HTC Hero New User Guide
Getting a new Hero is a great experience, but for someone who may not have enountered smartphones or android phones before, then is can also be a daunting experience. This guide is designed to ease you as a new user into your Hero, and as a consequence into the hidden semantics of the Android platform.
Once you have had a look through this guide, then I'd recommend taking a look at the top 50 Apps for android 1.5, the android version your HTC Hero is running.
So without further ado, lets jump into the guide..
BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE
Make sure you are running the latest ROM build, if not, update to the latest your carrier/HTC provides before you do anything else. As updating the ROM wipes the data off your phone, doing this first means you will not lose anything! Check out the HTC Support website for your Country and Carrier to see if there is an update available!
To see if you have the latest update compared to that on the HTC website, check here on your Hero:
Settings > About Phone > Build Number
General Notes
To get the MOST out of Android and your Hero, you must embrace the Google Cloud. Get yourself a GMail email account, use the Google calendar, sync your contacts to Google, use Google Picasa, use Google Calendar, use Google Tasks, use Google Docs, etc.
General Tips
- You may try out any paid application in the market for 24 hours. If you uninstall the application inside these 24 hours you will get a full refund. However, you may only do this once. If you reinstall a refunded application you may not return it for a refund again.
- Turn off WiFi and GPS if you are not using them. They can cause the battery to drain much quicker than if you turned them off. Toggling between these settings is easy via the default HTC widgets.
- To add a new photo album, just mount the phone via USB to a PC, create a new folder and give it a name. Add your pictures to this folder. Now browse to the “Albums” in your phone and it will automatically create an album with the folder name you specified containing the pictures you added.
- Calibrate your keyboard!!! You will find using the keyboard waaay better. To this via:
Settings > Local & text > Touch Input > Text Input > Calibration Tool
- There are 3 types of keyboard available for the Hero built in “full QWERTY”, “Phone keypad” and Compact QWERTY”. Give them a try, one may suit you better. To change do the following:
Settings > Local & text > Touch Input > Keyboard Types
- A Class 6 micro sd card may speed up your Hero.
- If you have both WiFi and data connections turned on, your phone will default to using the WiFi connection as long as you are connected to a WiFi network. So no need to turn mobile data off using home WiFi.
Phone Status Icons
Explanations of the icons that appear in your notification bar:
Adding New Ringtones/SMS Notifications/Alarms
To add new ringtones or SMS alerts, connect your Hero to USB and mount the device on your PC. Browser to the following folders:
Ringtones:
/sdcard/media/audio/ringtones
SMS Alerts:
/sdcard/media/audio/notifications
Alarm Alerts:
/sdcard/media/audio/alarms
Copy your mp3 files into the appropriate folder above then go to:
Ringtone:
Settings > sound and display > phone ringtone
SMS:
Settings > sound and display > notification sound
Alarms:
Set the sound when adding a new alarm.
Then select the ringtone you put in the above folder(s).
Keyboard Lag
The HTC Hero keyboard tends to lag quite a bit after maybe a week of using it. There is one very easy way to ease and normally totally get rid of the lag, and that is to turn of the feedback option.
Settings > Local & text > Touch Input > Text Input > Untick “Sound feedback” and “Vibrate when typing”
Default Application Replacements
Note: To use the images of barcodes that will follow, please download the "barcode scanner" application from the android market. Once installed open the application and scan the barcode to automatically download the said application.
Your Hero will come with default applications, but sometimes there are better alternatives on the market:
SMS
Handcent SMS is a perfect replacement SMS application. It contains a lot more personalisation than the default application offers, and many users report it being faster too. In order to stop receiving two SMS notifications from now on, open the default SMS application and navigate to:
Menu > settings> untick Notifications
Download Handcent by scanning the following barcode:
Camera
The default camera application is not bad, and actually after using Camera Zoom FX for a while I now prefer the default as it is quite a lot faster to open up. There are two options here, change the default camera settings, or download and use the Camera Zoom FX application instead.
Change to these settings in the default application:
Quality: High
Widescreen: Tick
Auto focus: Tick
Flicker Adjustment: Auto
ISO: 800
The Camera Zoom FX application however manages to produce quite good pictures, and is definitely worth the very small cost (£1.29).
Download Camera Zoom FX by scanning the following barcode:
Browser
The default browser is very limited, there are two possible great alternatives for you to choose, and which one you prefer is generally a personal preference thing. As a note, I prefer Steel as it is not as bulky as Dolphin, but it does not include pinch zoom if that is important to you, where as Dolphin does.
