What exactly is HTC Sense?

[sm1979]

Please, explain this to me like i'm stupid. I have absolutely no idea what it adds to my HTC Desire that I couldn't do without it?

I have heard so many people say how fantastic it is. I love my Desire to bits, but just often wondered what it actually brings to the phone. So, I thought I better ask the knowledgeable lot on here.

Cheers

 

[BabyBlues]

Ok - Sense is the user interface. HTC takes the 'stock' android and puts their spin on it. Much the same as Motorola uses Blur and Samsung uses TouchWiz. It comes down to what extras they give your really.

Applications HTC Sense adds to the Android operating system includes:
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 Facebook, Twitter, 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[8]
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 Twitter 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
Mail
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[9]


I think all the companies do this to a degree. If you ever play with a 'vanilla' phone - which is stock android then you'll likely notice the differences.

 

[Hadron]

It's an overlay on top of Android. Changes the visual appearance of menus, status bar, window decorations. Comes with HTC versions of many applications (Edit: see the comprehensive list that BabyBlues has posted above - though if you have an unrooted Desire you won't have any of the Sense 2 or 3 apps), which will only run if you have Sense on your phone. And it has its own launcher (the app that runs your homescreens) which includes HTC's own widgets.

It doesn't actually do anything you can't do without Sense, though I hear people say that the Facebook integration is better (don't use FB myself, so couldn't say).

Personally I stopped using it about a year ago, and am much happier without, but a lot of people seem to like it. It's better than Samsung's overlay anyway

 

[BabyBlues]

Being that I'm rooted I do find myself going back and forth between ROMs that are Sense and Vanilla. I always come back to Sense for the stupid little widgets. I love them. Lol.

(I do use Facebook and find that it's android integration in general is not great but that's not a discussion for here really. Lol. )

 

[sm1979]

Thank you both so much for your time and effort in explaining this to me. I seem to have a better understanding now.

As for the Facebook integration though. I like how in my calendar it automatically shows me whose birthday is coming up etc with a little icon in the top corner of the actual date. Is this a feature then that isn't on the Samsung's etc? My contacts are another thing that connect with Facebook. It's nice to see a facebook profile picture of the person phoning me instead of just their name. But this has problems. I don't know if it's just my phone or a known problem, but the pictures don't update. I'm stuck with old profile pictures as contact pictures now. Is this a problem with Sense?

Thanks again though, you have both been very helpful.

 

[BabyBlues]

The integration of the calendar and the contacts is partially a Sense thing. I know other phone makers have things in place as well but since I don't use them I can't say for sure.

The contact issue happened to me too. I didn't sync my contacts through facebook though so I just went through and unlinked everyone and deleted associated pics.

 

[yenrod]

I hate FB & calender integration..!