This post was published 4 months ago.
It\'s is possible that the information within this article is now out of date or updated.

Aside from the increased number of pages or home screen “panes”, the Android-based HTC Hero has upped the ante on the widget front with capabilities similar to the live-updating widgets of the Nokia N97. Not only can updates be made to Twitter from the home screen widget, Peep, but a user’s timeline actively updates itself as well.

To stay with Twitter, the client – called Peep – shows the full message list and allows you to post a new tweet from the homescreen, but tapping into the app-proper brings up separate panes in which you can view your “@” replies, direct messages and favorites.

Fully-functional widgets have become one of my favorite capabilities of newer phones. Since the iPhone only utilizes push notification, an app must be opened to use any of the app’s other features, but then closed when another app needs to be opened. The lack of multi-tasking capabilities on the iPhone has been a huge con that has kept me from considering to get the phone. But with widgets like on the HTC Hero and N97, multitasking on a mobile phone has gained an additional level. Samsung’s TouchWiz interface probably isn’t far away from similar capabilities with its own widgets, but right now it seems like few apps for a handset like the Omnia II even offer snapshots of updates at all. I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on the widget front for added versatility in the future, but for now handsets like the HTC Hero seem to be the ones to watch widget-wise. Check out a detailed hands-on review of the HTC Hero at SlashGear.

Source: SlashGear

Marilyn Torres (39 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook

Marilyn Torres is a contributing blogger for Mobility Site. She also blogs about movies, books, comics, and recipes at her personal blog, marit.vox.com. Marilyn has a Bachelor of Arts in English and currently lives with her other half, Cavalier-Poodle, and tabby cat in Central Florida.