HTC EVO 4G – Worth the Hype/Wait, Absolutely Love It!!

HTC EVO 4G Android Phone Save: $300.00 (60%) At: www.amazon.com/HTC-EVO4G

 

I’ve had a Palm Pre for the last year and though I really liked it (800MHz overclock, mobile hotspot), the EVO was way too tempting.

Battery life: There were a few reviews circulating before release that claimed it got 4-8 hours. For most users, this will be flat out WRONG. I got 21 hours 15 minutes on my first full charge, with an inefficient live wallpaper (Shake Them All) taking up 32%. I removed full page widgets (bookmarks and friendstream), turned off GPS and Bluetooth and that was it. During this 21 hours, I watched 40 minutes of video (from SD card & Youtube), streamed a couple hours of Last.FM, browsed/downloaded for at least 5 hours, sent a lot of texts and had 11 minutes talk time (not a lot of talk, but the other things mentioned use more juice). My 2nd charge is getting the same life. I removed the live wallpaper and I’m over 22 hours with 25% left. I get great reception where I live (4 of the 6 bars), and that has a lot to do with it.

Android 2.1: From the 2 hours that I previously used Android (Hero and Droid), I thought it was ok, but on the EVO, it’s bigger, faster and a wonderful experience, dare I say “magical” and “revolutionary?” The 4.3″ display with 1GHz CPU make all the difference.

Apps: WOW! The app store is like a drug that you can spend all day on. Navigation works really well, whether the stock app or Yellowbook download. I used the speech recognition for a full street address and it was decoded without errors. Barcode scanner is a wonderful tool for shoppers, getting apps, and other functions I’m still finding. Drop Box is convenient for getting files on the same network, Gesture Search speeds up finding contacts, apps, songs, etc, Google Voice integration is terrific, same with Doubletwist integration, and on and on. Even the visual voicemail surprised me.

 

HTC EVO 4G Android Phone

 

Keyboard: I was worried about the keyboard because I’ve always had a physical QWERTY, but it is very accurate/responsive. I was typing really slow at first because I didn’t trust it, but now I just “go crazy” with it at rapid speed. I’m trying out Shapewriter, but if I don’t get the hang of it, tap texting is not bad at all. A physical will always be more accurate, but I can’t complain about the keyboard. I use it in portrait 80% of the time and it’s great.

Voice quality: No complaints. Calls are clear for me, haven’t had static or hiccups in an hour of talk time and no dropped calls, which hasn’t been a problem in the last few years for me with Sprint.

Web browser: I spend a lot more time in the Marketplace but the browser is fine and Flash has worked pretty good from what I’ve seen. I’m also using Dolphin HD Browser and so far I like them equally, though you can multi-tab with Dolphin. Pinch and zoom is smooth in the browser as with others apps like Maps.

Camera: I haven’t had a lot of time with this and I will update my review once I give it a fair test, because I know this is important for a lot of users. My only real complaint with the phone is the rear camera lens protruding. It makes you think you are going to scratch it and I haven’t found a case I like yet.

iPhone 4: I’d rather not but since many consumers will be making the comparison, I guess it’s fair. There are 2 things I really like about iPhone 4: the display resolution and the pixel density. There are other tweaks/functions/improvements over the 3GS, that are nice. I hate to sound like a cynic, but nothing else was impressive to me. I feel that if consumers made an honest assessment of the 2, the user experience on the EVO wins easily, but that’s not how things work. Nobody is better at marketing than Apple and they have a very fine product to flex that muscle with. The iPhone 4 will dominate every single device 1-on-1 in sales, but both HTC and Android will gain solid ground with the EVO.

Sprint does tack on $10 for each EVO line, regardless of whether you have 4G coverage. There are a few people crying about this, but it is still much less than a comparable plan for premium smartphones on the other major networks. I had SERO for 4 years, so I know value, but if you want the best, you can’t stay on the same cheap plan forever. In my area, only Verizon’s coverage beats out Sprint, and I am more than happy with my coverage.

BOTTOM LINE: if Sprint gets good reception in your area, you will love the EVO. If Sprint is terrible, in your area, don’t get it. You should always shop for reliable carrier coverage in your area, BEFORE the phone, which is where my local friends with iPhones on AT&T and Nexus Ones on T-mobile fail. A great phone with poor coverage is not so great anymore. If you already have Sprint 4G in your area, take advantage and get this phone! We don’t have 4G in Southern CA yet, but Sprint’s 3G is fast and reliable here.

Battery updates on 2nd charge = 8 hours, 67%, 20 hours, 10 minutes (used up 4% overnight (7 hours), 24 hours, 25%. Decided to charge it after it reached 24 hours, screenshot: [...]

 

You Can See More Detail At: www.amazon.com/HTC-EVO4G

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