How to Hard Reset the HTC Hero

The HTC Hero has quickly become a popular Android device. If you have picked up a used device, or perhaps you’ve managed to install too many apps and crashed the device, there is a way to restore it back to factory settings. In the past, Darren posted about how to hard reset an Android phone from the menus on the device. The steps he posted work perfectly on the Hero, but what if the device won’t boot? No need to worry, there’s still hope. Just follow the steps below, and you’ll have a factory fresh install on your device in no time at all.

If the device is on, turn it off.  If you can’t turn it off, remove the battery! Now, with the phone off, press and hold the Home and Back keys. Keep pressing on those keys and then press the Power/End button, but don’t hold that button down. The reset process will start after a short time, at which point you can release the Home and Back keys. That’s all there is to it.  Please post and let us know how it works for you.

Experimenting with Something New

I’ve been using a mobile device of one kind or another since around 1994 or so. From Palm and Handspring, to Pocket PC and Windows Mobiles, to today’s Windows Phones. It wasn’t until Microsoft released their Windows Mobile Smartphone based OS that I really found something that I connected with. While I enjoyed using the different versions of the OS and the ever changing technology there was something about the touch screen devices that just didn’t work for me. I often felt that touch the screen was slower and more cumbersome than using a non-touch device. Windows Mobile Smartphone / Standard devices excelled in one-handed operation. There was no fiddling around with a stylus to tap around the screen in the same fashion as Pocket PC / Professional based devices.

I still use Professional for work and supporting customers, but my primary device, day in and day out, over the last 5 years has been a non-touch Windows Mobile Standard based smartphone. That was the case up to this past weekend when I added a new device to my collection.

After picking up a HTC Hero smartphone running Google’s Android operating system, I finally realized what was missing from my touch experience over the years – finger friendly interface. Everything I have done on this device has been very easy to do without a stylus. It’s still early but, for one-handed operation on a touch screen device, the HTC Hero running Google’s Android is the first device I have used that could be as easy to operate as a Windows Mobile Standard device.

The bottom line is this – Mobile Jaw will have a lot more Android content to come. It looks like this device will be my primary device for the foreseeable future.

HTC Adds Sense and Takes Android to The Next Level

This week HTC released their latest smartphone based on Google’s Android platform – the HTC Hero. Unlike the Android devices we’ve seen from HTC thus far, the Hero device comes with the Android version of TouchFlo 3D, and it’s called Sense. Sense is focused on putting people at the center by making your phone work in a more simple and natural way. If you’ve ever used TouchFlo on a HTC Windows Mobile based device, then you know what to expect from Sense.

Besides the new interface, HTC has packed this device with some really cool features, like an anti-fingerprint screen coating, or how about the Teflon coating for a more durable white surface. Still not cool enough for you? How about a 5 megapixel camera, 3.2 inch HVGA display, gravity sensor, Quad band radio, 528MHz processor, 512MB ROM / 288MB RAM, and of course, a GPS.

As with previous Android devices, the Hero still carries the big chin at the bottom edge of the device. There are mixed feelings about this design. From my limited exposure, it doesn’t appear to be an issue when holding or typing on the device. From a purely looks point of view, I would rather not have it. But it had little effect on my usage.

The Hero will be available across Europe in July and then in Asia later in the summer. HTC has promised a “distinct” version will be made available in North America later in 2009.