The Competition: HTC Hero Looks Really Slick

[Vincent Ferrari]

<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="600" height="360" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FKTDSfbcbBU" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="600" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FKTDSfbcbBU"></embed></object></p><p>I have to give credit where it's due; the Sense interface on the HTC hero is quite cool.&nbsp; The Hero would be the first Android-based phone to feature no Google branding, and instead just running the OS.&nbsp; From various photos and videos around the web, the Hero looks small, thin, and light (although it still has that stupid "chin" that the Google G1 has) and this video demo of the UI is quite impressive.</p><p>It remains to be seen how well the Hero will do when it's brought to market, but it won't be long before it's labeled an iPhone killer; you can be sure of that.</p>

[michaelalanjones]

I know they think that chin is cool, but all it really does is keep every other phone case in the world from working with this phone, including the millions of iPhone cases already out there. If there was a keyboard down there or something, I guess it might make sense.

Think about this phone in your pocket - bulgy, probably catch on things. In a sport jacket or suit pocket, it would stick out. In a holster, it would either be too snug or not fit at all. It is just enough of a lip to catch your keys on, in your pocket (if you put your keys in the same pocket as your phone, which I would not do).

Some people where I work have mobile phone sleeves in their Franklin-Covey planners, with their iPhone stuck in there. This chin would make that sleeve almost twice as thick.

I could probably think of four more reasons, to make a top-10 list, but it is boring to me now.