TouchFLO 3D
Encyclopedia
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
designed by HTC. It is used in the HTC Touch Family
HTC Touch Family
The HTC Touch family is a family of Pocket PCs designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation. This family is in the process of being built up, and its slogan is Discover Touchnology.-List of models:The members of the family, in order of release, are:...
of Pocket PC
Pocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
s and was preceded by TouchFLO
TouchFLO
TouchFLO refers to the user interface before the existence of HTC Sense. TouchFLO and TouchFLO 3D have been retired in favor of HTC Sense....
. TouchFLO 3D has been ported to Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
and Android, and is used in the HTC Touch Diamond
HTC Touch Diamond
The HTC Touch Diamond, also known as the HTC P3700 or its codename the HTC Diamond, is a Windows Mobile 6.1-powered Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC. It is the first device to feature TouchFLO 3D - a new version of the TouchFLO interface, unique to the Touch family. The HTC Touch Diamond...
, HTC Touch Pro
HTC Touch Pro
The HTC Touch Pro is a smart phone from the Touch series of Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphones designed and marketed by HTC Corporation of Taiwan...
, HTC Touch HD
HTC Touch HD
The HTC Touch HD, also known as the HTC T828X or its codename the HTC Blackstone, is a Windows Mobile 6.1 -powered luxury Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC...
, HTC MAX 4G
HTC MAX 4G
The HTC MAX 4G is the world first commercial WiMAX phone announced on the HTC website in a November 12, 2008 press release. It is based on Windows Mobile 6.1. The phone is developed by the High Tech Computer Corporation of Taiwan and is similar in looks to previously released HTC Touch HD. It is...
, HTC Touch Diamond2
HTC Touch Diamond2
The HTC Touch Diamond2, a mobile phone designed by the HTC Corporation, is the successor to the popular HTC Touch Diamond. It is also known by its codename, the HTC Topaz. It is released with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1, but can be upgraded to Windows Mobile 6.5...
and HTC Touch Pro2
HTC Touch Pro2
The HTC Touch Pro2 is a slate smartphone, part of the Touch series of Internet-enabled, Windows Mobile, Pocket PC smartphones designed and marketed by HTC Corporation of Taiwan...
. The HTC Touch Viva
HTC Touch Viva
The HTC Touch Viva is a windows mobile smartphone developed by the High Tech Computer Corporation of Taiwan. Part of the HTC Touch Family, it incorporates quad band GSM, as well as the proprietary TouchFLO 3D user interface developed by HTC....
, HTC Touch 3G
HTC Touch 3G
The HTC Touch 3G is a Windows Mobile smartphone developed by the High Tech Computer Corporation of Taiwan. Part of the HTC Touch Family, it features quad band GSM and dual band UMTS connectivity, as well as the proprietary TouchFLO 3D user interface developed by HTC.- Specifications :The following...
and HTC Touch2
HTC Touch2
The HTC Touch2 , is a mobile telephone running the Windows Mobile operating system. The phone was designed and manufactured by HTC, and was released in Europe in November 2009...
have a simpler version entitled TouchFLO 2D, where they have the same scrolling tab on the bottom of the screen, however they do not have any 3D visual effects. From the HTC Hero
HTC Hero
The HTC Hero is the third phone manufactured by the HTC Corporation for the Android platform, as part of the A series...
and HTC HD2
HTC HD2
The HTC HD2 , is a smartphone belonging to the HTC Touch family, manufactured by HTC and running the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system. The phone was designed and manufactured by HTC, and was released in Europe in November 2009, and in December 2009 in Hong Kong...
onwards, TouchFLO 3D has been heavily extended and is now being referred to, along with other usability improvements, as HTC Sense
HTC Sense
HTC Sense is a graphical user interface developed by HTC Corporation for mobile devices running Android, Brew and Windows Mobile.Based on the TouchFLO 3D design, HTC has referred to HTC Sense as both a user interface in itself and also as a user experience layer on top of TouchFLO 3D.Announced June...
. The HTC Touch2
HTC Touch2
The HTC Touch2 , is a mobile telephone running the Windows Mobile operating system. The phone was designed and manufactured by HTC, and was released in Europe in November 2009...
runs a version of TouchFLO 2D that is similar in style to HTC Sense
HTC Sense
HTC Sense is a graphical user interface developed by HTC Corporation for mobile devices running Android, Brew and Windows Mobile.Based on the TouchFLO 3D design, HTC has referred to HTC Sense as both a user interface in itself and also as a user experience layer on top of TouchFLO 3D.Announced June...
.
Today Screen Plugin
The Today screen plugin is the main aspect of TouchFLO 3D, and consists of several tabs, which can be viewed by sliding a finger along the bottom bar or touching one of the visible icons. The tabs to the immediate right and left of the current tab can be accessed by swiping in the relevant direction. The tabs are:- Home - Displays the date and time, the time the alarm is set for, any missed calls, and upcoming calendar appointments. Flicking the clock upwards reveals more appointments.
- People - Shows pictures of contacts in a Rolodex style which can be flipped through. An alternate slider bar of contacts is also included on the right side of the tab for faster browsing. On the Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2, when you select a contact, TouchFLO 3D tabs related to that contact appear:
- Details - Contact details
- Messages - All SMS/MMS messages sent between you and the contact
- Email - All email received from the contact
- Updates and Events - FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
updates and new events related to the contact - Call History (All) - All calls between you and the contact
- Messages - Displays received text messages that fly on and off screen.
