HTC Sense
Encyclopedia
HTC Sense is a graphical user interface
developed by HTC Corporation for mobile devices running Android, Brew
and Windows Mobile
.
Based on the TouchFLO 3D
design, HTC has referred to HTC Sense as both a user interface in itself and also as a user experience
layer on top of TouchFLO 3D.
Announced June 24, 2009, the first phone running Android to feature HTC Sense was the HTC Hero
, and the first Windows Phone to feature HTC Sense (an updated TouchFLO) was the HTC HD2
, announced October 6, 2009.
2010, HTC showed their new updated HTC Sense UI to debut on the HTC Desire
and HTC Legend
, with an upgrade available for the Hero and Magic. The new version is based upon Android 2.1 and has new interface features such as the Friend Stream widget (which aggregates all Twitter
, Facebook
and Flickr
information) and Leap, which allows access to all the home screens at once.
Smartphones including the HTC EVO 3D
and the HTC Sensation
feature HTC Sense 3.0, which has major visual and functional changes to HTC Sense, including a new lock screen which allows users to access their favorite applications directly. Only HTC Sensation and later devices will run HTC Sense 3.0, but older devices will still get some of the new features from HTC Sense 3.0 via an over-the-air update
.
While the Windows Mobile version of Sense is the successor to TouchFLO 3D, with information featured on separate tabs, the Android version presents information through Android desktop widgets and applications, and includes launcher, app drawer, and lock screen replacements.
HTC Sense adds the following applications to the phone:
Widgets for Android include:
Each tab has two soft key
s which provide access to functions associated with a tab or tab customisation.
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
developed by HTC Corporation for mobile devices running Android, Brew
Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless
Brew is an application development platform created by Qualcomm, originally for CDMA mobile phones, featuring third party applications such as mobile games. It is offered in some feature phones but not in smart phones...
and Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
.
Based on the TouchFLO 3D
TouchFLO 3D
TouchFLO 3D is a graphical user interface designed by HTC. It is used in the HTC Touch Family of Pocket PCs and was preceded by TouchFLO. TouchFLO 3D has been ported to Windows Mobile and Android, and is used in the HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch Pro, HTC Touch HD, HTC MAX 4G, HTC Touch Diamond2 and...
design, HTC has referred to HTC Sense as both a user interface in itself and also as a user experience
User experience
User experience is the way a person feels about using a product, system or service. User experience highlights the experiential, affective, meaningful and valuable aspects of human-computer interaction and product ownership, but it also includes a person’s perceptions of the practical aspects such...
layer on top of TouchFLO 3D.
Announced June 24, 2009, the first phone running Android to feature HTC Sense was the HTC Hero
HTC Hero
The HTC Hero is the third phone manufactured by the HTC Corporation for the Android platform, as part of the A series...
, and the first Windows Phone to feature HTC Sense (an updated TouchFLO) was the HTC HD2
HTC HD2
The HTC HD2 , is a smartphone belonging to the HTC Touch family, manufactured by HTC and running the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system. The phone was designed and manufactured by HTC, and was released in Europe in November 2009, and in December 2009 in Hong Kong...
, announced October 6, 2009.
History
At the Mobile World CongressMobile World Congress
The GSMA Mobile World Congress is the combination of the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry and a conference featuring prominent Chief Executives representing mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors and content owners from across the world...
2010, HTC showed their new updated HTC Sense UI to debut on the HTC Desire
HTC Desire
The HTC Desire is a smartphone developed by the HTC Corporation, announced on 16 February 2010 and released in Europe and Australia in the second quarter of the same year. The HTC Desire runs the Android operating system, version 2.2 "Froyo"...
and HTC Legend
HTC Legend
The HTC Legend is a phone manufactured by HTC Corporation in Taiwan for the Android platform. It was unveiled by HTC during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on 16 February 2010 and went on sale on 31 March 2010....
, with an upgrade available for the Hero and Magic. The new version is based upon Android 2.1 and has new interface features such as the Friend Stream widget (which aggregates all Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Flickr
Flickr
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
information) and Leap, which allows access to all the home screens at once.
Smartphones including the HTC EVO 3D
HTC EVO 3D
The HTC Evo 3D is an Android 2.3 smartphone that allows for the creation and viewing of 3D content through the use of two 5 MP rear-facing cameras and a glasses-free 3D-capable 4.3" qHD touch screen. In the United States, the Evo 3D is available exclusively on the Sprint/Nextel network...
and the HTC Sensation
HTC Sensation
The HTC Sensation is a smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation that runs the Android 2.3 Gingerbread software stack. Officially announced by HTC on April 12, 2011, the HTC Sensation was launched by Vodafone in key European markets including the UK on May 19, 2011 and by T-Mobile in...
feature HTC Sense 3.0, which has major visual and functional changes to HTC Sense, including a new lock screen which allows users to access their favorite applications directly. Only HTC Sensation and later devices will run HTC Sense 3.0, but older devices will still get some of the new features from HTC Sense 3.0 via an over-the-air update
Over-the-air programming
Over-the-air programming refers to various methods of distributing new software updates or configuration settings to devices like cellphones and set-top boxes...
