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HTC Sense Event

Desire Z / T-Mobile G2 HTCSense.com Video Comments 17

Perhaps even more interesting than the two new Android handsets launched today, HTC also showed off its upcoming HTCSense.com Web site, with a host of related services. HTCSense.com acts as a central command for backup and security services. Android devices have been missing a dedicated desktop command post, so HTCSense.com is filling a void in this space.

You can backup your phone, including text messages, to HTCSense.com. If you need to retrieve a message later, even without your phone, you can search for it on HTCSense.com. The HTCSense.com site will backup your contacts, customization choices and your call history, as well.

You will also eventually be able to upload photos and media to HTCSense.com. The ill-fated Microsoft Kin had a similar Kin Studio site for media backup, though the Kin's service was much more extensive. Still, it was one of the only great features on Microsoft's consumer device, so it will be interesting to see how other companies adapt the concept.

The HTCSense.com site can also help locate and manage your phone. If you lose your phone in your couch cushions, you can send a command from the HTCSense.com dashboard and your phone will start ringing, even if it is set to silent mode. The dashboard will also show you a map with your phone's location, in case you left it in a friend's couch. You can also have the phone display a message, which is a feature also found on Apple's MobileMe pay service for iPhone.

If you lose your phone in enemy territory, you can remotely wipe your data through the HTCSense.com dashboard. You can also remotely transfer your data from one Sense phone to another using the HTCSense.com dashboard.

These services aren't completely unique, and many phones carry them in one form or another, but they are less common on Android devices. While Microsoft and Apple build many of these tricks into their phones (and Apple charges a fee to use remote locate), Android phones needed third-party software for these features. HTC has always plugged Sense as an experience, and not just a user interface design, so it's nice to see this extended with more Web-based capabilities.

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