Paul from MoDaCo got his hands on a build of the forthcoming firmware update to HTC's Hero, and he says the new build takes the Android smartphone "to the next level." Gone is the lag. Smooth are the flicks between home screens. And that annoying thing where the analog clock updates itself - while you watch - every time it reappears on your display? That's gone too!

Seriously, if you've never used a Hero, that analog clock thing is super annoying.

HTC has confirmed that a new build of Hero's ROM is on the way, and I'd heard tell from a few anonymous sources that the performance difference in the coming firmware will be very noticeable. Paul here basically just confirmed that for me - and you - on video. Now if only he could get rid of that high-pitched noise in the background before his next vid ;-)

And yes, I'm still hearing October 11 for Hero launching on Sprint. Though I'm guessing we'll see it in the flesh on October 7, the first day of CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment in San Diego, CA.

More over at MoDaCo's Android section.