The HTC Hero was T3’s gadget of the year in 2009; so to say we’ve been eagerly waiting for it is an understatement. Instead of a few lazy tweaks like some manufacturers, HTC’s made significant changes to produce a far superior handset.
First impressions are impressive. Constructed from a single piece of aluminum, with a rubberised battery SD card cover and camera section, build is fantastic – it really feels like a quality product. This is a handset you’d be proud to show off, in contrast to the drab Google Nexus One. The Legend is exactly the type of product we’d expect if Apple were to transfer its unibody laptop design to a handset. There's no trackball, instead you get an optical joystick, which looks sleeker, but we barely used it.
HTC has upgraded the processor from a 528 MHz to 600 MHz processor and the difference is instantly noticeable. Windows load quickly and you can open several browser windows, listen to music and run several apps without any sluggishness. Running Android 2.1 you get support for Microsoft Exchange, otherwise it syncs seamlessly with Hotmail and Gmail accounts.
