While HTC’s original Hero is still awaiting its official Android 2.1 update, Sprint has let loose the latest Android build for the chinless version. The Éclair update brings number of features like improvement in the Sense UI, enhanced corporate email support and minor bug fixes.

Sprint Hero users can download the update from here but make sure to backup everything first since the update will delete all data from the phone.

Update Instructions

Hero maybe one of the best Android devices but the non-availability of Android’s latest 2.1 Eclair is a deal breaker since many 2.1 equipped phones are releasing soon. However, if a forum user from XDA-devs is to be believed, European HTC Hero users will get Android 2.1 in April. All the countries won’t get at once but the first ones will receive it from April 2 and might take till May to reach all countries. Here is the list of countries and the expected dates.

- Nordic countries, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia – April 2
- T-Mobile UK – April 16
- Orange UK – April 16
- Orange Spain – April 16
- T-Mobile Germany – April 16
- Orange France – April 22
- Vodacom South Africa – April 22
- Hutchison 3G UK – April 22
- Belgium – May 4
- Turkey – May 4
- T-Mobile Poland – May 10
- T-Mobile Hungary – May 10
- T-Mobile Macedonia – May 10

[Via GSMArena]

So what do you do when you know the first ever Android device’s chances to get an official Android 2.0 are slim (actually, non-existent). But of course, port it yourself. Modder Akira Harada took the task in his own hands to port the Android 2.0 Eclair SDK on his rooted G1. The build as you’ll see is not the one you’d want to work on but it’s just a start. Once the source code is out, a fully functional ROM is promised to make its way out.

[Via engadgetmobile]

Google has seeded the next major update of the Android OS. The Android 2.0 also known as Eclair is now available to developers along with an updated SDK. Few nifty features of Eclair include APIs for sync, Bluetooth and support for higher resolution screens. Devices running on the latest update will be able to take advantage of syncing from various contact sources, short-range Bluetooth gaming and support for screen resolutions going up to WVGA (800×480) or FWVGA (854×480).

Developers can download the new Android SDK from here or existing devs can use the SDK Manager to add Android 2.0 support as well as taking their SDK toolkit to revision 3.

[Via Android Developers]