Well, my friends at Sprint came through in a big way for me today.  The just announced Sprint HTC EVO Shift showed up on my doorstep.  I have had the phone, which is scheduled to be released commercially on Sprint’s network on January 9, for only a few hours, but it is already quickly becoming my favorite Android based phone.  When I reviewed the HTC EVO, I had two main complaints.  The phone was just too big for me to easily utilize, and there was no hard keyboard.  I am just not someone who likes to use an onscreen keyboard anymore than I have to.  So, stay tuned.  We will be checking out these features and a whole lot more in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, here are the complete specs to tide you over.

HTC EVO Shift™ 4G

As the 16^th 4G-capable device from Sprint, HTC EVO Shift follows in the footsteps of the award-winning HTC EVO™ 4G, bringing customers an attractive, compact design and an impressive list of features with the addition of a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Beyond the highly acclaimed HTC Sense user experience, HTC EVO Shift also boasts the power of 4G, Android 2.2™, a 5MP camera, 720p HD camcorder and a 3.6-inch capacitive touchscreen display with pinch-to-zoom capability.

Additional key features include:

• HD Video Recording
• Wi-Fi^®
• Sprint Mobile Hotspot (supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices)
• Android Market™ with access to more than 100,000 apps
• Messaging – Personal and business e-mail, IM and text messaging
• Social Networking Integration – Facebook^®, Twitter™, Flickr^® and more
• Visual Voicemail
• Google™ Mobile Services, including YouTube™, Gmail™, Google Talk™, Google Voice™ and Google Maps™
• GPS Navigation
• Stereo Bluetooth^® wireless technology
• microSD slot (supporting up to 32GB memory card)

Ready for some new smartphones?  Yesterday, HTC unveiled five new Windows 7 smartphones: HTC 7 Surround, HTC 7 Mozart, HTC 7 Trophy, HTC 7 Pro and HTC HD7.  HTC will include a variety of new technologies with unique HTC applications through the new HTC Hub that will complement the Windows Phone 7 Hub experience.  The new phones are to be available through cell phone providers in Europe, Asian, and North American Markets later this month.  Read past the jump to check out the individual phones as well as more detailed availability information.

Read More …

The T-Mobile myTouch 3G was a huge hit.  The touch screen device seems to have been promoted by Whoopie Goldberg, Eric Clapton as well as a number of other celebs in some pretty cool commercials.  As a follow-up to the popular device, HTC released the Espresso or MyTouch 3G Slide.  With a couple of hardware tweaks, including its most noticeable slide-out keyboard, the Slide is sure to be a huge hit; but is it the device for you?  Let’s take a look at the device, and see if the MyTouch 3G Slide is what makes you, uh-hem… slide on over to T-Mobile’s Android camp.

T-Mobile’s MyTouch 3G Slide

Rooting
It took me a few days; but I was able to root the device and I recorded my experiences with it, here. The best rooting instructions, including links to all required downloads, I could find are located here, interestingly enough, located in the T-Mobile Forums.

There aren’t a lot of custom ROMs available for the MyTouch 3G Slide, and it doesn’t look like there will be, at least not until an official FroYo (Android 2.2) OTA is released.  In the meantime, an OTA update for Android 2.1 should be available now.

HTC’s official statement that devices introduced during 2010 should get an Android 2.2 update not withstanding, the device has only been out for about 3 months. I would expect the device to get the FroYo update, but then stop before Gingerbread (Android 3.0) is released.  I don’t think the device has the punch to push it; but I may be getting ahead of myself.

Software
Part of the reason for the FroYo delay is due to the MT3GS’s SenseUI implementation.  Specific framework updates are required in order to get SenseUI working in Android 2.2; and I know that it hasn’t been an easy go for HTC, at least not in this area. The FroYo update for the HTC Desire was delayed a number of times before it was finally released, and I know that those framework updates haven’t made it to every HTC SenseUI device. The MT3GS is also running Espresso, a customized version of SenseUI specific to this device. The FroYo update for the MT3GS is still expected before the end of 2010.

• Calendar
  The MT3GS Calendar application has a SenseUI coat of paint over it, but its very close to its stock ROM counterpart.  Calendar’s Month View shows you what days have appointments during which part of your days.
  

  Monthly Calendar View

  There are two default views for Calendar – Month View and Agenda View. If you want to get to Week View, you have to hit the device’s menu button and then choose it from the options that appear.

  Weekly Calendar View

  Week View shows you what appointments you have at what part of each day, but you can’t see any of the details for those appointments unless you tap on any of the colored blocks.  I was very disappointed by this, as even the colors don’t match the colors you specified for each calendar in Google Calendar… which doesn’t really make any sense.

  Agenda Calendar View

  Agenda view is nice, but with the colors out of sync with the web based version of Google Calendar, I find this very confusing, even though I can read… Just sayin’.

• Contacts

  The Contacts app main screen

  I like the SenseUI Contacts app better than I like the Calendar app.  The visual representation of the linked contacts (Google Contact, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and having all of the information in a single record is nice.  I don’t like that it assigns a primary phone number to each contact and will automatically dial that number when you tap on the contact from a phone list. In order to get around this, you have to open up the contact and choose the number you wish to dial.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called a primary number (SenseUI ALWAYS chooses the Mobile number as the primary number) only to kill the call, open the contact and call another number.  Very annoying…

  A contact’s (my wife’s) detail screen

  I also appreciate the centralized Updates and Events screen. Its nice being able to see all of my wife’s updates (there are numerous ones a day…) in one place without having to scroll through tons of OTHER FB updates to see the pictures of my kids.

  A Contact’s Updates & Events screen

• Mail
  

  SenseUI’s Exchange (and POP) Mail App

  I don’t care how long I work with this app, I am NEVER going to like it.  I’m probably a little too old fashioned when it comes to my mail; but I don’t really appreciate Google’s conversation mode approach to e-mail.  The app’s ability to filter mail (the icons along the bottom) is cool; but if there’s a way to multi-select mail for a bulk delete, I haven’t found it yet; and that is so "original iPhone" I can’t stand it. SenseUI also mandates that your Exchange Account be the device’s default e-mail account, which also just drives me nuts.  I much prefer the stock Android App to the Sense UI mail app.

• Friend Stream

  Friend Stream main screen

  Friend Stream consolidates both Facebook and Twitter streams into a single application. I like the idea, but I’m not too keen on the SenseUI implementation. However, it does make checking for status updates in multiple apps a lot easier (actually, it eliminates that entirely).

