Next year there will be Android programming classes on Wroclaw University (Poland) but handsets for excersises needs to be choosen now. I was thinking about HTC Hero because:

• as HTC device it is a reference model for Android ecosystem;
• it will run system version 2.0;
• it has fair features/price ratio.

Are there any arguments against Hero? Or maybe there is another handset more suitable for programming classes?

Regards!
Tomek

Whats about the good old T-Mobile G1 aka HTC Dream?
It will also run version 2.0 and have the same features
that matters.

Pros:
1. Should be cheaper than HTC Hero
2. No modified Android UI that could cause trouble or incompatibility

Cons:
1. Less Rom/Ram
2. Cam just 3.2mp instead of 5mp

I would say as a device just for excersises the cons are irrelevant
and the pros outweigh them considerably.

If you want to dig deeper into the android system the Dev Phone
could be an even better choice. And maybe there are some special
price conditions for educational purposes... at least i think there should
be.. after all you train the app developers of tomorrow