Following up, Sprint has launched the HTC Hero after months of speculation and the first reveal by PhoneNews.com.
The Sprint version of the Hero is functionally identical to the reference GSM version with the same 3.2-inch multitouch capacitive display, 5.0 megapixel camera with video recorder, microSDHC slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, HTML browser and the Sense UI frontend.
The rest of the featureset consists of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, accelerometer and speakerphone.
Pricing is set at $179.99 after minimum $69.99 Everything Plan or higher selection, $50 instant rebate, $100 mail-in rebate and new 2 year agreement.
Check thru this thread on howardforums to see if the reverse is true on vzw
http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=387912
So how many people ended up leaving sprint because of this thread??
Or was it just all talk??
@ Mr.Don Louis, SPRINT uberfan!!
As I have said before, at this point in time, since SPRINT is holding the HERO and the coming m900 hostage, I am in need of a nice none smartphone, and there is none in the current line up!!
I will never again buy a WM mobile product, just yesterday I was loging off my ASUS XP Netbook it said that it needed to install updates before shutting down, again without telling what the hell it is installing on my Computer, I said “OK”, it started to install 21 updates!!!!
This morning it is WARNING me that my memory is low, down from one 1GB to 134 MB !
This morning it is yet again downloading some more garbage, I hate anything MS except may be for the old MS2k & WORD 2000.
Microsoft is an outdated, greedy, bloated and const….garbage company!!
I just spend $260 on a digital camera, and also started to carry the camera on me for the first time since 2002! WHY?
Because it takes for ever for my Palm Pro 850 to “load” the camera, don’t forget the bonus, the phone NEVER RINGS!! Hence,I miss calls left and right! WHY?
Because SPRINT is run by a bunch of greedy idiots, why the hell would they carry a phone that will not even get an OS update, just six weeks after the purchase!
As a Corp.buyer, you have to make shure you carry, at the very least, decent exciting products, and yes for all of your customers,hence increasing sales and profits for the company and shareholders, not killing sales by discriminating against your own “legacy” core customers, and not by selling sheer junk (PALM PRO 850) as in this case!!
Palm does not give a rat’s …ss!! No Updates!! Palm will die with the WebOS once and for all, the past is the guiding light of the future for Palm, ohh by the way, they just killed the WM program department all together!!
Again, give me a nice none Smartphone option, otherwise I am leaving SPRINT for the VZW iPhone, if there is no flashing option, and yes I will pay the rip off ETF, just to prove to SPRINT that it is about the Principal and Ethics and not about the Money for me,as it is the case for SPRINT!
Imagine, you buying a car and they say no your “Costco Gas Card” will not work on this car, you need a Hydrogen plan, but your car runs on the same gasoline!! But originally, they sold you the “Costco Gas Card”, with the promise of “unlimited Gas” and access to the cars of your choice!
Thank You
Stop lying to yourself, get the iphone, make all right in the world by showing Sprint you can pay 30% more and be the next martyr. If I’m am uber-fan then you are a super dense, you feel cheated because a plan that no longer exist to the public with a whole bunch of perks has been replaced. You’ve already said you don’t use all your minutes anyway so the loss will not hurt considering AnyMobile. For the umptteenth time, you will not get a phone flashed for Sprint or Vzw and if you do it with Metro or Cricket that voids the warranty meaning you’ll have to get somebody that knows what they’re doing to get the original software back . I enjoy coming here to see how much more nonsense will be added to this thread
@i like dan hessssseeee
I have already canceled one of my lines and will be canceling my 2 other lines in the next couple of days. I will be keeping one of my sero lines since I tether and use data on that line a lot and and will just keep it since it is the only way to stick it to the man. Only $30/month and I use the same data or more as the pre or hero.
@don louie,
What are you talking about flashing voids warranty? In some cases that is true but flashing is not permanent. you can revert back to the old software anytime. I had never flashed a phone before and I flashed my diamond by just googling it. So you tell me that it is hard to take a phone to another phone company. What about all those people that have the iphone on tmobile or those that have been able to tether before the new update was just released.
