Pre vs HTC Hero

berrabus@gmail.com · 08/20/2009, 05:48 PM

Nows heres a great vs slash discussion topic. Now im not to versed in linux rather im a newb with training wheels on however ive tweaked my pre and well pretty much every phone Ive had and thus far love the pre the most. Heres the lineup:

Operating system

* Palm® webOS™

Processor

* OMAP3430

** Palm base clock 600mhz However can be OVER clocked to 800-1000mhz

RAM+capacity: 256 MiB

Network specs|

* 3G EVDO Rev A

Display

* 3.1-inch touch screen
* 24-bit color
* 320×480 resolution
* HVGA display

Keyboard

* Physical QWERTY keyboard

Email

* Microsoft Outlook® email with Microsoft® Direct Push Technology
* POP3/IMAP (Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, etc)

Messaging

* Integrated IM, SMS, and MMS

GPS

* Built-in GPS

Digital camera

* 3 megapixel camera
* LED flash
* extended depth of field

Sensors

* Ambient light
* accelerometer
* proximity

Media formats supported

* Audio Formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, AMR, QCELP, WAV
* Video Formats: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264
* Image Formats: GIF, Animated GIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP

Wireless connectivity

* Wi-Fi 802.11b/g with WPA, WPA2, 801.1x authentication
* Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support

Memory

* 8GB of user storage (~7.4GB user available)
* USB mass storage support

Phone as laptop modem

* Bluetooth tethering

Connector

* MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed

Headphone jack

* 3.5mm stereo

Palm® Touchstone™
charging dock

* Compatible

Dimensions

* Width: 59.5mm (2.3 inches)
* Height: 100.5mm (3.9 inches)
* Thickness: 16.95mm (0.67 inches)
* Weight: 135 grams (4.76 ounces)

HTC Hero Specs

Processor Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz

Operating System Android™

Memory ROM: 512 MB

RAM: 288 MB

Dimensions (LxWxT) 112 x 56.2 x 14.35 mm ( 4.41 x 2.21 x 0.57 inches)

Weight 135 grams ( 4.76 ounces) with battery

Display 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 320x480 HVGA resolution

Network HSPA/WCDMA:

*
900/2100 MHz
*
Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

*
850/900/1800/1900 MHz

(Band frequency and data speed are operator dependent.)

Device Control Trackball with Enter button

GPS Internal GPS antenna

Connectivity Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets

Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g

HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)

3.5 mm audio jack

Camera 5.0 megapixel color camera with auto focus

Audio supported formats MP3, AAC(AAC, AAC+, AAC-LC), AMR-NB, WAV,

MIDI and Windows Media® Audio 9

Video supported formats MPEG-4, H.263, H.264 and Windows Media® Video 9

Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Capacity: 1350 mAh

Talk time:

*
Up to 420 minutes for WCDMA
*
Up to 470 minutes for GSM

Standby time:

*
Up to 750 hours for WCDMA
*
Up to 440 hours for GSM

(The above are subject to network and phone usage.)

Expansion Slot microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)

AC Adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz

DC output: 5V and 1A

Special Features G-sensor

Digital Compass

Points of Consideration**

Now its a pretty even match as far as hardware is concerned. Through Android the HTC Hero provides a similar version to WebOS multitasking and allows for a specific layout for each day, eg weekend mode/work mode.

Beyond that WebOS is just coming out of the box with their recent release of their SDK and the homebrew apps have just hit the market where as Android has had plenty of in-field play through app developers

The OMAP3430 on the Pre has a much more complex architecture and is much more powerful then the MSM7200A meaning the Hero will more then likely be laggy just like any other HTC device released on the market

DING! Huge factor though its not much more then the 1240 mah that comes with the pre the HTC Hero comes with a 1340 mah battery providing longer talk time and longer idle time.

Expansion, now the pre comes packed with a nice 8 gigs which for me is plenty but with the heavy users out there or major media based users 8 gigs just plain isnt enough. Take a look at Samsung's take on the venue releasing the Omnia II with 2 8 and 16 gig options PLUS an expansion slot option. Boo on Pre for not providing expandable memory and BOO on Hero for not providing in device flash. I guess since the Hero is devoid of on-board memory its up to the user, Id like to see a release of Pre with an expansion slot option or maybe an option for a device with more storage would be nice.

