Update for HTC HD2 Opening Java-messages;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=921
Even if you do not update anything else, please install this security update. It will prevent your HTC HD2 from immediately (without prompting) opening Java messages, leaving your phone (and data) vulnerable to a lot of exploits, hacks, deletion and so on.

Update for HTC HD2 Music Stability;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=938
It still stutters at times, but a lot less frequently

Update for HTC HD2 Car Kit Mode Function Enhancement;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=940

Update for HTC HD2 Facebook Albums;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=918

There also is a ROM upgrade for Vodafone NL customers, which upgrades your ROM version to 1.72.172.0. Note; this only applies to Vodafone HTC HD2′s and does not apply to any others!

HTC HD2 ROM upgrade for Vodafone NL customers only;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=2&dl_id=920

Once you have applied these updates, be aware that you will need to apply them again in case you hard-reset or wipe your phone. Of course, this excludes the ROM update for Vodafone. As a tip; the ROM update for Vodafone does not necessarily include the other updates so be sure to apply them as well.

The URL to get it is: http://www.commmgrpro.com/jsp/main_frame.jsf

However, the program is not free – it comes with a 14 day trial.

The user-interface may seem chaotic at first, but it’s a mater of starting it (once) and then hitting “Auto” and you are set.

• Decrease your ActiveSync schedule (how often it checks for new email/calendar items etc.)To do this simply follow these steps:

1. Click on Start
2. Scroll until you see “Extra” and touch it ;-)
3. Click/Touch ActiveSync.
4. Click on Menu (lower-right corner) and select Schedule.
5. Change Peak times to the time-frame you wish to use (mine is currently 30 minutes)
6. Change Outside of Peak times to a time-frame you think is acceptable (mine is set to every 2 hours)
7. Click/touch on “Adjust Peak-times” (lower left corner)
8. Click/touch the days you want the “Peak times” to apply to (for example, Monday to Friday)
9. Set the begin and stop time for the schedule (mine is set to 06.00/6AM to 22.00/10PM)
10. Click/touch on OK (top right corner)
11. Click/touch on OK again (top right corner)
12. Click/touch Synchronize (lower left corner) to synchronize at that time and to make sure ActiveSync uses the new schedule.

• Decrease the frequency of HTC Sense syncing (weather etc)
  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on Settings
  3. Click on Data-services (4th item)
     To change the schedule for stocks:
  1. Click on Stocks
  2. Change the frequency on which HTC Sense downloads the stocks, or completely turn of synchronization if you do not use it.
  3. Click on Done once finished.To change the schedule for weather-forecasts:
  1. Click on Weather
  2. Change the frequency on which HTC Sense downloads the weather-forecast, or completely turn of synchronization if you do not use it.
  3. Click on Done once finished.
     To turn the Facebook synchronization on or off:
  1. Click on Facebook.
  2. Completely turn of synchronization off if you do not use Facebook.
  3. Click on Done once finished.
     To change the schedule for Twitter synchronization:
  1. Click on Twitter.
  2. Change the frequency on which HTC Sense downloads your Twitter-feeds, or completely turn of synchronization if you do not use it
  3. Click on Done once finished.
  4. Click on OK once finished (top right corner)

These few items should help you throughout to prolong the battery-life on your HD2 a bit more :-)

The version of Facebook Mobile that was installed was version 1.0.0.7 (from the top of my head) You can verify your version by going into Facebook, then at the home-page click Menu followed by About.

Now to upgrade to a higher version, you can use Microsoft Marketplace (which should already be installed on your phone) Simply search for Facebook and it should find it. Install it as normal of course (as a tip; be sure to set Microsoft Marketplace to store it’s files on your SD-card)

If however it doesn’t, click on Menu followed by Settings. Change the region to United States – English and click on Save. Now try the search again and it should find it just fine.

I have of course made sure that the HTC Sense UI still maintained the Facebook functionality amongst my contacts – which I find incredibly handy. It of course did – and I have since rebooted the phone (You might be asked to reboot your device as well)

So now I am running with a far more usable version of Facebook mobile on my HD2. Oddly enough the app still is in Dutch, but you can’t have your cake and eat it :-)

Why Wednesday? It breaks the week, and not the just the working week either. It’s a break from everything, all chores, work, obligations, appointments – everything. On these Wednesday’s I do everything I want to – as slow as I want to.

If I feel like watching (recorded) TV, or reading a book in my hammock I just do it. No inhibitions, no reservations.

As weird as it may sound but for a long, long time I haven’t had one of these days. It’s good to not to worry over obligations or appointments or work or… you get the point.

I only had 2 of these days so far, but the outlook of one coming helps me through the week. Of course during the weekend I do fun stuff as well, but this? This is different. It almost feels like meeting up with a long-lost friend.

Today I spent a big chunk playing around with photos and iPhoto. Nice little app, and it was fun. Between iPhoto and Google Picassa, I’d still pick the later though.

Having said that, I do like the integration with Facebook in iPhoto. Let’s hope Apple steps up the paste in Snow Leopard, which I have in preorder :-)

And I must admit, I’m anxious to see it. First time in a long time that I have been anxious, in a good way, about technology. I missed that. I missed being able to tinker with things, figuring them out, breaking them and then fixing it all back together.

Even as it all may sound like a big step forward, I’m realistic. It will be a long, strenous road back. But I took the first steps.

And that’s always the hardest, the first step.

Take care and be safe.