U.S. Cellular continues its Android assault with the addition of the HTC Hero S. Available for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate, the smartphone features a 4-inch qHD display, a 1.2GHz processor, and the latest version of HTC Sense.
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Design
Unlike the latest smartphones, the Hero S has a more compact design, measuring 4.78 inches tall by 2.43 inches wide by 0.46 inch thick and 4.59 ounces.
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Software
The Hero S runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense. In addition to the standard Google services, the smartphone comes preloaded with a handful of extra apps, such as Zappos, IMDb, and Tone Room Deluxe. Unfortunately, you cannot uninstall the bloatware.
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Controls
The left side of the phone features a volume rocker and a Micro-USB port, while there is a 3.5mm headphone jack and power/lock button on top.
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Camera
The Hero S has a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. It can capture 720p HD video and also features a number of editing tools in the camera app. There's also a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera.
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Test photo
Like a lot of camera phones, the Hero S had a tough time in low-light conditions. The objects in the photo were easy to identify but the coloring was off.
