Help Samsung InstinctQ or HTC Hero?

[Rob]

Based on the InstinctQ pictures and assuming all else is equal (specs), do you Sprint customers think you'll get the Samsung Instinct Q or the HTC Hero if they both launch October 11th?

Anyone going to switch carriers to pick up one of these?

 

[Kabuto]

I'm not a Sprint customer, but I'm thinking of switching to them just to get the Instinct Q. If it has the same specs as a Hero, with the hardware QWERTY keyboard I like, I seems like it will be a great phone.

 

[steubs]

I am a sprint customer and an Android phone is the only thing keeping me from going to AT&T and the iPhone.

I absolutely want the InstinctQ and it's QWERTY keyboard.

 

[SDscorch]

verrry hard question


i'll just say it.. "looks" are very important to me

i know tehre's a sizable portion of ppl out there that are "purists" of some sort that would criticize me for that but hey.. what can i say??


*love* the HTC sense UI

but the (lack of a) hw kybd is kindof a dealbreaker/showstopper for me




this phone.. looks *great* - love the button layout and the shape etc

hw kybd - nice!



gotta say... the scales are shifted (slightly) in this "instinctQ"s direction!

 

[amw1972]

new to the forums here...but been looking for Android to land on Sprint for some time. Currently armed with a full upgrade option with Sprint...but making the decision between the Hero and now the Q...

 

[SDscorch]

oh yeah.. forgot

i'm w/ sprint (month-to-month)

 

[Bernal]

I've been turned off of the Hero by some of the review that mention the sluggishness of the UI. The sensi UI definately looks good, but at the end of the day I'd much rather have performance. The InstinctQ's keyboard and potentially larger screen is also a big draw. In the end it will come down to the specs and how well the InstinctQ performs.

 

[SDscorch]

well.. if you're turned of by "that," don't be!

the latest news is that HTC optimized their code and now its much smoother!



i'm turned off by the hero because of no keyboard
: (

 

[Edaze55]

Another Sprint customer here. In fact, I was considering leaving to get my hands on an iPhone just as soon as my second line cleared its contract at the end of the year. Since I found out about HTC Hero and the Instinct Q I will most likely stay. Well that, and Im not fond of the Death Star.

As far as which one I'll go with? Im liken the Instinct, mostly for the physical keyboard and overall form factor. I do like the Heros Sense UI though. It may require several hours in a Sprint store playing with them both, to see how they act/feel, before I can be sure which I taken home.

So most likely the Q, but that could change.

 

[daryelv]

Just curious... won't people be able to copy the SenseUI from the HTC Hero to other phones?

This would be much like copying HTC's Manila from a Rhodium, Topaz, Diamond to a Omnia (or other device as long as the screen resolution was the same) on the Windows Mobile phones (I have a Diamond running a ported Manila from a Rhodium).

If this is the case, then I'd get the phone which has the better hardware and then load the better software...

 

[Edaze55]

Just curious... won't people be able to copy the SenseUI from the HTC Hero to other phones?

Already being done. The UI has been ported to the iPhone, WinMo and Blackberry already. Some of the widgets lack the full features, but the look you get is very close.

 

[daryelv]

Already being done. The UI has been ported to the iPhone, WinMo and Blackberry already. Some of the widgets lack the full features, but the look you get is very close.

I've very aware that it's being "emulated", but copying/porting would result in the same functionality since you're using the same executables and dlls. In the example I gave above (Manila on my Diamond), I have full functionality that the device it came from has.

Is it possible on an Android phone to dump a ROM and is it also possible to modify packages and rebuild the ROM to reflash back onto the device?

-Daryel

 

[Edaze55]

I've very aware that it's being "emulated", but copying/porting would result in the same functionality since you're using the same executables and dlls. In the example I gave above (Manila on my Diamond), I have full functionality that the device it came from has.

Is it possible on an Android phone to dump a ROM and is it also possible to modify packages and rebuild the ROM to reflash back onto the device?

-Daryel

I could be wrong, but I thought I saw a video where someone actually ran android on an Winmo (I believe) device. Which is what I assume you are asking for. I dont think it was the Sense UI, but thats the easy part, right? I'll look for that video when I get home and if I find it, I'll toss up the link.

 

[samuelmaskell]

There have definitely been many people who have run android on their winmo phones. Perhaps not very well but it has been done.

 

[Edaze55]

GAH! I cant seem to find the video anywhere now.

 

[daryelv]

I found my answers at XDA. No, I wasn't talking about running Android on a WinMo phone (that requires running Haret under Windows which isn't that appealing to me).

What I was asking about was running a Customized ROM. For instance, the ROM in current WinMo phone (HTC Diamond AKA Victor) is running Windows 6.5 (build 23016), Manila 2.1 (ported from a Rhodium device), and several other customizations. The ROM that the phone company ships with the phone comes with Windows 6.1, Manila 1.?, and hasn't been optimized. When I say optimized... I have several of the sys files patched, several of the Registry settings optimized, etc. to increase speed, battery life, responsiveness, etc. With a stock rom my battery life was approximately 12-18 hours... now I can go 24-48 hours.

