Question about Hero before buying

[brief]

I'm considering to switch to Hero from Pre. Pre is a really nice phone with the excellent webos system. But many small bugs, lag, freezing up just ****ed me off.

Before I make the switch, I want to make sure Hero is as good as what I heard:

1. Hero only has <300M ROM and RAM, how does this handle the future O/S updates and mult-running apps?

2. Does Hero have an app limit like Iphone or Pre? LIke how many apps you can get at most, or you can get apps up to ***Mb?

3. I heard Hero doesn't allow to store downloaded apps to the microSD card, which leads to another similar quesiton, with the <300M memory, there will be a small room for applications.

4. Can you use Hero as a USB drive to drag and drop files(mp3, video, pictures, documents) to Hero from the computer? When you send an email from Hero, can you attach the files that you copied to the Hero even though Hero can't read the file(say some strange format file)? I know Pre can do this.

5. Can you create as many pictures folders as you want on Hero when you copying pictures from your computer so you can see pictures in different folders on Hero to better browse? I heard you can't create different photo folders on Hero and all photo are stored in one folder which is very crowded and hard to browse. Same question for mp3 / video folders.

6. Is it true that you don't know which app is running at background or which app is closed by Hero? Is there a limit on how many apps you can open at the same time? Is it easy to switch between them, (like pre)?

7. Can the battery last more than a day with moderate to heavy use? I heard it's way better than Pre battery.

Thank you very much!

 

[MrBaz]

I'm considering to switch to Hero from Pre. Pre is a really nice phone with the excellent webos system. But many small bugs, lag, freezing up just ****ed me off.

Before I make the switch, I want to make sure Hero is as good as what I heard:

1. Hero only has <300M ROM and RAM, how does this handle the future O/S updates and mult-running apps?

2. Does Hero have an app limit like Iphone or Pre? LIke how many apps you can get at most, or you can get apps up to ***Mb?

3. I heard Hero doesn't allow to store downloaded apps to the microSD card, which leads to another similar quesiton, with the <300M memory, there will be a small room for applications.

4. Can you use Hero as a USB drive to drag and drop files(mp3, video, pictures, documents) to Hero from the computer? When you send an email from Hero, can you attach the files that you copied to the Hero even though Hero can't read the file(say some strange format file)? I know Pre can do this.

5. Can you create as many pictures folders as you want on Hero when you copying pictures from your computer so you can see pictures in different folders on Hero to better browse? I heard you can't create different photo folders on Hero and all photo are stored in one folder which is very crowded and hard to browse. Same question for mp3 / video folders.

6. Is it true that you don't know which app is running at background or which app is closed by Hero? Is there a limit on how many apps you can open at the same time? Is it easy to switch between them, (like pre)?

7. Can the battery last more than a day with moderate to heavy use? I heard it's way better than Pre battery.

Thank you very much!

1) It does fine.

2) No limit that I know of. Let me know if you find one that won't install.

3) I believe the 1.6 update will enable downloading/running of apps stored to the SD card. I think Sprint updated today.

4) Not sure, I want to know as well. I don't see why not. With 3rd party apps, you could probably see shared files off of your computer (through your wireless network) or at least ssh/telnet into your computer. Obviously, these are a little more advanced topics, but you bought an Android phone for a reason right?

5) You can create multiple folders. If not with the preinstalled software, there are file explorer apps (free) that will allow you to do such.

6) Hold down the HOME button and the running applications will be shown. Here you can also switch to whichever one you want with a simply tap.

7) If you are a nazi about turning off GPS/WiFi/Bluetooth when you aren't using them, you should be able to get 2 days of use out of it before a charge. My suggestion is getting a car charger (any generic mini-usb car charger will work) and charge it every time you get in your car. The battery has a higher capacity, but it isn't 'way' better than the Pre battery. It is more about software/OS/use than shear battery size.

 

[itsmoirob]

4. Yes you can use Hero as a drag and drop device. In fact that is the main way of moving files. Hero doesn't come with any PC software for syncing files. You can sync music if you have Windows Media Player/Winamp on your PC.
If a file is not supported you won't be able to send it. (Unless there is an app on Market that let's you do that???)

6. Pressing and holding the Home button doesn't list running apps. It lists most recent used apps.
You can get task manager apps but I believe that the next update Donut, will have a task/battery manager for viewing running.
Unless you have a task manager it's not possible to switch between running apps.
I don't think there is a limit to what you can have running.

7. The battery will be last you a day on moderate+ use. Not in the first few days though as the battery wont be at is peak charging (it takes a few charges before the battery is at it's peak)
Standyby mode on the phone (temporarily) switches off gps/wifi, until you unlock your phone, saving battery life.
The 1.6 Donut update also address some battery issues and alerts you to high battery usage apps so you'l know which ones are killing you.

PS here is more info on Donut 1.6 update, very interesting stuff
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39029453,49303888,00.htm?s_cid=96

 

[brief]

Thank you. I think those drawbacks of Hero will let me keep my Pre now.

I will get a replacement Pre and see how it's going. I still have 2 weeks to decide if I want to switch to Hero.

 

[benb]

I'm considering to switch to Hero from Pre. Pre is a really nice phone with the excellent webos system. But many small bugs, lag, freezing up just ****ed me off.

Before I make the switch, I want to make sure Hero is as good as what I heard:

1. Hero only has <300M ROM and RAM, how does this handle the future O/S updates and mult-running apps?

2. Does Hero have an app limit like Iphone or Pre? LIke how many apps you can get at most, or you can get apps up to ***Mb?

3. I heard Hero doesn't allow to store downloaded apps to the microSD card, which leads to another similar quesiton, with the <300M memory, there will be a small room for applications.

