What puts me off the HD2 is poor battery life and Windows Mobile. TBH I'd get an iPhone if they were cheaper and Android (and all the free apps!) makes Windows Mobile look rubbish, thus the Hero looks the business. Or possibly the Nexus One if it looks better than leaked photos...

EDIT: OK, I take it back, doesn't look bad actually, though I think the hero looks better:

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifica ... 728-75.jpg

Courtesy of TechRadar

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and ... deo-659785

The Hero just looks old fashioned. I'd really look at the Motorolas or wait until January and see what comes at CES. Google have something like 98 launches on the card for 2010, with various partners - although the same handset on a different carrier or in a different country seems to count as a new release...

Just make sure you try it yourself. The keyboard is the best thing about the phone, don't rely on reviews and make sure you don't confuse Storm and Storm2, they are entirely different when it comes to keyboard.

The Hero looks "old-fashioned"? In what sense? I thought it looked smart. But then I'm told I dress like a retired Vicar, so maybe old-fashioned suits me...

I did look at the Droid, but I thought it was ugly and something about it really puts me off - it's made by Motorola.

Well apparently it has 4 sensors instead of 1, but I still don't like the idea of physically pressing the screen in. Also apparently web browsing is rubbish on it.

I don't know, something about the rounded edges and the shapes of the buttons.

The Motorola 'phones have the advantage of having a faster processor and gives an experience of what Android "should be like", according to many reviewers. Most have also called it the best non-iPhone on the market.

I'm considering the HTC Hero (well, the G2 Touch - same thing). Anyone used this 'phone? I'm *very* tempted to get one on a Christmas deal, it seems to do everything I want and supports Flash, which is a bonus.

Anyhoo the only things that put me off are - the upcoming "Google Phone" (Nexus One) has a better processor (1GHz SnapDragon) and more pixels on the same size display, but then that could just be me being a stats whore. Also tempted by the HD2, but the fact it runs WM 6.5 puts me off - I would rather have Android.

The stories about bad performance on the HTC Hero seem to come from before they released the new firmware (is it much better now?) and apparently HTC are releasing Android 2.1 for the Hero, so I really don't know whether to wait for the Nexus One or go for the Hero and get a cheaper deal but similar (if not identical) functionality (bar the limits of the HVGA screen).

Nexus One should be available sim free... but it will take a while to filter down to standard retail channels (apparently invite only to start) and it's android 2.1

Have you looked at the Motorola Milestone? It has 2.0 and a full qwerty keypad and seems to be along with the G2 iPhone beaters

HD2.... I wouldn't bother TBH, a lot needed to be improved by 6.5 and even 6.5.1 didn't address the main concerns (finger friendliness, easy of additional apps (app store is overpriced for a lot... no competition) and the UI) and these will only really be addressed by WM7. The HTC UI is good, but it's like SPB Mobile Home, putting a nice skin over something that does need work.

Advantage of the HD2 is the huge amount of customisation though via XDA developers, same with the G2

Cheers Fin. I did look at the Droid/Milestone but the design isn't my cup of tea, the keyboard looked a little tacky in pictures and some of the reviews highlighted ergonomic problems. Also Motorola isn't a brand that shouts quality to me.

The Hero is getting Android 2.1 too, and since the Milestone only features Vanilla Android (whereas the Hero has "sense" and some cool HTC widgets) I will probably opt for the Hero.

Thanks for the heads up on the HD2 too, I was aware with the problems with the Windows Phone Marketplace but not of the interface issues.

The marketplace is because only 6.5 users get it officially for now... 6.1 users have to wait for it... which is totally stupid TBH. It needed to be out ASAP.

Well I have my test G2. Coverage in Cardiff is exactly as T-mobile said it would be, I'm going home for a flying visit later in the week and if coverage pans out as advertised I think I should be fairly happy with it.

T-mobile's online system is also quite user friendly I think, much more so than Vodafone's javascript effort. Perhaps they're updated it.

Erm, what happened to the Palm Pre? I know I have been out of circulation for a month or two but was this not the much vaunted iPhone killer?

1 Phone + 1 network = not much

1 OS + lots of networks = better potential

Mind you I don't like the Pre as it's a very expensive cheese grater

I have had a look at it but the keyboard is awful (cramped) and the shape of the phone is very bulky.

Excuse me if I don't make much sense but I am pished out of my little head.

Anyhoo, I suddenly don't seem to be able to send SMS messages, as I get either a "unable to send" error or it seems to go through but never arrives. I've tried resetting the SMS details in the phone (via a handy msg from T-mobile) but to no avail. I've also tried turning off the phone and removing and then replacing the SIM card.

I'll try T-mobile support tomorrow but in the meantime does anyone have any suggestions? I was going to blame it on high network capacity around midnight but it's STILL happening.