Samsung galaxy or HTC Hero

Brian Griffin

Hi,

Wondering what people think of these two phones? I'm in between which one to go for and wondering what other people think.

The way i see it is the galaxy has a better battery, has a flash, has 8gigs memory.The hero is a bit nicer to look at and the UI seems that bit nicer, and has a digital compass.

Not sure what the price on the galaxy is yet but the hero will be around 520.

I'll be using it traveling a bit so GPS and wifi use would be important but not 3G.

So which one would you go for? if they were the only options?

Cheers.

Professey Chin

Honestly? Probably the hero since I love my G1s trackball. Coin flip recomendation I give

Brian Griffin

Coin flip sounds good,
Might just have to wait and see if there is a big difference in price.

mobius42

The Hero's version of Android is much better. It has multitouch, Flash support and unified messaging. The only downside to that is that there might be a delay between when Google release an update for Android and when HTC update the Hero. The Hero can do everything the Samsung can but not the other way round.

dandv

The Galaxy has a digital compass too ("bousole numerique" in this French spec), and it also has a LED flash, which the Hero doesn't have.

The Hero can do everything the Samsung can but not the other way round.

And what exactly can the Hero do that the Galaxy can't, hardware-wise? Flash support is a software problem.

dubber

Thinking of going for the Galaxy myself, it's got a OLED screen and doesn't appear as bulky ... Hero has Flash support, but IIRC it's built on the same (or similar) platform to the Galaxy, so support probably isn't too far away?

Q_Ball

I think the hero has custom flash software. Adobe are releasing flash support for Android later this year. The Hero UI is gorgeous though.

I'm leaning towards the galaxy. I intend to do some app development and I'm not sure how the Hero will handle things like custom widgets. Plus being able to get OS updates straight from google is a plus to me.

Easy Rider

Really like the HTC hero, just don't think they will get a carrier in Ireland...

I am with Vodafone and they have just brought out the Samsung Jet (not interested), so thinking that they might get the Galaxy too. I am due an upgrade...if they got the Hero i would go for it, but if they don't and they get the Galaxy the price may be factor in the choice I make.

mobius42

Flash support coming to the Galaxy is dependent on Google integrating it into the stock Android build. Seeing as how non-HTC Android builds can't even read pdfs and docs natively yet (!), I think that you'll be waiting a while for support to come to the Galaxy.

dandv

mobius42 wrote: »

Seeing as how non-HTC Android builds can't even read pdfs and docs natively yet (!), I think that you'll be waiting a while for support to come to the Galaxy.

I've never used Android, but there seem to be a few PDF readers in the Android Marketplace.

Living in the US, I'm worried more about data access. The Galaxy supports UMTS 900/2100 and in the US we use 850/1900. So that means no 3G Internet from the Galaxy in the US?

mobius42

dandv wrote: »

I've never used Android, but there seem to be a few PDF readers in the Android Marketplace.

Living in the US, I'm worried more about data access. The Galaxy supports UMTS 900/2100 and in the US we use 850/1900. So that means no 3G Internet from the Galaxy in the US?

There are pdf readers in the market but they don't integrate with the email applications.

In the US, you can use the Galaxy on 3G on AT&T, but not T-Mobile. T-Mobile uses 1700/2100.

dandv

mobius42 wrote: »

There are pdf readers in the market but they don't integrate with the email applications.

E-mailing a PDF to yourself is a functional workaround to viewing PDFs on the Android.

mobius42 wrote: »

In the US, you can use the Galaxy on 3G on AT&T, but not T-Mobile. T-Mobile uses 1700/2100.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UMTS_networks#America, AT&T uses UMTS 850/1900, which the Galaxy doesn't support.

mobius42

dandv wrote: »

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UMTS_networks#America, AT&T uses UMTS 850/1900, which the Galaxy doesn't support.

My apologies, I found a different website that said AT&T use 900/2100, but they must have made a mistake. You're right, the Galaxy will not work on 3G in the US.

Also, it seems that the Gmail app on Android supports attachments, but the Email app doesn't.

Easy Rider

Well looks like o2 have the Samsung initially anyway...good work Vodafone Ireland...they must have the worst line-up of phones in its history ...

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/o2-confirms-samsung-i7500-galaxy-android-phone-for-uk-613762?src=rss&attr=all

towel401

people still care about which network comes out with the phone you want? thats so totally last century. if u wnt the freaking phone just buy unlocked

Easy Rider

towel401 wrote: »

people still care about which network comes out with the phone you want? thats so totally last century. if u wnt the freaking phone just buy unlocked

Maybe you are right, but when you are due an upgrade and happy with the tariff you are on getting a discounted phone can make sense...

AnRuaRi

towel401 wrote: »

people still care about which network comes out with the phone you want? thats so totally last century. if you want the freaking phone just buy unlocked

That may be last century in some countries, byt take the deals available with and without sim cards.
Just looking at the 3 network in the UK. A top end phone like this will typically add about £15 per month on top of the same numbers of minutes available sim free on an 18 month contract. that's paying soem £270 for the phone over 18 months (and they give you video minutes for that if you actually use them). As these phones have an unlocked price tag of over £400, and I dont have that kind of cash lying around it's cheaper both from cash flow and total price paid to get the phone I want with my mobile phone contract. - Now I know 1) there's exceptions and 2) none of these phones are available on 3. but their pricing structure is a little more transparent than some others in terms of the loading you have to pay for your handset.

Unlocked is still something I might consider.

Zombrex

Galaxy not getting as good reviews as the Hero, so I would go with the Hero

http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Samsung-Galaxy-I7500-Review-review-r_2235-p_4.html

Sengoku79

Samsung Galaxy out on O2 next week in the uk

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/08/14/samsung_android_i7500/

presumably this mean we will have it by xmas :-)

MiCr0

gsmaren's spec comparison
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone2=2861&idPhone1=2791

cros13

I just got the Hero for a work phone last monday.

Really great phone. I occasionally see a bit of lag with the UI but
I still find it better than my iPhone 3G.

The "Rosie" UI is very slick. I particularly like the contacts app which
integrates data from Flickr, Google Contacts, Facebook etc...
I also really like the fact that the HTC Mail Application has an Attachments
view.

My Boss got his hero on Monday as well. He flew to the US on Tuesday and
reported back that UMTS(3G) did not work there.

elderlemon

If you have the HTC contacts (favorites) widget on a page remove it. It will go noticibly faster.

cros13 wrote: »

...Really great phone. I occasionally see a bit of lag with the UI but
I still find it better than my iPhone 3G.

.