Chad Hardin: HTC Sense UI gets update

Saturday, March 26, 2011

HTC Sense UI gets update - here's what's new

CTIA 2011: We take a closer look at new features
HTC Sense UI gets update - here?s what?s new

With the launch of the HTC EVO 3D, HTC has rolled out a couple of new elements to it’s HTC Sense UI – the software interface.

The phone is due out in the summer in the US, and the new interface already borrows some elements from the HTC Flyer (see our?HTC Flyer interface walkthrough),?the company’s 7-inch tablet, so it’s logical to expect that the new features will be rolling out to other handsets from the manufacturer around the globe.

Better still we’ve been told by HTC?that these are just some of the new features, and that come launch day they’ll be a few more added into the mix.?

New lock screen

HTC has introduced a new lock screen that gives you a the ability to zip straight over to a dedicated app from the lock screen rather than having to first unlock your phone and then load up the relevant app.

To make it work you have to click on the app you want and then drag it to a circle at the bottom of the homepage. You can of course just interact with the circle if you want to do something else other than those four apps.

On the demo HTC EVO 3D models we tried at CTIA apps featured were: Phone, Mail, Camera and Messages. We aren’t currently sure whether you’ll be able to customise that list, however judging by the fact you can customise most things we presume you will be able to.

Zoetrope tile animation

HTC has jazzed up the animations between tiles on the homepage on the new Sense UI offering. If you spin them fast enough you can create a Zoetrope affect as they have built in inertia.

Trust us when we say you’ll be playing for hours when you get this on your phone.

Reader

We first saw Reader, HTC’s ebook reader, on the Flyer at Mobile World Congress in February, and now it’s here on a phone.

Like the tablet version you’ll be able to bookmark pages, however unlike the tablet version you won’t be able to scribble all over the pages making notes.

Recent apps

Holding down the Home key on the EVO brings up the most recent apps, and now HTC have implemented that into Sense UI.

To access it your last five apps all you have to do is drag down the notifications bar from the top of the screen and there they are. Very handy.

Quick Settings

Dragging down the notification bar also reveals a new Sense UI feature called Quick Settings.

As the name suggests this gives you quick access to all the settings that you’ll want quick access to – like Wi-Fi, whether you want the Wi-Fi hotspot on, Bluetooth and GPS and anything else that is likely to run your battery dry.

Stocks

New look for the phone now emulates the version we first saw on the Flyer back in February.

That means a cleaner more see-through look.

Weather

HTC CEO Peter Chou likes the weather so we can probably thank Mr Chou for this update.

In the new Sense UI weather gets a new cleaner look with new animations when you need to know what sun, rain, snow, or wind look like

Music player and Amazon MP3

Updated with the new look also found on the Flyer.

It’s cleaner than before and also has an Amazon MP3 button so you can buy tracks straight from them. Think iTunes for Android.?

Conclusions

While there is nothing ground breaking in this update, there are lots of nice little touches giving the OS a really polished feel. Our favourites have to be the Zoetrope affect (our words not HTC) and the new lock screen. It’s all in the details as Mr Bamford would say.

Tags: Phones HTC HTC EVO 3D CTIA2011 HTC Flyer