Also, before I give more money to any phone company it will not be ATT. The iphone is not the best smartphone out there. It is just one of the many fish in the sea. There are plenty of smart phones out there that do what the iphone does or even more. Android is just the beginning. It is going to help consumers when the iphone is finally on another provider. We will all see what happens.
Don Louis
Did you ever wonder why Sprint did not and has not hired you?
Thank You
@ Don Louis
Let me help you understand the reasoning behind it, it is simply because you take a fanatic positon in opposing anyone who opposes your obsessive stand regarding SPRINT.
Who in their right mind would hire some one like that, name calling is not a problem solving skill, avoiding key valid points is surely no sales skill!
Weather you agree or disagree,our complains are valid, at worst they are construtive critisism and feedback.
The next SPRINT CEO, could quite possibly employe these as potential future policies and guidelines for changes.Calling people names directly or indirectly is simply offensive,the last thing it will do is advance your point!
Couple of friendly tips:
First skill you need to develope, is the “listening” skill.
Second, stop thinking that only you have the right answers.
Third, you can not force people into believing you for long.
Fourth, make sure you got your facts straight.
Thank You
Well in the end I will keep my $30 plan. The good news is that htc is releasing a phone with android which will run on 1000mhz dragon processor with android. Then it will be worth it to pay more to switch unless by then the rules change and allow any phone to work on any UNLIMITED DATA plan. Good luck with whatever you decide. I will keep you up to date on what happens with sprint and the bbb. For now I will enjoy my unlimited $30 plan and will wait for all the cool phones being released in the next couple of months.
@JJ
Enjoy your Plan, make the most of it! lol
Thank You
Sorry I meant snapdragon processor and 1ghz. The phone is the same as the touch HD2 but it will be called the Dragon. Okay. Im done.
U people r great, u should open a comedy act……
bottomline-
great comment-keep it up. It is very insightful reading your amazing perspective on this matter.
I can’t believe this whole thing hasn’t died yet. My god…
There really is no point in trying to reason with people that r unreasonable.
I have seen plenty of posts like these and I noticed that the reason things like this don’t die and keep coming back is because it is a very important issue for the people that are dealing with it. I have sat here and read a lot of the comments and those of you who supposedly work for sprint are amazing. If I dealt with you face to face in a store I would have cancelled my service immediately. Unbelievable on some of the things you say.
This will die, when at last, they are handed their pinkslip’s.
Greed is reasonable, let us just put that into perspective with regards with today’s economy,
D. Hesse the C.E.O., making $14 million last year,
that is $14.000.000 / $14.040 ( $9x 30 hours X 52 weeks)=
over 997 times what a typical staff/employee made in the same period!
$14.000.000 / @ $3.92 a share => It takes just 35 million and 714.285 shares, just to compensate Mr D.Hesse ! What greed ?
SPRINT has now even less accounts, it is Corp policy, to the core as demonstrated so nicely by the above fan club.
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=S
Thank You
You guys say how terrible the Sprint employees are. But, what do expect us to do? Magically allow these phones on your legacy plans? We have no say over the matter. We are just being truthful about that. Don’t blame us, blame Sprint management. We lowly retail employees have absolutely nothing to do with all this. You’re mad at us because we back the company we work for like that is a bad thing.
I am sure most of you have jobs and would not like it if I made a huge fuss over some policy that you had no control over. It is what it is. Nothing more.
First of all, our problem with sprint employees is not the fact that they can’t allow phones that we want with our existing plans. If you read carefully you would see that the only complaints to the sprint employees are incompetence and lack of professionalism.
I work for a large company and whenever the company has policies I don’t agree with, I will be the first to say it, and if somebody points something out to me, I will consider if I agree or disagree with their point, and then decide for myself what position I want to take. That does not make me a bad employee, I think it’s the exact opposite, an employee that can think outside the box and help point out issues to help the company grow is very valued.
I’m not saying that you should bad mouth the company you work for and say hey sprint sucks, like a lot of the customers are saying at this point, but at least except the criticism and think about if you agree with sprints policies or not. Just because you work for them doesn’t mean you have to agree with every decision they make. I’m sure if sprint came out with a new policy that effected you in a negative way, let’s say they cut all employee salaries by 25%, you won’t be happy and will have no problem voicing your opinion.
