HTC Hero shows off multitouch-enabled Sense UI on video

Bear in mind we don't know for sure whether this is a forthcoming iteration of the Sense UI or just an industrious hacker, but the video after the break shows off some pretty sweet multitouch integration into HTC's Android skin. Pinch-to-zoom, that most notorious of functions, is used to achieve an Exposé-like overview of all the widgets you have open, with an easy tap getting you into the one you want. It seems a relatively intuitive action, even if the person showing it off does his or her best to make it look as clumsy as possible. This should be most enticing when considered in light of the purportedly upcoming HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 -- who's to say this isn't what HTC is cooking up as an extra topping for that Eclair?

[Thanks, Nader]

[DigDug Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:09PM]

no it was sent from my work PC (windows). with iPhone/MacOS it is almost impossible to make typos, unlike windows.

[ChazClout Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:16PM]

@DigDug
So you fail at the reply button too? Is it Windows fault this time?
Remember, it is YOU who is hitting the keys causing the typos.

Back to work dear boy.

[DigDug Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:19PM]

@ChazClout

Strangely - I have to hit the reply button twice to get a reply to appear on the desired thread. If I only hit reply once, the post goes to the bottom of the list. This isn't a mac or windows issue, but rather an Engadget site issue. Many others have reported the same bug. But thanks for asking :)

[pdm2811 Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:12PM]

I just realised that the ROM I'm running (Villain 2.1) has this and has had it for a while!

[Terrillos Art Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:14PM]

What the hell Engadget I sent you this last night, and NADAR gets credit

[JabrillyPre Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:29PM]

Didnt HTC Hero already hav multitouch? Am i missing something here?

[ChazClout Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:47PM]

@JabrillyPre
The HTC Hero did have multitouch at launch, this is just some new multitouch functionality in the Sense UI homescreens.

[JabrillyPre Posted Feb 11th 2010 1:26PM]

@ChazClout yea i saw the vid, and then realized. thnks!

[jetzking Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:46PM]

did ne1 notice the backround resembling smart, legend, bravo

[tamayoduck Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:55PM]

So, I don't care so much for the ability to see each home screen all on one screen.

Can they use that functionality to display all the running applications and give me an option to truly close them if I want, like Cards? That's the one thing that's really missing from Android.

[JustThatNerdyGuy Posted Feb 11th 2010 12:59PM]

If only that was on the HD2 *drools*

[sfox8 Posted Feb 11th 2010 1:07PM]

yeah so... nice idea and all but I really don't care about seeing an expose view of all my home screens. this would be worth so much more if it showed me my open apps and allowed me to close with one click ala web os

[loubega Posted Feb 11th 2010 2:22PM]

I'm beautiful...and dirty rich?

[grindboy Posted Feb 11th 2010 2:35PM]

Thank God for that! HTC promised us a 2.0 update months and months ago. Then told us they were waiting for 2.1 and have been silent ever since. Give me my Android 2.1 HTC your flagship Android handset is feeling neglected :-(

[scotopik Posted Feb 11th 2010 5:11PM]

God that video misses so many touches and gestures! How can anyone think that's good?

[nexus6 Posted Feb 11th 2010 5:58PM]

Hi,
sorry if this is not new information, but the discussion is just very long, so I haven't gone through the whole of it. But this behavior will really be the part of the 2.1 ROM of HTC Hero. I run the Hero21 ROM (version 1.8) made by Beeham and Lox based on a leaked Hero 2.1 ROM on my rooted Hero and it has this functionality. And the guys didn't mention that it is their creation which I suppose means it will be a standard feature for the Android 2.1 HTS Sense ROMs.

[MangoPants Posted Feb 11th 2010 8:40PM]

htc + android = super[sic]phone!

[newone757 Posted Feb 12th 2010 2:26AM]

so useless.

[funnywow Posted Feb 27th 2010 12:38AM]

hey hes listening to lady gaga!