SPRINT HTC EVO 4G REVIEW

The HTC EVO 4G is the first Sprint smartphone to support its high-speed WiMAX 4G network. However, this exciting smartphone is not just about speed because it also offers a number of highlight features like the extra-large touchscreen, 8MP camera, a 1 Ghz processor and Android 2.1. It combines 4G speed with high-end multimedia and social networking features to form a formidable smartphone.

This super handset is expected to make a significant dent in the smartphone market this year. But is the HTC EVO 4G the best smartphone for 2010? Let's go over the hardware, software, features and capabilities of this WiMAX 4G phone to find out.

Design/Form Factor:

The EVO 4G's design revolves around its 4.3-inch WVGA 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen. This display is one of the largest screen ever sported by a smartphone on a US carrier. The size makes it ideal for viewing Web pages and reading text. It also allows the 4G smartphone to provide a spacious keyboard that's very easy to use even when in portrait mode.

It shows bright, vivid and crisp images with the help of its WVGA 480x800-pixel resolution and a built-in light sensor that will automatically adjust the backlight based on the ambient light. The LCD screen looks great under medium indoor light but we observed that it washes out a bit in bright daylight. However, it did perform better in broad daylight than the Nexus One, which features an AMOLED display.

The size of the EVO 4G's screen translates to a body that measures 4.8 x 2.6 x 0.5 inches. This makes the device huge for consumers who are used to handling handsets with screens that measure less than four inches. Now, size does matter when it comes to mobile phones and handling this smartphone-bordering-on-MID felt a bit weird. Consumers with large hands, and huge pockets will have no problem with the size but everyone else may feel that the handset is too big. Fortunately, the EVO 4G has a rounded shell and a soft touch finish on the back that makes it easy to grip and comfortable to hold for making calls.

The device sports a row of four touch-sensitive shortcut keys underneath the huge touchscreen for the standard set of Android buttons: Home, Menu, Back and Search. They work as well as physical buttons and I had no problems with missing the button I wish to tap.

The HTC EVO 4G sports a microUSB port and a miniHDMI port on the bottom, a volume rocker on the right side, a power button and 3.5mm headphone jack on the top. The miniHDMI is one the EVO 4G's special features which allows users to hook the phone up to a HDTV. Unfortunately, HTC and Sprint forgot to bundled a miniHDMI cable with the smartphone. 

This 4G smartphone also features a spring-loaded kickstand which makes watching media on the huge screen more enjoyable by allowing users to keep the phone in landscape at a slight angle on a desk. The kickstand should also be useful for video conferencing when it becomes live.

Camera:

The EVO 4G's shooter is also one of its highlight features. Its 8MP camera with video capture at 720p resolution is one of the most powerful shooters ever featured on a smartphone for the US market. However, the results are not as impressive when the camera is put into actual use. For instance, blurry pictures often result when taking a photograph on low-light conditions because the auto-focus could not adjust properly. The 720p HD video recording also did not meet my expectations and cannot do a better job than a dedicated HD camcorder.

I was also disappointed that like the DROID Incredible, the EVO 4G does not come with a dedicated camera button. The software buttons on the touchscreen for the camera isn't bad but a dedicated camera button would make taking pictures a lot easier for consumers with shaky hands.

On a more positive note, the image editing options on this 4G smartphone are extensive and give one plenty of control. For instance, users can set the white balance, ISO controls and color contrast. The  8 MP camera is also armed with use face detection so users can make sure that faces are in focus.

The EVO 4G also features an additional front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera that will be paired with a Qik video chat application to allows users to make video calls. The Qik video chat service is free, but you can upgrade to a premium service for $4.99 per month.

OS/User Interface

Sprint's first WiMAX handset runs on Android 2.1 on top of HTC Sense. This combination works well and provides an improved integration of features that results in a user-friendly interface. The Evo 4G offers seven home screen panels, and there are different "Scenes," which presents a whole new set of seven customizable home screen panels.

It also features a mail widget which provides a list view of all the user's e-mail instead of just one message at a time. Users can also access plenty of information within the contact management system and updates are displayed right next to the contacts' pictures in the database.

