HTC debuts widgets for Sense-equipped Android phones

HTC was already in the Android software game by virtue of the fact that it drops a fully-customized UI and widget suite on some of its models, but this is new: they've migrated over to the Market. Now, what'd be insanely awesome here is if you could, say, buy Sense for $9.99 and install it on any Android device, but yeah, not so much -- what we've actually got here is a four-pack of free widgets that are compatible with the Hero and Droid Eris. Dice, Today in History, Tip Calculator, and Battery are each downloadable individually; none are particularly exciting or different than what's already available in the Market, but they've all got that famous HTC high style and the exclusivity of knowing that Motorola, Acer, Samsung, and Huawei riffraff can't use them. All four are available now.

[Jasenjr Posted Dec 17th 2009 1:55PM]

Along with the G1 not being able to use it.

[ryan420 Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:09PM]

@Jasenjr That's why you don't buy the first Android phone.

[Jasenjr Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:19PM]

@ryan420
Hey, it was nice.

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:53PM]

@Jasenjr Not so much.

[Jasenjr Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:27PM]

@marsmissions
eh

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Dec 17th 2009 1:58PM]

I'm sure these will also work for those of us running hero ROMs on G1s and whatnot.

[Jasenjr Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:02PM]

@B3astofthe3ast
Its just the end of thew article says HTC is keeping it away from other phone makers, but also its own phones -_-

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:18PM]

@Jasenjr Normal G1s can't use them, but I don't see why a rooted G1 with a Hero ROM can't use it.

[Jasenjr Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:21PM]

@B3astofthe3ast
I think your missing what im saying, i know normal G1's cant use them because they dont have the Sense UI, but the end of the article is saying that HTC is keeping its products for its phones, but its still alienating its own phones.

[zole2112 Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:55PM]

@B3astofthe3ast
Downloaded but doesn't appear on my widget list on my G1 with 2.01...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:02PM]

That explains why Beautiful Widgets creator was sent a C&D for selling Sense UI style widgets.

[PBB Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:33PM]

@(Unverified)
Funny. didn't know that. Just got that app last night with no problems.

[The Albatross Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:04PM]

Damn I want that battery app for my Droid.
Any similar ones ont he market place?

[ehisforadam Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:47PM]

@(Unverified) There actually is an app built into Android that gives you that info, just without the pretty graphics. The only what I know to get it is by using the voice dialer and saying "view battery info."

[interested Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:04PM]

Is there any chance I can flash my HD2 to boot to android? That looks so awesome!

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:56PM]

@interested You would destroy WinMo for a tip calculator, and battery widget?? 6.5 must be really really bad.

[electron Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:05PM]

well, this is a bit.... underwhelming...

[benso87 Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:16PM]

@electron Underwhelming for sure. I think a much better Christmas present would be, I don't know... Android 2.0 or something?

[TRLKOR Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:06PM]

Sense for $9.99, now that would be an idea

But HTC would be shooting themselves in the foot if they did that.

[OwenV Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:25PM]

@(Unverified)
Why, Sense is hardly one of their biggest selling points. Millions of people still buy HTC phones without Sense UI on them, I don't think it would affect their handset sales or profitability much at all

[nerdherd Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:06PM]

@(Unverified) Heck, I'd be willing to pay much more than $9.99 if I could get my Droid running Sense UI...I think that HTC should sell at LEAST their widgets to non-HTC owners, then keep giving them to HTC owners for free. It still leaves more incentive to get HTC, but then us poor non-HTC people can have awesome looking widgets.

[Chefgon Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:14PM]

Sense is not an application that you can just install on any Android phone, it relies on a custom framework baked into the Android OS.

They don't sell Sense as a download because that would be impossible, and they don't sell these widgets to Droid users because they simply wouldn't run. If you convinced them to install somehow they would just crash your phone when you tried to load them.

[nerdherd Posted Dec 17th 2009 6:43PM]

@Chefgon Yes, I know Sense has to be cooked into the ROM, but all I'm saying is I would like to see the widgets available for the Droid. Would it take more work on HTC's part to make them compatible? Yes, but that doesn't stop me from wanting it :)

[JayMonster Posted Dec 18th 2009 9:17AM]

@(Unverified)

That is right on the money. Motorola has stated (and HTC has inferred) that there are only "so many combinations" of keyboards, and screens, etc. and that the way they intend to differentiate themselves is through software. The Sense UI is just that software. It is what makes a person (or not) buy an HTC handset over a competing phone with WinMo or Android. Of course the downside to that is, it is also the reason that the MyTouch 3g and the Eris are running 1.5 (cupcake) and not at least 1.6 (Donut). (I guess that is the "cost" of your phone "getting YOU" but... that is a whole other discussion).

