HTC Hero: Taking Android Higher

Tom on June 25, 2009

Firstly: an apology. We currently have a white HTC Magic in our midst. Our ‘tech-photo’ lens is broken. Darn! Coming soon…

On a brighter note, the third-generation Android model from HTC, the Hero, was unveiled by HTC late last night AEST time. To me, this model is not so much about how it works production-wise, but a showcase of the company’s amazing talent with re-interfacing somewhat clunky mobile operating systems.

While Android heralds an open-source win for mobile device software, I’ve often thought the UI has left a lot to be desired; it works, sure, but the quality doesn’t match the tireless efforts put into phones like the HTC Magic.

Hero interface tour by HTC [5 minutes]

Like their work with Windows Mobile 6, HTC have completely reskinned their own custom Android ‘Rosie’ release. The result is spectacular; beautiful colours, gradients, fonts and effects. Exactly what I have come to expect from handsets like the Touch Diamond.

It seems that HTC’s pattern with interface skinning has been revealed. HTC, largely before they became a brand in their own right, manufactured handsets for the likes of O₂ and i-mate. The interface was the bland, utilitarian Windows Mobile. However more recently HTC have beautified – and made at least usable to the non-pro consumer – the WinMo OS.

Now, with Android, there have been two ‘good’ phones (both of which I have used for a while) but the software has needed that magic touch (oh, what a pun..) that, as it would seem, is now being bestowed upon the range.

dreamtouch
The Hero mixes the concept of the Dream with the quality of the Touch Diamond2.

Without holding one in my hand, which will undoubtedly occur later this year, the Hero’s hardware looks a little blocky. It reminds me firstly of the Dream (the HTC / T-Mobile G1) then of the second-generation Touch Diamond. Blended into this mix is the little HTC-Android-device kink in the bottom of the face. I love that.