.
While the Windows Mobile version of Sense is the successor to TouchFLO 3D, with information featured on separate tabs, the Android version presents information through Android desktop widgets and applications, and includes launcher, app drawer, and lock screen replacements.
Android
Allows any application accessing the Internet to also access most personal data on the Phone (HTC has promised to fix this grave information leak)HTC Sense adds the following applications to the phone:
- Calculator: A calculator application
- Calendar: A calendar application that automatically syncs with social networks and displays appointments, if networks are connected on the phone
- Camera: A camera application
- Connected Media (DLNA)
- Contacts (on some phones as "People"): A contacts application that automatically syncs with social networks and downloads information about a contact such as profile pictures, email, etc
- Desk Clock: An application for phones that have a kickstand to emulate a desk clock
- Flashlight: Use of the camera flash on phones to act as a flashlight
- Footprints:
- Friend Stream: Integrates FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, and other social networks - Gallery: An application used to view pictures or videos
- HTC Hub (HTC Sense 2.0 or above): An app that features extra wallpapers, ringtones, and widgets for the user to download
- HTC Likes (HTC Sense 2.0 or above): Apps recommended by HTC
- HTC Watch (HTC Sense 3.0 or above)-Movie Store
- Internet: an internet browser.
- Mail: An email application
- Mirror (HTC Sense 2.1 or above): Use of the front-facing camera (on some phones) to act as a "mirror"
- Music: A music player
- Plurk (Asia Pacific versions only)
- Quick Lookup: A search that looks up phrases on the internet
- Reader (HTC Sense 2.0 or above)
- Stocks: A stocks app
- Transfer Data (HTC Sense 2.0 or above): Assistance of migrating from one phone to another
- Peep: a TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
application - Weather: An app that displays weather
Widgets for Android include:
- Bookmarks
- Calculator
- Calendar
- Clocks
- FM Radio
- Footprints
- Friend stream
- Facebook Chat (HTC Sense 3.5 and 2.1 for Messenger)
- HTC Likes
- HTC Watch
- Messages
- Music
- My Shelf
- Navigate
- News
- People
- Photo Album
- Photo Frame
- Pictures
- Plurk (Asia Pacific versions only)
- Search Anywhere
- Settings (for turning on/off GPS, data connection, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth)
- Sync All
- Stocks
- Peep (Twitter Widget)
- Weather
Windows Mobile
The Today screen plugin is the main aspect of Sense, and consists of several tabs, which can be viewed by sliding a finger along the bottom bar or touching one of the visible icons. The Messages, Email and Calendar icons update to show the number of unread SMS/MMS messages, the number of unread emails and the current date respectively. Several applications, such as HTC Messages, are closely linked to the Today screen plugin to provide a seamless experience. The tabs to the immediate right and left of the current tab can be accessed by swiping in the relevant direction. The tabs in Sense 2.5 are:- Home: Displays the date and time, weather, the time the next alarm is set for, missed calls, and the next appointment. It also shows three quick links to programs, contacts or bookmarks. Flicking the quick links upwards reveals all nine quick links
- People: Shows pictures of contacts in a 3x5 grid, of which the first 9 are visible. The photo can be clicked for performing the default action, like calling or sending an SMS or e-mail. The name can be clicked to open the contact, which shows the name and picture. Below is a slider for five screens:
- Details: Further contact options like other phone numbers to call or send an sms to, e-mail addresses to mail to, and addresses to look up on Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- Messages: All SMS / MMS messages sent between the user and the contact
- Email: All e-mail received from the contact
- Updates and Events: FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
updates and new events related to the contact - Call History: All calls between the user and the contact
- Details: Further contact options like other phone numbers to call or send an sms to, e-mail addresses to mail to, and addresses to look up on Google Maps
- Messages: Displays received text messages that fly on and off screen
- Mail: Displays received email messages, from up to 4 different email accounts as prints stacked on a pile. Individual emails may be flipped through, flying off the screen
- Internet: Displays a link to open the Opera web browser, bookmarks to favorite websites, and a built-in YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
application - Calendar: Displays a calendar in agenda, day, week, month or year view. Tapping any box will open the relevant day, displaying a list of appointments for that day
- Stock: Displays graphs and quotes for user-selected companies. If a stock is touched, a screen with additional info and graphs opens with a link to the relevant Yahoo finance page