Steel
Download Steel by scanning the following barcode:
Dolphin
Download Dolphin by scanning the following barcode:
Keyboard
I think that the default keyboard is great, there are 3 different keyboards built into the phone, those of you with big fat fingers may prefer a more contact keyboard as the buttons are easier. To change the type of keyboard do the following:
settings > locale and text > touch input > keyboard types
If you want to try something different, and I HIGHLY SUGGEST giving this a go btw, then you can download a replacement keyboard app called ShapeWriter. This is a new way of typing on a touch keyboard. You just drag your finger over each letter of the word, without pressing.
Get ShapeWriter:
Calendar
The default calendar app is ok, and the widgets are quite good. But if like me you prefer to see a list of upcoming appointments then the default widgets may not be up to scratch. Personally I use 2 desktop widgets, one of my main homescreen (smaller showing next 3 appointments), and a larger one taking up a whole screen showing many upcoming appointments:
Smooth Calendar Widget
Very similar to the small default calendar widget, but this one can show up to the next 3 appointments.
Agenda Widget
Has multiple widget sizes. Shows an agenda of your upcoming appointments, and beautiful too!
Recent
- How To Use Android Barcodes (QR Codes)
- Top 50 Apps for Android 1.5 (Cupcake)
- HTC Hero New User Guide
Archives
Support
Le3ky Live Feed
- @ryanbeesley tbh its the box that pops up, i much prefer the inline way of showing alternative words
- @rayfei I'm going to wait for the #htcdesire then decide!
- And there goes my 1000th tweet! \o/ xx
- been gettin on 4 trains each workday for a while now,so going to forgive myself for wantin to smash the old guy who pushed in line's face in
February 4th, 2010 - 09:37
Hi. I have a little problem! On my HTC Hero SD card I dont have folders: /media/audio/ringtones or /media/audio/notifications..etc and Barcode Scanner can see pics you leave (apps) but cant find them on the Market? tnx
February 4th, 2010 - 09:52
Its ok for you to just create those folders yourself, and then put the music there. The phone can see them that way.
Do none of the apps show in market or only a few? If only some do not show this may be because they are paid apps and because of your location you would not get access to paid apps
February 6th, 2010 - 19:16
I have a problem with the default calendar where it does not sync to my calendar on the web because it keeps crashing when it tries to sync. But it works the other way, so if I enter something on the web, it appears on my Hero OK. Do you think I should try one of the other calendars instead? Many thanks.
February 6th, 2010 - 19:27
It crashes every time? What exactly crashes?
Are you doing it this way?
settings > data synchronisation > google > Tick ‘auto-sync’ and tick calendar
You can try one of the other calendars but they use the phones sync so it may still crash.
Let me know exactly what you are doing and I can help further.
February 6th, 2010 - 20:24
Thank you. Yes I have the autosync set as you describe. I can enter things in the calendar OK but then I assume it tries to autosync every so often and when it does a box comes up saying The application Calendar Storage (process com.htc.calendar) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. Then you have to click force close. This happens a couple of times then I guess it gives up trying.
February 7th, 2010 - 20:28
very helpful TY, waiting fort he launch of the HD2 in March here in he States
February 8th, 2010 - 11:00
thanks for your help
February 8th, 2010 - 13:30
hi thank you for all the information above its very helpful.
Please could you advise me how to upgraqdw to android 2 on my hero (t-mobile G2)
February 8th, 2010 - 14:45
@Michael Do you use a task killer? This may cause your system to be come unstable.
@Dhiren You cannot upgrade to android 2.0/2.1 yet. HTC haven’t released an update for that yet. However this is expected to be released end of Feb/,id March
February 9th, 2010 - 00:35
Hi, I don’t actually know what a task killer is but I don’t think I use one. I have installed very few extras so far. By the way I follow you on Twitter also, I am BlueVanMan1 – keep up the good work, much appreciated.
February 18th, 2010 - 05:17
does the cabbage application supported on the hero, I am based in Ireland.
February 18th, 2010 - 15:21
@brendan The free web txt app? Yes it is supported on the HTC Hero.
February 19th, 2010 - 06:47
Hey man…you have a great page here. I’m a new Hero user and it was VERY helpful, so thank you! I have a question. Can you move pics that are on your phone from one folder to another, without having to connect it to your PC?
February 19th, 2010 - 08:38
Yep, just use the app called Astro File Manager and you can pretty much do anything with the files/folders
February 20th, 2010 - 04:21
Hi,
I also have the same calander crashing issue Michael describes. I am running MCR (latest and previous to try resolve issue), however i see no such issues on their forum thread which is very active.
I have tried clearing the cache from gmail and calander, and syncing.. same error, any help would be most appreciated.
