Is 2.0 gonna make the phone less laggy?

[HurricaneDC]

So far my Hero is pretty good, and I LOVE Sprint's service (I had AT&T and regularly dropped calls. I have not had a single dropped call since I switched to Sprint) and prices. However, my biggest complaint about the phone is the lag. It's such a slow phone!

I mean, for most usage it's fine. But often when I'm trying to bang out a text or email, the keyboard lags a lot. Sometimes it thinks I'm still holding down the delete key and ends up deleting everything I wrote unless I stop it. The thing takes forever to switch to landscape. And using the music player makes the phone even worse (not to mention the music player just kinda sucks... I think I'm gonna get a Zune HD).

So will 2.0 address these issues? Or is this a limitation of the comparatively old hardware in the phone? I want to love this phone, but when I can get a more mature Blackberry that's not as laggy and has a hardware keyboard, it's hard to do so. Droid looks nice but VZW is expensive, AT&T sucks, and T-Mo is cheap but has very little 3G coverage.

 

[dvdqnoc]

I dont know if 2.0 will fix the lag or now, but just wanted to let you know that I agree with you 100%. And do hope that 2.0 will fix the lag. I'm hoping as Android get's more and more developed, it will get better at multitasking, which is what Android is big for, but at the same time a big cause of the lag.

 

[ftothe3]

turning off haptic feedback can reduce keyboard lag

 

[deryn]

..also as far as I know, no one's running 2.0 on their Hero so it's really not right to ask when no one has a definite answer

 

[Alcaron]

IMHO, it's not Androids fault it's laggy on the hero, it's HTC's. As much as I LOVE some of their additions, I largely consider HTC's mods a failure. You have probably the best messaging client on any android phone, even better (talking SMS here) than the 2.0 one. But what good is it with that battery drain bug, that...STILL...hasn't been fixed. (Inexcusable in my opinion)

Sense, again, great, but it seems like the only part I really use much is the Phone bar at the bottom of the homescreen. The FB integration is...ok but not great, and their insistence on running SO many services is fairly ridiculous.

So no, 2.0 wont make it less laggy, custom ROM's will.

So rejoice, unlike the iPhone, we aren't just stuck with whatever crappy decisions the manufacturer makes. AND we can keep their best ideas while we're at it!

Which is, uh, the entire reason I switched in the first place.

 

[revtime]

I guess I am not pushing my Hero hard enough, I can,t get mine to lag. Its very speedy and I have to admit it works very well for me. I hope 2.0 does not slow mine down.

 

[dualaudi]

Mine has been pretty laggy.. we got 3 htc hero's from sprint and 1 has a major power drain... LOVE this phone, but does anyone know when 2.0 is out?

 

[doublebullout]

I keep seeing Dec/Jan mentioned as a likely timeframe. But that's an 8-9 week window, so it's not much of a prediction. As of today, nobody can be more precise than "after Thanksgiving."

 

[zombdroid]

I guess I am not pushing my Hero hard enough, I can,t get mine to lag. Its very speedy and I have to admit it works very well for me. I hope 2.0 does not slow mine down.

No lag here. I just tested the switch to landscape while cnn.com was loading and it took less than 2 seconds. Scrolling from scene to scene is snappy and smooth.

I would recommend rebooting every once in a while. If you heavily use your phone and programs are staying resident, then sure you could crush the memory causing the phone to lag. But for that matter you could do the same to a desktop PC.

 

[Sodbuster]

I eliminated most of my lag by not running ATK anymore and getting rid of the flip-clock/weather combo widget that is on the home screen by default. I found it always took a second to update the time and if I was using the phone as a digital watch I just look at the lock screen and I'm done with it. I just use a smaller clock in the corner (style 2 of 12 of the HTC clock widgets) as a shortcut to the alarm which I use a lot. Plus, I made a little shortcut to the weather program if I need it. Quite honestly, the flip-clock's weather presentation doesn't give you that much information and I can get that info from looking out the window or stepping out onto the porch. It was a "gee-whiz" type widget that I found to be of little real-world use.

 

[AdamR]

I've been agonizing over choosing either the hero or the moment, but I think this thread has helped me decide.
I was concerned when several reviews said that the hero had some issues with playing video or flash on the net. It was noted it was probably a hardware limitation.
I've been searching on here the past week trying to find if the hardware was going to be an issue when upgrading later on down the line.
I do know that the Droid uses a processor rated around the same speed, do you guys think the HTC stuff is dragging it down? Maybe they will sort it out on the upgrade?

 

[Alcaron]

I think the EPIC hackjob they did on 1.5 is dragging it down.

I think they added almost all the good stuff from 2.0 into 1.5, whhich doesn't support any of it, or, hell, even CDMA for that matter.

I think once they have 2.0 Sense'd up to hell and back with all their integration using native Android calls, I think it will be very, very, nice.

But there is no telling for sure so, unless you are dying to have an android phone now (I was lol) just wait. Very least wait to see if any carrier in the US actually picks up the X10, or the Liquid.

Honestly I'm happy as a clam with the speed granted by the MoDaCo ROM and it's VERY basic...this phone has plenty of hardware.

 

[AdamR]

Well, this is my thought, and its been echoed many times on this forum, but if I wait for the next big phone, I'll be waiting forever.
I'm not getting either until the 1st, so I have some time to wait and see what happens.
BTw, kind of off topic, but I work in a sprint call center, and I've been reading info there too.
The known issues on the hero has nothing listed. The first week it came out, it had quite a few things. I remember seeing the headphone issue on there. But now, nothing.

