Sense on the new HTC One (M8): what’s changed?

The new HTC One (M8) is here, and you might be wondering what’s changed. The device hardware, of course, but what about the software? What’s changed on the inside besides a processor? Some things remain the same from last time, but there are some neat new tricks HTC let fall from their sleeves today. We’re here to give you a quick overview of all the fresh news regarding HTC Sense.

Blinkfeed

By now, you likely know BLinkfeed is HTC’s interface for information. Topics from various entities are pushed to your device. You can even link your Facebook, or choose various websites to cull info from. Some of the more plain changes involve how we access settings now. Swipe to the left from your home screen for Blinkfeed, then pull from the left of the screen for the Blinkfeed settings menu. From there, a few changes are afoot.

With the new One (M8), HTC now allows you to further customize Blinkfeed. We can now add custom topics, making it a bit more like Google Now to our minds. Tapping the “search for content” box will let you add a topic. From there, HTC offers up some suggestions, and away you go. Want to stay up on the latest news regarding a specific topic? HTC Blinkfeed wil now cover that for you.

Motion Launch

It’s the feature we’d heard about in some detail weeks ago, and now it’s official. Motion Launch brings several new ways to do all kinds of things from waken your device to launch the camera. For the sake of time, and because we’re going to give a more in-depth analysis of Motion Launch later on (stay tuned to AC for that), we’ll hit some of the more major features here.

To answer a call, all you have to do now is draw the phone to your ear. When the new HTC One (M8) senses it’s in a position used for talking on the phone, your call will be automatically answered. WE will also get the ability to double-tap the screen to waken the device, which is something we find attractive about current LG devices. Also, once awake, the screen wil support several gestures to quick-launch apps or other services. Swipe left to get widgets, right to visit Blnkfeed, and down to make a call.

Sense TV

Sense TV has become more in-depth, adding a social layer to what was already a newat feature. When you use Sense TV, which acts as the remote for your TV once you set it up, the app will now show you the official Twitter and Facebook feeds for the show. No more bouncing back and forth between apps for you, TV fans.

Sense TV Sports is also being tweaked to keep you up to date. From within the app, you’ll now get scores and updates from your favorite teams. Keeping up with the NCAA tourney while trying to see who’s going to make the NBA playoffs has never been easier.

Zoe

HTC is improving one of the best features about their Camera. In the refurbished Zoe, we can now take up to 20 pictures in three seconds via a new rapid-burst mode. All we have to do is press and hold the screen or camera button to start recording a video, and Zoe will take 20 quick pics. If we continue to hold for longer than three seconds, Zoe locks into video mode, which is meant to make it easier to capture memories without worrying about switching modes.

Fitbit

Wearable devices are the new black, and HTC knows it. The company has partnered with Fitbit for the HTC One (M8), and will have the app loaded onto the device straight away. While we could always get the Fitbit app for our Android device, it does show HTC’s dedication to wearables — and they they don’t have one of their own.

Conclusion

These aren’t the only new touches HTC has made, but they are a quick overview of what we will have in store. We’ll be getting in-depth with some of the newer features HTC made in other posts, so be sure to check back for all the news on the new HTC One (M8). We’re excited for this one, and it seems HTC has once again captured our attention with a fantastic flagship device.