Furthermore, even if you are so closed minded as to blindly follow any decision sprint makes, this forum is not on the sprint website and the people posting here were not trying to reach out to sprint employees. Therefore don’t tell us that we are complaining to sprint employees pointlessly. We were just discussing the issues between ourselves. It was your choice to come in here and start telling us how we are just whining and should just get over it and just leave if we are not happy (that’s the lack of professionalism I was talking about).
@ Sprint Tech
We have nothing against you, further more we clearly can differentiate between you the employee in the messanger role vs the SPRINT policy maker, but when we are steaming off, attempting to silence us, the very people, who made this company last this long, expect to burn badly!
Not one employee at the three different Corp. stores I frequent, at “Tier 2” or at “Retention” attempts to silence me or even disagrees with me, they all understand the frustration or at the very least they do not add fuel to the fire, like some other people here do, you can not expect to play with fire and not burn!
On the other hand, we very much appreciate people like yourself, who are understanding of our stance with regards to SPRINT policies, and attempt to make a positive difference!
Thank You
You guys will not stop, a good trait, till something changes but after a year of protest Sprint still hasn’t changed thier mind
for F1
http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Is-Verizon-testing-the-iPhone-4G-on-its-LTE-network-article-a_7527.html
@ JJ/GP/ Igor et al…
I just had an interesting coversation with a Best Buy Cell Dep.Mngr, she said unlike with SPRINT, at BB they have the option to connect the Hero to any account, even to the non Everything plan,simply based upon the renewal of the contract, as long as you have a “Data package”, you will have to pay $180 + tax no MIR.Check we your local BB Mngr.
BTW, the Hero did not have a landscape virtual keyboard mode, also it has a Mini and not a Micro USB connection, beautiful screen, probably the best looking SPRINT device in several years, she also recommended considering the Samsung “Moment”, coming Nov 1st ?!
Either way it should be fun!
@ Don Louie
Thank you for the link, as you know, there is always a basis to every rumor,however rumors are just that, until proven otherwise,and yet,
Life has taught me, that change is about the only certainty in life.
Thank You
Well, I never tried upgrading at bb because the person that was infront of me at the line had to get an everything plan to use it so I figured I’d upgrade online. I may try to go back to bb and try except I have to wait for sprint to credit my account and add my eligibility for returning the first hero. Plus with all the new droid phones coming out in the next couple of months I might just wait for htc to come out with a better version of the hero or a completely redesigned phone. I guess we’ll see if the tp2 with sprint has an upgrade that will give it sense ui.
I would be curious to know if Best Buy can actually activate the Hero or if its just another misinformed employee. I would expect Best Buy’s computers to log in to the same system as Sprint, which is programmed to deny any plan other than an Everything Plan, but maybe they have their own system. If anybody successfully upgrades through Best Buy, please let us know.
I have never bought a cell phone at Best Buy, does it have to be a Mobile Store or any Best Buy?
@ JJ
Well, I can’t wait to see the first SPRINT AMOLED which is going to be the Samsung “Moment” Android with K.B., ala TP2 W.M., nine days left for it to be released at BB!
Yes, make sure for SPRINT to credit your account and change your eligibility back, prior to attempting the sign up!
@ Igor
Well she seemed well informed as a Cell Dep Mngr at my local SoCA BB.
She said that they used to use the SPRINT System page to sign up new phones/accounts, however that is no longer the case, BB has currently it’s own sign up page, where the employee has two choices:
1. Sign up with the “Everything Plan”
2. Renew account contract, without any changes, but it has to have a “Data Package” to be eligble.
I asked her to check my account, just to see if it works, she asked for my cell#, followed by the last four/three digits of my SS#, which I did not particularly like, she preceded to look at my “account plan features list”, confirming my plan being fine for the upgrade because of my “Data package”, except she also showed me, my “update eligibility date” which is the only thing standing in the way of my “renewal”.
She told me that she can transfer my file on the spot,if I wanted to.
In addition to that, as you know there is no M.I.R.
