Sprint Hero spied in a cold-looking retail setting

Most of us have a couple weeks to wait yet before strolling into our friendly local Sprint outlet for a Hero purchase, but it turns out that specially-trained employees are already receiving their phones so they know what's what by the time customers are ready to buy. That, of course, inevitably leads to leaks -- like this one, for example. Click through for a couple more shots.

[Thanks, supamanasteel]

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 23rd 2009 11:51PM]

such a beautiful phone... i want it so bad :'(

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 23rd 2009 9:38PM]

Now that I see the pics in I actually miss the chin... But hey sprint doing there thing to keep customers happy..

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 8:41AM]

a sprint rep at, where i live is suppose to be lettting one his friends, see his. they got them on monday so they could do testing and take classes on how to operate them. i know this because i over heard them talking. i was in the store, because the pre i bought on line was defective. i felt like asking the dude if he would sell me one early.(exchange my pre for an hero, since my pre still was on the return policy thing)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 23rd 2009 10:26PM]

where did the flash go?

doesn't the gsm hero have a flash?

thought the specs where suppose to be the same?besides chin:(

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 23rd 2009 10:45PM]

No, the GSM version didn't have a camera flash either.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 23rd 2009 10:23PM]

I loved the original with the chin so much more, this looks so generic. I would have been interested in it if it kept the old form. Looks like a generic HTC device now.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 11:00AM]

I do agree about it loosing style without the chin and I was a big chin hater too but I still think I much rather have a flat phone like this in my pocket then one with a bend in it.
I really like my iPhone 2G because it is flat on both sides so it's very comfortable whatever way you put it in your pocket.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 23rd 2009 11:26PM]

Has anyone noticed that it looks different than the review unit from some weeks ago? It doesn't have "With Google" written on the back, and the camera housing is no longer metallic... Let's hope that this is just the plastic model for the sales floor, because if it isn't the case, I think this pics are bad news.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 8:29AM]

The GSM version does not have the "with Google" label either.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 11:39AM]

It looks like the camera surround is a brushed stainless type look. The pic just doesn't show it well.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 11:47AM]

Yeah, but Sprint has been branding this one as a with Google device from the onset of its announcement. Hopefully its dumbed down because its a "training" one.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 1:11AM]

Yeah i don't like this. When I saw leaked pics a few weeks back, I thought it looked good. This thing looks really drowned out and boring.

I think I'll just wait on the Motorola CLIQ or the Sammy Galaxy to get my Android fix. I want simultaneous voice and data.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 1:37AM]

theres a video out.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 2:24PM]

It's just the pictures. Check out some videos.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 3:18PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIgqdBb7uQQ

^unboxing video