HTC's Sense UI not coming to any "Google" branded phones

We've got some good and bad news... mostly bad, though. First, the good news: HTC is looking into finding a way to bring its new Sense UI -- the one featured prominently in the new Hero -- to its non-Google branded Android devices, such as Canadian carrier Roger Wireless' Magic. Unfortunately, and this is the bad news, even that's not a sure thing, and as you can probably guess from the wording, any phone that's got the "with Google" branding, like T-Mobile USA's G1 and myTouch 3G, won't be getting a chance at all due to the same licensing terms that prevented Microsoft Exchange clients on those same phones. Them's the breaks, folks, but we're sure some hacker with enough know-how will bypass the silly restrictions and do it anyway.

[Myke @ Jun 25th 2009 10:35PM]

but i thought exchange is on the MyTouch 3g?

[jasonbi3899 @ Jun 25th 2009 11:07PM]

Seriously, this entire UI is a knock off of the iPhone - the scrolling wheel for date /time settings, the photo album listing, the list goes on.

The saying is if you can't beat them (apple), might as well join them!

[Myke @ Jun 25th 2009 11:11PM]

Im assuming what you said have nothing to do with my comment..

and..

I'm also assuming that your fanbou ways have everything to do with your comment..

[Myke @ Jun 25th 2009 11:12PM]

fanboy^

[Will @ Jun 25th 2009 11:16PM]

Yes, because that UI _totally_ screams Apple. Get real, fanboy.

[iDavey @ Jun 25th 2009 11:19PM]

Looking...looking...looking.
What on there screams "OS X" ?????

Some people are pure idiots.

But to answer your question...everything is saying it does have Exchange. The blogs, news, and T-Mobile hype site. This is an odd one indeed.

[samkash @ Jun 25th 2009 11:32PM]

I think he means it won't have *htc's* exchange, it'll probably have something dev by either tmo or google, wishfully google cause then the rest of us could maybe get it

[Quix @ Jun 26th 2009 2:35AM]

The UI shown in the photo looks nothing like iPhone - what it looks like is a convoluted mess. Do you really need to take a full quarter of the screen to tell me it's sunny and 16 degrees out? Reminds me of the huge (and silly) analog clock on Android - and Vista.

[Tes @ Jun 26th 2009 6:10AM]

@Quix

Those are widgets...you can move and resize them as you see fit...if you watched the release video you'd know that. The thing that cracks me up most is that, MOSTLY, it's the uninformed who are the loudest with criticism. I assume you like NOT having a choice how your phone looks?

[ghex88 @ Jun 26th 2009 9:18AM]

Well, fanboy, I totally - absolutely - one hundred thousand percent - AGREE with you.

BUT reason I don't like iPhone is obviously evidenced from your action:

That damned thing evidently makes a fanboy such as yourself post STUPID comments, probably even while you are dreaming too.

[Armani @ Jun 25th 2009 10:36PM]

I'm just not interested in any gadget news today. Anyone else?

ps Cmon engadget, still waiting on the MJ article.

[jay jay @ Jun 25th 2009 10:41PM]

most of the articles today were good with the exception of the silent mouse.

p.s. shut up about mj no one cares.

[rcarm @ Jun 25th 2009 11:02PM]

I care.

[sweet greggo @ Jun 25th 2009 11:05PM]

In other news, prepubescent boys everywhere are sighing in relief tonight.

[poke @ Jun 26th 2009 4:19AM]

with a name like swineflu and jokes less than 24 hours after the event - I would suggest you are prepubescent.

[Wii60 @ Jun 25th 2009 10:40PM]

I've been trying the Hero builds from xda on my G1. It's a phenomenally awesome UI, and could be huge for android's progress. However, the G1 just can't quite cut it. I suspect the Mytouch 3G will have similar slowdowns even with improved RAM. I suspect that may have more to do with it for now.

Doesn't really matter what HTC does as long as you root your phone, its more about the hardware now.

[helfrez @ Jun 25th 2009 10:43PM]

I absolutely agree, it has less to do with the maker, and more to do with the phone specs, and whether it can handle the gui. Not an iphone fan AT ALL, but look at what the speed bump did for their PSX emulator.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 25th 2009 11:38PM]

the G1 has the same CPU...Im sure an optimized version will come out and run just fine on the G1 as long as a million apps aren't loaded in the background.

[Killjoy @ Jul 1st 2009 3:18PM]

Out of curiosity Wii60, have you been turning off the processor underclock while you test the Hero builds?

[helfrez @ Jun 25th 2009 10:40PM]

I kinda expected this. This is where the beauty of a opensource vs closed source system comes into play. I give the xda hackers 1wk tops, to have this ported over to G1 & Co. post official release. It doesn't even have to be released, just someone with a device to do a rom dump lol. The google ion rom was skewered and cooked for G1 in like 48hrs post the developers conference. I expect nothing less in this case. No worries.

[DudeGuyLikesAndroid @ Jun 26th 2009 9:09AM]

Thank you for calming my fears, lol.