  Friend Stream’s large widget

  If you’re looking for a home screen widget as opposed to an actual application, look no further. This is a nice implementation, with your updates labeled via social network icon in the lower left corner of either your friend’s profile pic or avatar.

  Friend Stream’s small widget

  If you’re looking to quickly update your status on either Twitter or Facebook, Friend Stream allows you to do that in a consolidated place.  The only thing wrong with this widget is its size. You can’t fit it and the larger status widget on the same home screen.

• Faves
  The MyTouch 3G Slide doesn’t support Google Starred Contacts. It supports T-Mobile’s Faves paradigm. This is good and bad, in that the Faves app/widget integrates everything about that contact into one interface – calls, Tweets, Status Updates (FB), text’s etc. Its bad, because your T-Mo Faves don’t sync with Google’s Starred contacts; and you have to tell Faves who your favorites are. 
  

  The Faves App

  This is really annoying.  Hello…?!  Starred in Google are my favorite contacts; and Faves should detect those and at the very least, ask me if I want to sync my Faves with Starred in Google. I hate that I have to reselect these all over again.

• Genius Button
  

  The Genius Button Software

  You talk, it does.  It’s a nice feature and works pretty well, provided you use the keywords (the larger words on the screen, for example).

• myModes
  

  A MT3GS exclusive – myModes

  Many of the people that I know who are managers or higher at their companies carry two phones – One for work (usually a Blackberry) and then their personal feature or smartphone.  With the myTouch 3G Slide, you don’t need to do this. You create one set of home screens for Work, one set of home screens for Home, and then use myModes to swap back and forth. Taken directly from the T-Mobile site,

  "Only the myTouch 3G Slide has myModes, which creates specialized home screens for work and home. Now you can keep your most important tools front and center, whether you’re doing your thing at work, or chilling with the family. It knows when you’re done being a rock star at work and a superstar at home. By setting up a work mode and home mode you don’t lose time shuffling through applications intended for an environment you’re not in at the time. You can set your myTouch 3G Slide to switch modes at a certain time of day, when your phone gets a certain distance from your office, or you can do it manually when you’re ready for your workday to be done."

  I don’t tend to work this way. I have one way I want to use my phone, set that up, and then just deal with it.  I blend these two "modes" together. However, I can see where this could be very valuable to those who don’t want to do that or definitely need to keep their tools separated.  myModes allows you to effectively have 2 different phone setups. The device even comes with a Mode Switching widget that allows you to pop back and forth quickly between Work and Home with just the touch of your screen.

  myModes also allows you to switch themes as well as download new themes to your device.  Some of these are very nice; but I’ve noticed that not all of them come as complete as those that ship with the device.  Hoops (ships with the device) is very nice, but I’m a football fan, and the theme Touchdown caught my eye.  However, it doesn’t seem to come with audio files for notifications as Hoops does.  When switching from Hoops to Touchdown, my audio (ringtones, notification tones, etc.) didn’t change. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it was disappointing.

• Stocks
  

  The Stocks application

  I’m not a financial guru or genius.  Stocks are not my strong suite; but if you follow a couple of interesting symbols, like Google for instance, then the MT3GS makes it easy to follow them and their progress.  The Stocks program is easy enough to use.  You can add them with the plus button and refresh them with the sync button.  It gets cool when you move things to a home screen.
  

  The Stocks application’s scrolling widget

  I really like the scrolling Stock widget.  The major indices scroll along the top.  All of the stocks you follow scroll across the bottom.  Its really kinda cool to see.

• Weather
  

  The Weather application

  I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t like HTC’s weather application.  The app is GPS based (note the Current, by the location, above), and gives you current conditions as well as a 4 day forecast (including today). You can track weather for more than one location.

  The large weather widget

  The large weather widget takes up an entire home screen and can do just about everything that the actual weather app can.

  The weather clock widget

  This is the weather view that everyone is used to seeing on an HTC device.  The clock widget  with weather is a great way to see both the current time and the current and forecasted weather conditions for today. HTC’s SenseUI also makes the current weather conditions play across the entire screen when you initially unlock the device after waking it. When its raining or snowing, the effect is kinda cool.

  This is the view that made HTC chase after their SenseUI in the first place.  It’s a nice view, and one that I always want to be able to use with any HTC device, but it also takes up a great deal of RAM and processor time.

Hardware & Specs

• The Full 360

  From left to right – The Samsung Vibrant, Nexus One, myTouch 3G Slide, Moto CLIQ, AT&T Tilt, Samsung Epix and Samsung Propel Pro

  The MT3GS isn’t a large profile device. Third in from the left, above, its not as big as the Samsung Vibrant (Galaxy S) or Nexus One. The screen is about the same size as the CLIQ; but a touch smaller than the Nexus One.

  The front of the myTouch 3G Slide

  Simple, clean and elegant, the myTouch 3G Slide is a nice looking device.  The screen could be a touch bigger; but at 3.4 inches, its not too small.  The large action button in the bottom center of the device is also a touch pad, allowing you to navigate and switch screens. It might be me, but the touch pad seems a bit too sensitive. I am constantly overshooting my intended targets with this thing.  The touch pad on my Samsung Epix is a bit easier to use…

  The left side of the myTouch 3G Slide

  The left side of the device has the volume rocker on it and nothing else. It’s a bit difficult to see in this picture, but is on the bottom half of the device on the left corner.

  The top of the myTouch 3G Slide

  The top of the device has the power button and the 3.5mm headphone jack. The power button is in the left corner; and is slightly raised near the back, and its easy to get to while in your right hand. The 3.5mm headphone jack is near the right corner.

  I’ve seen a number of reviews stating that the myTouch 3G Slide is a decent multimedia device, especially for audio. The device ships with both the Mac and Windows versions of doubleTwist on its microSD card.  I personally don’t like using my non-fruit phones for multimedia; and haven’t installed the app (I have an iPod and iPod Touch 2G).  However, if I were sans iPod, I’d be all over this.

  The right side of the myTouch 3G Slide

  The right side of the device contains the silver colored camera button. Its slightly raised near the back of the button and is easy to find when you want to take a picture.  Please see the section on the camera to find information on the camera’s actual performance.