- Mail - Displays received email messages, from up to 4 different email accounts, in an envelope. Individual emails may be flipped through.
- Internet - Displays a link to open the Opera web browser, bookmarks to favorite websites, and a built-in YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
application. - Calendar - Displays a month view calendar, tapping any box will open the relevant day, displaying a list of appointments for that day. On the Touch Diamond2, the current weather and the forecast weather will appear on the corresponding day in this view.
- Stock - Displays graphs and quotes for user-selected companies. If the right softkey is touched, it will bring up a small 2 tab "TouchFLO" menu to view markets and individual companies. Not available on the HTC Touch DiamondHTC Touch DiamondThe HTC Touch Diamond, also known as the HTC P3700 or its codename the HTC Diamond, is a Windows Mobile 6.1-powered Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC. It is the first device to feature TouchFLO 3D - a new version of the TouchFLO interface, unique to the Touch family. The HTC Touch Diamond...
and HTC Touch ProHTC Touch ProThe HTC Touch Pro is a smart phone from the Touch series of Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphones designed and marketed by HTC Corporation of Taiwan...
. - Photos and Videos - Shows photos and videos that can be flipped through, and buttons to launch the camera to take pictures and record video.
- Music - Displays cover art of music that flips through in a linear format. Music can be played directly from the tab, and can be forwarded/rewound by touching the progress slider. The library, which can be accessed pressing the Left Softkey, also uses the TouchFLO 3D interface to allow users to sort music by:
- Now Playing
- Artists
- Albums
- Playlists
- All Songs
- Genres
- Composers
- Purchased
- Weather - Displays weather for up to 10 cities selected from a predefined list, including a 5-day forecastWeather forecastingWeather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
. Additional cities can be added by disabling TouchFLO and editing the weather database. - Settings - Provides access to the following system settings:
- Sync Data - to start ActiveSync
- Sound - to change the ringtone and profile settings
- Wallpaper - to set the background image of the Home tab
- Communications - to turn Airplane Mode, Phone, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi on or off
- Customize Tabs - to hide tabs or change the order in which they are displayed. Only available on the HTC Touch HDHTC Touch HDThe HTC Touch HD, also known as the HTC T828X or its codename the HTC Blackstone, is a Windows Mobile 6.1 -powered luxury Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC...
, HTC Touch Pro 2 and HTC Tilt 2. - Data - to change weather download settings
- About - displays TouchFLO 3D version information
- Programs - Displays a grid of 18 programsComputer programA computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
that the user can choose to allow them to launch programs quickly. A list of every program installed on the device is also available.
Each tab has two soft key
Soft key
A soft key is a button flexibly programmable to invoke any of a number of functions rather than being associated with a single fixed function or a fixed set of functions. A soft key is often located alongside a display device of a portable device such as a cellular phone, where the button invokes a...
s which provide access to functions associated with a tab or tab customisation.
System Status Screen
Instead of requiring users to touch the small status icons at the top of the screen (battery, volume, signal, etc.), the System Status Screen appears when the system status area is pressed, providing larger, finger-friendly buttons.Revisions
TouchFLO 3D debuted in 2008 on the HTC Touch DiamondHTC Touch Diamond
The HTC Touch Diamond, also known as the HTC P3700 or its codename the HTC Diamond, is a Windows Mobile 6.1-powered Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC. It is the first device to feature TouchFLO 3D - a new version of the TouchFLO interface, unique to the Touch family. The HTC Touch Diamond...
. Early updates removed many of the animations to increase the perception of speed. Since then, it has been altered several times:
HTC Touch Pro
HTC Touch HD
The HTC Touch HDHTC Touch HD
The HTC Touch HD, also known as the HTC T828X or its codename the HTC Blackstone, is a Windows Mobile 6.1 -powered luxury Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC...
added the Stock tab and the ability to rearrange or hide tabs. Also, from the Touch HD onwards, TouchFLO 3D was designed for WVGA screens rather than VGA
Video Graphics Array
Video Graphics Array refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, but through its widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the 640×480 resolution...
screens.
HTC Touch Diamond2/HTC Touch Pro2/HTC Tilt 2 (AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
)
At the 2009 Mobile World Congress, more extensive changes were revealed. A Calendar tab, featuring month and day views, was introduced. The Stock tab was revised; it no longer displays graphs, but instead displays the quote and whether it has increased or decreased. The contacts tab was also changed: tapping on a contact displays a subscreen with several new tabs: a contact details tab, and tabs which display text messages, emails, and the call history associated with that contact. The Settings tab has been expanded to include more aspects such as G-sensor and contact card. In addition, a replacement for the Tasks Screen has been devised: all tabs now have an arrangement in landscape format. To give extra screen space, the slider will shrink to a small button on the bottom left, which when pressed will expand to reveal the entire slider. Alternatively, in both portrait and landscape modes, a quick swipe left or right can flip tabs one at a time.Third Party Interest
There have been several third-party add-on tabs created. These include:- Profile: to change the ringtone and profile settings
- Comm Manager: to turn Airplane Mode, Phone, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi on or off (imitates the included Comm Manager application - see Communications above)
- Calendar
- Call History
- Internet television
- AT&T
Also, a 3rd party TouchFLO 3D clone, called ThrottleLauncher, is available for many other devices.