I just got an HTC Evo for my birthday and it is awesome. The phone has been reviewed widely, so I’ll sum it up via Engadget: its magnificent list of specs reads as though it was scribbled on a napkin after a merry band of gadget nerds got tipsy at the watering hole and started riffing about their idea of the ultimate mobile device. Or, as Gizmoso says, it’s a “warmachine” and it’s got “guts”.
A few immediate things I like: It has a huge 4.3″ screen; the body is only slightly larger than an iPhone 4, yet I’ve received multiple comments that its generous size resembles an iPad. It has a SUPER-fast processor, making apps run very fast. It runs on Sprint mobile network, which means 4G WiMax connection speed (where available). The Evo doubles as a WiFi hotspot, making the good connection speed available to any WiFi enabled device (like the MacBook I’m using to write this post).  It has a hi-def video camera, 8 megapixel camera, and a front-, screen-facing camera for video chat. (I really hope that Skype enables a mobile video chat app SOON; in the meantime, Qik and Fring are the available video chat apps.) The Evo runs HTC’s custom Sense interface on top of Android operating system, which makes it a little more elegant.
Many have complained about the Evo’s battery life, which is understandable. Its drain is directly correlated to the intensity at which you use high-drain apps and functionality. For example, if you avoid simultaneously running the Wifi hotspot feature while streaming YouTube videos while running Pandora while syncing your various Gmail accounts, it will last longer.
Importantly, I want to say that Sprint customer service is getting good. I’m an anomaly, but a few random in-store interactions have been good. Moreover, the carrier is taking a page from the Apple Store by offering free, scheduled, one-on-one training sessions to maximize your smartphone enjoyment. As we all know, the mobile carrier can make or break the entire experience — independent of the mobile device.
And that’s why the Evo may be better than the iPhone 4.
Leave a comment