HTC said recently that it will focus on the quality of its top-of-the-line “Hero” smartphones moving forward instead of pumping out a large number of devices across multiple price points. “We have to get back to focusing on what made us great – amazing hardware and a great customer experience,” HTC’s UK head Phil Roberson said in an interview with Mobile Today. “We ended 2011 with far more products than we started out with. We tried to do too much… We make great phones, but it is hard to do that when the portfolio is spread too much.” Roberson also noted that he wanted each customer to be purchasing “something special” when he or she buys a new HTC device. The company is currently expected to unveil a quad-core smartphone during Mobile World Congress, which kicks off next month. If it does announce the phone, it will no doubt be one of the company’s first “Hero” devices moving forward. 

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Have a new Android smartphone from HTC? Obsessing over whether or not it will get an official FroYo plus Sense UI update? Well fear not, because HTC has issued a statement to sooth your panic-stricken soul. Unfortunately, it’s so vague that it actually raises more questions than it answers. According to HTC:

[...] if your phone was launched this year, we will most likely offer an upgrade for it to the Froyo version. This includes popular models like the Desire and Droid Incredible as well as hotly anticipated phones like the Evo 4G, MyTouch slide and upcoming models. We will announce a full list of phones and dates once we are closer to launching the upgrades. We are working closely with Google and our other partners to ensure we have the earliest access to everything we need to provide a complete and solid Sense experience on Froyo. We expect to release all updates in the second half of this year but can’t be more specific yet.

Most likely? Uh oh. We’re hoping that the shadows of doubt placed upon the Desire, Droid Incredible, EVO 4G and myTouch 3G Slide can be attributed to poor choice of words, but what about the Legend? Better yet, what about the Sprint Hero (October 2009) or the Verizon Droid Eris (November 2009)? If you thought people put up a stink about how long it took the Sprint Hero to get bumped up to Android 2.1, prepare yourself. There’s no telling what the Android Army is capable of.

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At long last, the much anticipated Android 2.1 update for the Sprint HTC Hero has been released to the public. For those not already rocking a rooted, updated device, this carrier-sanctioned update will bring your handset into the 21st century with Android 2.1, an updated Sense UI, and a few minor bug fixes. If you can stand the wait, the update should be pushed out to your handset in the upcoming days. For those who lack patience, when the new OS finally goes live on Sprint’s website, it can be downloaded and installed manually following the directions on Sprint’s support page. Enjoy that delicious eclair!

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

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Ruh-roh, looks like Samsung Moment and HTC Hero owners rocking on Sprint may have to wait a little longer for Android 2.1 to roll out to their handsets. A brief but oh-so-disappointing post on Sprint’s forums confirms that Sprint will be delaying the update until Q2. Sprint apologized and thanke its customers for their patience, but somehow that may not be enough for Moment and Hero owners who have been waiting and waiting for the update to be released.

Thanks, Cofiy!Read

Over the past couple of days we’ve heard some reports that the Sprint HTC Hero will not get bumped up to Android 2.1 this month as was previously planned, and now we’re starting to see some real evidence. Android Forums user jonathan76888 posted a picture of a new Sprint memo which informs all employees that “the much anticipated Android 2.1 update is coming in early May.” It doesn’t get into specific changes citing only that the software will bring “enhancements and bug fixes”, but that’s okay with us. We mean, we’re all well versed in Android 2.1, aren’t we?

Thanks, Dennis!

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Here’s an intriguing one for all you Sprint Hero owners. A picture of an internal Sprint document leaked today regarding a future fix for the phone’s Picture Mail woes may very well contain the date the device will make its jump from Android 1.6 to 2.1. While other handsets are going to have everything worked out behind the scenes, the Hero’s patch is said to be coming alongside a broader “maintenance release” on April 9th, a day that fits nicely within the timeframe the smartphone is expected to receive its 2.1 update. Obviously April 9th could come and go and absolutely nothing will come of it, but this feels pretty right. Just promise us you won’t set you won’t set your hopes impossibly high. We wouldn’t want you Hero users to be a bunch of sad little pandas like the DROID folk.

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As part of its internal announcement for the upcoming Nexus One, Sprint addresses the upgrade options for its current crop of Android handsets. Eager HTC Hero and Samsung Moment owners may want to take note as the document informs employees, and now the general public thanks to this leak, that Sprint is actively working on the Android 2.1 update for these two handsets. Interested parties should expect additional information in April which hopefully will take the form of an OTA update and not another promise of imminent delivery. Though we realize that these are three different companies involved, excuse us if we are still a bit skeptical.

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We’ve just been hit up by a source close to HTC, and let’s just say the Android invasion (of high quality Android devices, at least) has only just started. One of our connects let us know that while Google will be looking to sell an AT&T 3G-compatible Nexus One directly through their web store (just like we previously reported), the actual AT&T unit will be the HTC Desire. It will also apparently go to market on AT&T shelves as the HTC Desire as well. This will give AT&T users HTC’s Sense UI, but we’ve been told the physical attributes of the unit might change from the HTC Desire that we’ve all seen. Nothing major, just possibly some material/finish/color changes to the casing. We have been told to expect the HTC Desire to land on AT&T in the May to June timeframe.

