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(More customer reviews)Before addressing the hardware and functionality of this phone, let's address quickly the five-part equation that makes up your overall smart phone user experience:
(1) the hardware...the phone itself
(2) operating system software
(3) installed applications
(4) the network (overall, and where you happen to be using the phone at a particular time)
(5) the service provider
In some cases, there are serial dependencies on the factors above, as many phones are tied to specific operating systems or service providers. Or perhaps you spend a lot of time in an area without 4G service. Just remember that even if you make a great phone choice, deficiencies in the other areas can diminish your overall user experience.
Don't move to a smart phone without some research into these choices. Which provider? Which mobile operating system? Who can offer me the best service, or the best combination of value and service? The rest of this review assumes you've already figured out why a phone with the Android operating system might be a better choice for you than an iPhone, a Blackberry or a Windows-based smart phone solution...
Bottom line for the HTC EVO 4G: feature loaded, user-friendly and a hard choice to go wrong with in a crowded smart phone market.
The phone ships with an impressive array of capability and apps, and finding and installing new ones from the Android marketplace is easy even for non-techies.
Two very strong performers in the pre-installed applications are Google-powered Voice Search and Navigate: both are eerily good at delivering search results and driving/walking directions. This phone's voice-to-text interface is also very good, and can be used for both composing text messages and delivering search results without typing. Surprisingly, a voice-based dialing app that is part of the operating system's collection of widgets seldom gets one right. The Evo's on-screen keyboard is adaptive to your compositions over time, and will suggest auto-completes for words you frequently type.
The phone includes two cameras: an outward facing high resolution (8 megapixel) still/video camera, and a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera for video applications. It ships with an 8 GB microSD card. One surprising oversight of this phone is the placement of the microSD card inside the battery compartment. Although you can move files to an from it via the USB port, this phone would be improved if the card were accessible without removing the back cover.
In addition to the USB port, the phone has a 3.5mm aux audio jack and an HDMI port.
The rear of the phone includes a "kickstand", allowing you to stand the phone on a horizontal surface when viewing the display in landscape mode (great for using the speakerphone or watching videos).
Customization of the scrolling display screens is intuitive. In our house, even less technically savvy users were re-arranging icons and applications in no time.
Each of phone, video and still image quality are satisfactory.
The overall finish of this phone is --literally-- quite slick. It can go sliding easily on leather car seat, and both the screen and frame will attract and display fingerprints. Whether or not you opted in to the damage/loss insurance that most providers offer, I'd strongly recommend both a screen protector and some case or holster to offer a modicum of protection to the phone.
Mnay options exist for protection, but for our multiple Evo phones we've found the following to provide a good mix of protection and price:
--"Fishbone" protective case (red linked here; other colors are available)
--SGP STEINHEIL Anti FingerprintSprint Screen Protector (Anti Fingerprint)
Let these protective devices soak up the wear and tear instead of your phone and display.
Other reviews have discussed battery life, and it's worth addressing. This phone has five separate radio transmit/receive devices:
-the standard cellular (3G/CDMA) transceiver
-the 4G transceiver
-Bluetooth (for short-range use of hands-free devices and data exchange)
-GPS receiver
-Wifi transceiver
Each of these devices will exert its own demand on the battery. Selectively turning them off when not needed, along with setting a shorter time to turn off the display (2 minutes or 1 minute) will go a long way to mitigate the battery issue. Additionally, there are extended life aftermarket batteries (usually with an accompanying modified case cover to accommodate their their additional bulk) that will easily get you through your work day away from external power.
A note about apps:
Android is a Google operating system, and access to the Android marketplace for additional apps requires entry through a Google/Gmail account (either existing or one you create when setting up the phone). In return for the apps, be aware that you surrender significant personal information on your phone, your location (at minumum the nearest cell tower, and in some cases your GPS-derived location) and details of how you used the phone and applications. Providing this information is the cost of admission for functionality of the apps. I'm not offering a value judgement on this...just pointing it out for your information.
Finally, a note about pricing:
Comparison shop and pay attention when you're ready to make the move to a smart phone. For the hardware purchase, you can expect to find considerable differences in the prices (even when upgrade discount and rebates are included) from different vendors. Be sure to check out each each of your provider's "store" (brick and mortar, by phone and online), big box stores and even Amazon's new wireless store. It's worth investing a couple minutes in this research to save a considerable amount on the purchase price.
Becoming a smart phone user begins with shopping smartly! )
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