What does Sense UI get me?

[apastuszak]

What does Sense UI get me over stock Android 2.1 in the Droid? I hear it mentioned all the time, but is it more than a home screen and a few widgets?

 

[jsh1120]

Sense is a much more polished (and finished) UI than is available in the "stock" Google-based Android environment. Like any good UI it has a "personality" that reflects assumptions about the way most consumers use their smart phones. (Those assumptions may not hold as far as you're concerned.)

In effect, the Sense UI sees social networking as a major function of the smart phone, just as BlackBerries reflected assumptions about the importance of email for business users.) To that end, it consolidates the functionality of text messaging, phone calls, Facebook, and Twitter into a user experience that the designers hope will be intuitive and slick. (Motoblur is the Motorola version of the same strategy.)

In addition, in the Incredible, the assumption is that you may have other similar sets of "related" activities that call for easy access to related applications. Thus, the designers have provided a larger set of home screens that a user can fill with apps. The Sense UI doesn't make assumptions about what those will be; it simply provides the screens for the user to organize them.

You can, of course, largely duplicate the functionality and come close to the integration of apps that Sense UI provides by selecting apps and designing your own screens (along with third party launchers like Helix to give you more real estate.)

If you find the Sense UI to fit your needs, great. That's what HTC is hoping for. If you don't, you may wish to modify it (to the extent that HTC and Verizon enable you to do so) or you may prefer to use a device like a Droid where the work of putting together a UI is left up to you.

 

[RoLa]

Sense is a much more polished (and finished) UI than is available in the "stock" Google-based Android environment. Like any good UI it has a "personality" that reflects assumptions about the way most consumers use their smart phones. (Those assumptions may not hold as far as you're concerned.)

In effect, the Sense UI sees social networking as a major function of the smart phone, just as BlackBerries reflected assumptions about the importance of email for business users.) To that end, it consolidates the functionality of text messaging, phone calls, Facebook, and Twitter into a user experience that the designers hope will be intuitive and slick. (Motoblur is the Motorola version of the same strategy.)

In addition, in the Incredible, the assumption is that you may have other similar sets of "related" activities that call for easy access to related applications. Thus, the designers have provided a larger set of home screens that a user can fill with apps. The Sense UI doesn't make assumptions about what those will be; it simply provides the screens for the user to organize them.

You can, of course, largely duplicate the functionality and come close to the integration of apps that Sense UI provides by selecting apps and designing your own screens (along with third party launchers like Helix to give you more real estate.)

If you find the Sense UI to fit your needs, great. That's what HTC is hoping for. If you don't, you may wish to modify it (to the extent that HTC and Verizon enable you to do so) or you may prefer to use a device like a Droid where the work of putting together a UI is left up to you.

jsh.. you always explain everything so well...Again my friend :clap:...I'm coming to you when I need to explain something to another!!!

 

[jsh1120]

jsh.. you always explain everything so well...Again my friend :clap:...I'm coming to you when I need to explain something to another!!!

I'm flattered. Thank you. All those years as a professor weren't wasted after all.

 

[apastuszak]

Sense is a much more polished (and finished) UI than is available in the "stock" Google-based Android environment. Like any good UI it has a "personality" that reflects assumptions about the way most consumers use their smart phones. (Those assumptions may not hold as far as you're concerned.)

But the stock apps, such as calendar, gmail, etc would be identical on the two apps? How about buttons, scroll bars, etc?

Andy

 

[jsh1120]

Sense is a much more polished (and finished) UI than is available in the "stock" Google-based Android environment. Like any good UI it has a "personality" that reflects assumptions about the way most consumers use their smart phones. (Those assumptions may not hold as far as you're concerned.)

But the stock apps, such as calendar, gmail, etc would be identical on the two apps? How about buttons, scroll bars, etc?

Andy

Can't tell you, Andy. It's very likely that they're identical simply because the time and effort required to replace stock apps from Google would have to be justified in terms of an improved user experience (I would think) for HTC to mess with them.

On the other hand, the length of time required for HTC devices (with Sense UI) to be updated to the most recent version of the Android o/s suggests they are messing around fairly deeply in the o/s code. (They're not alone, of course. Motorola has yet to get 2.1 on the Devour where Motoblur is running, for example.)

 

[apastuszak]

I guess I just need to wait for the Incredible to come out and wander into the Verizon store and go play with one, to see what 2.1 with SenseUI is all about.