  The bottom of the myTouch 3G Slide

  The bottom of the MT3GS has the microUSB connector (for both PC and AC charger connections) and the back cover’s finger nail grip, allowing you to remove the back cover to get at both the battery (SIM card placed underneath) and microSD card slot.  Thankfully, the microSD slot is placed to the side of the device, under the cover and not under the battery. So, while you have to pop the back cover off the device, you don’t have to pop the battery out to replace or swap cards.  This makes it easier to save pictures or change music collections without having to reboot the device.  Thankfully, the MT3GS is microSDHC compatible, so it will support up to 32GB cards.  Space shouldn’t be an issue with the right card.

  This side view brought to you by the letter A and the letter C…

  The Tilt (right most, above) seems like an ungodly brick compared to the CLIQ (middle, above) and myTouch 3G Slide (left most, above). However, the MT3GS really feels good in my hands and while the case is a huge finger print magnet made up of glossy plastic, the case in and of itself isn’t too bad.  However, while I haven’t dropped this yet, it really does need some kind of case, if you plan to use it as your daily driver.  The plastic used here isn’t going to be very forgiving if it does get nicked, dented, scratched or cracked due to your buttery fingers.

• Specifications (courtesy of Phone Scoop)
  

  The specs here indicate that the myTouch 3G Slide is a decent mid-level smartphone.  At 600mHz, the device’s QUALCOMM processor is a bit better than the HTC Hero, myTouch 3G and the Motorola CLIQ, running at 528mHz; but definitely not as zippy as the Nexus One, or say the HTC EVO. While its not running FroYo, yet (HTC has promised a FroYo upgrade, hopefully before the end of 2010), Éclair (Android 2.1) is a decent enough OS level, and as such, the device will support Google Maps’ Navigation, offering turn-by-turn, GPS-based navigation. 

• Hardware Features
  

  Obviously, this is not the complete list of device features.  However, it does give you what might be considered the most critical. Again, the supported features here indicate a good mid-level based smartphone.  One of the most notable features again, is the support for turn-by-turn navigation via the device’s A-GPS receiver.  While the device only supports HSPA (and not HSPA+), the device is still solid enough to support my basic surfing habits at the office. This can be credited to both the radio in the device as well as the tower improvements that T-Mobile has made in the Chicago market of the past 4-5 years. 

  While their HSPA+ network hasn’t made it to Chicago just yet, they are scheduled to bring HSPA+ support here, "soon."  T-Mobile’s first native HSPA+ device, the HTC/Google G2 is set to be released later this year.

  T-Mo’s HSPA+ network is currently in 44 different US cities

• Performance
  With a 600mHz ARM 6 processor, the MyTouch 3G Slide is no powerhouse. It’s a basic utility device that gets the job done. It checks mail, takes and uploads photos and video, plays music, etc. However, don’t look for it to be a device that retouches photos or does any kind of on device video editing. It just doesn’t have that kind of punch.

  At 100MB, internal storage is at a premium. You’re not going to be able to install tons and tons of apps.  Android 2.1 doesn’t have FroYo’s native ability to move and run applications from the SD card. Be discriminating. Be choosy with the apps that you do use and install.  Running out of storage is going to have performance indicators as well.

• Battery Life
  According to the specs and hardware features, the device is supposed to get 6.7 (that’s 6 (point) 7) hours of active use, max. Which is incredibly short.  According to the information I uncovered during my research for my Android Battery Guide, this is substandard and very low – about 25-33% of what you SHOULD be getting.

  If there’s one thing that my wife HAS complained about over the last couple of weeks, it’s the 3G Slide’s battery life.

  It pretty much sucks (and that’s an understatement as well as a double pun).

  If you want to get better than  six and three quarter hours of battery life from your MyTouch 3G Slide, I’d take a quick look at the Battery Guide, and then make some tweaks.  However, SenseUI has a LOT going on on the back end.  There’s a lot of communication going on between your device and the servers it gets data from.  If you use Wi-Fi and location services a lot, AND have your screen’s backlight cranked up, you may get less than 6.7 hours of life between charges.  To make sure you get the most life out of your battery, read the Battery Guide and then adjust how your MT3GS behaves.

  I’ve been getting about 6-8 hours of life between charges, but then again, I’m also smart enough to keep a USB cable and/or a battery charger around.  Devices with this kind of battery life should be escorted by their chargers or cables just about everywhere they go.  In the end, its going to mean the difference between a working and battery drained device.

• Camera
  
  

  The MT3GS’ camera is decent at 5MP; but many (myself included) would consider that to be the standard today.  Anything less than that, and you’re wasting your time.  The LED flash isn’t going to be the know-all/end-all to your flash photo problems, but it should do a decent enough job at reasonable distances.  The camera lens is autofocus; and the camera will also support video.  However, don’t look for HD quality here.  The best you’re going to get from the MT3GS is VGA (640×480) resolution.  It won’t replace your REAL video camera; but will do well in a pinch or when you’re out and about and the kids do something cute and you want to capture it quickly.

Real World Use
I get a lot of use out of my devices. I’ve got 2-3 email accounts synching.  I bring down contacts from Facebook, Twitter, and my Google account. I have 5 different Google calendars synching to my device.  I also make about 1000 minutes or more worth of voice calls a month (sometimes MUCH more, depending on my current employment status… 2010 has been a rough year…).  Here are my real world experiences with the device over the entire review period.

• Voice
  I found call quality to be very good on the device. I was very impressed with what I heard on my end of the device. Despite some minor blips with T-Mo service since switching to the MyTouch 3G Slide from a Motorola CLIQ in and around our house, my wife also confirms that the voice call quality of the device is very high. It sounds very much like you’re speaking on a land line with this phone. I was very impressed.

  Again, SenseUI and its phone interface were a bit difficult to get used to coming off of my Nexus One; but after you get used to it, The Contacts app is very functional.  However, I’m not crazy about how SenseUI assumes that I automatically want to call a mobile device when I tap a contact.  My Nexus One at least asks which number I want to dial before placing the call.

• Data
  The radio on this particular device is rather good.  If you’re working with a rooted device, there’s even a new radio ROM update (again, root access is required to apply the radio update) that’s available. The reception is better than with the stock ROM and stock radio. I’ve also noticed that GPS reception is much more accurate and quicker to lock than with the previous radio ROM.