I believe for legal reasons, initialy SPRINT is using a “soft push” via it’s own employees and entities to push the “E.P.”, hence the somewhat hidden, third party loop hole, still exist.
I did not ask,weather there was any return issues, she said customers including herself, love the Hero.
This might be the best “secret” revealed, yet!
Thank You
Can anyone confirm that Sprint will not follow up on the Best Buy Hero sale and then say we MUST have an everything plan?
Well if that is the case once I recieve my credit I will give the bb option a shot. I don’t know how long it will take sprint to credit me but I will let you know unless someone does it before me. Good luck.
igor is on the right track with the mis-informed reps, If they were able to active an Instinct, s30, Instinct HD, Pre, Hero and upcoming Moment it would’ve hit the web long ago
I went to bb and I was not able to talk to an employee but I noticed that on the price sheet next to phones on the pre and the instinct it says “can only activate on everything plan” on the Hero sheet it says “it can be activated on a plan with $30 or higher data plan or an everything plan”. So according to their paperwork you technically can get the hero on any plan that has an added data package of $30. The only problem is that the sero doesn’t have an add on data package. It comes built in with data. So in a couple days when I get my credit back I will try to get the hero at bb on my sero and see what happens. It looks like other people with other plans that have a data package may be able to get the hero on their account.
JJ,
Be careful that a BB sales person doesn’t change your plan by accident. If they do, I don’t think you’ll be able to get it back.
In regards you returning your phone, I believe that if you go to a sprint store, they can take the phone there, and credit your account.
Good luck, let us know how everything turns out.
Be aware, that the problem with returning a Phone at the SPRINT store, is that although you will recieve a receipt, however,
the ” SPRINT Wherehouse” can, and will take an excessive amount of time, to reflect the credit on your account, on the other hand,
you have “instant proof”, that you have sent it back complete, because the store will check the content of the box, before noting the account.
My observations regarding the Hero:
1. No dedicated hard button for the Camera
2. As of now, the virtual keyboard, is only available in the vertical mode,thus, a very narrow keyboard, which btw only responds to fingertips and hence the lacking of a stylus!
3. A little on the sluggish side
4. No “Micro” USB, but a “Mini” !
I am curious regarding teathering on the Android OS, and also looking forward to the “Moment” release, next week with the
1st SPRINT Android with a physical keyboard & 1st SPRINT AMOLED!
Thank You
4 times Phonenews has refused my post, what a joke!
This is the second message not posted by Phonenews in the last 10 days, no one did even have the courtesy to follow up!!
Again only one link, this is blatant censorship!
Thank You
Just in case you can’t wait for the “Moment” visit this link,
censored………mobileburn
I still prefer the Hero, but it would be great to have the Android on a candybar form factor a la the Palm Pro, so far I have not been able to transplant the Cupcake on to my Palm Pro WM 6.1, I am almost certain it can be done.
I still love the polished iPhone 3GS, SPRINT’s leadership should make every efford to buy into the iPhone, out bid VZW and at last become a real Industry leader!
Thank You
To add further insult to injury, the Phonenews System not only prevents you of attempting re-posting, but it also is claiming duplicate message!!
I wonder if Phonenews even has a monitoring staff, and if so, what are they so busy accomplishing,10 days later, again no answer, no follow up whatsoever!
PCS Intel, how you have changed !
In the future I will not be going to waste my time circumventing this outdated program on this website.
Thank You
Sounds like F1 needs a new ISP and/or web browser, since all of his/her posts went through. Unfortunately, when someone says they won’t be back… you know they’re a reader for life. Welcome to the Lifetime Reader Club!
According to Merriam-Webster
Main Entry: ar·ro·gance
Pronunciation: \ˈer-ə-gən(t)s, ˈa-rə-\
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions
Christopher Price on October 27th, 2009, 4:26 am
Sounds like F1 needs a new ISP and/or web browser, since all of his/her posts went through. Unfortunately, when someone says they won’t be back… you know they’re a reader for life. Welcome to the Lifetime Reader Club!
Let us take a look:
1.Taking people for granted (see his Pre review) Check!
2.Blaming anybody but yourself (ISP/Browser) Check!
