How to get the most out of your HTC Hero

The HTC Hero was one of the most successful Android phones of 2009, having both form, function and usability. Upon its arrival it received decent reviews and was hailed as a triumph for both HTC and the Android OS platform. However, as we all know, owning a phone and getting the most out of that phone are two very different things. With this in mind, read our guide on how to get the most out of your HTC Hero.

1. Get a decent browser

Many users will have noticed that the default browser on the HTC Hero is, well, a little bit rubbish. Fortunately, there are a whole host of options available to you on the Android Market Place, such as Dolphin, Steel, and Opera Mini. To really make the most of your HTC Hero, we’d strongly advise you to get one of the above mentioned browsers as the difference between them and the Hero’s default is significant to say the least! But which is the best? Simple. It’s Dolphin.

Not only will you have multi-touch functionality - pinch and zoom - available to you on Dolphin, but you’ll also have one of the best looking and snappiest mobile web browsers currently available. We can’t say enough good things about this browser. Make sure you get your hands on it as soon as possible.

2. Sort the camera out

A lot has been said about the HTC Hero’s camera - namely that it’s not much cop. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t let this worry you as there are updates available out there that will drastically improve the quality of the shots you snap. One of which is called The Camera Zoom FX application. This application costs £1.29 but it’ll make a hell of a lot of difference to your shots, so in this sense, it’s a small price to pay if photography is important to you.

3. Get organised with a better calender

While the onboard, default, calender options available on the Hero are pretty good, they’re are some alternatives that give you that little bit more. One of which is the Agenda widget, which comes in multiple sizes and shows the agenda, time and place of your up-and-coming meetings - it’s also a seriously good looking widget too. Another is Smooth Calender Widget, which is quite similar to the default calender, except that it shows three appointments rather than one.

4. Get a Bar Code reader

This is an absolute essential piece of kit for any Hero user, simply because it removes the burden of searching the Android market for applications. To get this wonderful piece of kit, simply go to the Android Market and install Barcode Scanner, from here you can now scan a barcode for a specific app, say off a website, and it’ll take you straight to the Android Market where you can download it - simply open the barcode reader, point it at the barcode, wait a few seconds for beep, then watch the download magically begin. Brilliant.

5. Bypass the slide-to-access function

This one is simple: to simply bypass the slide-down function to access your home screen simply double tap the “menu” button and you’ll go straight to your home screen. You’ll save minutes of your life doing this throughout the year!

6. Get 3G Watchdog 

Depending on which mobile provider you’re with it’s important that you stay abreast of how much data you’re actually using - no one likes getting stung with a massive data bill at the end of the month. Our personal favourite for monitoring data usage is 3G Watchdog, which can be downloaded free from the Android Market Place. It is easy to use, stays open at all times, and will ensure that you never exceed your monthly data allowance.

7. Get the Force Close Button app

Like most people, sometimes your HTC Hero will have a bad day. Apps will freeze, the UI will be laggy and nothing will seem to go right. For this reason, it’s a good idea to get the Force Close application, which, once downloaded, will appear in your notifications window and when selected will close down any app or programme straight away, which means you can free up vital memory and ensure the operational integrity of your Hero when it’s having “one of those days”.

8. Open a Google Account

The HTC Hero syncs up with Google beautifully, so before you get a HTC Hero device, make sure you set up a Google account. If you have a Google account, you can sync your contacts, email, Docs and calender with your Hero, which means you’ll have everything as organised as it is on your PC.

9. Remove keyboard lag

If you experience some lag on your Hero’s keyboard function there are a few useful things you can do to make it that little bit snappier:

- Re-calibrate your keyboard - Settings > Local & text > Touch Input > Text Input > calibration tool

- Turn off “sound feedback” and “vibrate when typing” - Settings > Local & text > Touch Input > Text Input > Untick “Sound feedback” and “Vibrate when typing.

10. Mac users: Get doubleTwist

As many users’ may have found, HTC Devices are not compatible with Apple PCs, which is certainly unfortunate - although, it’s not a complete disaster thanks to doubleTwist.

DoubleTwist is basically the same as iTunes - it looks the same, performs as well, and is free to download. This is an essential bit of kit for any HTC Hero user with an Apple PC. To use doubleTwist, you simply plug your Hero in via its USB cable, mount the device, and then you’re free to add, remove and update your HTC Hero with all your music. In addition to this, doubleTwist syncs up with iTunes perfectly, so you can even stick it to Steve Jobs and use it instead of iTunes!