The EVO 4G is a formidable device for social networking. It comes with the Friend Stream feature which provides a single place for social-networking sites and pipes in Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr updates.

However, I have to voice out my concern over HTC’s ability to push out updates to their Sense-enabled devices. Android 2.2 Froyo is already available for the Nexus One and will likely be rolled out on other Android smartphones in the subsequent weeks and months. The manufacturer has promised a 2nd half of 2010 time frame for the Android 2.2 upgrade for 2010 model year phones but updating the underlying OS of a customized device may take a lot of time. Missing the 2H of 2010 timescale may make EVO 4G owners feel that they have purchased a shiny and new but “outdated” smartphone.

4G Connectivity

The EVO 4G is capable of providing faster data speeds for Web browsing, downloads, streaming media, and uploading photos. However, this depends largely on the 4G coverage on your location. Sprint is sill rolling out its 4G network and a large number of US cities are still out of reach. 

A city with consistent 4G coverage often has varied signal strength so one may find it a bit difficult to locate a WiMAX signal. In some areas on the city, the results of download and upload speeds tests were disappointing even with a maximum 3 bars of 4G signal. However, the WiMAX 4G performance was also inspiring in some areas with speeds reaching more than 4 Mbps. The average speed for my HTC EVO 4G tests were about 1.5 Mbps. The results were inconsistent but that may improve as Sprint's WiMAX 4G network matures.

This handset also offers a mobile hot-spot feature which gives it the ability to share these speeds with up to eight devices. The set-up process was quick and easy and I was able to connect with my laptop without encountering any problems. The download and upload speeds were within my expectations and I was able to watch videos on my laptop with only a few seconds need to load the clips. It's not  bad for an optional feature that costs $29.99 per month.

The EVO 4G provides access to Sprint's high-speed WiMAX network but it comes with a heavy price. Turning the 4G radio on seems to drain the battery signficantly faster than when using Sprint's 3G network. The handset sports a massive 1500 mAh cell, among the largest you'll find in a commercial smartphone, but it still can't power the device for more than twelve hours with moderate use and a 4G connection.

I was only able to get a little over four hours from the battery with the EVO 4G connected to the 4G network and two devices connected to it as a Wi-Fi hotspot. I turned off all the handset's connectivity radios and  I was able to get a decent talking time of 6 hours and 11 minutes. The EVO 4G can survive moderate use but you need to keep a charger or extra battery handy when you use the device with a 4G connection or as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Conclusion

The HTC EVO 4G is clearly one of the best Android smartphones to date. I can also confidently say that it is Sprint's best smartphone and the fact that it's sold out indicates that consumers have recognized that it's the best handset in the carrier's line-up.

This device is one of the best choices for consumers who reside in areas with strong 4G coverage. The HTC EVO 4G shows its full potential when it works well with WiMAX 4G coverage. The $10 extra per month for the privilege of using the HTC Evo 4G would also be easier to swallow if your city has WiMAX coverage.

The Sprint EVO 4G would still be a formidable device even if it did not come with support for 4G networks. It's a versatile smartphone that can function as a HD camera or a social networking tool. It has a huge and dazzling LCD touchscreen that is suitable for watching movies or surfing the web.This 4G smartphone is smart and responsive and the HTC Sense UI is user-friendly.

However, there are also a few cons that might dissuade consumers from purchasing Sprint's first 4G handset. First, it's unusually large size might bother consumers who are used to more portable handsets.

The absence of WiMAX or spotty 4G coverage also hampers the EVO 4G from performing to the best of its abilities. This weakness might be less of a factor once Sprint's WiMAX network becomes more mature but it does not make the mandatory $10 premium data add-on easier to accept for consumers who live outside of the 4G coverage area.

Then there's the issue with the handset's 4G radio and WiFi hotspot feature quickly draining the 1500 mAh battery. Consumers will need to adjust with the fast draining battery while on 4G by keeping a charger or extra battery handy.

Overall, we recommend the HTC EVO 4G to consumers who live within Sprint's WiMAX 4G coverage. We are also confident tha consumers who live outside the carrier's WiMAX 4G network will be happy with the EVO 4G as long as they can live with the mandatory $10 per month premium fee and the weak battery life.