Now, on to our boys and girls at Sprint. We have been told Sprint will be continuing their HTC Android tradition with the HTC Hero2. That device, will indeed be the HTC Legend, except it will apparently be slightly modified. Just like Sprint’s original HTC Hero was. Our contact hasn’t seen the device first hand so we can’t be sure what kind of changes are in store, though if history is any indicator, we don’t think a little more rounded and less edgy look would be outside the realm of possibility. We have no release timetable for the Sprint HTC Hero2 at this time.

Remember, this isn’t confirmed — the pieces fit together perfectly — but we felt it was worthy enough to warrant a post.

Last night we posted a friendly survey asking some easy questions about Android. It included the devices that it runs on and also what everyone loves and dislikes most about the platform. We had an awesome response to it in a pretty short time period (over 2,800 completed surveys since last night), so here are the results!

Over 40% of you own Motorola DROIDs (not hard to imagine), and a whopping 11% own Google Nexus One devices. Obviously, this isn’t going to be the norm outside of BGR and the tech world, but still pretty interesting. It also looks as if none of you care about the Motorola CLIQ or Samsung Moment.

We asked what everyone’s favorite part about Android itself was, and as you can see, people seem to be loving the awesome Google service integration on the platform. Customization, as would be predicted, is a pretty big thing as well as the ability to install any application you want, safe or unsafe.

Here’s where it gets really interesting even though this isn’t exactly ground breaking stuff… 33% of you said that the lack of high quality applications is what you hate most about Android, and 24% said the media sections were severely lacking (music player, video player, etc.) But, all hope isn’t lost as when we asked if you could travel back in time and either dump your Android phone for a different one, or even a non-Android handset, only 17% said they would.

Lastly, we asked what Android needs the most to continue competing in the smartphone market, and unsurprisingly, 32% of you said “better applications.” 22% of you said you’d like to see handsets start to get more streamlined and for Android to be a little less fragmented. The 13% that said they’d like Android to be faster or more responsive might have been coming from last-gen hardware like the Hero, myTouch, Eris, or G1 — but hey, Android is still a little slow for us on our Nexus One…

Thanks so much for taking the time to take the survey!

When it rains, it pours for HTC. The leak of its portfolio shows a huge number of handset offerings in 2010, the Sprint Hero will be receiving the Android 2.1 update, the HD2 looks to be headed for T-Mobile and apparently their Sense UI is getting a nice update. The latter seems to have been outed via a ROM dump running on a Hero. It’s rumored that this version of Sense will be available on a HTC device codenamed Espresso — a handset that didn’t appear on HTC’s 1H 2010 list. It’s possible that this refreshes Sense UI will apply to all future HTC Android handsets. More screenshots after the jump!

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Well, what do we have here? The FCC has photographed and documented this GSM handset from an unknown manufacturer in preparation for approval. From the spec sheet and scattered info this is what we gather: quad-band GSM, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, TV-Tuner, front and rear facing cameras, LED flash, 1 GB internal storage, 512 MB RAM, and a 1600 mAh battery. The handset is pictured in black as well as a nice shinny white. Now, we can’t say we know what OS this will be sporting, but the resemblance to the Hero and My Touch 3G is duly noted, and you know we’re pulling for Android. We’ve got some more snapshots queued up for you after the bounce. Non-flaming speculation is always welcome in the comments.

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Remember that Android 2.1 ROM for the Hero that was leaked over at xda-developers ? Deeply embedded within the code of the ROM is supposedly a list of codenames for current and future HTC Android handsets. The list includes the Bahamas, Bravo, DesireC, Dragon, Dream, Espresso, Halo, HeroCT, HeroC, Hero, Huangshan, Incredible, Legend, Liberty, Memphis, Paradise, PassionC, Passion, Sapphire and Supersonic. Several of the names, like the Dream and Hero, are very recognizable while others, like the Huangshan and Espresso, have never been seen before. Worthy of note is the rumored upcoming Dragon/Passion, nice to see its name on the list. Despite the presence of some familiar names, this list generates more questions than answers. With descriptive codenames like “Incredible” and “Supersonic”, we can’t help but wonder what HTC has up their sleeve. Read

Alright HTC Hero owners: backup your handset, brew yourself a strong cup of coffee, and get ready to RTFM, because an unofficial Android 2.1 ROM — complete with Sense UI — is available for your handset. A few days back we reported that Android 2.1 was spotted running on the Hero, but now, courtesy of XDA-developers, the rumored build is on the intertubes for all to download. Come on, try it out, we know you’re curious; don’t forget to backup your data, and be sure to let us know how it goes in the comments.

