Sprint HTC Hero available today to Best Buy Reward Zone members

Joining the world's shortest list of exciting exclusives, Sprint's HTC Hero is available for purchase to Best Buy Reward Zone members only today, two full days before the October 11 street date. You'll need to be a Reward Zone member as of yesterday to participate, but if no Best Buy clerk has already hard-sold you a Reward Zone card during a particularly momentous purchase of yours, you're clearly not one to be swayed by petty early purchase options anyway.

[Thanks, Ted]

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:10AM]

Nice of them to spell Flickr correctly in the ad.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:24AM]

well, guess i know where i'm goin after my classes end today...sprint i guess u have me for another 2 yrs

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 12:01PM]

If I know someone who has a Rewards Zone membership, could I buy the phone for me using their card?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 3:58PM]

Just create a membership. All I needed was the membership number and I got my phone. I created the Membership this morning, and got the phone an hour later

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 2:28PM]

or, you can call telesales and order it now...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 3:18PM]

Sprint stores in the south east regions have been given the green light to start selling them now.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 2:54PM]

I got my hero today. I love it!!!!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 4:27PM]

This isn't a Hero? Hero has a slanted chin right? Have they updated it or something?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 4:31PM]

Just got mine today. Still waiting for the number to port over but the Best Buy mobile people were amazing! Sprint gave us so many problems making an account and setting up the number but everyone at best buy was really patient and even gave us free drinks and snacks. I seriously don't know why I would ever go to an actual sprint store again. The one upside was a sprint rep ended up waiving our activation fees (I was moving multiple phones over from another carrier).

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 4:40PM]

got mine at best buy. i second Rich, eff the carrier store. Love it so far, keeping my TouchPro as a backup.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 5:24PM]

To those of you that have gotten it already:

Can you check the ROM version to see if it's a 2.xx.yyy... or the 1.22.yyy.

There seems to be discrepancies in reports out there as to what they're being loaded with.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 8:25PM]

Firmware: 1.5
Baseband: 1.04.01.09.21
Kernel: 2.6.27
Build: 1.29.651.1
Software: 1.29.651.1

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 6:04PM]

I asked about that there, becuase the demo was running 1.5 and I thought they came with 1.6. Mine is running 1.29.xxx.x is this an old version and if so can I get an update somewhere?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 7:07PM]

Best Buy Mobile is changing the phone industry on the consumer end as we know it. BBYM! (Don't forget their black tie protection! It has saved my phone so many times!)

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 8:21PM]

Got mine today, no real problems other than a slight number port issue. Not used to not having a keyboard anymore so its taking me a bit to get up to speed, but overall its pretty sweet.

Firmware- 1.5
Software- 1.29.xxx.x
Hardware- 2
Kernel 2.6

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 8:26PM]

Ditto on the keyboard thing, BUT you can change the keyboard settings to a keypad and use ABC or XT9 if that makes it easier.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 8:57PM]

Just picked up my Hero. Best Buy even threw in a free Madden 10 game on my platform of choice; PS3! Can't beat that... I guess that makes up for the lack of headphones, screen protector and generic sleeve case.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:24PM]

Oh, and it is "with Google"...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:16PM]

Best Buy Mobile is pretty cool, but I'd strongly disagree about their Black Tie. Average turn around is 30 days with repairs, unless it's an iPhone or a Pre, in which they fall under rapid exchange meaning you normally get one within 3-4 days.

If you can deal with a lousy loaner phone for a month, then it's not bad considering there are no deductibles for accidental damage.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:55PM]

Oh man! I called Sprint because I was having a number port issue and at the same time I asked the tech about how I go about getting upgrades for android and if 1.6 would be available. She then proceeded to ask me if "Android" was an app I had downloaded onto my phone. I tried explaining in more detail and she gave me some vague answer about all updates coming over the air whenever they were ready. This makes me kinda sad. If someone knows the real deal on updating the phone to 1.6 or anything info on updating I'd really appreciate a link.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 12:54PM]

I don't think there is a definitive answer but it seems like they are saying that it won't be OTA and it won't come till 2010

If that's true I think its a big mistake on sprints part considering app incompatibility and the fact that there will be a large part of the user base that will never try and update the phone unless they see a message asking them to update over the air

I wish these places would start hiring for a better rate to attract people who actually know what the hell they are talking about...it wouldn't take much either maybe just some product knowledge support on a few of the major smartphone releases


but i guess the churn at these places prevents that

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 4:16AM]

anybody happen to catch the one year contract price by chance?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 11:43AM]

Got my Hero yesterday! Love it! But echo on the 1.6 ... When??

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 2:19PM]

Same here Oct 10:

Firmware version: 1.5
Baseband version: 1.04.01.09.21
Kernel version: 2.6.27
Build number: 1.29.651.1
Software version: 1.29.651.1

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 6:15PM]

Activated last night on my SERO! -- no problems so far. Sweet.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 10th 2009 8:58PM]

Got one just now and i actually signed up for rewards minutes before leaving to best buy.

Took an hour to activate because the ESN on the box and the one on the phone did not match!?!? Nothing more than an inconvenience.

phone is awesome. im yet to see lag. Of course ive ben running android on a ATT Tilt for almost 2 years. THATS LAG!

Goodbye ATT! ahhhhhhhh!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 13th 2009 3:30PM]

Got my unlock here a week ago and it works well on T-Mobile network!
http://www.warehouse123.com/store/product_information.php?pid=21363
The UI is quick! Very quick! I can't feel any lag.....