HTC Sensation XE review

As we've come to expect from smartphones these days the HTC Sensation XE provides a plethora of messaging options and the Sense 3.6 overlay provides a fully integrated social media experience.

There is the standard messaging app which allows you to fulfil all your SMS and MMS requirements. You'll also find the stock Gmail and Mail apps found on most Android handsets.

The Gmail app sports the Ice Cream Sandwich look and HTC has decided not to tweak this offering. The Mail app on the other hand has had a splash of Sense 3.6 and allows you to easily add various email accounts and view them in one unified inbox.

You can easily switch between email accounts within the app, if you only want to view one account at a time.

HTC's Friend Stream app allows you to add various social media accounts and view updates in one unified splurge and has been given a little bit of an overhaul with Sense 3.6.

You can easily comment and like Facebook posts and post and reply to tweets all from within Friend Stream app. You still can't send direct Twitter messages from within Friend Stream however; you will have to open up a dedicated Twitter app for that.

The updated Friend Stream app that comes with Sense 3.6 sees it able to cope with viewing media such as pictures within the app, without having to go via the web browser – a welcome update as it saved us having to switch between apps.

Messaging is nothing without words and the keyboard on the Sensation XE is perfect for taping out your latest status update or an email to the boss.

We found it to be well laid out and mistakes were kept to a minimum, especially thanks to HTC's clever predictive text and spell checker functions. The Sensation XE has one of the best Android keyboards out there and the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 should hang their heads in shame.