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Sprint HTC EVO 4G Android Phone


Posted At : Jun 10, 2010

For the last week I have been toting around two mobile phones: my usual iPhone 3GS workhorse with extended battery a la Mophie and the just-launched-today Sprint HTC EVO 4G on loan from Gregory Miller. This is my first time touching an Android device for more than just a few minutes. As such I think I’m interestingly posed to show a different perspective on the EVO from MG Siegler’s thoughts in his recent post entitled “An iPhone Lover?s Take On The HTC EVO 4G.” Similarly, the EVO 4G has received tremendous press as of late — mainly as it has geared itself as being the “it” phone of the month as well as the first 4G WiMAX phone ever.

Sprint HTC EVO 4G phone on
The lovely HTC Sense UI upgrade adds lots of polish to the Android OS.. perhaps too much?

This post will sort out my likes and dislikes about the phone rather than serve a full review. If you don’t have time to read this entire post, here’s a summary: huge phone with subpar battery life and a great camera.

Pros

Sprint HTC EVO 4G Android phone
Huge screen and small bezels are usually the recipe for a slick product but I miss a bit of bezel useful for holding onto while taking pictures. I would often accidentally hit the button while trying to take a picture.
  • 4.3-inch TFT LCD WVGA (480×800) display is great for consuming media and superb for the Google Maps Navigation app. Also, big screen = big keyboard = easier to type on.
  • Sprint Mobile Hotspot app (Android 2.2 includes similar hotspot functionality)
  • Kickstand!
  • Dual cameras: 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with dual LEDs for flash, and a front facing 1.3-megapixel camera great for Qik and Skype (via Fring currently). Rear camera shoots 720p HD video.
  • Sprint network much better than AT&T, at least in San Francisco.
  • Plays Flash! (barely.. should get better in Android 2.2)
  • FM Radio
  • 1GHz processor makes things snappy. Every Android user I’ve shown the phone to said it felt much faster than whatever Android phone they had. Froyo should make things even faster.
  • Google Voice integration (this is a general Android feature but a huge selling point for me)
Back of HTC EVO 4G
The rear of the EVO houses a sturdy kickstand, dual LED flash, protruding 8-megapixel autofocusing camera and speaker.

Cons

  • HTC Sense UI add-on means that Android updates must come from HTC, not immediately OTA from Google.. so you might have to wait months to receive the lightning fast Android 2.2 “Froyo” update. Nexus One owners already have Froyo.
  • Pricing issues: 4G capability invokes a mandatory $10 price premium. Mobile hotspot functionality also incurs a whopping $30/month additional fee but no data caps (yet).
  • Lackluster battery life (about 4 hours with my use – about the same as my overworked iPhone) and the rear battery cover is flimsy plastic held in place by some small clips that are sure to break soon.
  • microSD card awkwardly placed under battery. Not that you need to take it out too often or anything. Just plug microUSB cable into EVO and tell Android to use in disk mode.
  • Camera lens protrudes from the EVO’s body such that resting it on a flat surface causes the metal rim of the lens to make contact.
  • Power button is almost flush with the body and not very ergonomic. Could be easier to push.
  • Android apps are nothing like iPhone apps. Most are crap. One of the most popular apps is a task killer application to keep things running smooth, or at least that’s the claim. I have noticed the phone get slow to a crawl at times unless I keep an eye on how many apps are open, despite Android’s stellar memory management.
Sprint HTC EVO 4G Android phone with kickstand
Look ma, no hands!

Camera

While the 4G WiMAX is what Sprint and HTC are promoting the heck out of with the EVO, that means little to me in San Francisco where a 4G network isn’t slated to emerge for about a year. The next most impressive hardware feature in that case is the camera. I place a lot of importance on my cell phone’s camera. My iPhone currently has over 5,000 iPhone-taken photos on it. The iPhone is not happy with that situation and is very slow. It’s not meant to be used for anything more casual use. The EVO’s camera is by far the best phone camera I have ever used. Best “phone camera”… what does that mean? It means that the pictures look good enough up to around 1600px wide. After that you can see some compression artifacts and grain. For the most part, given sufficient lighting conditions you can leave your Point & Shoot camera at home and have good enough pictures to throw up on Facebook. Of course, there’s no real physical zoom with the EVO so zooming in will just look pixelated.


Camera settings galore!