So, yes, (Unverified) is right, based on that strategy, HTC would in fact be shooting themselves in the foot, not to mention, that they would be forced to support the Sense UI widgets across a broad spectrum of platforms, instead of knowing it is only on 1.5 until they are damn good and ready to release a version that runs on 1.6, because right now, until they are ready, all the phones they produce are going to remain stuck right there.

[archkron Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:06PM]

HTC should create their own OS.

[JXCGunrunna Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:20PM]

@archkron
Why? with as open as Android is, they can take Google's base, strip some of it down, and put their own design into it. Much cheaper that way.

[archkron Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:21PM]

@JXCGunrunna

Perhaps I should've specified the "desktop" bit; that is to say, I think HTC should create a desktop OS.

[ethana2 Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:34PM]

@archkron

Uh how about no.

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:58PM]

@archkron Too many desktop operating systems....

[archkron Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:00PM]

@marsmissions

There's room for more yet ;)

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:03PM]

@archkron I'll settle with one that doesn't have a plethora of problems over 5000 that can't get it right.

[archkron Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:04PM]

@marsmissions

Different OSes get it right for different people; different OSes have different purposes.

[MrShimmy Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:10PM]

I am disappointed in the app choices they expanded on. Dice????? There are tons of battery and tip apps and im sure you could add an RSS feed for the historic events. I was hoping for something original.

[mattcoz Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:14PM]

I like the battery widget, but more importantly I like the precedent this sets with the possibility of them releasing more and more widgets in the future.

[r3loaded Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:29PM]

These widgets = hacked onto non-HTC devices in 3, 2, 1....

[Chefgon Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:23PM]

Impossible. Sense uses a custom widget framework that other Android phones don't have.

These aren't limited to Sense phones because HTC is greedy, they're limited to Sense phones because stock Android is simply incapable of running them.

[MrBoB Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:36PM]

I just wish they would sell the HTC keyboard on the market. It's really nice, much better than any current android keyboard, and right now you have to download an unauthorized version, helpfully provided by the XDA folks.

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:01PM]

@MrBoB Seriously, they would make a fortune.

[HotBBQ Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:39PM]

Samsung Moment owner here. What is the best battery info application available?

[Droider Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:30PM]

@HotBBQ How much info do you need? I really only care if it is running low, indicated up in the top right of my phone by the battery icon. Do you really need to run a full level 3 diagnostic on your battery?

[HotBBQ Posted Dec 17th 2009 8:48PM]

@Droider How much do I *need*? About as much as I need a farting app. I would *like* a battery app that says how much longer it will take to charge to capacity, how much time left I have on the battery at current usage, and order me a pizza.

[nobnoobody Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:58PM]

Today sure seems to be the day for abusing the jpg/png rules doesn't it.

[Chris Ziegler Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:01PM]

@(Unverified) Well, we're playing with jpeg quality levels right now trying to figure out the sweet spot for minimizing load times.

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:59PM]

@Chris Ziegler Burning our eyes is the best way to minimize load times, that way we won't come back right?

[Chris Ziegler Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:11PM]

@marsmissions Noted, man, noted. We're doing this to improve the experience for you! We'll dial it up a bit.

[marsmissions Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:13PM]

@Chris Ziegler lol. I was only joking.

[steel Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:23PM]

This is not a positive for Android. It's already begun to fractionate thanks to the different builds that exist at any one time. If I can't get certain apps just because mine is from a different manufacturer, that just makes things worse. Bad Idea. Fix this, Google.

[DizWARE Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:08PM]

@(Unverified)
I don't see any problem with it...It allows phone manufactures to add incentives to buy their phones. Why would exclusivity be a bad thing? Its kinda how the whole mobile market operates anyway, as well as many other electronic markets(i.e. game console wars), and it has worked well for many companies, and adds a competitive edge which in turn brings innovation. I think it would be silly to complain about that.

[FrenchGeek Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:48PM]

rooted hero on modaco 3.0
update not compatible...

[husher Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:57PM]

still no power control.
what a pain in the ass.