon Hero. It is almost a tossup between Sprint’s and the chinned GSM Hero for me, but that Verizon version is just plain ugly. I like the idea of touch sensitive buttons though. Good to see Verizon finally jumpin’ in with Android!
10.13.2009
Was thinking of trying out the Hero to decide if I wanted to switch from Pre to Hero but the processor is to damn weak and I heard even with the latest Android updates it is still running pretty damn slow. Love my Pre but I like to play around with other phones as well…just need to wait for a decent Android phone not an over-hyped one.