4. Can you use Hero as a USB drive to drag and drop files(mp3, video, pictures, documents) to Hero from the computer? When you send an email from Hero, can you attach the files that you copied to the Hero even though Hero can't read the file(say some strange format file)? I know Pre can do this.

5. Can you create as many pictures folders as you want on Hero when you copying pictures from your computer so you can see pictures in different folders on Hero to better browse? I heard you can't create different photo folders on Hero and all photo are stored in one folder which is very crowded and hard to browse. Same question for mp3 / video folders.

6. Is it true that you don't know which app is running at background or which app is closed by Hero? Is there a limit on how many apps you can open at the same time? Is it easy to switch between them, (like pre)?

7. Can the battery last more than a day with moderate to heavy use? I heard it's way better than Pre battery.

Thank you very much!

1. Seems very fast to me, and I have a lot of apps installed
2. No limit as far as I know
3. By default the phone downloads and runs apps from the phone storage. However one of the great things about Android is that you can "root" your phone. One of the things this allows is so called "apps2sd" which stores and runs apps from your SD card freeing up internal memory.
4. When you plug it in you can show the SD card as a removable drive in Windows. There are file explorer apps you can download (I use Astro) that will let you send most file types, but probably not everything.
5. You can create as many folders as you like for images and video, and the Hero will display each one as an album.
6. Not by default, but there are several task manager apps that will do what you want.
7. I think the battery isn't amazing, but it lasts all day for me and I use it quite a lot.

Hope that helps. I would definitely reccomend the Hero, but haven't used the Pre so can't directly compare it.

 

[brief]

Thank you for the reply.

4. Pre can store and send any files as long as they are dragged to the phone, which is a big pro.
5. Why I saw multiple people saying you can't create other folders for images?
6. I saw many people saying Hero closes apps/webpages without notice just because they switched to another app.

1. Seems very fast to me, and I have a lot of apps installed
2. No limit as far as I know
3. By default the phone downloads and runs apps from the phone storage. However one of the great things about Android is that you can "root" your phone. One of the things this allows is so called "apps2sd" which stores and runs apps from your SD card freeing up internal memory.
4. When you plug it in you can show the SD card as a removable drive in Windows. There are file explorer apps you can download (I use Astro) that will let you send most file types, but probably not everything.
5. You can create as many folders as you like for images and video, and the Hero will display each one as an album.
6. Not by default, but there are several task manager apps that will do what you want.
7. I think the battery isn't amazing, but it lasts all day for me and I use it quite a lot.

Hope that helps. I would definitely reccomend the Hero, but haven't used the Pre so can't directly compare it.

 

[daveybaby]

1. Seems to be plenty of space to me so far. Apps are pretty small in general, and if it really becomes a problem you can root the phone, and install a custom firmware which allows storing apps on the SD card. Also possibly next android version will allow this.

2. No app limit that i know of other than filling available storage.

3. See answer to Q1

4. Drag & drop = yes. Attachments youre limited to pictures/video/audio/pdf/office doc/location. Annoying huh?

5. Yup, as many folders as you like.

6. App managers are available that let you see all this info, and close any open apps. You can switch between apps using either a task manager app or by pressing and holding the HOME key.

7. I'm getting 2 days out of mine, fairly light use though. When it was new i was messing with it constantly and it still easily lasted a day on each charge.

5. Why I saw multiple people saying you can't create other folders for images?

Dont know, but you can definitely do it, cos i've done it.

6. I saw many people saying Hero closes apps/webpages without notice just because they switched to another app.

Hero will close apps if you open a new app and there isnt enough memory for it. Obviously how often this happens depends on how many apps you have running at the same time and how big they are.

Let's put it this way, dont think i've ever seen anyone complaining about it.

 

[brief]

Thank you very much.

Let me ask one more question:
Can you use the Navgation in the car, while listening to Pandora, and checking your email at the same time? Pre can do this, and Pre will lower the music volume from Pandora when the GPS is announcing something, then put the Pandora volume back whent he announcement is over. And mean while, you can browe or check your email. I don't know about Hero since I didn't have it yet.

1. Seems to be plenty of space to me so far. Apps are pretty small in general, and if it really becomes a problem you can root the phone, and install a custom firmware which allows storing apps on the SD card. Also possibly next android version will allow this.

2. No app limit that i know of other than filling available storage.

3. See answer to Q1

4. Drag & drop = yes. Attachments youre limited to pictures/video/audio/pdf/office doc/location. Annoying huh?

5. Yup, as many folders as you like.

6. App managers are available that let you see all this info, and close any open apps. You can switch between apps using either a task manager app or by pressing and holding the HOME key.

7. I'm getting 2 days out of mine, fairly light use though. When it was new i was messing with it constantly and it still easily lasted a day on each charge.



Dont know, but you can definitely do it, cos i've done it.


Hero will close apps if you open a new app and there isnt enough memory for it. Obviously how often this happens depends on how many apps you have running at the same time and how big they are.

Let's put it this way, dont think i've ever seen anyone complaining about it.

 

[veggiess]

At least on my HTC Hero, 70 apps is the limit. No, I did not run out of internal or SD memory-far from it. But I have been going off trial and error, installing and uninstalling apps. If I go over 70 apps, once I shut off/turn on my phone, it will be completely corrupt, won't give me service, etc. The first time this occurred, I had no idea what was wrong and hard rebooted my phone. Now, if I stay at 70 apps or below, I'm fine. HTC should really tell you this and it is ridiculous considering I have plenty of memory left.

 

[Slug]

At least on my HTC Hero, 70 apps is the limit.

HTC should really tell you this and it is ridiculous considering I have plenty of memory left.

This is the first time I've heard of anyone claiming a hard-and-fast limit, so I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it's universal.