3.Assume knowing it all (his action or lack there of) Check!
4.Presumtive of other people (see his above post) Check!
They also lack short term memory:
Example, take a look at his article:
Review: Palm Pre (Sprint)
206 Comments
Written by Christopher Price on May 19, 2009
Very few, if anybody defended you, one …did!
F1 on May 19th, 2009, 11:16 am
First I would like to take moment, and on behalf of the educated consumers’s of this Site, thank Christopher Price, for his tireless effort, in this day and age, his work ethics are commendable!
Taking people for granted, again!!
Thank You
Alright I had some of the same issues you did and still can’t contribute through my phone browser, now instead of railing against a perceived slight by Sprint it comes down to this site holding some kind of vendetta. I suggest blowing off steam on boygeniusreport, engadgetmobile, phonearena, phonescoop, mobiledia or intomobile and while at it hit up howardforums and sprintusers to get a little perspective. JJ, don’t fall for the “banana in the tailpipe” (Beverly Hills Cop reference) because no Best Buy rep will be able to circumvent the current protocols set forth by Sprint. On a side note, the current rebate form list the Hero as requiring at least a $25 data plan to get the discount so there still is hope for all the SERO and legacy plan holders
Just got off phone with sprint after talking with customer service and tech support. On my digital lounge it is showing that I currently have an htc hero activated when I currently use the touch diamond. I tried activating my hero that I got through the web and of course it would not work on my sero.That means I can’t buy anything for my phone since everything on there is for the hero. My digital lounge is still showing that I have the hero. This just shows you that the hero will work perfectly fine on the sero. It is just sprint trying to get more money from customers. The old “bait and switch”. It never gets old.
If only sprint reps would be more consistent on telling us why the hero can’t be used on sero. Sprint, just tell us “We want more money even though your phone works perfectly fine with your current plan, we just want more money”. Thats all you have to say sprint.
CNET just reported that sprint lost another 801,000 customers. They lost $478 million. I wonder why? Could it be that they care more about themselves than customers? If only they would have treated customers better…SERO anyone? Hey sprint tech are you scared of losing your job? They might start cutting employees to get some of that money back. Maybe they should allow the loyal customers to use any phone they want to. Unbelievable sprint. Highest churn rate on the market and your still being hard headed. Good for you!
F1, it’s not arrogance, it’s called confidence.
You are angry we filtered a vulgar post from someone spamming it up for another site. If they had chosen to be cogent and calm, and not hit the f-bomb among others, the comment would have gone unmoderated.
If you want to talk about other sites, that’s more than fine with us. Just keep it suitable for all audiences, and don’t spam. Do one, and we’re more invasive about patrolling the other.
And, again, welcome back for another visit to the Lifetime Reader Club Lounge 🙂
P.S. We’re working on mobile support. We expect a lot of improvements in December, after we push out Full Circle and complete the Newsroom Network rebrand.
P.P.S. I came really, really close to spilling the beans on the final name for Full Circle, back to coffee for me.
The word on the street is that Sprint might be up for sale.
To who?
Originally there was talk that Britain’s BT Group was a potential buyer. I haven’t heard anything new about that deal. But if they are on the market, it’s only a matter of time for them to find a buyer.
JJ,
I just spoke to escalation, the Manager said that BB and customers who sign up on anything but the E.P. will have problems:
“when we conduct a back audit, which we might, you are looking at potential cancellations, you can do it at your own risk, we might even start a new policy of enforcing any future phone upgrade, pending on an E.P. sign on”!!
They will not exchange my defective Palm Pro with anything else after all, despite previous offers, I guess that was expected, no surprise going back on their word.
It would cost me $35 more a month, times 24 months, that is an extra$840, on the $89.99 E.P., even after the discount, as opposed to a
one time $150 ETF, and freedom of choice!
I wonder if the CNETreported, of 801.000 loss is before or after absorbing the 1000.000 + gain from merging with the PCS subs?
On Tuesday, Seidenberg CEO of VZW said “the ball is in Apple’s court regarding the iPhone, our Network can handle the data usage of the iPhone”!!!
