Pros: You get access to all of the new apps, its snappier, updated UI.

Cons: if you use bluetooth a lot, I guess the update doesn't do you justice (I never use it). You cant use camera in portrait mode, if you had configurations and tweeks when you had 1.5, you will have to do them all over again.

 

This is related to my experience only. My bluetooth is functioning perfectly. You can take pics in portrait mode but the menu is always in landscape mode, doesnt bother me at all.

The only con Ive found so far is not being able to root it to remove bloatware. Im hoping that gets figured out soon but if not oh well.

Would I do it over again? Absolutely.

 

If you want the functionality of a stable 2.1, then I suggest that you install Fresh's 2.1.1. It is then rooted so you have a lot more options. Plus, it gives you more memory (about 130mb). It runs great and is very stable. So, if I were you, instead of going with the Sprint Official 2.1, I would install a custom rom.

 

I would update to the 2.1. It is awesome. I have NO lagging, the Bluetooth works for both incoming and outgoing calls, although some have said it does not work for them. There is no reason to stay on 1.5.

 

This thread is exactly what I wanted to ask because I also haven't upgraded yet. The menu for video was always landscape so I don't think that would bother me either, but does it mean that you will have to rotate every portrait photo you take? And if so that would mean you have to crop them first, then rotate because I know that's true for 1.5 (which is stupid). The majority of pics I take are portrait so that could get annoying. More troubling to me however, is that people are saying handcent and gmail don't vibrate anymore.

 

I haven't updated yet and will not for at least just a few more days... there really is no rush to do it.

I will probably root first though and use one of the 2.1ROM'S so if I am not happy with it I can roll it back or use a different Rom.

 

the portrait mode for the camera really doesnt bother me for one reason... when you take a pic with your normal camera, the body is longer than it is wide, so to me, it feels perfectly normal taking it in landscape. Also, the 5mp camera is all well and good, but I bought my hero for a phone, not a camera.

As for bluetooth, i upgraded to 2.1 today and my mom even commented that i sounded almost too loud through my headset. no probs with incoming or outgoing calls yet.

Theres also been talk about the landscape keyboard being laggy. I havnt noticed any difference at all. I do most of my typing in portrait anyway, but after reading the complaint, i tried it, and couldnt notice any difference.

 

Well my phone is laggier than ever...When a call comes in, it takes forever b4 my screen will change to show the caller id, by the time it shows, the call has gone to voicemail. Texts are taking forever to come thru to me. My alarm didn't go off the 1st night (2nd night I put Alarmed back on)...keyboard seems more accurate...I don't like what they did with my contacts...clock reads correct city (long beach, ms vs long beach, ca)...personally I don't care for 2.1 at all and due to the lagginess, I may leave android soon

 

I have had no operational problems at all after installing the leaked 2.1 ROM, and I have had zero problems with my Hero after I installed the official Sprint 2.1 update three days later. My Hero is quicker, snaps from portrait mode to landscape mode snappier, no Bluetooth issues, slightly improved battery life, no noticeable keyboard lag, etc. I say go for it.

 

My phone got much faster with the 2.1 update. I used to leave orientation off because it took so long to rotate the screen. After the update it rotates as fast as I turn the phone.

 

After a few days with the 2.1 I'll chime in once more on this, mainly regarding the issues.

Keyboard lag: Completely gone away. Now I did remove predictive text because I hate it anyways and I am using the XDA hero keyboard that has the microphone. I love the hero default keyboard and this one is identical to it just with the mic.

Bluetooth: Still havent had a single issue with bluetooth. In fact Im even able to connect to my windows 7 machine that would never connect before. Only question I have is does the hero not have bluetooth file transfer functionality?

Speed: My phone is flying. Screen swipes are smooth as hell, transition from portrait to landscape is within 1 second.