  I currently work in the BCBS-IL building on the Chicago Lake Front. That’s 30 stories of metal and concrete; and I work on the 16th floor, smack-dab in the middle of it. It used to be (especially with T-Mobile) that a situation like this would be a death knell to getting any kind of voice or cell signal.  However, I regularly have a 2-3 bar 3G (UMTS) or HSPA signal. Data transfer has been as solid as 2.05MB per second; but is usually around 110KB per second. I couldn’t be happier with data transfer rates in Downtown Chicago.  Data transfer rates in the Western Suburbs are a bit slower, but still acceptable.

• Google Maps
  For some reason, Google Maps 4.4.0 breaks location services and crashes on my MT3GS under 2 of the custom ROM’s I’ve been using.  Both are close to stock build, and this one specifically (CR_Mod_1.35.531_OTA Full ROM) was built directly from the 1.27.531 retail ROM with the 1.35.531 OTA update from T-Mobile applied to it.  There doesn’t seem to be a custom kernel or any other special goodies (other than the root, new radio and SuperUser APK) applied to it.  Why the 4.4.0 version of Google Maps out of the 2.1 update 1 Market generates Force Close after Force Close error is a little beyond me. I have the question posted to the custom ROM’s thread and if I get an answer back I’ll post an update to this review with the answer.

  The version of Maps that comes with the device (4.1.0 (#4126 gmm-android-tmobile-us) works flawlessly with the device, including the turn by turn Navigation with voice prompts. It works like you would expect it to; and I rely on this application heavily, as a) I can get lost inside a wet paper bag and can’t find my way out with a fork and a flashlight; and b) with as much running around as my family does with 3 kids the application simply needs to work out of the box.

• Battery Life
  Out of the box, I was getting about 6-7 hours of battery life from the device. It certainly wasn’t getting me through the day.  However, I was able to bump it to closer to 8.5-9.0 hours after applying steps from my Battery Guide.  I won’t be using this device without either a wall charger or USB cable handy.  I won’t use the device in the car, especially while running Navigation, without it being connected to a car charger.  The 1300 mAh battery is nice, but probably should have been much bigger, given the implementation of SenseUI in this device.
• Keyboard

  The MT3GS Slide out Keyboard

  What a great keyboard design and layout! Honestly, I’ve had a number of devices with dedicated keyboards.  I’ve got shots of the CLIQ and the Tilt for comparison; and honestly, neither really can hold a candle to the keyboard on the myTouch 3G Slide.  The keys are big enough to press, but yet small enough to create space between them, allowing for an accurate press of each targeted key. The keyboard layout (not the QWERTY configuration; but the layout of the actual specialty and other function keys) is logical (except for the @ key… dedicated though it is) on the bottom next to the period… that’s kinda strange… and easy to get used to.  I was accurately texting at near normal speeds for me shortly after getting into the device.

  The Moto CLIQ Slide out Keyboard

  In comparison, they keyboard for the CLIQ, while having about the same amount of space is very cramped. The inclusion of the Action button and D-Pad on the keyboard caused the design to be very rectangular and jammed together.  The keys are raised; and that, along with the lack of space makes it much more difficult to type when compared to to the myTouch 3G Slide.  Interestingly enough, I never used the D-Pad or action button on this device… it just didn’t fit in with the way that I ended up using it.

  The HTC Kaiser (AT&T Tilt) Slide out Keyboard

  In comparison, the keyboard on the AT&T Tilt (HTC Kaiser) is a little better than that of the CLIQ.  While still a little raised, the keys are bigger and flatter than on the CLIQ, and as such easier to target.  The Kaiser’s keyboard is a bit stiff, however, and I never found myself texting very quickly with this device.  The Action buttons above the R-T and I-O keys are also a bit depressed, and are difficult to press. I always ended up arching my thumbs and pressing down with the very tip of my thumb otherwise, the key press usually didn’t register.

  Overall, the keyboard on the MT3GS is the better of the three side-sliders that I have in the house.  The keys are nicely placed, with enough space between them, are easy to target and activate without feeling mushy.  While the keys themselves are a bit small, this doesn’t detract from the overall effectiveness of the keyboard. I am very pleased with it.

  The slider mechanism on the MT3GS is spring assisted, and I found that this one slid easily, without accidentally separating from the rest of the device.  My wife’s was a little stiffer and required a bit more force to slide out, though I suspect that will ease a bit with time as the slider mechanism wears.  In contracts to the Kaiser and CLIQ, the slider on the myTouch 3G Slide is a bit rougher than the Kaiser’s sliding mechanism and about the same as the CLIQ’s.

• Camera (Still & Video) 
  The still camera here was able to take some decent photos. The camera appears to have facial recognition, as I’ve seen it hone in on, and select a subject’s face more than once.  At 5-megapixels, the camera is decent for a camera phone. Like other reviewers, I did find that bright areas leaned towards being overexposed and pictures are a bit washed out.  Resolution and sharpness were pretty good. In low light, we noticed a bit of blur from lower shutter speeds. The camera’s 0.6-second autofocus speed was slightly better than average for a midrange smartphone. The video mode records basic, tolerable 640-by-480 videos at 25 frames per second.

  At my son’s recent 3rd birthday party, were able to take some ok pictures with the phone.  Video was also ok. I took and posted the following video of my boys directly from the MT3GS.  Please note, the phone will NOT push video via mobile data.  You must be connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi for video uploads.

  A short video of my boys in their new Steelers uniforms!

• Wi-Fi
  I’m very particular about my 3G data coverage and the use of Wi-Fi. I don’t like to use the Wi-Fi radio on my phone. Wi-Fi reception doesn’t extend very far, is spotty at best, and only available in localized areas.  I tend to leave the radio off and don’t bother with it.  The only time I really do use it, is when I have to reset my router at the house. I check to see if my wireless access point in the house is correctly connected to the ‘Net, as it usually provides my wife and daughter with internet access (and services our Wii with Netflix subscription content).

  As such, I really haven’t spent a lot of time with the 802.11 b/g radio and likely won’t. I pay for 3G internet access on my device. Its supposed to be available everywhere within my service area. I want to make good use of what I’m paying for.

