HTC enhances Sense with Leap and Friend Stream (updated with video)
By Vlad Savov 
posted February 16th 2010 6:34AM
posted February 16th 2010 6:34AM
Update: See a full walkthrough of the new UI in a video after the break.
HTC UNVEILS ENHANCED HTC SENSE EXPERIENCE ON NEW ANDROID SMARTPHONES
HTC Legend and HTC Desire take Android 2.1 to a new level with HTC Sense
BARCELONA, Mobile World Congress – February 16, 2010 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced an enhanced HTC Sense experience that will be available on two new smartphones that take Android to the next level, the HTC Legend and HTC Desire.
"At its essence, the mobile phone is the most personal item you have in your possession. HTC Sense was created to magnify your ability to create and define your own unique mobile experience," said Peter Chou, chief executive officer of HTC Corporation. "HTC Legend and HTC Desire take Android to another level in both substance with HTC Sense and style with HTC Legend's revolutionary crafted aluminum uni-body design."
HTC SENSE
HTC Sense is a user experience focused on putting people at the centre by making phones work in a more simple and natural way. This experience revolves around three fundamental principles that were developed by observing and listening to how people live and communicate. These core tenets of Make It Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected continue to be the key to the new HTC Sense experience.
The new HTC Sense experience continues to focus on improving your interactions with your most important people. This begins with a new HTC application and widget called HTC Friend Stream that seamlessly aggregates all of your social communication including Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr into one organised flow of updates. This simple aggregation makes it easier than ever to focus on what friends are doing as well as to view the images and links that they share. In addition to Friend Stream, people can be organised into specific social circles, such as groups of friends, colleagues or any other way that makes sense.
The new HTC Sense experience also introduces broad improvements to applications including the browser, email client and others. In addition, the new version of HTC Sense includes a new newsreader application and widget, as well as a new seven-screen 'Leap' thumbnail view for quick and easy access to specific screens.
HTC Legend
Built around a newly enhanced HTC Sense, the HTC Legend boasts a unique design with a smooth, continuous surface, machined from a single aluminum block into a seamless compact frame. To complement its looks, the HTC Legend includes a stunning 3.2 inch, AMOLED HVGA display. The traditional trackball has also been replaced with an optical joystick, surrounded by a narrow button to improve usability without interrupting its unique design.
HTC Desire
HTC Desire is the richest way to visually experience news, friends, photos, favourite places and whatever else is important on a mobile phone. With one of the most advanced displays available on a phone today, HTC Desire is designed with a large 3.7 inch AMOLED WVGA display to enhance and maximise content, whether it is pictures and videos, browsing the Web or checking on friends' status updates. HTC Desire is powered by a one gigahertz Snapdragon processor and is Adobeâ Flashâ 10.1 ready. As with the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire also includes an optical joystick.
Patrick Chomet, Group Director of Terminals for Vodafone said, "HTC is a valued partner for Vodafone and has made a strong contribution to the growth of the mass market appeal of smartphones. Vodafone endeavours to offer our customers the widest and most compelling choice of smartphones and to that end the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire and the HTC HD Mini will be ranged in selected Vodafone markets across our footprint. I'm particularly pleased that through our collaboration with HTC, Vodafone customers will experience a differentiated experience on the HTC Legend which will come customised for them with pre-loaded Vodafone 360 Internet services."
Availability
The new HTC Legend will be available in Europe through Vodafone and in the direct channel beginning in April. It will roll out to other parts of the world including Asia in early Q2. HTC Desire will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets in early Q2. The HTC Desire will be exclusively available in Australia through Telstra. The enhanced HTC Sense experience will also be offered as a free upgrade on the HTC Hero in Europe and Asia.
HTC Legend and HTC Desire take Android 2.1 to a new level with HTC Sense
BARCELONA, Mobile World Congress – February 16, 2010 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced an enhanced HTC Sense experience that will be available on two new smartphones that take Android to the next level, the HTC Legend and HTC Desire.
"At its essence, the mobile phone is the most personal item you have in your possession. HTC Sense was created to magnify your ability to create and define your own unique mobile experience," said Peter Chou, chief executive officer of HTC Corporation. "HTC Legend and HTC Desire take Android to another level in both substance with HTC Sense and style with HTC Legend's revolutionary crafted aluminum uni-body design."
HTC SENSE
HTC Sense is a user experience focused on putting people at the centre by making phones work in a more simple and natural way. This experience revolves around three fundamental principles that were developed by observing and listening to how people live and communicate. These core tenets of Make It Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected continue to be the key to the new HTC Sense experience.
The new HTC Sense experience continues to focus on improving your interactions with your most important people. This begins with a new HTC application and widget called HTC Friend Stream that seamlessly aggregates all of your social communication including Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr into one organised flow of updates. This simple aggregation makes it easier than ever to focus on what friends are doing as well as to view the images and links that they share. In addition to Friend Stream, people can be organised into specific social circles, such as groups of friends, colleagues or any other way that makes sense.
