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We've seen a lot of big-screened devices that have struggled slightly when it comes to battery life, but the HTC Sensation XL actually does OK in this department. Not brilliantly, we'll admit, but it definitely doesn't disgrace itself.
The 1600mAh battery is perfect capable of surviving a couple of days of very light use, though hammering the social network updates will mean it drops a lot quicker. It's not hard to chew through a good 50% of the battery in a few hours if you start up on the Flash videos and constant browsing of photos on Facebook, but but we think most users will find that it lasts the day, but needs charging most nights – same as pretty much every smartphone we see these days.
Connectivity
Though we've already bemoaned the lack of microSD card slot, it's not difficult to get media and other files onto the Sensation XL. When plugging it into your PC over the micro USB port, you just need to choose for it to appear as mass storage, and you can drag and drop stuff on quickly.
You can also use the HTC Sync software to sync contacts and calendars with Outlook on a PC, and it can also be used to import photos and video, sync bookmarks and even install apps.
Bluetooth 3.0 is included in the Sensation XL, complete with A2DP for audio connectivity. There 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi in there too. The 3.5mm headphone jack is just as you'd expect to be: normal.
The locations services use the built-in GPS antenna, while 3G connectivity is handled by the quad-band HSPA antenna.
HTCSense.com
HTCSense.com is HTC's website that connects to the HTC Hub app on your phone. When you've registered, you can use it to track your phone, and to set up call forwarding, make the phone ring so you can find it, and even lock and erase your device.
It all worked as intended with the Sensation XL for us; the locations narrowed down quickly, and any other commands happened pretty much immediately.
You can also back up your contacts and find friends with HTC Sense, but this can't be accessed from the web view – it's just the Dashboard and your account details.