[huh @ Jun 26th 2009 9:42AM]

Rogers Dream and Magic remain unrooted.

[Darrell @ Jun 25th 2009 10:47PM]

I just wish that they would at least let the mytouch launch in the US before they totally antiquate the tech. Now I'm going to have to import in the Hero.

[polanisto @ Jun 25th 2009 10:48PM]

I have this on my G1 already, with a little tweaking it runs smoothly. Can't wait until the official rom is ported over.

[Mike Crazy @ Jun 26th 2009 10:15AM]

I'm on the same boat. I have best feature of the Hero rom on my G1 but I'm sure it'll get way better when the official rom is released.

[jon @ Jun 25th 2009 10:49PM]

As long as it replaces Touchflo 3D on their winmo devices I'm happy.

Now if only we could get a trackball-less, chin-less, Sense UI enabled, Snapdragon or Tegra Android device on ATT's 3G bands, I'd be over the moon.

I've got $800 just waiting for it.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Jun 25th 2009 10:50PM]

Oh great, now i'll have to flash an unofficial ROM on it. Back to WinMo days.. I can't get away from it, switched to Android, yet I am still seeing how I will be swapping ROMs.

[poke @ Jun 26th 2009 4:25AM]

everyone moans that WinMo required loading unofficial roms to get the best of it - but I guess this would be the case for most phones if hacking it up was possible - this includes the iphone as well.

The hacking process gives you things that you may not have had and there is the element of risk (bricking your phone).

[Killjoy @ Jul 1st 2009 3:29PM]

If you want the best performance and newest features out of any piece of hardware you have to tinker with it. If you don't mind "good enough," leave your G1 in the hands of Google, HTC and T-Mobile and you'll get select new features when they feel like it.

Just wait until you're flashing custom firmware to your router and your camera. You'd be surprised what some point-and-shoots can do once you tinker with them.

[Srikar @ Jun 25th 2009 10:50PM]

the more and more i see this Hero....the more i am getting tempted to buy it :D

[Logboy @ Jun 25th 2009 10:52PM]

They need to just build their own OS...

[DudeGuyLikesAndroid @ Jun 26th 2009 9:16AM]

who HTC? what are you tarded?

[Csht @ Jun 26th 2009 10:16AM]

they will just skin the os...although if they hack into android enough, it is free, it would become their os?

[Chris @ Jun 25th 2009 10:53PM]

Another example at how tech and progress gets stifled.

[lmjabreu @ Jun 25th 2009 10:55PM]

Thank god, looks like Vista, typical of HTC.

[Nick @ Jun 25th 2009 10:59PM]

I don't think this is a silly thing at all. Google is keeping things organized for end users, and the three-tier system is as clear a way to do that as I can think of. I appreciate the fact that they're sticking by the rules they've set up -- it'll keep the market less confusing.

[switchbitch @ Jun 25th 2009 11:01PM]

What's the difference between Michael Jackson and the HTC hero? One has a weird plastic chin and the other .... oh hang on.....

[dagamer43 @ Jun 25th 2009 11:10PM]

Have you no decency? =/

[ethana2 @ Jun 25th 2009 11:31PM]

A Hero doesn't touch small boys.
An hero, however, does.

[Xboss @ Jul 9th 2009 1:59AM]

I found it funny, so thank you for that.

True about the little boy touching.

I don't dislike the guy but lets be honest, he is coocoo

[poke @ Jun 26th 2009 4:28AM]

too soon...

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 25th 2009 11:03PM]

HA, thats what they think.

[yoavraccah7 @ Jun 25th 2009 11:08PM]

what bout the ion. will that get it?

[danimaldan @ Jun 25th 2009 11:11PM]

one acronym will fix this, XDA

[Will @ Jun 25th 2009 11:14PM]

Good on HTC for trying not to make their new UI locked only to new hardware. Boo for Google having such stringent guidelines for their "with Google" branding.

[Juan @ Jun 25th 2009 11:23PM]

Ok can someone tell me if this is right. With HTC Sense in place, the phone can not receive official android updates until HTC gets their hands on it, tweaks it, and releases it themselves? But even phones with HTC Sense still have access to the android marketplace?

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jun 25th 2009 11:53PM]

That is my understanding as well, though I haven't seen an official HTC comment on it yet.

[victor @ Jun 25th 2009 11:29PM]

good thing i don't need exchange

[ethana2 @ Jun 25th 2009 11:33PM]

Three interfaces that are better anyways:

http://images.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/images/hero-home-screen-20090608.jpg
http://www.ubuntu.com/files/u1/html-small.jpg
http://www.ubuntu.com/files/u1/clutter-small.jpg

[Xorith @ Jun 26th 2009 12:11AM]

wait..you accidentally included the Iphone's interface...clearly NOT an attractive interface unless you are seventy and NEED the giant colour filled buttons, not to mention the Iphone has the most annoying interface, flipping through pages is not my idea of interesting or designed with ingenuity.