 

[dcdttu]

I ran the Quick Contacts HTC Widget for a day or so in a scene window I hardly went to and it brought my phone to its knees. I removed it and the phone went right back to its speedy self. I recommend never using that one.

The only time my SMS will basically falter is when a text comes in, the phone stalls and completely ruins what I'm typing. The Pre was so much better at this, nothing would happen as SMS, or anything for that matter, came in. I would be typing a message and a call would come in on the bottom of the screen. I could finish my SMS, hit send, then answer the call. Try that on any other phone! Too bad the battery life sucked, the App Store is non-existent and the hardware was a failure.

 

[dvdqnoc]

Well, this is my thought, and its been echoed many times on this forum, but if I wait for the next big phone, I'll be waiting forever.
I'm not getting either until the 1st, so I have some time to wait and see what happens.
BTw, kind of off topic, but I work in a sprint call center, and I've been reading info there too.
The known issues on the hero has nothing listed. The first week it came out, it had quite a few things. I remember seeing the headphone issue on there. But now, nothing.

So the issues were noted on there, but not anymore...? Does that mean they were fixed and are no longer (or will no longer be) issues and thus are not on the list anymore?

 

[BSki]

I ran the Quick Contacts HTC Widget for a day or so in a scene window I hardly went to and it brought my phone to its knees. I removed it and the phone went right back to its speedy self. I recommend never using that one.

I was using that, then I read your quote, removed the widget and wow, what a big difference. Smooth everywhere.

Now how to quickly access contacts...

 

[fubaracing]

I did the same thing and now its working great...thanks for the idea to remove the contacts widget!! Much appreciated...now my phone is acting like it should.

 

[elguapo76]

I was using that, then I read your quote, removed the widget and wow, what a big difference. Smooth everywhere.

Now how to quickly access contacts...

I have a live folder widget set up for my starred contacts. Brings up your favorites full screen when you click on it all while using minimal space. Works like a champ!

 

[Spunkzz]

I have a live folder widget set up for my starred contacts. Brings up your favorites full screen when you click on it all while using minimal space. Works like a champ!

Thanks for the tip.

 

[305Cane]

I ran the Quick Contacts HTC Widget for a day or so in a scene window I hardly went to and it brought my phone to its knees. I removed it and the phone went right back to its speedy self. I recommend never using that one.

The only time my SMS will basically falter is when a text comes in, the phone stalls and completely ruins what I'm typing. The Pre was so much better at this, nothing would happen as SMS, or anything for that matter, came in. I would be typing a message and a call would come in on the bottom of the screen. I could finish my SMS, hit send, then answer the call. Try that on any other phone! Too bad the battery life sucked, the App Store is non-existent and the hardware was a failure.

word for word, this is exactly why i came to hero from the PRE. the battery, lack of apps, and the hardware feel were just too big of negatives for me. i love how open android is and the potential for te platform is really amazing. WebOS has huge potential as well, but it may not have enough weight behind it.

im confident the issues with the hero will be sorted out.

 

[rldev]

IMHO, it's not Androids fault it's laggy on the hero, it's HTC's. As much as I LOVE some of their additions, I largely consider HTC's mods a failure. You have probably the best messaging client on any android phone, even better (talking SMS here) than the 2.0 one. But what good is it with that battery drain bug, that...STILL...hasn't been fixed. (Inexcusable in my opinion)

Sense, again, great, but it seems like the only part I really use much is the Phone bar at the bottom of the homescreen. The FB integration is...ok but not great, and their insistence on running SO many services is fairly ridiculous.

So no, 2.0 wont make it less laggy, custom ROM's will.

So rejoice, unlike the iPhone, we aren't just stuck with whatever crappy decisions the manufacturer makes. AND we can keep their best ideas while we're at it!

Which is, uh, the entire reason I switched in the first place.

How do you explain the HTC Eris? By many accounts, incluiding my own, it runs smoother than the Droid.

 

[gulu]

another way for quick contacts is to have a homepage with shortcuts to the people you frequentally call, send a text message too or email it works great for me...

 

[BSki]

How do you explain the HTC Eris? By many accounts, incluiding my own, it runs smoother than the Droid.

Very possibly it is the Sprint bloat that is in the build. Rooted users are saying after removing the sprint nav, nfl stocks etc, it runs smoother.

As not using the contacts widget, I cannot see how the phone could be smoother.

 

[rldev]

I can't believe I never ran this contacts widget. Did you have to add it to the screen? I'm not too big on widgets.

 

[peestandingup]

word for word, this is exactly why i came to hero from the PRE. the battery, lack of apps, and the hardware feel were just too big of negatives for me. i love how open android is and the potential for te platform is really amazing. WebOS has huge potential as well, but it may not have enough weight behind it.

im confident the issues with the hero will be sorted out.

Yup, me too. Had the Pre since launch (so did my wife) & it just failed us one to many times. In all, we went through 4 replacements & it just became silly continuing with it.

I do hope webOS makes it though. Its pretty solid & the multi-tasking rules everything else out there. Just no apps & the hardware/battery issues w the Pre was a real killer for me.

I think when we get to Android 2.0, I wont be missing anything about my Pre.