Today Google announced the SDK release of Android 2.0 (AKA: Eclair)!

Android 2.0 brings new API’s for syncing, Bluetooth and a ton of other features and enhancements. Users will now be able to sync contacts with other contact sources, connect to peer-to-peer for gaming and much more!

There is no word yet on the official 2.0 firmware release, but with TELUS getting the Hero in November, hopefully 2.0 will drop around then.

For Rogers Android users, is it even worth hoping for 2.0? The release record from Rogers has been less than stellar.

Below is the exhaustive list of new enhancements:

Contacts and accounts

• Multiple accounts can be added to a device for email and contact synchronization, including Exchange accounts. (Handset manufacturers can choose whether to include Exchange support in their devices.)
• Developers can create sync adapters that provide synchronization with additional data sources.
• Quick Contact for Android provides instant access to a contact’s information and communication modes. For example, a user can tap a contact photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person. Other applications such as Email, Messaging, and Calendar can also reveal the Quick Contact widget when you touch a contact photo or status icon.

Email

• Exchange support.
• Combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page.

Messaging

• Search functionality for all saved SMS and MMS messages.
• Auto delete the oldest messages in a conversation when a defined limit is reached.

Camera

• Built-in flash support
• Digital zoom
• Scene mode
• White balance
• Color effect
• Macro focus

Android virtual keyboard

• An improved keyboard layout to makes it easier to hit the correct characters and improve typing speed.
• The framework’s multi-touch support ensures that key presses aren’t missed while typing rapidly with two fingers.
• A smarter dictionary learns from word usage and automatically includes contact names as suggestions.

Browser

• Refreshed UI with actionable browser URL bar enables users to directly tap the address bar for instant searches and navigation.
• Bookmarks with web page thumbnails.
• Support for double-tap zoom.
• Support for HTML5
• Database API support, for client-side databases using SQL.
• Application cache support, for offline applications.
• Geo-location API support, to provide location information about the device.
• Video tag support in full screen mode.

Calendar

• Agenda view provides infinite scrolling.
• Events indicate the attending status for each invitee.
• Invite new guests to events.

Video