Kind Regards,
phrag
February 21st, 2010 - 05:53
I apologize, but I’m confused when you say to “browse” to a folder on my SD card. I am unable to get my subfolders that I create when I’m connected to my PC to show up on my phone. What am I doing wrong??
February 21st, 2010 - 14:00
@thrlckr You mount your phone and can access the sdcard? And you have created folders on the sdcard?
Have you put music/pictures in them? You can browse the folders on your phone by using Astro app.
February 22nd, 2010 - 07:39
Yes. I mount the phone and have full access to the sdcard from my pc. I installed the Astro app & am able to see my picture files now, but only from Astro app. I am unable to place the ringtones in an area where my phone can “see” them and use them as ringtones. I feel like I’m missing something. I apologize for the “newbie” question, but I’m not manipulating this phone as easily as I thought I would…
February 23rd, 2010 - 09:24
Thrlckr, can you put the full path of where you put your ringtones? also what type of media are they, mp3? And tell me the same info for the images.
February 24th, 2010 - 20:03
Hi,
Ive been trying to set my MP3 ringtones for my text message alarm and am having no luck. Any idea on how to do this?
thanks
February 24th, 2010 - 20:08
nevermind gott to work with guide thanks
February 26th, 2010 - 03:00
I accid. deleted the rosie_scroll file from the phone. (i’ve only had it 3 days!) and am wondering if it was a major boo boo to have done that.
March 1st, 2010 - 08:12
Hi thank you for your help.
Please could you advise a good antivirus that we can get from market.
March 1st, 2010 - 08:31
I’m not sure tbh! I guess the only way to find out is by using the phone. If it was important I’d expect the phone to recreate it though.
March 1st, 2010 - 08:37
Search the market for antivirus free. But I’m not sure one is even needed really.
March 3rd, 2010 - 15:32
I was told the trackball lights up when you have an email, but I don’t get anything with emails or texts.
Also I have just put the new sim card in and it asked me if I wanted to use the settings of the new sim.
I put no as my phone is simm free and dint know what this would do.
If it is a good idea to use these settings how do I get back to them
March 4th, 2010 - 00:25
Really great tips and suggestions — thank you!
March 4th, 2010 - 05:29
How do I change the Gmail account linked to Picasa on my phone? I can change the account online but can’t figure out where to do it on my phone. So when I upload to Picasa it goes to the wrong account.
March 4th, 2010 - 08:41
@David If the phone is working km then the settings will be fine. Regarding the trackball, open the email client and check the notification settings via the menu.
March 4th, 2010 - 08:49
@Chris The phone uses the picasa account linked to the gmail account of the phone. I’m almost certain the only way to change it is a hard reset and then starting from scratch with a new gmail account.
However android 2.1 update is expected in April which should allow you to do this by default.
March 4th, 2010 - 15:05
Hi, sorry to be a pain but you seem to know an awful lot about this phone. I’m having problems where the phone randomly comes up with messages like
‘The process system has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. Force Close.’
and then
‘The application HTC sense (process com.htc.launcher) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. Force Close.’
or sometimes
‘The application Google Apps (process com.google.android.googleapps) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.’
Any ideas what might be causing this? It’s the second handset I’ve had. Tried without memory card. I’m on Orange and it only seemed to start happening after the .66 rom upgrade.
Any info would be much appreciated,
Alan
March 5th, 2010 - 19:25
Why can’t I see broadcast from http://www.creflodollarministries.org/Broadcast/Broadcast.aspx sights like these on my hero…But on the iphone I can see them??
March 6th, 2010 - 19:19
Hello. I just bought my HTC Hero two days ago. I am reading this users tips page today. I like the suggested Barcode Scanner, I downloaded it already, but explain to me how can I run barscanner AT the moment I’m reading your page? I want to scan your Dolphin code icon. I thank you in advance.
March 9th, 2010 - 07:08
can you recommend an app to view pictures, slide show? I’m a grandma and would love to carry pics of my kids, vacations, etc. I don’t want to use Picassa.
March 9th, 2010 - 08:56
@Aljeron do you use a task killer? It might also be from a poorly coded app. Its hard to diagnose, one sure way to fix it is to do a hard reset but this wipes all your data, you can of course backup tho.
March 9th, 2010 - 09:04
@Eddie Colon You can’t use a scanner to scan while browsing from your phone unfortunately. I will be turning the image into a market link so you can easily access apps if browsing from your phone.
March 9th, 2010 - 09:16
@Debbie The default album has a slideshow built in. If you browse to the album you want then press menu, and select slideshow. If you need more functionality let me know and I’ll have a look for you!