Difference between Sense UI and basic Android O/S

[Nefariouz]

I have been searching all over the web (and forums) but I can't seem to find anything on the exact differences between having the Sense UI from htc and not. Basically, if anyone would be kind enough to explain the exact differences between the two I would be grateful.

 

[gthrift]

Sense has 7 home screens while stock android only has 3. Sense also has it's own Widgets that aren't available on other android phones and has Facebook integration. There may be others but the only big ones since Android 2.0 has come out are the 7 homes screens.

 

[Nefariouz]

It sounds to me like they really aren't that much different anymore. I have just been reading "Sense UI makes the phone NOT boring" and couldnt find any info on the differences. Thank you for your fast reply.

 

[Edaze55]

Its worth noting that you can get more than 3 homescreens without Sense UI by adding a home app, like openHome, aHome and a few others. There are also skins to give your phone the look of Sense, or just about any other look you could think of.

 

[Nefariouz]

oh ok thanks! I am just getting interested in it now that verizon is getting one. I was pretty keen on getting BB Storm 2 but it seems like garbage to me now after reading a ton on the droid. Think i might hold out to see if the htc passion is really coming out though.

 

[ajm144k]

updates will be more regular with standard Andoird, compared to a customized version such as Sense. You see this becoming a problem (running these customized versions) now with the Hero and Cliq, which will not be receiving the 1.6 Android update and have to wait until the companies update their versions to the new Android 2.0.

most likely, it will be minor updates that the customized versions will miss out on. major updates, like android 2.0, should be received just fine.


after understand this aspect of it, I'm definitely favoring the standard Android compared to the customized versions.

 

[Nefariouz]

ahh thanks for the insight man. I respect the opinion of a Browns fan also lol. I just wish that they were doing good this year and not making me sad.

 

[JoeC]

The Sense UI also provides multitouch with pinch/zoom.

 

[rizzla]

It simply feels nicer to use, from the moment you pull the menu down to reveal your home screen. Its nicer to look at, The phone contact integration is not only cool but useful. Being able to select a persons contact with the swipe of your hand and access their emails, text messages, facebook updates, facebook albums and fickr albums without the need to use a host of other programs is something i would find hard to be without.

The favourite contact widget where you can select how you contact the person is smart. The music player is really nice in looks and features, not to mention the choice of other widgets like weather, twitter, photo album, messages and emails. Also the camera apps are better with touch focus on any part of the image, not to mention pinch and zoom in the browser and photo album.

The thing is people judge what a machine does out of the box, yes you could get similar stuff on the market, but it still wont have that feel about it. The stock google experience simply looks boring, theres now way getting round that and if we want more people to embrace android then nicer looking and more fuctional UI is the way to go.

Sense UI is about connecting to people in various ways and it achieved that goal. Give me sense over stock any day of the week.

 

[mcbtrain929]

never had a smartphone before, so sorry if this is a dumb question. but why would anyone want/need 7 home screens? isn't 1 enough? what does a person do with 3 home screens, let alone 7 home screens? thanks in advance...

 

[Robobandit]

never had a smartphone before, so sorry if this is a dumb question. but why would anyone want/need 7 home screens? isn't 1 enough? what does a person do with 3 home screens, let alone 7 home screens? thanks in advance...

They put different applications and widgets on the home screens.

Having all of the ones you use on a single screen might be cluttered, so it gives you more room to spread them out and group similar applications together.

 

[JoeC]

never had a smartphone before, so sorry if this is a dumb question. but why would anyone want/need 7 home screens? isn't 1 enough? what does a person do with 3 home screens, let alone 7 home screens? thanks in advance...

That is a good question...I maybe use 3 to 4. It's just in case you want them, they are there.

If you actually use 7 screens of widgets, I bet that your battery life suffers

 

[jimczyz]

never had a smartphone before, so sorry if this is a dumb question. but why would anyone want/need 7 home screens? isn't 1 enough? what does a person do with 3 home screens, let alone 7 home screens? thanks in advance...

I use ahome and anycut to make one touch icons for speed dialing and texting, makes it much faster and easier. 2 of my screens are for those alone.