Battery: Im literally getting 36 hours on this phone with average use. Texts, maybe an hour or so internet browsing, did a google navigation last night for 45 minutes and lost 2% battery. Ive got gps off unless I need it and facebook updates every 12 hours, weather updates every 3. No pop mail, only gmail. Screen off in 1 minute. Thats about all I changed.

Camera: As for portrait pics, they work as they should. If I take a pic in portrait mode it shows in my gallery as a portrait style picture (tall and skinny) if I take a landscape pic it shows properly as a landscape (short and wide). Thats how its supposed to be so Im not sure what the issue is that people are complaining about. If someone cares to explain this Id love to hear it cuz Im confused on what people think it should do that its not. Im having zero issue taking one handed pics unless I need to zoom. Like the previous poster said though, I didnt get a hero for a camera, thats just a nice bonus for me.
See below pics and tell me whats wrong.


Overall: I came from a Moment a few days ago and you guys that havent used or had one have no idea how good the Hero has it. The battery on the moment can barely hit 10 hours without turning everything off. The data locks up constantly forcing a reboot and my god 2.1 has some serious bluetooth, lag, and overall performance issues. I absolutely love the Hero. This will most likely be a phone that actually lasts me more than a month or 2. The only thing Im hoping for is root access to remove the sprint apps and to be able to run apps2sd so I can put Homerun Battle 3d back on cuz that games 21 megs and I dont like using that much internal memory. For once, since I got a ppc6700 years ago I am running a stock OS and perfectly happy doing so.

 

You're lucky then, because a LOT of folks are reporting they can no longer connect to their car Bluetooth kits since the 2.1 update. Phone is now unusable in my car.

The Hero now supports the Bluetooth Object Push Profile (OPP), and I tested it sending contacts back and forth to my LG Rumor. Not sure if it also supports the Bluetooth File Transfer profile or not...I couldn't get files to transfer.

 

I know, this is solely my own experience. I know alot of people are having issues so Im guessing its the communication between theyre specific hardware and the phone. For me I use a plantronics headset, rocketfish pc adapter and Ford sync in the truck. Those 3 all work.

I got the computer to start a transfer and the phone asked to accept the connection so I did but the file just sat then the pc said it wasnt accepted. Not a big deal as I ftp most of my stuff anyways but would be nice to have.

 

My experience has been exactly the opposite. My Hero with 1.5 wouldn't recognize the Blaupunkt in my car as a telephone device (only a music device) so I was never able to answer/make calls with the car stereo. 2.1 took care of that and everything now works as it should including the BlueAnt and Motorola headsets I use.

I'll add that my phone is not and never has been rooted.

Pete

 

Music and pictures save to SD so you won't lose those. Contacts will sync back up if they're saved as "google" contacts. You can use Astro to backup apps but they should appear under my downloads in the market the first time you access it after upgrading and its better to reinstall them there instead of from an app backup to ensure that you will receive update notifications from the market.

 

Why is my phone slow when everybody else's is fast? When somebody calls me, it takes forever for it to show up on caller id.

 

low on memory maybe? I noticed when I had a ton of apps installed it slowed down a bit.

 

Only thing I have is Aim, FB (came installed already), Handcent, MyDays, Barcode scanner, Shazam and maybe 1 or 2 other apps.

 

Im sure youve done a reboot a few times but if not try that a couple times and see how it goes.

 

I had many issues using the 2.1 leak rom including very laggy performance on phone, especially with answering phone calls and texting. When trying to type a text and an incoming came at the same time it would freeze the phone up. I had some issues when the phone was in vibrate mode only calls would vibrate not texts and worst the battery life was awful. Ever since I upgraded to official 2.1 all those issues are gone. Performance over all has improved vastly, battery is much better(get a full day now easy with 30% left) and texting is fast and lag free..

 

If you're near a Sprint store, take it there & have them do it. I took mine to one during my lunch break, 45 minutes later, I had my phone back. No problems, no regrets, can't wait to root though, lol

 

Let us know how it goes...