- Photos and Videos: Shows photos and videos that can be flipped through, and buttons to launch the camera to take pictures and to record video. Placing the phone in a landscape orientation causes photos and videos to be slown in a Cover Flow-like view
- Music: Displays cover art of music that flips through in a linear format. Music can be played directly from the tab, and can be forwarded/rewound by touching the progress slider. Cover art can be automatically downloaded, and rotating the phone to a landscape orientation will cause the albums to be shown in a Cover Flow-like view. The library, which can be accessed pressing the Left Softkey, also uses the scrollbar interface to allow users to sort music by carious attributes
- Footprints lets the user geotag and add text and sound recordings to photos to create a scrapbook of places visited
- Recent Documents shows previews of, and provides fast access to, recent documents saved on the device and received as email attachments. Like the Music tab, placing the phone in a landscape orientation provides a Cover Flow-like view of the documents, and pressing the left softkey allows users to sort documents
- Twitter shows a stream of the latest TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
tweets - Weather: Displays weather for up to 10 cities selected from a predefined list, including a 5-day forecastWeather forecastingWeather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
. Additional cities can be added by disabling TouchFLO and editing the weather database - Settings: Provides access to system settings
Each tab has two soft key
Soft key
A soft key is a button flexibly programmable to invoke any of a number of functions rather than being associated with a single fixed function or a fixed set of functions. A soft key is often located alongside a display device of a portable device such as a cellular phone, where the button invokes a...
s which provide access to functions associated with a tab or tab customisation.
Website
HTCSense.com is a site for HTC Sense 2.0 phones or later. It can back up phone data, locate a phone, and features "HTC Hub" content for interface customization.Devices
- HTC Amaze 4GHTC Amaze 4GThe HTC Amaze 4G is a smartphone developed by the HTC Corporation. It was released by T-Mobile in the United States on 10 October 2011.. It was first released in Canada by Telus on 04 November 2011...
: Sense 3.0 - HTC AriaHTC AriaThe HTC Aria is a smartphone manufactured by HTC Corporation that runs the Android operating system with HTC Sense.-Release:...
/ Gratia: Sense 1.0 - HTC ChaChaHTC ChaChaThe HTC ChaCha is an Android smartphone that was announced by HTC in February, 2011 at the Mobile World Congress.The HTC ChaCha is designed for texting and as the Facebook button indicates, for social networking also...
/ Status: Sense 2.1 for Messenger - HTC DesireHTC DesireThe HTC Desire is a smartphone developed by the HTC Corporation, announced on 16 February 2010 and released in Europe and Australia in the second quarter of the same year. The HTC Desire runs the Android operating system, version 2.2 "Froyo"...
: Sense 1.0 (2.2) Sense 2.0 (2.3) - HTC Desire HDHTC Desire HDThe HTC Desire HD is an Android smartphone by HTC Corporation. It was unveiled at a press event in London hosted by HTC on September 15, 2010, and was made available for sale in October in Europe and in January 2011 in Canada...
/ Inspire 4G: Sense 2.1 (2.2, 2.3.1) Sense 3.0 (2.3.5) - HTC Desire SHTC Desire SThe HTC Desire S, also known as HTC Saga, is a smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation that runs the Android 2.3.5 "Gingerbread" operating system. First announced at MWC 2011 on February 15, 2011 as a successor to the HTC Desire, it was then released on April 15.-Hardware:The HTC...
: Sense 2.1 (2.3.3) Sense 3.0 (Comes with 2.3.5 Update from UK carriers. Quote from Customer Service of HTC Asia "With reference to your query, here is news for you, Sense 3.0 will be released on Desire S by the end of this year" . 2.3.5 not confirmed according HTC Customer Service Asia - HTC Desire ZHTC Desire ZThe HTC Desire Z is a smartphone developed by the HTC Corporation, that was announced on 15 September 2010 and was released in Europe and Canada in November 2010, following a number of delays related to Google's quality assurance tests. The HTC Desire Z features similar specifications to the HTC...
: Sense 2.1 - HTC Droid Eris: Original Sense
- HTC Droid Incredible: Sense 1.0
- HTC EVO 3DHTC EVO 3DThe HTC Evo 3D is an Android 2.3 smartphone that allows for the creation and viewing of 3D content through the use of two 5 MP rear-facing cameras and a glasses-free 3D-capable 4.3" qHD touch screen. In the United States, the Evo 3D is available exclusively on the Sprint/Nextel network...
: Sense 3.0 - HTC EVO 4GHTC Evo 4GThe HTC Evo 4G is a smartphone developed by HTC Corporation and marketed as Sprint's flagship Android smartphone, running on its WiMAX network...