• Bluetooth
  I actually use Bluetooth on my devices more than I use the Wi-Fi radio. The Nexus One uses Bluetooth to connect to the speaker and microphone in its Car Dock, and I’ve got a Yada YD-V1 Universal Phone Holder and Headset in my car that I’ve been using with the MyTouch 3G Slide. Bluetooth is a little slow to connect to the YD-V1 headset; but once connected, the audio sounds very good.  In fact, it sounds the best with the MT3GS than any of the other 6 phones I’ve been using with it in the last few years (E-TEN X800, E-TEN X650, Samsung Epix, Samsung Propel Pro, AT&T Tilt, Nexus One). The audio is clear, crisp, and richer than with any of the other phones I’ve used it with.
• The Genius Button
  As with any voice activated service, The Genius Button that comes with the MT3GS allows you to voice control the device – "Call <So-and-So>," "Find/Navigate to <Such-and-Such>."  Using the Genius Button takes you to a specific Genius Screen where you see specific key words.  If you want the voice control software to work, you need to use the specified key words, must speak clearly, and may have to kill your children so they’re quiet in the car.  Yes, background noise will definitely effect the accuracy of the software.

  My experience with the software has been moderately positive, but not fool-proof.  My wife’s experience (she doesn’t know all the key words yet, and doesn’t think she needs to… the software should just work; and to an extent, she has a valid point – but more on that in a minute) hasn’t been as positive as mine.

  As I’ve tried to explain to my wife, this isn’t the 24th century, and Jean-Luc Picard isn’t really the Captain of the USS Enterprise. Computers can’t create databases on the fly from a library of a gazillion teraquads of data based on verbal criteria (although it would be really cool, wouldn’t it?).  In order to make the Genius software work, you have to know and use the keywords it knows, you have to speak slowly and clearly (but, not-like-a-robot), and background noise has to be controlled. If you have most of that, you have a decent chance of finding and navigating to the new Chick-fil-a in Naperville, IL without too much of a problem.

  If not, all bets are off… Just sayin’…

Carrier Thoughts 
My relationship with T-Mobile at times is better than I thought it would be. At other times, it really sucks. To say that the marriage has issues would be accurate. Sometimes relationships can be a lot of work.

In Chicago, T-Mobile can be a really GREAT carrier.  Their coverage is pretty extensive, and while they haven’t put in their HPSA+ network in, I understand that it is a planned implementation in the immediate future.

In an area where there’s decent coverage, the myTouch 3G Slide is a great phone. In my area, which has documented tower issues, this phone is STILL  a decent choice, as it has a much better radio than the Motorola CLIQ.

I actually think it has a better radio than my Nexus One. Even though the Nexus One does fairly well in my local calling area, here in downtown Chicago, I’m actually getting better performance from the MT3GS than I am from my Nexus One as of this writing.  The MT3GS has been consistently giving me better reception here in the office than my Nexus One has been from the very beginning.

In poor as well as solid coverage areas, the myTouch 3G Slide seems to be a decent smartphone choice for those on T-Mobile.

Conclusion
I was pleasantly surprised by this device.  With a great look and feel and decent OS implementation, the device was easy to use. The slide out keyboard was easy to get used to, but I did have a couple of accuracy problems with Swipe.  I’m guessing that was me and not necessarily the soft keyboard. 

The radio in this device is MUCH better than the one in the Motorola CLIQ, as we’re not having any of the problems that we were having with that device in and around our current service area. What a difference a device makes.  I’m not sure if the difference is the hardware, the actual programming (or radio ROM) or a bit of both.  However, my wife isn’t having any of the problems that she was originally complaining about with her CLIQ.

HTC SenseUI is nice, but is very bloated.  I like the eye candy that the standard weather/digital clock provides (especially when it rains… the windshield wiper and rain droplets are cool); but performance definitely takes a hit with the stock ROM. The device was much faster and much more usable with CyanogenMOD 6.0.0 on it; but as with everything, your mileage may vary.

Since moving to Android, I have stopped using my Exchange account as my primary e-mail address and have switched to my iTechGear mail address as my default.  SenseUI doesn’t allow you to use your Google e-mail address as the default if you have an Exchange Account setup on the device; and I can’t find where to change that. I am also not crazy about the SenseUI apps.

If you’re in the market for a mid-range device that’s easy to use and easy to fit into your lifestyle, the myTouch 3G Slide is a decent choice. With the right accessories, it will no doubt, easily last you the life of your 2 year contract agreement with your carrier.

Cost: The T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide is $429.99 with an Even More Plus plan; or $179.99 with an Even More Plan (which includes a 2 year contract).

What I liked: Great device look and feel. Slide out keyboard was fairly easy to use and responsive. Camera pictures were clear and steady. The radio provided much better reception than the Moto CLIQ and in some cases, my Nexus One as well.

What Needs Improvement: HTC SenseUI makes a couple of assumptions that don’t quite "compute" when it comes to an Android device.  Not everyone has an Exchange account, and even if you do, why does SenseUI assume that you want it to be the default mail account on your device? Upgrading any of the core, Google apps (like Maps or Voice Search) broke the device, requiring a reflash; but that could be (and likely is…) my custom ROM.  My Nexus One has me a bit spoiled in this regard, as its easy to specify which account is the default (and shouldn’t the Google account be the default account on a Google device??)

I’m also not completely sent on SenseUI, or the Espresso version of Sense.  I like the eye candy that it provides with the home screens, but if I could kill all of the app layers that HTC has included and simply use the default apps instead, I’d much prefer that. 

The FroYo (Android 2.2) upgrade that is slated to come to this device before the end of the year may bring a newer version of HTC SenseUI with it; or it may not, depending on the hardware requirements for that new, upgraded UI layer.  Either way, having seen the 2.2 version of SenseUI for the HTC Desire (and running THAT ported, cooked ROM on my Nexus One), I can say that that version, when it comes to the myTouch 3G Slide and Espresso will be a welcomed upgrade.  The code is more optimized and faster executing, and that should provide a nice performance boost for this mid-range device.

