3rd generation Android phone the coolest yet
Before we could get our hands on a sample of T-Mobile’s second-generation Android phone, dubbed the myTouch 3G (see below), handset manufacturer HTC proudly announced their third-generation device in London, this morning.
They call it the HTC Hero and based on the reactions of some highly influential reviewers attending a sneak preview in New York this morning, this cell phone could be a very, very big hit with “industry experts” as well as the smartphone buying public.
I could tell you about Hero’s new features including a 3.2-inch screen, 5 MP camera, much-improved, on-screen QWERTY keyboard and even the Teflon-coating on the back to keep the white model white.
But, of ultimate interest, is the fact that this is the first Android phone that doesn’t use the standard Android interface (what they called the Android Experience). This phone will sport totally redesigned screens and controls. That new look is called “HTC Sense”. As for journalists’ first reactions, in our short time with a few pre-release handsets I can tell you that Sense looked like Android done right.
You can get a real sense of what Sense is all about from the promotional video:
HTC says it will begin selling the Hero in select European and then Asian markets beginning next month.
Here in the United States we will not see the Hero but will get a new Sense smartphone design by the end of this year. HTC spokespeople had nothing to say when asked which carrier would be selling the new phone or whether it will be a GSM (T-Mobile, AT&T) or CDMA (Verizon, Sprint) model. Until now, T-Mobile was the U.S. carrier chosen for the G-1 and upcoming myTouch. Who knows? They could be working on a different model for each American cell phone company.
One last note: This new Sense interface is not just for Android OS phones. HTC says they’ll be using Sense with Windows Mobile devicesd as well.
This is getting very interesting.