Posts tagged htc hero
Leaked 2.1 Droid Eris Rom Ported to HTC Hero
Mar 4th
While this might not exactly constitute news to everyone, it is certainly something many people will be interested in. Apparently the leaked Android 2.1 Droid Eris Rom we told you about last night has already been ported to the HTC Hero! It didn’t take XDA long at all! If your interested in getting it, you can find it here! It is still pretty buggy, but everything seems to be working. As always, flash with caution so you don’t brick your device!
Source: XDA
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Have Keyboard, Will Travel: Android Phones Capable of Using USB Keyboard.
Mar 2nd
Image Credit: Andrew de Quincey
In an article over at jkontherun.com, it seems that some enterprising Android enthusiasts have found that some Android powered devices have the ability to support USB keyboards built into their stock firmware.
As the author of the article points out, it is not as simple as plugging in that extra keyboard you have laying around, indeed it takes some splicing and some soldering to make it work. You also have to enable USB on the go host mode on the phone.
Credit for this discovery goes to Chris Paget, who lists the steps out on his blog. Chris used three different components to get a keyboard working on his Verizon Droid: a micro USB cable, a car charging cable and a USB extender cable. It seems Chris may be the McGuyver of the Android platform as he outlines how he spliced different things together to make the hack work.
For those of you who have been looking to use your Android handset with a keyboard, and posses the necessary savvy to splice cables together, make sure to check out Chris Paget’s blog. It is a very cool read on how he did it. You can also look here at Andrew De Quincey’s livejournal as he was able to achieve USB Host mode on his HTC Hero, using a simliar method.
The exciting thing about this kind of development is the possibilities of using USB Host mode for may other applications, USB devices, webcams and other things that you can interact with remotely. Here’s to looking forward to what comes next!
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Sprint Readying Android 2.1 for Early Q2
Feb 17th
Many of the new handsets being unveiled this week are being announced with Android 2.1 installed as the OS. Invariably, this is the time where current Android owners start wondering about their own phones and when they might see an update to the latest release. Sprint customers with Hero and Moment handsets had been previously advised to look for an update in the first half of 2010. Thanks to a tweet from the carrier, we know a little bit more.
Android update! Upgrades to 2.1 for Hero/Moment now expected early 2Q10. Currently working through options for upgrades w/ HTC and Samsung. – via twitter
The first tweet indicates the “when” as being early in the quarter. We’re assuming (hoping) that this means April. As to how the update will work, that’s yet to be ironed out. It could be an over-the-air update similar to what T-Mobile’s done for their handsets. On the other hand, it may be a case where users are directed to a local Sprint store instead.
OTA vs. PC-based or in-store upgrade are “still TBD upgrade options” referenced in Android 2.1 tweet (working through w/ manufacturers) – via twitter
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HTC Desire = Nexus One + Sense UI — The Competition
Feb 16th
While yesterday’s Mobile World Congress news was all about Windows Phone 7 Series (henceforth WinPho7s), the Android invasion has returned with news of the HTC Desire, which looks to be Nexus One-style hardware running a new version of Sense UI, and the HTC Legend, a unibody update to the Hero.
Android Central has your details and your HTC Desire hands-on.
In terms of competition to the iPhone, it’s probably not too different than the Nexus One either. The specs remain over the top but the polish in terms of capacitance sensitivity isn’t likely improved. The big question will be whether or not Sense UI on the HTC Desire is more consistent and if multitouch is in the keyboard’s future.
There’s also a new, uber-version of the Hero called the Legend, so check out details and an HTC Legend hands-on over at Android Central as well.
Overall, the main contrast to Apple’s steady, once a year pace with extreme fit and finish is Google/HTC/Android’s release fast, fix later, polish never strategy. The sheer amount of “superphone” class devices they’re putting out, however, should keep the pressure on Apple as we round the corner towards a 4th generation iPhone.
Also, unlike Apple’s one, global iPhone, HTC is — as is all too often the case — releasing the Desire and the Legend without any support for US 3G bands. (Yeahbuwhy?)
Check them out and then come back and let us know what you think Apple has to do, if anything, to compete in the newer, hotter 2010!
HTC Desire = Nexus One + Sense UI — The Competition is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.
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HTC Legend Announced at MWC2010
Feb 16th
HTC just unveiled the successor to last year’s Hero handset at Mobile World Congress. Called the Legend, it’s pretty much everything we’ve come to expect. It has a similar form factor to the Hero with its slight chin but it gets an overall boost in performance.
If last year’s handset was unique with its Teflon coating, this year’s standout design feature will be its unibody case. Made with one continuous piece of aluminum, the Legend literally has a polish to it. Like the just-announced Desire, the Legend also features the updated version of Sense UI. Specifications include a 3.2-inch AMOLED display, optical trackpad, and Android 2.1 under the hood. Look for the HTC Legend in April on Vodafone and Asia in early Q2 with a worldwide rollout to follow.
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Alaska’s ACS Now Offers HTC Hero, Special Android Plans
Jan 22nd
We don’t know how many of you guys reside in Alaska but we figured we’d pass this along anyways. Alaska Communications Systems (ACS) has announced the arrival of the HTC Hero as well as new, dedicated rate plans for Android handsets. ACS is not the first smaller/regional carrier to offer Android phones, but the introduction of a specialized Android plan intrigues us.
Called ACS Android Life, the monthly plan includes unlimited nationwide talk, unlimited data, unlimited text, “exclusive ACS Android Life benefits” for $99 per month. Family plans are somewhat discounted at $188 per month for the first two Android Life users. Additional lines are $79 each. It’s not known what the “exclusive benefits” are so if you happen to live in Alaska, hit us up!
We did find a neat little mini-site called “U of Android” which looks to help educate their subscribers on all things Android and Hero. It includes photos, videos, and more to get users off on the right foot.
Other Great AndroidGuys Posts
Europe’s HTC Hero to Get Android 2.1 Mid-February?
Jan 13th
We just received an email from our friends at http://android.com.pl who are advising that all HTC Hero units in Europe will see an upgrade to Android 2.1 starting February 15th. They’re claiming their source for this comes from the top at HTC Poland. We’ve been hearing rumors of HTC skipping Android 1.6 to jump into the 2.0/2.1 playing field soon. With Android 2.1 just being released yesterday, the news of 2.1 surprises us. If it were 2.0 or 2.01, we’d feel better.
On a side note, they’ve been informed that the HTC Tattoo will not make the cut due to its hardware limitations. We’ve listed the changes below that are being reported. Have any you guys heard anything to confirm this?
- Android 2.1 is much faster
- One interesting option is a preview of desktops, you can zoom out two Finders as pages in your browser. Effect. Effectively reduce the deskop, brillant view.
- Icons have clear coat (Espresso perhaps?)
- At the bottom of the menu we have: phone, menu, contacts
- HTC added a nice transition when you quit the application and move around the options.
- Lock screen is not rounded.
- Faster-running HTC keyboard.
- New widgets from HTC (News and Weather, YouTube)
- Improved flashplayer. Operates smoothly.
- Graphic change in the gallery and video player (Cosmetic procedures)
- And the rest of the news, which introduces a new android. (Market etc.)
- We have more RAM. About 130-140mb after killing the process. “