Apparently, Sprint has changed its strategy regarding firmware updates for its line of Android-based phones.  In the past, Sprint has typically been among the last to get around to the Android firmware updates, often waiting until its message board reaches the breaking point, before dangling the merest hint of an upgrade.  From that point, it is usually another couple of months before that highly sought update hits your actual device.  Which is why I was so shocked to learn today that Sprint was officially releasing Google’s newest Android release, Froyo (Android OS 2.2), for the HTC EVO 4G, Sprint’s new flagship phone.  With this release, Sprint has become the first carrier to offer a mass market Froyo device, earning it slings and arrows from the jealous eyes of HTC Hero owners, who only recently received an update to Android 2.1.   In addition to Android 2.2, the new update also includes numerous enhancements to HTC Sense, as well as the highly anticipated support for  Flash 10.1 support.  Here is the complete list of improvements from the new maintenance release:

The software upgrade available for your HTC EVO 4G provides several key enhancements: 

• Android 2.2 FroYo OS, including:
  • Ability to install applications to external storage
  • Improved Bluetooth device support
  • Bluetooth Voice Dialing
  • Flash Player 10.1
  • Improved OS performance
• New version of HTC Sense, including:
  • Ability to view and add comments to Facebook images in the Gallery
  • New Dialer which includes the caller’s Facebook updates and upcoming events
  • Improved Facebook calendar integration
  • More pre-loaded HTC Widgets
  • App Sharing
  • Flashlight application
  • Improved keyboard and text entry options
  • LED flash can be enabled while video recording
• Various minor bug fixes

HTC EVO owners can download the maintenance release immediately from HTC’s website.

It is one of the hottest phones this side of the iPhone 4 (and possibly the other side as well, depending upon whom you ask…).  It features state of the art hardware, a massive screen, 4G connectivity, and a myriad of other options and features.  Yes, I am talking about Sprint’s new flagship phone, the EVO 4G, which runs Android 2.1 and featured HTC’s latest interface, the SenseUI 2.  The folks at Sprint were kind enough to send a loaner unit my way, and I have been very excitedly taking it through its paces.  So let’s go ahead and dive in and see what we can see.

Hardware

What’s In The Box: I always like to start these reviews with a peek inside the box.  Don’t worry, though…this will not take long.  We’ll just set the device aside for a moment, and take a look at what else HTC and Sprint included in this box.  First, there is a USB sync/charge cable.  Unlike previous generations of HTC devices, this one utilizes a micro-USB connection, which worked just fine.  There is also an AC adaptor to go with the sync/charge cable.  I was happy to see that HTC abandoned the angular adaptor which HTC had been using for previous generations.  This one is small and compact.  The only downside was that the prongs do not fold up, making it a bit bulky to carry, but it is really small enough that that did not present as large a problem as it could have.

That’s about it.  Sure, there are the expected manuals, and Sprint’s recycle bag, which you can use to send your old phone (postage paid) to a recycle center.  But it seemed as though there was quite a bit missing.

• Despite being billed as a media phone, there are no headphones
• There is no HDMI cable, despite the presence of an HDMI connection
• There is no protection for that massive screen (yeah, we’ll get to that)
• You will not even find a case in the box. 

I think the absence of a case is one of the biggest disappointments, not only for the EVO, but for many recent phones coming out of HTC and others.  These smartphones cost several hundred dollars, so for companies to not even include any sort of protection feels a bit disrespectful to me.  Even though the cases which comes with many phones may not be great, they were at least functional and offered a modicum of protection until you could replace them with something else.    I hope HTC and others can reverse this trend and start including cases again with their higher end phones and devices.

Quick Look: Now that we have seen what else is (or is not) in the box, we can return to the device and take a closer look at what this one has in store for you.

Looking down at the top, you can see the power button. Push it once to sleep or wake the phone.

Push and hold to call upon the power options menu, allowing you to power off, enter airplane mode, or control your device’s behavior.  Also up here, you will find a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.  I also love that this phone included a standard headphone jack, which is something HTC has shunned in the past.

All you will find on the right hand side are the volume controls.  Then again, this was really nice to see.  I have always felt that many phones suffer by not including hardware volume controls which are easy to access without even turning on the screen or unlocking the device.  The left side of the device is even more sparse, with no controls, connections, or anything else to see.

On the bottom of the device, you will find the microphone, which we will be discussing a bit more later on in the review.  You will also find the micro-USB jack for that sync/charge cable, as well as an HDMI port, giving you full high definition output to your TV or monitor.

One of my favorite features is on the back of the device.  There, you will find a kickstand.  It sounds pretty insignificant, but when you want to watch a video, it can be really nice to be able to set the device down on a table and watch, rather than holding it in your hand the whole time. 

Along with the kickstand, you will also find a whopping 8 megapixel camera with dual flash.  Finally, you will find the speaker next to the camera as well.

Behind the back of the device is the battery compartment.  HTC has continued to refine opening the backs of their devices.  It sounds simple, but it can be important.  Too easy to open and it can just flap open on its own.  Too difficult and you will just get frustrated or worse, break your device trying to open it.  Like I said, this sounds like a small point, but I have owned devices with battery compartments which would not stay shut, so I do appreciate the attention HTC has given this detail.  On the EVO, just reach into the recess and pull the back open, unsnapping as you go.   Can you see the memory card slot in the above picture?  Sadly, no, you cannot.  That is because you will need to remove the battery in order to find the microSD card slot.  I was disappointed to find it hidden under the battery.  If you are storing media on the memory card, you will have to remove the battery (turning off the device) in order to swap cards.  That can get frustrating.

That, of course, brings us to the face of the device, and there is an awful lot going on here.  We can start with the gorgeous 4.3 inch screen.  This screen is absolutely huge.  It is bright and vibrant, and really makes the EVO a fantastic device to use. 

Beneath the screen are your four navigation buttons: Home, Menu, Back, and Search.  These all worked pretty well, allowing you to navigate quickly and easily through the interface.  I was also glad to find that HTC fixed one of my big pet peeves with Android devices.  they moved the menu button away from the onscreen controls, in order to avoid confusion.  I was a bit disappointed not to find hardware phone controls here.  Sure, Android features  a nice onscreen phone button, but that can only be accessed from the home screen.  You will need to exit any other apps you have running in order to access the phone without a hard button.  The lack of this button really emphasis how far these devices have strayed from “just phones.”

Above the screen is the earpiece, which I was pleased to see is nice and large, making it more difficult to slip off of your ear while talking.  You will also find the proximity sensor up here.  This sensor turns off the screen anytime it senses the phone being held to your ear.  Additionally, there is what I call the standard HTC Led light.  This light has been flashing green and orange lights at HTC phone users pretty much forever.  I have to say, though, that I am not a fan of these lights.  They just do not work for me.  They are too small and cryptic to be really useful, and deciphering the blinking patterns can be akin to translating Morse Code.  Finally, you will find the front facing video camera for video calls.  Pretty cool…and, it works allows video chatting over both Wifi and 3G.