The flash is very bright, so much so that it will wash out people/subjects in close proximity. Autofocus has a harder time in low lighting so you have to be patient while it focuses. For the most part the camera interface is slick and snapping pictures is lighting quick compared to the iPhone with the exception of autofocusing. The front-facing 1.3MP camera is nothing to write home about but affords users the ability to finally do video chat. I tested it out on a 15-minute video chat on Skype via Fring and it worked quite well. Though my mother did mention there was a slight video delay (I was on my WiFi network).

Skype video chat on the HTC EVO 4G with the Fring app
My mom would not be flattered that I blogged this picture..

EVO-taken Photos

Example shot with EVO 4G rear 8mp camera
Original JPG File: 1.6 MB
Example shot with EVO 4G rear 8mp camera
Original JPG File: 1.0 MB
Example shot with EVO 4G rear 8mp camera
Original JPG File: 1.4 MB
Example shot with EVO 4G rear 8mp camera
Original JPG File: 1.4 MB
Example shot with EVO 4G rear 8mp camera
Original JPG File: 2.4 MB
Example shot with EVO 4G rear 8mp camera
Original JPG File: 1.3 MB

EVO-taken 720p HD Videos


I was randomly at 3rd and Market when Obama’s massive motorcade drove by.

Golden Gate Bridge as seen from Land’s End Trail near Ocean Beach

Great view of SF from the de Young Museum Tower

Verdict

I went to Best Buy today (EVO launch day) and waited in a long line for about 15 minutes before leaving the store without buying anything. I didn’t want the phone that bad. To get an everyday-usable phone setup I would need to get a case to protect the protruding lens, external battery pack so that it would last more than 4 hours and a handful of micro-USB cables to keep around the apartment, with my laptop, in my bag with an extra charger and so on. That would start to get pricey.

Even more so, I really wanted the mobile hotspot feature without paying the $30/month premium. That is available in Android 2.2 which I could get on the EVO with a few hours spent rooting it and installing a Sense-less Froyo, or with some other Android phone. The cheapest EVO 4G plan with mobile hotspot is $109/month — rather high. My iPhone bill is currently ~$90/month due to add-on $15 text messaging.

So I’m going to wait. Wait to see what Steve Jobs announces on Monday. Regardless of how paradigm shifting the rumored iPhone 4G is I do not see myself purchasing it if it is still tied to AT&T. Dual cameras. Neat. 960×640 IPS HD display. Great. AT&T. Fail.

This was a rather quick review and I left a lot of information out. Let me know if you have any questions about the phone or Android in general in the comments and I’ll reply!



Interested In Web Hosting Related Topics? Check This Out!


Posted At : May 07, 2009

Web Hosting is a complicated subject. Which one is the best? Where are cheaper prices? How to choose the right one for your very own needs? This are just some of the questions that many of us come to. A very good thing in this situations are the reviews.

WebHostingRating.com is a site that can provide that and many more.

  • WebHosting Ratings
  • Hosting Awards in different categories
  • CMS Web Hosts
  • Trusted Web Hosts
  • Articles
etc.

The webhosting articles provided here can be used as a tutorial any time you need to use the service of a webhosting company. I will bring just a couple of posts titles:
  • Changing Web Hosts in Six Easy Steps
  • How to Get the Best E-commerce Hosting
  • Is it Time for Dedicated Hosting?
  • How to Choose the Right Dedicated Server Package
  • The Advantages and Disadvantages of Colocation
This are just some of the titles. But there are a lot of them and probably evryone will find answers if not to all questions, to many for sure.

And the last i want to say about is that their Directory currently has 86 records of web hosts, so there is from where to choose when you need one.



Systems Management And Server Monitoring For Your Web Applications


Posted At : May 04, 2009

Today i am going to talk about Hyperic Systems Management. It's one of the best Systems Monitoring, Reporting, Server Management and Intelligence Platform. It delivers service level and application performance metrics to the people that need them.

"For companies who are dependent on web technologies, access to datacenter and application performance metrics is a critical strategic weapon that should not be limited to the IT and operations teams. Service level interruptions or downtime can have serious implications to a company's bottom line. With Hyperic Operations IQ, our customers can see everything that's happening in their datacenters at every level of the stack. They'll be able to make better and timelier decisions to support their customers and strengthen their businesses."
Javier Soltero, CEO, Hyperic

So, if you want to maintain your project in the long run, you will have to do some level of Systems Monitoring and Systems Management. What's the point in creating an application that is going to fail over and over in all kind of circumstances? And here is where a product like Hyperic HQ will help.
Just to name some of the goods:
  • 30 days Enterprise Trial - this will allow you evaluate the product before moving forward with a decision.
  • Easy installation - no need to be a PC Geek to have it installed.
  • It scales up!
  • Monitor your applications in the cloud.
  • Optimize resource utilization.
  • Analyze resources and metrics.
  • Great reporting services.
  • Very easy to use but powerful Server Monitoring
and many more.