Video, now Palm has released statements that the Pre will be updated with video capabilities however currently this is a depressing fact that hey I have this 3 megapixel camera that I cant even utilize the full capabilities of... HTC Hero allowes video at 720x480 out of the box.

The Hero has a bit more ram however having the slower CPU unit compared to the Pre this more then likely wont show a noticable difference

Multi-Touch both devices have it, cool! First phones since the iPhone to release a multi touch phone kudos!

Flash Palm boasts that both Palm and Adobe are working together and the Pre will be flash capable however DING! Hero wins here being flash capable out of box.

Now Id like to add more however this is just the matchup I can provide just delving into some online researching. If anyone has anything to add feel free and when the Hero is released (supposedly 10-11-09) I will be ordering one and testing it myself. Ill provide a followup =)

jameskk · 08/20/2009, 06:21 PM

I've got both phones and while I have no idea what the Sprint HERO will be like, I can tell you that my GSM Hero is nice but I like the Pre better. Android seems to have a problem with the memory becoming very fragmented (leaks perhaps) after about a day of usage. I downloaded a program that allows me to close apps but you have to watch it very closely or else the devices gets very sluggish real fast. I really like the number of Apps that android has the the fact that there are endless customizations that are available. It will be interesting to see if WebOS or Android will prove to be more popular in the coming years. My guess is that it will be Android given that it's an open source platform and pretty much free for handset manufacturer's to license.

calsccr9 · 08/20/2009, 06:30 PM

I've been wondering if picking the pre was the right choice. By now I'm well over the 30 day return period (had mine since launch) so idk if its worth paying extra for the hero. I know there have been reports of sluggishness but an update has also been rumored to fix this, and most likely before its supposed to come to sprint in october. I can't help but to think of all the potential webOS has though, and what it can become given another few month. Apps are on their way and I'm sure palm has other updates planned to close up any gaps the hero holds over the pre. At the end of the day though, I think I'll stick with my pre. The hero may bring a new, shiny look to android, but its no pre.

nowise · 08/20/2009, 06:45 PM

Man, if someone would come out with an Android phone that used the next-gen ARM Cortex or equivalent (like what Pre and 3Gs has) and plenty of RAM... I would be all over it!

ronnienyc · 08/20/2009, 06:49 PM

I returned my Pre and bought a slightly used one for cheap so that I could save my contract extension for the Android phone...sounds interesting - though the videos I have seen all seem to show a very cluttered-looking interface...time will tell I guess.

badchad · 08/20/2009, 07:02 PM

I have been trying to make this decision as well. For me, the downside to the Pre has been build quality. Supposedly this is fixed.

The downside to the Hero is the laggy OS. Supposedly this has been fixed. Now I am completely torn.

Clipse · 08/20/2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowise

Man, if someone would come out with an Android phone that used the next-gen ARM Cortex or equivalent (like what Pre and 3Gs has) and plenty of RAM... I would be all over it!

Basically

prefanatic · 08/20/2009, 08:02 PM

Im so torn over this too. Something keeps telling me to go with the Pre but the one thing the Hero will have the Pre crushed on in the short term is apps/functionality since its based on the Android OS which as had time to grow. I wonder if it supports open gl also. Thats something I mad at palm for not putting in. Hopefully it will be in a update one day.

Other than that. The Hero is a very sexy phone both by design of the phone and the UI. However the UI also looks cluttered. The pre has a more refined streamlined feel I like better/

mobileman · 08/20/2009, 08:22 PM

How any Pre owner can complain about the laggy Android OS is beyond me.

Aridon · 08/20/2009, 08:24 PM

I will probably be trading my pre for a hero when it is released on sprint. Palm has made too many blunders, the updates haven't really addressed the devices short comings and the SDK is neutered.

Now that HTC fixed the stuttering in a single patch and with donut on the near horizon I see no reason to continie to use a gimped device. I will miss cards some what and the keyboard but I will not miss all the bugs and lack of features that come with the Pre.

DougB541 · 08/20/2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobileman

How any Pre owner can complain about the laggy Android OS is beyond me.

Many of us don't have laggy Pre when its just in stand by.

The Hero lags cause of all its widgets...meaning what they pimp, with the widgets and what not, become the thing that lags the device.

