I also believe in the power of Twitter - I have been a part of it for some nice corporate coups. I also believe that sending messages to the corporations through Twitter is a very effective PRO-ACTIVE means of effecting change.
I am enjoying my phone. I dont LOVE my phone. I have ZERO EMOTIONAL feelings towards my phone, as many in other threads have expressed. I am actually very disheartened to experience all the fanboyism here, both in the ANDROID forums and specifically the SPRINT HERO section. I waited a long time and chose Android over iPhone as one of my biggest annoyances in life are both Mac and iPhone fanbois. There is nothing more annoying that someone that is BLINDLY loyal to ANY brand or product. They are just THINGS and just TOOLS to get things done. And I assure you that this Hero fanboyism is just as disgusting as all the iPhone fanboyism. BOTH are ********.
I am also a big believer in BUYING THE PRODUCT YOU WANT/NEED. Dont buy something that you HOPE will be SOMETHING ELSE someday. Dont buy a STILL camera that you HOPE will someday be a VIDEO camera by means of firmware updates. Dont buy a phone and then months later complain that it isnt something OTHER than what you bought. You bought a Sprint HTC Hero. Dont cry when it has SenseUI. Dont cry when it isnt a Moto Droid. Dont cry when you see how much more you would like the Bravo/Passion. You bought a Sprint HTC Hero. YOU made that choice. Stop the f*cking whining and enjoy the phone.
But this is my problem: I WAITED to buy this phone -a phone that I enjoy - until I heard what I needed to hear, and that is that it would be getting the 2.0 upgrade. I didnt buy a 1.5 HOPING someday it would magically become something else - I WAITED until I heard that it WOULD happen. And I bought. But here's the the problem: the information is changing.
There is A LOT of "Hero" news. There is very little distinction regarding how much of that is SPRINT HTC HERO news, and how much of that is Euro GSM Hero news. At this point, it's hard to get ANY Sprint Hero facts. everyone has the rumors they've heard, everyone has a source to quote, and everyone has an "it's coming, calm down." But as the research is made, and the quotes are quoted, there is never any mention of "SPRINT HTC HERO". Just "Hero".
Just a week, or maybe even days ago, I myself said "Have patience. It will come. You can wait another week." I THOUGHT I was the voice of reason. I wasnt. I was the voice of HOPE. And as we've learned over the past year, HOPE alone yields few results.
Let me also say that I agree that firmware should be released when it is ready. I dont believe in releasing a buggy product only to get it into the marketplace early. WAIT, and get it RIGHT. I also dont believe in empty promises. I work in an industry that has all these things: companies that remain silent; companies that promise the world, but then take FAR longer than promised to release a product (has anyone here ever heard of Red Digital Cinema?); and then there are the companies that release buggy products only to issue eternal minor changes to try to fix all the problems. Some people are correct: it is in Sprint's best interest to NOT promise something that they might not deliver on time.
I AGREE. However, it IS in Sprint's best interest to say this: "Yes, Sprint's HTC Hero WILL be receiving an Android 2.x update (or even 1.6). While we would like to give a date for this update right now, we are not currently in a position to do so, but we promise you, as our loyal customers, that we are working hard to stand behind our handheld devices and to deliver you the most current and up to date user experience. It WILL happen, and you are in store for a real treat when the update is ready." Or some such TRUE bullsh*t along those lines.
Or, if the Sprint HTC Hero CANNOT be upgraded to 1.6 or 2.x, then they should SAY it. "We are sorry for any misinformation that may have been spread regarding the Sprint HTC Hero. The Hero is a fine and capable handheld device, featuring both great Android and Sprint special features, however it will remain an Android 1.5 device." blah blah blah and other such bullsh*t.
But we, as consumers, that have paid A LOT of money, deserve AN ANSWER. Not empty promises they might not be able to keep... JUST AN ANSWER.
And I think Twitter is a great way to get that answer. Like I said, I have personally seen it happen before.
Here are the two tweets I sent today:
@Sprint @HTC When is the Sprint Hero going to get an update? $180 for a month old phone & we dont get Google Nav, Goggles, & more.
and
@Sprint @HTC It makes for regret to hear about all the new Android features that we cant use/access on a brand new phone. #sprinthero
In 140 chars, it's hard to get a good message in, but try to include as many individual HASHTAGS as you can. Yuo dont want to piss them off, you dont want to get all threatening, but part of what affects the change is if the hashtags start to TREND and so random, normal people, following trends will start to see NEGATIVE comments regarding their products. It's the same effect as talking loudly in the story about bad customer service - you get your problem resolved so A) it doesnt impact other customers and potential customers, and B) It gives Sprint a change to SHOW both customers and potential customers that they like to solve problems. Let's give Sprint an opportunity to solve this problem, and let's give them the opportunity to do it PUBLICLY.
If you ARE NOT a Twitter user, then just ignore Kenny and me. It's no big deal. You think Twitter is just a punchline on Conan O'Brien. I assure you it's NOT. But that's fine. But if you ARE on twitter, then just cut/paste one of my tweets above and send it along. Or write your own. Dont BOMBARD - just let them know. And please share your original tweets here in the forum so we can also cut and paste and send them.
I believe that a 2.x update is in the future. And the Sprint HTC Hero is a great phone. But it doesnt hurt to give the companies a little feedback.