[Via Gizmodo]

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HTC has been rather candid when it comes to Android 2.0, having previously stated it will distribute the OS once it finishes optimizing its compatibility with Sense UI. Over the weekend, French tech blog Be Geek posted some screenshots of a Hero running Android 2.1 complete with — you guessed it  – Sense UI. No details accompanied the screenshots, it’s quite clear (at least to our eyes) that no major changes have been made to the overlay, although we can’t say the same for the so far mysterious OS until we see more of it. The question is, will HTC release Android 2.0 or skip it and on its way to 2.1?

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

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Every year countless gifts are given during the holidays. Some of them are great, and some of them… well, you can’t win ‘em all. We’ve never done a Gift Guide before but with countless new products popping up almost weekly, we’re surprised those of you who aren’t glued to BGR are able to pick out a gift at all. Sorting everything by price point didn’t make much sense as the average price of what’s listed is around $199 after rebate, so we sorted it by lust-factor. We’re working on a couple other Gift Guides but in the meantime, here’s our cell phone one.

It’s fine, you don’t have to gift wrap it

LG enV TOUCH

If your loved one drops your smartphone like a hot potato because it’s “too complicated”, the LG enV TOUCH may be the perfect gift. Featuring an external 3 inch touchscreen, QWERTY keyboard, drop dead easy menu controls and an HTML browser that runs over an EV-DO Rev. A connection (read: fast), the enV Touch has made our most worthy list for moderately geeky folk this holiday season.

Available exclusively at Verizon Wireless for $99.99 with two year agreement after mail in rebate.

BlackBerry Curve 8520

The latest BlackBerry in the Curve-series from Research In Motion is the BlackBerry Curve 8520, and it packs a punch for a pretty small price. Is it top of the line? No, but it can most definitely get the job done if you’re considering it as a gift for a young professional, recent college-bound individual, or even a mother or father. Everything is neatly packed into this QWERTY keyboard BlackBerry. Things like a 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, extra memory for installing applications and games, and a super long lasting battery round the feature-set

Available from T-Mobile and AT&T in the U.S. starting at $129.99 with two year agreement after mail in rebate.

Sprint HTC Hero

The second best Android handset in the U.S. definitely deserves some love, too, and whomever ultimately ends up receiving the Hero will probably be a happy camper. Featuring a great display, 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, and an intuitive user interface (read: it’s simple to use), there’s not a whole lot bad to say about Sprint’s Hero. The price is even attractive.

Available exclusively from Sprint for $179.99 with two year agreement after mail in rebate.

HTC Touch Pro2

HTC’s update to their original Touch Pro is practically available on all major carriers in the U.S., and for good reason. If you’re the business type that demands a Windows Mobile handset and are big on conference calling while on the move, there isn’t anything better. It’s one of the most enjoyable phones we’ve ever used to talk on, and its call quality / conference calling / speakerphone is more or less unmatched. It’s a little pricey, though.

Available from T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless for $299-$349.99 with two year agreement after mail in rebate.

Nokia E71x

It’s not brand new, but it’s still one of the finest devices that handset-leader Nokia manufactures. What do you get in such a small package? 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 3 megapixel autofocus camera, a decent QWERTY keyboard and an all black finish. The operating system that powers the E71x is getting a little dated, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a host of applications and games available for it. Plus, you can’t really beat the price.

Available exclusively from AT&T for $49.99 with two year agreement after mail in rebates.

Aww, I love it!

Motorola DROID

There are no ifs, ands, or buts. Motorola’s DROID handset is simply the greatest Android phone to date, and from what we’re hearing, it’s a hot seller. If you’re looking for a gift for your anarchist, anti-establishment son, or maybe a husband that gets caught trying to jailbreak his iPod touch, then maybe they might enjoy an Android phone by Motorola. If you’re looking for a gift for a daughter, sister, or wife, the DROID might not be the best choice, however.

Available exclusively on Verizon Wireless for $199 with two year agreement after mail in rebate.

Dude, fetch me a paper bag, I can’t breathe

BlackBerry 9700

There isn’t much to it: if your loved one is a BlackBerry-addicted individual and demands the best, there really isn’t anything better. From the pocketable design to the always functional keyboard, global roaming and multimedia features, the BlackBerry 9700 has our vote for the best BlackBerry of all time. (Beyonce music video available for download separately).

Available from AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. for $199 with two year agreement after mail in rebate.

iPhone 3GS

Look, they’ve begged you each and every year, you might as well just give in this time. The iPhone 3GS is Apple’s latest smartphone straight out of Cupertino and it’s a beauty. With an unmatched user interface and practically limitless applications and games (just watch out for those iTunes email receipts), this is one iPod that will be sure to keep the kids, nephews, parents, and even grandparents quiet. And happy, too. Just make sure they’re wearing headphones because we’re heard enough Andrea Bocelli out off Grandma’s iPhone.

Available exclusively on AT&T in the U.S. in both 16GB and 32GB sizes for $199 or $299 respectively with two year agreement.

Andrew Munchbach and Kelly Kodgkins also contributed to this article.

Happy holidays, y’all!