Thank You
People in the position of authority, have the additional burden of responsibility for their action or lack there of, i.e. going of on a tantrum and slandering people has consequences:
Take a look a the # of the actual bloggers, on the so called “Pre Review” back in May, compared to the actual differen blogger count, this month!
Here are the facts as they occured, I posted the following:
F1 on October 26th, 2009, 11:27 am
Just in case you can’t wait for the “Moment†visit this link,
censored………mobileburn
I still prefer the Hero, but it would be great to have the Android on a candybar form factor a la the Palm Pro, so far I have not been able to transplant the Cupcake on to my Palm Pro WM 6.1, I am almost certain it can be done.
I still love the polished iPhone 3GS, SPRINT’s leadership should make every efford to buy into the iPhone, out bid VZW and at last become a real Industry leader!
Thank You
As you can see for yourself, there is nothing offensive with the above post!
Explanation: Where you see “censored………”,
I had originaly posted the “http link”, regarding the review on the upcoming the Samsung “Moment”, at the “Mobileburn” website!
The post got rejected twice, until I decided to “circumvent” the rejection, by deleting the “http link”, thereby enabling the posting of the message and hence inform fellow bloggers, that is all!
Where is the spaming??
Where is the “f”bomb??
Hardly confidence*, however in addition to arrogance*, one can add stubborn* & delusional*!
You be the judge:
Thank You
P.S.:
C.P., friendly suggestion, lay off the caffeine before you spill and burn yourself some more,double check your facts and while your at it take a look at the job description for ” Blog-Monitor”, hint is definetly not alienating long time readers!
Reference:
According to Merriam-Webster*
Main Entry: de·lu·sion
Pronunciation: \di-ˈlü-zhən, dē-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin delusion-, delusio, from deludere
Date: 15th century
1 : the act of deluding : the state of being deluded
2 a : something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated b : a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary; also : the abnormal state marked by such beliefs
— de·lu·sion·al \-ˈlüzh-nəl, -ˈlü-zhə-nəl\ adjective
— de·lu·sion·ary \-zhə-ˌner-ē\ adjective
Main Entry: stub·born
Pronunciation: \ˈstə-bərn\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English stibourne, stuborn
Date: 14th century
1 a (1) : unreasonably or perversely unyielding : mulish (2) : justifiably unyielding : resolute b : suggestive or typical of a strong stubborn nature
2 : performed or carried on in an unyielding, obstinate, or persistent manner
3 : difficult to handle, manage, or treat
4 : lasting
Main Entry: 1con·fi·dence
Pronunciation: \ˈkän-fə-dən(t)s, -ˌden(t)s\
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1 a : a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances b : faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way
2 : the quality or state of being certain : certitude
3 a : a relation of trust or intimacy b : reliance on another’s discretion c : support especially in a legislative body
4 : a communication made in confidence : secret
F1, Sprint will miss you but as long as you’re still here I won’t have to. Thank for the vocabulary lessons
Hey everyone did you hear sprint is about to lose millions more customers in 2010. You know why? SPRINT HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL BE BANNING ALL TETHERING SOME TIME IN 2010 according to news here on phonenews.
I hope they aren’t really going to do this. I have already cancelled 1 of my 4 lines with sprint.
Lets hope that congress enforces net neutrality before sprint keeps screwing over their customers.
@ Don Louis
Thank You for your kind words, we are all here to learn from each other.
@ JJ
Sheer “genius” marketing move, it is very sad to watch this transpire right in front of our eye’s.
Thank You
Sprint told me that the reason hero requires everything plan because it is more data intensive than my touch diamond (Of course that is not true) But I guess I will just leave my phone running an online radio all night and see how data intensive my diamond can be. I hope to reach my 5gb cap.
It looks like the Samsung Moment is available to any plan with data. I just went on the Sprint.com and clicked upgrade to the moment… normally it would pop up with a message telling me that I will need to change my plan, however for this phone it goes straight to the accessories page just like for the Pro 2. I don’t need a physical keyboard and would prefer my phone to be thinner instead, but for those of you who want an android phone, this looks to be a good option.
The Samsung Moment also appears to require “everything” plans… : (