HTC Evo 4G

Introduction
If you liked the HD2 or the Droid Incredible, you will most likely want to get your hands on the HTC Evo 4G. This is a fairly large phone, but it includes quite a few features and the specifications are impressive. Many people were more than excited to see how this 4G phone was going to perform and most of them weren’t disappointed by the results. This is one of the best Android Smartphones around, but you don’t have to take my word for it: just take a look at the features.

Design
The HTC Evo 4G comes with a 4.3 inch WVGA capacitive touch screen. The 800 x 480 resolution and very large screen are great for watching movies directly from your smart phone, but fitting the phone into your pocket won’t be easy. At 4.8 inches in height, 2.6 inches in width and 0.5 inches in depth, this phone will cause some size problems. However, it manages to get away with it thanks to the fact that it is quite thin, even if it weighs 6 ounces. If you don’t like large phones, you might want to look for something else, because the Evo is one of the bulkiest phones around.

A great design feature is the stand placed on the back of the phone. You can release it easily and place the phone on any flat surface if you want to watch a movie without holding it in your hands. From a distance, the design is quite simple and attractive. The phone is thin, there are only four buttons on the bottom side, the screen is very large, and the HTC logo is discreet. You will also notice the volume controls on the right side, the power button, the microUSB port, the HDMI port and the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Features
In the performance department, there is little to complain about. The HTC Evo 4G runs on a Qualcomm 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and with 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of memory on a microSD that comes in the package. You will have to expand your memory to 32 GB if you plan on recording 720p videos or if you want to watch movies directly from the phone. The Evo runs on HTC Sense, a slightly more advanced version than the one used on the Droid Incredible and the HTC Legend.

This is the first WiMAX smartphone to be released in the United States, so you shouldn’t be surprised by its very high download speed. When you go online, it can reach speeds of up to 12Mbps, but only if you are connected to a 4G network. If you plan on buying this phone only because it offers massive download speeds, you should check if your area actually has 4G coverage. If not, the phone will automatically switch back to 3G, which is still fast, but not as fast as it could be.

This phone comes with two cameras, one on the front, and one of the back. The 8-megapixel camera is quite useful since it comes with a dual LED flash that is perfect for taking pictures in any conditions. This camera is similar to that from the Droid Incredible, especially when it comes to the quality of night pictures. Every snapshot you take will look great on the phone, but once you copy it to your computer, you might notice some defects. This might be a problem for some people and we would have preferred a 6 megapixel camera that offers high quality photos instead of a 8 megapixel one that can’t live up to the expectations. For video calls, you will be able to use the 1.3 megapixel camera from the front of the phone, but this feature is not available at the moment.

You can use this phone to record 720p HD videos, but the quality won’t be exceptional. However, thanks to the HDMI connector, you can plug your phone into your TV and play the videos at higher quality. DivX and H.264 is not available for now, but you can watch most of the movies you have on your computer without any problems. The speakers are powerful, there is plenty of space, and the video quality is impressive for videos that weren’t recorded on the phone itself.

Browsing the internet is easier than most people might expect, thanks to the large screen. Once you turn the phone into landscape mode, hitting the keys is quite easy, so you won’t have any problems when writing an email or a text message.

Flash Lite 3.1 is supported, so online streaming should be a breeze with the Evo 4G. YouTube videos are crystal clear and they will load quite rapidly if you have a decent subscription or 4G coverage.

Pros and Cons
The HTC Evo 4G is a great phone when it comes to internet browsing or using it as an entertainment center. You can watch YouTube videos or movies at very high quality and even the 720p can offer reasonable video quality. The 4.3-inch screen is massive and it works great for watching movies. The Android system proves to be effective once again and you can easily browse the internet or use demanding apps like Office. However, there are a few problems.

You will have to carry your charger around if you want to use this phone as a music or movie player because the battery will run out in under 3 hours. If you plan on taking many pictures and you expect the highest quality possible, you might want to search for another phone, because the 8 megapixel camera won’t live up to your expectations.

Conclusion
In the end, the HTC Evo 4G is one of the best smartphones around when it comes to performance and download speed. Those who are interested in browsing the internet and watching movies will surely enjoy the advantages offered by the 4.3-inch screen and 4G connection. If you can get pass the minor problems, this might be the phone for you.