The Future of the Internet III Survey Results


Posted At : Dec 16, 2008

578 leading Internet activists, builders and commentators and 618 additional stakeholders (1,196 respondents) were asked to assess proposed scenarios for the year 2020. The point of this survey was to add input to the ongoing conversation about the future of the Internet.
Some results:

  • 77% said the smartphone with more significant computing power will be 2020's primary global Internet-connection platform.
  • 64% favored the idea that in 2020 user interfaces will offer advanced touch, talk, typing and... THINK options.
  • 78% said the original Internet architecture will not be completely replaced by a next-generation 'net by 2020.
  • 60% disagreed with the idea that legislatures, courts, the technology industry, and media companies will exercise effective intellectual property control by 2020.
  • 56% — agreed that in 2020 "few lines (will) divide professional from personal time, and that's OK."
  • Also 56% said while Web 2.0 is bringing some people closer, social tolerance will not be heightened by our new connections
  • 45% agreed and 44% disagreed with the notion that the greater transparency of people and institutions afforded by the Internet will heighten individual integrity and forgiveness.
  • 55% agreed that many lives will be touched in 2020 by virtual worlds, mirror worlds, and augmented reality, while 45% disagreed or did not answer the question.

More details can be found here.



Internet or Sex? U.S. adults vote for...Internet


Posted At : Dec 16, 2008

Based on a recent Intel Survey, most adults find internet access essential to daily life in today's economy.

The survey revealed that 65 percent of adults feel they cannot live without Internet access1, and even more - 71 percent - responded that it is important or very important to have Internet-enabled devices, such as laptops, netbooks and mobile Internet devices (MIDs) that can provide them with real-time updates on important issues including the state of the economy.
Most U.S. adults see Internet as a key tool in today's economy being that for managing personal finances, finding discounts or best deals while shopping online.
According to the same survey, 46% of women and 30% of men would better go without sex for 2 weeks than give up Internet access for 2 weeks. For 18-34 years old women it being 49% and for women aged 35-44 - 52%. For men aged 18-34, it was 39%.
95% of adults feel that it is important for people to have devices with Internet access. 82% think that Internet-enabled devices help them stay up to date real-time on the state of the economy. 87% said that Internet access has helped them save money.



Yahoo e-mail to become more social


Posted At : Dec 16, 2008

Yahoo Inc. started to roll out new features designed to make its e-mail service more like Facebook and MySpace. About 275 million Yahoo Mail users will can setting up their accounts so they can highlight communications from other people with whom they have online connection.
Yahoo is opening its e-mail service to applications created by outside programmers. In a test that started Monday Yahoo began offering applications developed for finding photos stored in their mailboxes, sharing tips about movies and transferring information to blogs.

The changes will turn Yahoo's e-mail service into a "scrapbook for your life," said John Kremer, a company vice president. "We hope opening up Yahoo mail will have a game-changing influence on the industry."

Yahoo also plans to upgrade its toolbar for Web browsers. It include the ability to check new e-mail as well as to receive notifications about their online connections latest activities.



RadioShack to sell Acer Aspire One for $99


Posted At : Dec 15, 2008

RadioShack stores in a special stock offers Acer Aspire One netbooks at a cost of only $99.

The Aspire One laptops was presented this summer and immediately began to gain popularity. In the basic configuration the netbook is equipped with a 8.9-inch screen, Atom processor with a clock speed of 1.6 GHz, 1GB of RAM, and built with a Web camera and Wi-Fi controller. Aspire One is worth from $350.

But those who visit the RadioShack stores until December 24, will be able to save on purchase of Acer netbook about $250. True, the buyer of $99 computer is invited to contract for services in the 3G network operator AT & T for two years. And pricing for wireless Internet access services through AT & T range from $60 per month. Easy to calculate that, given the contract purchase Aspire One netbook will cost $1,540 or more.

Next year, Acer plans to present a modification Aspire One netbook, equipped with a screen diagonal 10.2 inches. Apparently, this computer will be built on the same hardware platform Intel Atom, a modern modification of Aspire One.



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