: Sense 1.0 (2.2) Sense 2.0 (2.3) - HTC EVO 4G+: Sense 3.0
- HTC Evo Shift 4GHTC Evo Shift 4GThe HTC Evo Shift 4G is a smartphone developed by HTC Corporation and marketed as the concurrent/sequel to Sprint's flagship Android smartphone, running on its 4G WiMAX network...
: Sense 1.0 (2.2) Sense 2.0 (2.3) - HTC EVO View 4G: Sense 2.1 for Tablet
- HTC Explorer 3G: Sense 3.5
- HTC FlyerHTC FlyerThe HTC Flyer is a tablet computer by HTC Corporation. It was announced at the Mobile World Congress 2011 and released in May 2011. Unlike other tablets announced at MWC, the Flyer has a single-core 1.5 GHz CPU and runs Android 2.3.3 instead of 3.0...
: Sense 2.1 for Tablet - HTC HeroHTC HeroThe HTC Hero is the third phone manufactured by the HTC Corporation for the Android platform, as part of the A series...
: Original Sense - HTC Incredible SHTC Incredible SThe HTC Incredible S is a smartphone designed and manufactured by Taiwan's HTC Corporation that runs the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system...
/ Incredible 2: Sense 2.1 - HTC JetstreamHTC JetstreamJetstream is a 10.10 inch tablet from Taiwanese company HTC, which was earlier rumored as the HTC Puccini. It is also the first 4G LTE tablet from AT&T.HTC Jetstream has a 1.5GHz dual core processor and an 8MP camera....
: Honeycomb Sense UX 1.0 for Tablet - HTC LegendHTC LegendThe HTC Legend is a phone manufactured by HTC Corporation in Taiwan for the Android platform. It was unveiled by HTC during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on 16 February 2010 and went on sale on 31 March 2010....
: Sense 1.0 - HTC MergeHTC MergeThe HTC Merge is a device created by HTC. It is identified as a flagship phone carried by US Cellular and came to Verizon Wireless in the summer of 2011. It features a 800 MHZ processor, 3.8" capacitive touchscreen, 5 Mega Pixel camera with LED flash quality and a 720p camcorder as well as a full...
: Sense 1.0 (2.2) Sense 2.0 (2.3) - HTC Panache: Sense 2.1
- HTC Rezound: Sense 3.5
- HTC Rhyme: Sense 3.5
- HTC Salsa: Sense 2.1
- HTC SensationHTC SensationThe HTC Sensation is a smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation that runs the Android 2.3 Gingerbread software stack. Officially announced by HTC on April 12, 2011, the HTC Sensation was launched by Vodafone in key European markets including the UK on May 19, 2011 and by T-Mobile in...
: Sense 3.0 - HTC Sensation XE: Sense 3.0
- HTC TattooHTC TattooThe HTC Tattoo is a phone manufactured by the HTC Corporation for the Android platform. It is the second phone to feature the HTC Sense interface. The phone was announced on 8 September 2009....
: Original Sense - HTC ThunderBoltHTC ThunderBoltThe HTC ThunderBolt is the first 4G LTE smartphone on the Verizon Wireless network. It is a CDMA/LTE variant of the HTC Desire HD...
: Sense 2.1 - HTC WildfireHTC WildfireThe HTC Wildfire is a smartphone developed by the HTC Corporation, that was announced on 17 May 2010 and released in Europe in June of the same year. It is powered by a 528 MHz Qualcomm processor and runs the Android operating system, version 2.2. It includes an TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen...
: Sense 1.0 - HTC Wildfire SHTC Wildfire SThe HTC Wildfire S is a smartphone developed by the HTC Corporation. The model was announced on 15 February 2011 at the Mobile World Congress and released in Europe three months later. It is powered by a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor and runs the Android operating system, version 2.3.3...
: Sense 2.1 - T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide: Espresso Sense 1.0
- T-Mobile myTouch 4GT-Mobile myTouch 4GThe T-Mobile myTouch 4G is a smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation for T-Mobile USA. HTC's name for the device during development was "Glacier". This is T-Mobile's second "4G" phone, after the T-Mobile G2, and the third smartphone by T-Mobile that runs Android 2.2 Froyo software...
: Espresso Sense 2.0 - T-Mobile myTouch 4G SlideT-Mobile myTouch 4G SlideThe T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide is a touchscreen Slider smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation for T-Mobile USA. It is the fourth in the Mytouch family. The phone resembles the myTouch 4G at first glance but other details and the interface gives it away. The myTouch is the first...
: Espresso Sense 3.0 - HTC Sensation XL: Sense 3.5