I just got the Hero a few months back (I was forced too, my old phone had died, and I was 2 months away from my 2 year upgrade, so I got the Hero for the full upgrade discounted price). My plan was actually going to be: keep my old phone until as long as I could stand it, and then wait and check rumor websites and hope for the latest and greatest.
I hear about the SS and the N1, and it almost makes me wish my other phone lasted a little longer so I could have purchased one of these. BUT... I really do love the Hero, and I think it is the perfect size for a phone. The only downers about the other ones is their size. Possibly NOT pocket-able?