HTC Sensation — HTC Locations: A Review

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Jun 20, 2011, 3:52:41 PM via Website

The new HTC Locations on the Sensation really does have a lot going for it. For one, it promises to download massive maps for offline use (although it's taken my phone forever to download a map of the entire west coast --- wish I could just download the Seattle map instead), allow users to preview their drives and offers a compass that's responsive to the direction your phone is facing.

The map is available from two different perspectives. One shows your map at a diagonal angle, which could be especially helpful for on-road navigation, while a simple click brings the map back into a birds-eye-view.

The compass on the Locations app is very responsive to small movements, changing your orientation within the map quite simply and easily. Just moving the phone slightly to the left or right brings a different perspective within the map. In our test, this feature worked flawlessly. This is a great feature, especially since Google Maps sometimes seems to incorrectly label your phone's orientation.

The Locations feature also has 3D buildings. Visually, the 3D buildings only appear when you zoom in, and when you do so they almost appear shrouded in mist, which is visually interesting simple click brings the map back to a birds-eye-view. Major monuments or buildings within the town you're living appear even from far above, which is helpful for those who use landmarks to find their way around.

Getting spot-on directions is truly a piece of cake. Simply enter your desired destination into the top of the screen and a number of options will appear -- including related search items. Once the system knows where you want to go, it charts a course through the city to your destination with a bright blue arrow. You can then preview the trek by pressing arrow buttons back and forth.

There are a number of "points of interest" from which you can choose, much like in Google Maps, including shopping, eating, hospitals, attractions and banks. For an extra fee of around $32 dollars a year, you can purchase voice navigation for the entire United States or safety cameras.

I'm not sure if this is the same HTC Locations as in the Desire HD but I have to say I'm quite impressed with it.

— modified on Jun 20, 2011, 3:53:07 PM

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