String (still in beta, Google style) by my gengo resolves all of the nagging problems that were stopping Android Agenda Widget from getting localized:

• Change control
• Collaboration
• Simplicity

Of course it’s possible to get change control and collaboration with subversion/git etc but this requires technical translators who are probably going to be busy with their own apps. The alternative, sending rar/zip files full of xml to every generous translator, is cumbersome along with causing unnecessary overheads in time.

All you need to do is upload your values xml files to their server and you too can enjoy on the fly progress, history and private or public projects. String makes the translation process a breeze for anyone, not just the technical users.

At the moment Android Agenda Widget translation is still in initial stages. Once I understand all the ins and outs of String I’ll make the project public as an example!

Version 1.0.3 remedies all of these problems and more, here is the changelog:

• Files are downloaded while they are streaming.
• Downloaded files can be resumed if interrupted.
• Once removed, downloaded files will no longer automatically download.*
• Active episode no longer mysteriously vanishes from My Queue when another is played.
• Reduced CPU usage while in play screen.
• Show the “Add” feed menu item in the Home screen to make it more visible.
• Add skip forward 30 seconds, back 7 seconds.
• Add user-agent on media download requests: Google-Listen/VERSION (DEVICE BUILD)
• The cache is now pruned after every download, not just settings change and startup.
• Added a confirm dialog when unsubscribing from a feed.
• Added a context menu to mark episodes listened or not listened.
* Unfortunately this change required a modification to the cache database, so cached files will be removed after upgrading.

So far so good, I have managed to download, queue and listen to a few casts in a row and am satisfied it isn’t making my Hero chug!

I like the HTC applications apparently

2 weeks into my HTC Hero, these are the android HTC apps I use for all my guff…

• E-mail: the Gmail client that is readily available to all android phones, I use it over the HTC Sense UI offering only because it allows archiving and I don’t really want to clutter my phone with POP3 accounts
• Music: HTC’s “Music” is my current choice after a flip flop between it and  Meridian. I went with the former due to locked screen controls, the ability to add ringtones directly and better integration with Sense UI
• Calendar: Haven’t strayed from the HTC calendar yet, the widgets provide enough information for me, though it would be nice if it showed tertiary calendars in the widget’s
• SMS: mostly chompSMS at this point, though temped to go back to the Sense UI application for the widget integration. chompSMS’ only advantage (for me) at this point seems to be the capability to change the notification icon color (woooooo!)
• Task Manager: TasKiller but only because I haven’t tried anything else, I like that it shows more “tasks” (e.g. the google maps friend service) than other applications I have seen, but I don’t like how easy it is to accidentally close the wrong thing (tap TouchFlo accidentally and you may as well restart your phone). This is fixable by making icons big, but then you read can’t entire application name! Wait, there is an update for this… Tried it, nothing ground breaking so will pursue alternatives
• File Manager: Linda, but only because I haven’t tried anything else
• Podcast Manager: Google’s Listen which is unreliable at best. The” download when wi-fi is available option” drops out a lot and the application seems to just hog memory during playback. Had a quick look at Car Cast but it was a bit simple. Might have to bite the bullet try BeyondPod which is meant to be the goods….
• Contact management: “People”, another HTC dealy which lets you link contacts to flickr and Facebook, syncs with google contacts… Awesome!

Other apps include Scrobble Droid to post my played music my last.fm account, Ringdroid to change alarm tones easily, Stream Furious to stream internet radios (good for Internode!) and 2G-3G to switch off the battery hungry data connection.

Seems this post turned into an advertisement for the HTC Sense UI, lucky them.