The only real lag i could complain about since I got my pre is i wish apps opened a second faster.

trim81 · 08/20/2009, 08:56 PM

the only reason I am ONLY CONSIDERING the android is due to Chatter and Marc.

Anyone have any updates with chatteremail?

ronnienyc · 08/20/2009, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougB541

The only real lag i could complain about since I got my pre is i wish apps opened a second faster.

Me too - aside from slow opening of apps and emails, the Pre is fast enough for me. IT's just the hardware that gives me second thoughts every time I use it.

**they need to make the next WebOS phone FEEL EXPENSIVE, because it is expensive, and so are the data plans** Many of the competing devices from other vendors feel expensive and solid, and that goes a long way with consumers, IMO. Got that Palm? It should feel like a Bentley, not like a Yugo.

thomasanderson · 08/20/2009, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aridon

I will probably be trading my pre for a hero when it is released on sprint. Palm has made too many blunders, the updates haven't really addressed the devices short comings and the SDK is neutered.

Now that HTC fixed the stuttering in a single patch and with donut on the near horizon I see no reason to continie to use a gimped device. I will miss cards some what and the keyboard but I will not miss all the bugs and lack of features that come with the Pre.

+1.

DougB541 · 08/20/2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronnienyc

Me too - aside from slow opening of apps and emails, the Pre is fast enough for me. IT's just the hardware that gives me second thoughts every time I use it.

**they need to make the next WebOS phone FEEL EXPENSIVE, because it is expensive, and so are the data plans** Many of the competing devices from other vendors feel expensive and solid, and that goes a long way with consumers, IMO. Got that Palm? It should feel like a Bentley, not like a Yugo.

I bet if they throw 2 counter weights in the Pre most people would think it appears more expensive. iPhone 1st gen was pretty damn heavy.

Honestly, (i have perfect Pre bear in mind) I don't know, outside of making it hevy, what more they could do to mke it feel expensive. glass screen wouldn't work on the device as it is.....and metal just F's with antenna a bit.

I think the feel of the device is love it or hate it.

berrabus@gmail.com · 08/20/2009, 09:35 PM

Well the Pre has zero to no lag vs the Android based Hero in my opinion and Ive used HTC devices on a heavy user base since the Titan (mogul) and all of which were severly laggy. However since the Hero is Android based agreed it will have Palm Pre crushed in App/Functionality in short term however the Pre is a more powerful phone with a linux based os. WebOS needs time to grow and I personally think in the times-span of 4-7 months given the beginning of the 2nd fiscal quarter next year we will see some complete changes. Not to mention the exponential growth WebOS has already offered to the end user since its launch. Palm simply needs to improve on the solid, durability of their phone. This user has been a solid Samsung user since the UpStage was the hotness.

Merovingian · 08/20/2009, 09:53 PM

I knew i made the right decision not to get the Pre after all my buzz was hashed by all that was left out.

Anyway, there's also a Sprint Samsung Andriod slider coming this year as well, so the Hero is not all that is to come to Sprint Android-wise.

I've always liked Android and having played with the G1, i was impressed. In its current iteration, i'm not in love with the Pre hardware that much vs the Hero. I have seen reports of lagginess in early Hero's but there's been a recent update (unreleased but shown on Modaco yesterday) that's made it sooo much snappier.

As for the Pre having zero to no lag...i beg to differ very much.

Hero vs Pre right now, i'll go with Hero and Android.

gbp · 08/20/2009, 11:14 PM

Pre has lag, but PALM will improvise it with software updates.

If anything , all the Android phones need a better processor.
HTC is doing injustice to andriod by using the same 500 plus MHz CPU on WinMo and Android .

gbp · 08/20/2009, 11:15 PM

More over SPEED WILL BE THE MUST HAVE FEATURE for the next two years or so.

berrabus@gmail.com · 08/20/2009, 11:36 PM

When I had quoted the Pre has little to zero lag, that would be in comparison to other smart devices Ive used which is Samsung, HTC and Palm based. Samsung Instinct suffers severe lag in the texting department, and all HTC Devices lag just simply by powering it on. Now I have not had my hands on the HTC Hero yet however when the release supposedly on Oct 11th comes I will be sure to provide my input on the device being a heavy end user and tweaker of mobile devices.