We all know about the minor lag Sense 3.0 causes on the Sensation. However, I have noticed quite a few areas where HTC has really improved Android and made it easier to use. Coming from Stock Android 3.3.4, I found these tweaks to be nice. I probably noticed more... but here are a few I have noticed over the past week of use:
1. Connecting the phone to a PC gives you more logical choice of options with nice icons like "Charge Now" or "Disk Drive". The screen disappears after about 15 seconds of no input and defaults to "Charge Only".
2. Bluetooth Pairing. I turned Bluetooth on while in my new Nissan. Sense immediately detected Nissan's "My Car" and asked my permission to connect. I didn't have to press anything else either on my phone or in the car. In contrast, with the Nexus One I had to make the phone discoverable and then go through the car's system to search for the phone, enter a passcode, etc which too much longer to do.
3. When there is a problem with Sense, or another HTC App/Widget the typical Android error reporting dialog box pops up. But instead of the submit button saying "Report", the button says "Tell HTC". The box also has some other minor changes. This is much more user friendly. In the past, I thought all error reports and logs went to Google.
4. Adding widgets. It's extremely easy to move a widget from one home screen to another in Sense 3.0. Whereas in stock Android 2.3.3, I would get frustrated trying to drag a widget to another home screen. I'd just give up and delete the widget and add it again to the screen I wanted. In Sense you just hold the widget and put it on any home screen where it fits.
5. Browser. I definitely find the browser to be just as fast as stock Android, yet it offers nicer features. Pinch-to-zoom-out brings you to the "New Window" screen, which is nice. Plus the Bookmarks interface offers additional views, all of which are 100 times better than stock android.
6. App drawer. At first I thought the filter in the app drawer was overkill. But I find myself using the "Favorite Apps" filter more often than I thought. It's faster to find apps I like to use. It's all about options.
7. Camera app. One weakness of Stock Android has always been the camera app, which has basically been unchanged since 2.2. The Sense 3.0 camera, especially on the Sensation, is faster and more accurate, and has lots of nice tweaks which are easy to perform, and not buried in menus. The "Camcorder" also gets it's proper shortcut link back which was loss in 2.2. on stock Android.
8. Lock screen apps and wallpaper. HTC wasn't the first to do it, but they certainly have the best and prettiest implementation. I use this all the time. I do find that the weather lock screen wallpaper does get stale all the time. I will be 10:30 at night and it will still say "Sunny".
9. Attention to detail. From the 3D carousal home screen, to all the widgets, HTC has put some serious spit and shine on all the effects in Sense 3.0. I find myself SLOWLY turning the home screens on the carasaul just to see the detail on the widgets as the zoom up and over. It's really nice.
10. Shutdown box. Yet again, HTC adds a minor but useful feature. When holding the power button, the phone will as you whether to "Power off", "Airplane mode", or "Restart". This is another time-saver.
11. Personalize. At first I thought the "Personalize" area was overkill, duplicating other areas in Android. But again, it's a great place too quickly and easily change personal preferences without digging through menu after menu like stock Android. Plus many of the choices are presented in a nice interface with a sort of 3D effect.
Anyone else notice any other enhancements over stock?
1. Connecting the phone to a PC gives you more logical choice of options with nice icons like "Charge Now" or "Disk Drive". The screen disappears after about 15 seconds of no input and defaults to "Charge Only".
2. Bluetooth Pairing. I turned Bluetooth on while in my new Nissan. Sense immediately detected Nissan's "My Car" and asked my permission to connect. I didn't have to press anything else either on my phone or in the car. In contrast, with the Nexus One I had to make the phone discoverable and then go through the car's system to search for the phone, enter a passcode, etc which too much longer to do.
3. When there is a problem with Sense, or another HTC App/Widget the typical Android error reporting dialog box pops up. But instead of the submit button saying "Report", the button says "Tell HTC". The box also has some other minor changes. This is much more user friendly. In the past, I thought all error reports and logs went to Google.
4. Adding widgets. It's extremely easy to move a widget from one home screen to another in Sense 3.0. Whereas in stock Android 2.3.3, I would get frustrated trying to drag a widget to another home screen. I'd just give up and delete the widget and add it again to the screen I wanted. In Sense you just hold the widget and put it on any home screen where it fits.
5. Browser. I definitely find the browser to be just as fast as stock Android, yet it offers nicer features. Pinch-to-zoom-out brings you to the "New Window" screen, which is nice. Plus the Bookmarks interface offers additional views, all of which are 100 times better than stock android.
6. App drawer. At first I thought the filter in the app drawer was overkill. But I find myself using the "Favorite Apps" filter more often than I thought. It's faster to find apps I like to use. It's all about options.
7. Camera app. One weakness of Stock Android has always been the camera app, which has basically been unchanged since 2.2. The Sense 3.0 camera, especially on the Sensation, is faster and more accurate, and has lots of nice tweaks which are easy to perform, and not buried in menus. The "Camcorder" also gets it's proper shortcut link back which was loss in 2.2. on stock Android.
8. Lock screen apps and wallpaper. HTC wasn't the first to do it, but they certainly have the best and prettiest implementation. I use this all the time. I do find that the weather lock screen wallpaper does get stale all the time. I will be 10:30 at night and it will still say "Sunny".
9. Attention to detail. From the 3D carousal home screen, to all the widgets, HTC has put some serious spit and shine on all the effects in Sense 3.0. I find myself SLOWLY turning the home screens on the carasaul just to see the detail on the widgets as the zoom up and over. It's really nice.
10. Shutdown box. Yet again, HTC adds a minor but useful feature. When holding the power button, the phone will as you whether to "Power off", "Airplane mode", or "Restart". This is another time-saver.
11. Personalize. At first I thought the "Personalize" area was overkill, duplicating other areas in Android. But again, it's a great place too quickly and easily change personal preferences without digging through menu after menu like stock Android. Plus many of the choices are presented in a nice interface with a sort of 3D effect.
Anyone else notice any other enhancements over stock?
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