The only other point I wanted to make about the hardware here is the size of the device.  At 4.8×2.6×0.5, this one is thicker, taller, and wider than my original iPod Touch (for example) and it shows.  I used the iPod Touch as a point of comparison because, for me, that was the perfect size for a one handed device.  I found the EVO to be too large to hold and operate with one hand.  I think HTC would have been wise to try to make this one skinnier, and possibly a bit narrower.  I was also disappointed by the lack of hard keyboard, though I suspect this is a bit of a trade off.  With the device already pushing the envelope in terms of size, a keyboard would only have added additional girth. 

Interface

The EVO is powered by Android version 2.1, which really offers quite a few significant updates over the previous Android phones we have reviewed here.  My favorite change is the Live Wallpaper.  This works like a regular wallpaper image, providing a background for your home screen.  The difference here though is that the Live Wallpaper images are immersive and interactive.  The one I am using now, for example, is Water, which displays an image of the surface of a lake or pond.  Leaves fall off the surrounding trees and drift aimlessly across the surface of the water.  Additionally, if you tap the surface of the water, ripples will spread across the screen.  This is just one of many roughly a dozen Live Wallpapers, a feature which I think goes a long way toward personalizing your interaction with your device.

The other great new addition to this version of Android is the thumbnail view.  One of my big frustrations with Android in the past was the difficulty of scrolling through seven pages of widgets, apps, and icons.  Now, with a single tap, you can switch into the thumbnail view, which will show an image of all seven screens at once.  Just tap any of the images to jump straight to that screen.

On top of the latest version of Android, you will also get HTC’s new user interface overlay, HTC Sense 2.  This is a significant improvement over the original Sense UI which was included, for example, in the HTC Hero.  It features all new icons, and a myriad of new widgets.  

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The most impressive of the new widgets is the FriendStream, which consolidates your FaceBook, Twitter, and Flickr feeds into one place.  Really, a very convenient option to stay on top of all of yoru various feeds.  Though it would have been nice if you could have customized the widget by adding other social networks, like Google Buzz, or even your email account. 

Obviously, I am only scratching the surface of both Android 2.1 and HTC Sense 2.  With only two weeks to spend with this phone, I did not have time to break this into multiple parts in order to really focus in on the interface itself.  Besides, I do not want to ruin all of the surprises.  Let’s just say that fans of Android will be extremely pleased with the updates to the operating system and interface on this phone.

The most impressive change for me, however, was the responsiveness of the interface.  With the HTC Hero, I often found that once I started adding widgets and apps to my home screens, the whole thing started dragging.  So, I was a little nervous to see how the expanded features would work with the device.  I should not have worried.  The EVO relies upon the new Snapdragon processor, the fastest processor in the West (as they say).   I really think you would have a hard time running this interface with all of its bells and whistles with any of the more traditional mobile processors.  The Snapdragon, on the other hand, was able to handle everything I tossed its way, and plenty more.  It really made for an extremely impressive user experience.  Seamless and responsive.

Communications

For as much as the EVO 4G and other smartphones can do, in the end, they are still phones.  Which means that beyond all else, this needs to be first and foremost a communication tool. 

Of course, a communication tool is going to start with the phone aspect of the smartphone.  And I have to say, I was pretty impressed by the phone on this one.  I have used too many smartphones which emphasize the smart at the expense of the phone.  That was the exact problem I had with the HTC Hero.

As I mentioned, the EVO 4G has no hard buttons for the phone.  To access it, you need to use the phone button at the bottom of the main interface.  I have to say, though, that I really missed that hardware button.  This on-screen button will open the phone interface, which looks fantastic on that large screen.  From here, you can scroll through your contacts and select the person you want to call, or you can opt to use the dialpad and enter the number manually. 

For additional options, you can tap the People icon in the lower right corner.  This is where all of your contacts are stored.  From here, you can scroll through your categories, groups, online directories, and call history.  What I really liked about the people menu was that Google has now taken a page out of the WebOS playbook, It takes all of your contacts from any linked accounts and merges them into a single list.  Unlike previous versions of android, which ended up with multiple repeated entries, Android 2 did an almost perfect job of merging my Google, Facebook, and other contacts into a seamless list.  This was incredibly impressive.  It means that no matter where my contacts’ information is stored, I can always access it through this People menu.

Now, I know what you are thinking, you want to be able to search through your contacts rather than scroll  through the entire list.  Yeah, you can do that too.  Just start tapping the dial pad and while you dial, you will also smart dial.  You will be automatically searching for the letter combinations you dialed.

Now that you can start a phone call, the real question, however, is how well the phone holds up while you are in the middle of a call.  I tested this phone extensively, and was extremely impressed.  The call quality was crystal clear.  I had no problems with interference, dropped calls, or other common problems normally associated with cell phone problems.  Most importantly (if I can take a cheap dig) I had no problems with interference, regardless of how I held the phone in my hand.  The biggest problem I had with the EVO’s predecessor, the HTC Hero, was that the phone would lock up if I received a phone call while doing anything else.  In other words, it was pretty much unusable.  With the Snapdragon processor on board, this has not been a problem at all.

Nowadays, however, as good as the phone portion can be, communications can mean an awful lot more than just phone calls.   It also includes email, messaging, and social networking.  All of this, of course, is only as good as your wireless connection, which is why the EVO comes with the best and the fastest, Sprint’s 4G next generation network.  I was a bit disappointed by the slow speed with which Sprint has been unfurling their new network.  It is blazing fast when you can get it, but here in the Nation’s Capitol, it is pretty spotty whether you will find 4G reception or not. 

Messaging and email worked much the same as previous versions of Android.  Which is to say that this was all quite functional, albeit a bit plain.  Fortunately, there are plenty of apps available to help spruce up your experience.  Two of my favorites were Handcent SMS for text messaging and eBuddy for Instant Messaging (both are free downloads from the Android Marketplace).  For email, I bypassed the mobile email app and went straight for Google’s Gmail application for Android, which is built into the phone.  It worked quite well, as did the other apps in Google’s Suite, including Google Voice.

Communications are always the first thing I look for with a new device.  For the most part, the three most important features on any phone I use are going to be phone, email, and messaging…in other words, communications, communications, communications!  It all starts and ends with my ability to use the phone to contact (and be contacted by) other people.  Toss in Sprint’s 4G network (along with the aforementioned Snapdragon processor) and this one allows communication unlike any phone I have used before.

