After Editor/Overlord Tim Danton gave it a glowing review last month I took the plunge and upgraded my aging phone to the HTC Hero – and, so far, it’s been a fantastic experience. Android is proving to be a solid OS and HTC’s TouchFLO 3D interface makes the phone more intuitive than any I’ve used before.

I’ve been particularly impressed by the Android Market, though, which has introduced me to numerous tools and widgets that have quickly become indespensable.

Take Google’s own Places Directory, which is a prime example of how apps can be used to make life easier. Using the Hero’s built-in GPS, the software notes down your location and figures out what banks, bars, restaurants, shops, attractions and transport links are in your area – and then provides you with a route to the service you’ve chosen using Google Maps, which updates in real-time. It’s already proved invaluable when wandering around unfamiliar areas of London and works extremely well – and is a superb advert for the Hero.

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