• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Where I go from here?

Russ.htchero

Russ.htchero

Newbie
Hi all,

The Hero is coming to retirement, but was wondering where I go from here?

I have been musing the review pages, got some hands on the latest handsets
  • Galaxy S2 (Very Big)
  • HTC Sensation (Bigger)
  • SE Arc (Long)
The problem I have is every handset I read the review of has poor battery life and stupidly big screens. Now being a hero user I have had mixed battery life issues as I was a heavy user.

The phone that is catching my eye at the moment is the Nexus S, I like to mess with my phone i.e. root so that is why I'm leaning that way, is it going to go out of date with all these 2 core phones out? It only 6 months old surely it still cuts it?

I use launcher pro so whatever I phone I get must allow me access to that if I don't like their own.

Its pretty much a mine field as you don't know if when your contract runs out in 2014 if you'll be so far behind the times.

Please Help by giving me some pointers guys, granted they are all good phones but I'm not bothered by gimmicks I just need a phone that I can read email post FB and ring people without having to look at my battery every hour

Thanks in advance

Current Network 3
Contract upgrade available on 26th June
Contract Ends October 26th

Russell
 
You'll be hard-pressed to find a significant upgrade to the Hero that doesn't have a large display - that's the way the market's going. Size on paper doesn't tell the whole story, though - I discounted the Desire HD back in November because I found it difficult to use comfortably single-handed, but due to its slim profile the Galaxy S2 fits my hand perfectly.

The problem I have is every handset I read the review of has poor battery life
Click to expand...
Every smartphone has poor battery life out of the box. The only reliable comparison is one done after several weeks of use, which is why most reviews should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Single vs dual-core makes little difference right now as precious few apps or games utilise dual-core CPUs fully. A current single-core isn't going to suddenly become obsolete overnight.

I use launcher pro so whatever I phone I get must allow me access to that if I don't like their own.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure that's just a matter of installing an alternative launcher/home app.

when your contract runs out in 2014 if you'll be so far behind the times.
Click to expand...
True, but otoh future-proofing is impossible with smartphones - the market is simply evolving and innovating too quickly.

Please Help by giving me some pointers
Click to expand...
Get your mitts on a few handsets and find out the ones that feel right to you. Specs are great on paper, but they're only one aspect. You're going to have to live with your choice for 24mths so best to ensure the "fit" is right. :)
 
Switched from the hero to the arc and i'm very happy with it. Great screen, best camera on the market, thinness more than makes up for the size (fits better in my pocket than the hero did) and it's rootable. Battery life is much improved since the recent update, i can easily get a day out it even with heavy use, and can stretch it to 2 days if i dont play any games/movies/music.

Sensation looks good, was originally my next choice, but the lack of rootability put me off.

Lots of people rave about the S2, cant see it myself. No need for dual core, fugly hardware and UI, iphone wannabe... meh. Horses for courses though innit.

Contract Ends October 26th
Click to expand...
Hmmm.... isnt the nexus 3 due out around then? ;)
 
Thanks couple of on the money responses.

As you know yourself the upgrade itch is a hard one not to scratch. I take both your points well on board the 'Fits' is what I need to look into.

I think I'm trying to make the available ones the 'right' one when deep down they aren't. Sometimes you just need another opinion.

Thanks for your time

Russell
 
I'm in the same situation as you and heavily leaning to a Google (branded) phone so I can stay on top of Android updates. I've really liked my HTC Hero (stock 2.1 now, rooted), but every time Google release an new version of Android, you are at HTC's mercy. Just in the last few days HTC have even flip flopped on a new update for the Desire HD. It also seemed like it took forever for us to get 2.1 for the Hero.

That being said, while I want all the features of 2.3.3 and 2.3.4, I'm not sure it makes sense to buy a new phone now. There are a lot of rumors swirling about the next Google Nexus phone, running Ice Cream Sandwich being released around November/Christmas. Who knows when it will really be, but I think I can get by with the Hero until then.
 
I can just see it being this behemoth of a phone- big screen, dual core, on huge contracts they are just moving too fast now and because of contract length you cannot possibly keep up.

I have read and read about what next, went out of my way today to get a good look at a Nexus S I was hugely impressed the guys in Carphone warehouse are really helpful let me run it side by side with a GSII and an Arc.

Granted the GSII has the razzle dazzle but the Nexus is just a solid straight forward performer and the main thing its rootable. The phone is 6 months old Google and the Android team won't just cut it loose without further updates and Icecream will be on it.

My next phone will be a Nexus S. I have 28 days if I don't like it I'll send it back.

Thanks for the response
 
clobber said:
How do you know the Nexus S will get ice cream sandwich?
Click to expand...
I'd say it was pretty much a certainty. The whole point of the nexus range is to be a baseline platform for vanilla android installs. If the nexus S doesnt get it then it will only be because the hardware isnt capable of running it, in which case there will barely be any phones out there capable of running it.

I dont think google would be stupid enough to steer the OS into only being able to run on dual core hardware. The whole point of android is that it scales from budget phones all the way to top of the range flagship devices.
 
Stuck with my hero

uploaded the new cyanogenmod running 2.3.4

Did a high usage day today

1 Hour phone call, Downloaded some apps form the market, watched some video's on youtube sent around 15-20 messages via facebook and whatsapp. Screen on Auto and always on 3G/H

Managed 12hours 57mins with 10% battery left, now that's not bad for a two year old battery.

Decided to up the software, I last did it when 3UK where messing about with the 2.1 update. So went from stock to 2.1 to 2.3.4.

Thanks for all your help.

The Nexus S is only 6 months old if I owned one and didn't get Icecream sandwich I'd be pretty raging, In fact I'd be raging If I owned a nexus one and didn't get one.
 
Russ.htchero said:
Managed 12hours 57mins with 10% battery left, now that's not bad for a two year old battery.
Click to expand...

Hah, that's better than not bad! Pretty darn impressive, more like. :)

As you've changed ROMs quite drastically, next time do a power-off charge overnight (to make sure it's full to the brim with volty goodness) then boot into recovery and wipe the battery stats before using normally. You might get a few more free % out of it as the software recalibrates itself to the new ROM's usage.
 
After doing what you said...

Currently 16hours 15 Mins with 18% left.

Medium/Low Usage today 10 mins calling, email notifications always on, always 3G/H, about 15 mins web/facebook over the day and about 5 mins video plus around 10 text messages. Its currently outlasting my BB Curve work phone.

I'm impressed. New battery coming too a 2430MaH one so will hopefully last me until a new handset grabs my attention.

Cheers
 
jovirex said:
I'm curious on how to wipe the battery stats when booting the phone?
Click to expand...

There's an option in custom recoveries, used on rooted handsets, which does this. You can also do it via an app (Battery Calibration) or by manually deleting /data/system/batterystats.bin. Root is still required however.
 
Since we're on the topic of replacements, I'm moving on in December probably so I was thinking HTC Desire S would be my next phone. What do you guys think?
 
Yeah, the specs seem perfect and the prices i'm seeing online are promising. My only problem with it is that Cyanogen doesn't seem to support. And with ICS coming, I'd love some CM8 action on it. Come December, I'll see all my options though. Hopefully, someone will port it to the Desire S so I'm still leaning towards it :)
 
It's odd. It seems like they have S-Off for the Desire S, but it seems pretty quiet when it comes to rom development.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom