HTC Sense UI for tablets Walkthrough

Widgets:

Undoubtedly the most prominent thing with Sense, the all too familiar digital clock widget continues to display the location and temperature, but clicking on the widget runs the dedicated clock app. With the app, we have access to other complementary functions like the desk clock, world clock, alarms, stopwatch, and timer. Interestingly enough, its presentation is fitting for a tablet since it relies on a two-panel layout that’s informative.


With three different options for the People widget, it’ll display only specific ones associated to the group that you select. Of course, images of each contact will appear within the widget, while selecting one will get you right into your address book itself.

The HTC Watch widget allows you to preview some popular titles available for rental or purchase with HTC’s video streaming service. Moreover, it’ll display any videos that have been downloaded and placed into your library.


Similarly, the My Shelf widget works in conjunction with the Reader app, which is basically like any ebook reader app out there. Thumbnails of stored ebooks are displayed within the widget, thus allowing you to scroll through the selection, but selecting one will switch things to a portrait only view that allows you to read the ebook.


Although the photo album and photo frame widgets are fairly standard with Sense, the third selection in the Photo Grid widget adds a hint of snazziness as it displays photos in a grid view. Actually, performing either a swipe up or down gesture in portrait initiates a cool looking animation that will cycle through images. In landscape, the gestures will simply execute the same animation, but only refreshes the grid of photos.


HTC has always placed its attention with the weather, and rightfully so, the weather widget continues that trend. Not only do we find various weather animations in play when swiping between locations,  but pressing on it will launch the dedicated app that’s powered by AccuWeather.com.


Showing how useful they are in giving relevant information all from the homescreen, there are three HTC mail widget options that vary in the amount of detail they display. Much appreciated, we get a small sampling since the widget chronologically displays the sender and subject – with a preview of the actual email with one of the layouts.


Even though the FriendStream widget doesn’t gravitate away from its usual presentation in aggregating social networking content, we’re still nonetheless given the ability to post status messages to specific services, include our location, and the option to upload pictures. Running the dedicated app, we find the same usual two-panel layout that’s user friendly in displaying content.