That's why I was curious to see if the Android guys had custom ROMs and tools available (i.e. Kitchens) for building/flashing custom ROMs. My search on XDA has shown that it is possible, at least for the GSM guys right now, probably CDMA when phones start getting released.

-Daryel

 

[SDscorch]

yeah.. if you can run android on a winmo phone (i didn't know that was possible) i'd say its *def* possible to run the hero sense ui, which is *designed* to run on android, on another android phone

seems logical to me

 

[pg2k3]

First Post so sorry if I messed up a bit out of excitement.

Me personally will most likely go for the Instinctq instead of any Android device using HTC's current hardware/chipsets of choice for the simple fact that Ive seen a couple videos of the HTC Hero and Samsung Galaxy side by side doing the exact same task and as far as video playback and browser scrolling goes, the Galaxy does a much better job hands down!

In a youtube video I was watching it seems like the browser was scroling up and down at 3-4 frames per second which is unacceptable for a $500+ phone. Sure HTC has added pinch zoom to their browser but whats the point if scrolling and zooming hurts your eyes while looking at news articles. I heard that HTC will have Flash preinstalled but I think Ill wait for the general release for the sake of better hardware.

Ive had the original HTC Touch, Touch Diamond, and Touch Pro and all 3 suffer from the same graphics issues. Surely this isnt all to be blamed on Microsoft and Windows mobile since the graphics drivers and hardware has the most influence on performance. OpenGL ES seems to be the only graphics implementation that actually uses the graphic acceleration in those devices.

Also, I would like to say that the instinctq may even get the LED screen (AMOLED) screen that the Galaxy has instead of an LCD which the newer screen consume less power and provides much more vivid colors and mind blowing contrast ratios never experienced on any american phone before.

Lastly, the instinctq is rumored to have an optical trackpad instead of a trackball like the HTCs which people are going to want.

Theres not much that will sway me to getting an HTC Hero unless the upcoming Instinctq's specs are significantly weaker than the galaxy's counterparts. Watch some HTC Hero VS Galaxy videos on Youtube and you will see what I mean!

 

[samuelmaskell]

If you're just talking about running different versions of android on your android then that is entirely possible and rather easy. I'm running a hero rom on my magic right now. There are also tons of modified roms that are pretty sweet.

 

[Edaze55]

Also, I would like to say that the instinctq may even get the LED screen (AMOLED) screen that the Galaxy has instead of an LCD which the newer screen consume less power and provides much more vivid colors and mind blowing contrast ratios never experienced on any american phone before.

Lastly, the instinctq is rumored to have an optical trackpad instead of a trackball like the HTCs which people are going to want.

I would very much like to see AMOLED on the Q, as well the trackpad, and if the leaked images are real there is indeed a trackpad. I wish we could see the specs already.

 

[diplomat2387]

I am going back and forth...I want the Hero because of Sense UI but then again I want the Instinct Q because of the Qwerty...Ughh...Do you think the Instinct Q will upgrade its Android software to Sense UI..?

 

[SDscorch]

I am going back and forth...I want the Hero because of Sense UI but then again I want the Instinct Q because of the Qwerty...Ughh...Do you think the Instinct Q will upgrade its Android software to Sense UI..?

you and me both dude!

my dream machine? the HTC TouchPro2 running android (with the SenseUI)! click around THAT site for a bit! holy moly!

 

[diplomat2387]

you and me both dude!

my dream machine? the HTC TouchPro2 running android! click around THAT site for a bit! holy moly!

I was stuck on the Touch Pro 2 for a while before Sprint put that high price tag on it...The Hero is a great price and it looks like a good phone...But I use my keyboard on my Touch Pro alot...I like the Instinct Q keyboard as well....From what I am understanding Sense UI is HTC's correct?....So the Instinct Q will only be running Android...

 

[SDscorch]

yes - you're right

i'm 55/45 in favor of the hero


remember, the same day sprint is releasing hero, they said they are also going to make an announcement

now, i know you can plunk down $50 bucks at best buy to reserve a hero, and i've thought about doing that

but first, i want to hear what sprint is going to announce




there's been speculation that they will announce 4G/wimax or they're going to officially announce the Q (and that it will operate on 4G)

who knows...?

 

[diplomat2387]

yes - you're right

i'm 55/45 in favor of the hero


remember, the same day sprint is releasing hero, they said they are also going to make an announcement

now, i know you can plunk down $50 bucks at best buy to reserve a hero, and i've thought about doing that

but first, i want to hear what sprint is going to announce




there's been speculation that they will announce 4G/wimax or they're going to officially announce the Q (and that it will operate on 4G)

who knows...?

This is really a hard decision...Android with a Qwerty keyboard or Android with Sense UI with only a on-screen keyboard...I like the HTC Hero from what I seen in videos and i'm sure I can get used to the on-screen keyboard..Aghhh