Sprint Android Phones: HTC Hero vs Samsung Intercept?I'm getting a Sprint phone with Android software. I've read a lot of reviews on both the Hero and the Intercept (which is supposedly replacing the Moment, it's a little bit smaller but has an LCD screen instead of the Moment's AMOLED).
I went to the store and played around with both of them... One thing I noticed is that the Intercept's screen is definitely not as good as the Hero's beautifully sharp one. The Intercept's touch screen also seemed to be less responsive, slower and needed more pressure than the Hero's. But, it also has a physical QWERTY keyboard which the Hero lacks. The lady who worked at the Sprint store recommended not buying the Hero because she said many people have reported problems, but I know that HTC has released several software updates and fixes. I used to have the Samsung Eternity (for AT&T), which drove me crazy because the touch screen was so slow. Physical/touchscreen keyboard isn't the deciding factor for me, though, since I have used both and gotten used to them.
Any thoughts from people who have used either phone?
Further upgrades aren't really a concern for me, as long as 2.1 works ok.
Simon Yu
Well, I would suggest the Intercept, as it is a better high mid range phone spec wise. It packs an 800Mhz processor which is much faster than the Hero's 528Mhz while also having a physical QWERTY for when you get frustrated with the Soft/Touch Keyboard Input. And Yes, you are right the HTC Hero does have a better screen and many fixes have been brought to the Hero from HTC but, the Hero has been out longer than the Intercept meaning it will most likely stop receiving software support, and perhaps already have, many users have already reported bricking of the Hero and random reboots on its own.
HTC is a very good Mobile Phone maker, but their newest models are always the best, it's better to wait for a new HTC on Sprint or get the Intercept. The Intercept should be faster and able to run more applications without slowing down as much as the Hero. But if you get the Hero you can always use a Swype like input keyboard which is much easier and faster to use than any other keyboard, suggestions are SlideIt Pro and ShapeWriter Beta.
If i had to pick though, I myself would choose the Intercept due to the higher capabilities, and if you don't like the UI of Vanilla 2.1 you can always use a Home Replacement suggested ones are ADW Launcher and LauncherPro. Plus a Physical Keyboard is always nice, I use mine for when I play GBA Games :).
I hope I was able to help.
-Serotheo
Jaelun
Intercept , because the Hero, as well as the Moment, won't be eligible for the Android 2.2 upgrade
Dan
As a former Hero owner (since upgraded to the HTC EVO) my guess is that these reported "problems" stem from the processor speed. Out of the box it's a great phone but as you make it your own and add apps the phone begins to lag due to background processes and lack of memory/processing power to accommodate those new apps. I know this to be true because the EVO which I now own doubles the processor/ram and I have yet to experience any of that lag.
So my recommendation? If you're up for a contract renewal and can swing $ 200 I would go with the EVO (at Best Buy or Radio Shack) or wait for the soon to be released Samsung Epic 4G ( http://now.sprint.com/epic4g/ ) which looks AMAZING with a slide out qwerty and EVO-like specs.
If you're set on the Hero or Intercept I too would go with the Intercept due to the little bit of extra horsepower it packs.
reorioner
If further upgrades aren't really a concern, then I would choose HTC Hero.
The Samsung Intercept has only EV-DO Rev 0, which is the lower end of 3G speed. EV-DO Rev A, which is the higher end of 3G, is found on HTC Hero and Samsung Moment. EVDO Rev A is 25% faster at downloading and up to 800% faster at uploading.
The screen resolution is another downside for the Intercept. HTC Hero has a 320x480 screen resolution where the Intercept has a 240x400 screen resolution. Some application requires the 320x480 resolution (which is considered to be the minimum for Android powered smart-phones) and other applications may not run well with the lower resolution found on the Intercept.
Also, a side note. If you do go for the HTC Hero, there is a large following of people dedicated to rooting the Hero and allowing additional features to the phone and some have added 2.2 features to their 2.1 Hero.
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