The new HTC Sense experience also introduces broad improvements to applications including the browser, email client and others. In addition, the new version of HTC Sense includes a new newsreader application and widget, as well as a new seven-screen 'Leap' thumbnail view for quick and easy access to specific screens.
HTC Legend
Built around a newly enhanced HTC Sense, the HTC Legend boasts a unique design with a smooth, continuous surface, machined from a single aluminum block into a seamless compact frame. To complement its looks, the HTC Legend includes a stunning 3.2 inch, AMOLED HVGA display. The traditional trackball has also been replaced with an optical joystick, surrounded by a narrow button to improve usability without interrupting its unique design.
HTC Desire
HTC Desire is the richest way to visually experience news, friends, photos, favourite places and whatever else is important on a mobile phone. With one of the most advanced displays available on a phone today, HTC Desire is designed with a large 3.7 inch AMOLED WVGA display to enhance and maximise content, whether it is pictures and videos, browsing the Web or checking on friends' status updates. HTC Desire is powered by a one gigahertz Snapdragon processor and is Adobeâ Flashâ 10.1 ready. As with the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire also includes an optical joystick.
Patrick Chomet, Group Director of Terminals for Vodafone said, "HTC is a valued partner for Vodafone and has made a strong contribution to the growth of the mass market appeal of smartphones. Vodafone endeavours to offer our customers the widest and most compelling choice of smartphones and to that end the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire and the HTC HD Mini will be ranged in selected Vodafone markets across our footprint. I'm particularly pleased that through our collaboration with HTC, Vodafone customers will experience a differentiated experience on the HTC Legend which will come customised for them with pre-loaded Vodafone 360 Internet services."
Availability
The new HTC Legend will be available in Europe through Vodafone and in the direct channel beginning in April. It will roll out to other parts of the world including Asia in early Q2. HTC Desire will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets in early Q2. The HTC Desire will be exclusively available in Australia through Telstra. The enhanced HTC Sense experience will also be offered as a free upgrade on the HTC Hero in Europe and Asia.
So torn between nexus and bravo now..
@geekthree Really? There's no comparison in my eyes. Sense all the way.
hmm. There was nothing mind blowing from this press conference... When is Motorola's keynote? I'm psyched for Nexus Two with keyboard!
@ai4281 i don't know about you but I have a N1 and i can't keep my eyes off that HTC Sense UI, i think its beautiful and worth having.
I dig the idea behind Leap, I just wish it did more than just allow you to view the home screens. I want to be able to view running applications as well. HTC's got a task manager on the home screen for Windows Mobile, maybe they can work one in here, at least until Google cooks up something to take on WebOS' cards
@EGOvoruhk
My Hero has a task manager built in, just hold the home button. I thought this was standard with all Sense devices?
@Ragewaar
People tend not to read manuals or bother with Google searches so they can have a bit of a moan about silly little things.
@Ragewaar/Tes
I know there is a task manager, I'm talking about one similar to Leap that would have a screenshot/live view of every open program like it does of the home pages. I thought I was pretty clear on that
@EGOvoruhk
Not really, but yes that would be a nice feature.
People complain about the amount of apple content on this site, but lately there's an awful lot of HTC attention.
@Davo
well when a big company like them embrace something as popular as android as much as they have its bound to get alot of attention.
@Davo
Well it was their turn to give a MWC conference, coincidence much?
@Ragewaar
Sorry my bad i don't really follow the mobile world much and it was a bit hasty of me to post that.
What are the chances of this new feature being updated on the HD2? XDA Devs, we need youuuuu!!
Vladislov, any news on whether or not the HTC Droid Eris will be getting the same Sense upgrade as the Hero?
@PJX
Man, I hope so! They're sister phones, so the ERIS *should* be getting this. I'm hoping that's what the big delay is all about.
ok we get that the htc hero will get the upgrade which im so looking forward to but a date would be nice! Anybody know when?
Anyone else get the 'sense' (pun intended ;) lol, that HTC is slowly positioning itself to release it's own OS?? They keep building upon their Sense UI....
Samsung is doing its own thing with Bada... I wouldn't be surprised if HTC soon did the same... They might be getting annoyed with Google already over Android and being somewhat blindsided by the Nexus One?
Just a thought...
This looks like a really nice evolution of the Hero that addresses most of the current shortcomings: faster processor, flash, Android 2.1, still has the fantastic loooking Sense UI. I'm digging it! Plus we can show off that big HTC logo for all to see.
I like that ball-less pointer/page scroller. That's a really neat feature since you don't have to touch the screen.
Didn't the aluminum on the original iPhone result in poorer signal?
So excited can't wait until my Droid Eris gets this :-)
Google are going to have to really up their game if they want something like the Nexus to be competing with this. Sense UI all the way!
Call Mom widget! Simply Brilliant!
I'm really loving this LEAP feature.
How cool would it be if this was also implemented in the applications?!
The leap function could replace the "Hold down menu" gesture and we would get the 7 running applications in a cardview-like style (much like webOS)!
wow. so amazing. i still can't believe the people who still think the iphone is "the-best-ever-and-always-will-be" phone.
HTC blows Apple away hands down.
HTC vs iPhone war??
- Prathap Rajamani