HTC have released an update to the HTC Sync application for Android devices running version 1.5 or 1.6 of the operating system: ie the Magic, Tattoo and the original Hero.
This application provides Outlook synchronisation and application installation, but does not provide the media, document and bookmark synchronisation features offered by HTC Sync 3 for later Android models.

HTC have released an updated version of the HTC Sync for Android application that provides support for all HTC Android devices running 2.1 or later of the Android operating system, including the Hero, Legend, Desire and Wildfire.
This means you can now enjoy Windows Media Player and iTunes synchronisation on all of the above devices as well as synchronisation of pictures, documents and bookmarks with the desktop, not to mention synchronisation of contacts and calendar with Outlook.

HTC have released a Firmware Over The Air (FOTA) update for the Hero, updating the operating system to Android 2.1

The update is available now for download. Weighing in at 84.3MB HTC advise downloading the update over a WiFi connection.

To force the Hero to search for available updates, browse to Settings --> About Phone --> System Software Updates --> Check Now

Using the Google Android SDK, if your Android device does not support USB storage mode, you can transfer files to and from the Android device as well as any inserted memory card. In this post I shall only be dealing with MacOS, but similar instructions apply to both Linux and Windows.

The SDK can be downloaded from the Google Developer web site - http://developer.android.com

Once you have downloaded the SDK ZIP file, extract the contents. In the Tools folder, double click the "ddms" file:

With the release of Google's Nexus One handset, the Android platform has had a lot of publicity recently. Offering high levels of user-customisation, social networking integration and a 'desktop-like' mobile browsing experience, the device is very attractive to consumers...but is the operating system ready for the Enterprise?

What is meant by an 'Enterprise-ready' operating system? Ideally the platform should offer the features required by a mobile user as well as conform to the security policy defined by the IT department.

Augmented Reality (AR) is the term for technology that presents the user with a 'mixed' view of the physical world combining a video image of a location together with an overlaid computer-generated view providing information about that location.

A simple example would be the practice of artificially defining pitch lines during sports television broadcasts to enable the viewer to better appreciate team territory possession or possible penalty offences.

NOTE - performing a hard reset on the Hero will erase all user data and applications on the device and return the unit to a factory-default state.

• Power the unit off (removing the battery if necessary)
• Hold down the Home and Back keys
• Press the power button whilst still holding down the Home and Back keys
• After a few seconds a message will be displayed on the screen prompting you to press the Menu button to confirm the reset process.
• Release all buttons, then press the Menu button to hard reset the device

It is posible to use the HTC Hero as a USB 3G modem with Windows XP and Vista.

In order to use this functionality, the HTC Sync software must be installed onto the PC first (http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/synchronise-htc-hero-microsoft-outlook).

The HTC Sync installer is included on the SD card that comes in the Hero sales package, or alternatively is available for download from our FTP site:

The HTC Sync application that ships with the Hero enables the synchronisation of contact and calendar information from either Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express or the Windows Address Book.
Also included is the Application Installer, which enables the installation of APK Android application packages onto the Hero from your PC.

The HTC Sync installer is included on the SD card that comes in the Hero sales package, or alternatively is available for download from our FTP site:

Working for one of the key players in the mobile data industry and getting advance samples of devices before they reach the market is definitely one of the big plus points of my job, but it is easy to become 'de-sensitised' to new products and be distinctly under-whelmed by the big announcements that others get excited about.

This is not one of those times.