Software

I have been really impressed by how far apps for Android have come in a very short time.  There is a wide assortment of apps included with the EVO, and plenty more available in the app store.  While we are on the subject, I was fairly impressed by the changes to the app store.  Gone is the dark background, in favor of a light, airy approach.  More importantly, the app descriptions now include screen shots, which is extremely important to me.  I was disappointed to find that the app store still includes various denominations of currency, meaning I still will need advanced math in order to figure out how many dollars it will cost me to purchase that two Euro app. 

Which brings us back to the apps which come preinstalled on the device.  Now, I am not going to look closely at every app you get…because we would be here all day talking about apps.  I’m just going to give you the quick rundown on some highlights (and lowlights if need be) and we will take it from there.

• Video chat: The first thing I want to talk about is Qik, because this is a fantastic app.  It allows you to connect with your contacts via video.  You can record videos and send them along to your contacts, or share your videos online.  Most importantly, however, you can use this app to connect with your contacts and conduct an online video chat straight from your phone over Wifi as well as 3G or 4G networks.  This is just an absolutely fantastic app, and I think this video chat option is a feature which will become far more commonplace in coming generations of mobile devices.  

• Calendar: One of the biggest features for me (other than communications) is the calendar.  I heavily rely on having a phone which is able to sync with my Google calendar.  Obviously, this being an Android phone, that was no problem at all.  In fact, all of my Google services synced right up without any problem whatsoever.  I was disappointed, however, that although you could view your agenda in all of the expected ways (day, week, month, etc..) the month and week (above) views did not show any specific detail.  In order to view any information about each entry you would need to go to the day view or open each entry individually.

• Voice Services: I am not a real fan of voice services, but I suspect I am in the minority on that one.  I know a lot of people who love the convenience of being able to obtain information without using the screen or onscreen keyboard.  The EVO features voice Google voice search, which even I have to admit is pretty cool.  The voice recognition worked great.  I spoke a search term into the microphone, and within seconds, Google spit out dozens of relevant results.  In addition to Voice Search, you can also use the EVO to dial your contacts using only the power of your voice. 

• Sprint Hotspot: Hotspots used to be an obscure feature which some phones included, and others hid extremely well within the device.  Today, hotspots have become one of the must have features of many higher end phones.  With devices like the iPad, iPod Touch,and other Wifi enabled devices, the ability to access the Internet from anywhere on any number of devices is extremely important.  I have use the Sprint Overdrive for my Internet connection needs, though I will say that on the train, holding an extra device can cause problems.  So, the idea of putting the Sprint Overdrive and my phone into a single, 4G enabled device is an extremely attractive proposition.

• GPS and Navigation: Sprint Navigation, which is powered by Telenav has been a stalwart of pretty much every phone and mobile device I have used on the Sprint network, so I was pretty surprised when I fired up the EVO.  Sure, Sprint Navigation is still there, but right alongside it is Google’s Navigation app.  I must admit, I was extremely impressed by this new feature.  It was easy to use and incredibly accurate, even along the back roads of Northern Virginia.  Of course, regardless of which app you use for navigation, your maps and directions will all look fantastic on that huge screen, which really lends itself to the GPS.

Media

My first thought when I saw the enormous screen the EVO sports was, my, won’t this be fantastic for multimedia, so I was excited to start testing it out.  I started with an easy toss up the middle, streaming some video from Youtube.  That worked well.  The screen offered a fantastic presentation, but it really left me hungry for more.  So, I headed over to the Sprint TV app, another app which was included free in the EVO.  I did find that some of the video appeared digitized, but this is mainly due to the fact that the videos primarily stream in standard quality, which does not display as well on a higher definition screen.  So, the fuzziness you may see was due to the quality of the media, not the device.  I will say, however, that I was disappointed not to find Netflix or Hulu Plus in the Android Market.  I can only hope they will both be coming soon.

Of course, if you want a more standard video experience, or just do not want to tie up your device with the streaming Internet content, then you can always transfer a video from your computer straight to your memory card.  Just tap the Videos app on the EVO to call up any of your stored videos.  What is really nice here is that I can pop a memory card into my video camera, record videos, and then pop the card into my EVO for easy viewing with absolutely effortless transfer.  The iPhone cannot make that claim.

Incidentally, this is also where that kickstand I mentioned will come in handy.  This allows you to prop the device up on your table or other flat surface while watching your videos.

With the apparent success of video, I was ready to move on to music, which is my primary form of entertainment, especially when I am at work.  First, I fired up the Music app, which is just gorgeous.  It really does a nice job of presenting the music in a CD case graphical representation.   Just flip through the CDs as though they were on a rack at your favorite free music store.

Then again, while this view may work great for a smaller library, when you have thousands of songs, like I do, your finger will get awfully tired scrolling through all of those “CDs”.  Fortunately, you also have the list view, which allows you to view your music sorted by artist, album, playlists, songs, genres, and composers.  In other words, pretty much all of the sorting options that any other media player would likely offer. 

I listened to a few songs here and then hopped over to Pandora to take a listen to how music would sound streaming into the EVO.  While I did not think the sound quality was nearly as crisp as my Zune HD, I will say that the sound quality on the EVO was pretty good.  Certainly on par with many media players I have tested, and good enough to recommend for every day as background noise in your office (or mine).

The final piece of the multimedia puzzle we need to discuss is the camera…erm…cameraS.  Yeah, there are two cameras on this one.  The first is a front facing camera, which you can use with Qik or any other video chat app.  One thing I did notice, however, is that accessing this front facing camera is not exactly easy.    You need to start by opening the camera app, but this will give you the back camera, which we will discuss in a moment.  To get to the front facing camera, you need to open the settings menu (above) and click the switch camera option.  A bit cumbersome, and pretty well hidden as well.

Meanwhile, on the back of the device is the main camera, which clocks in at a whopping 8 megapixels.  How impressive is that!  I have always been fairly critical of the substandard pictures included on these devices, but here is a test picture I took with this one.  The quality is absolutely crisp and incredible.  Obviously, not as good as my Canon G5, but then again, few cameras measure up to the Canon.

In addition to snapping pictures, you can also use the EVO to take some beautiful 720p HD video.  Again, pretty impressive.  You can even then use the HDMI slot on the device to watch the HD video content recorded on your EVO directly on your television of monitor.

Conclusion

I was really blown away by the EVO.  Almost every criticism I have expressed of Android phones has been addresses with this one.  The screen is the largest I have seen on any mobile device.  The result, unfortunately is a device which is almost too big to be used comfortably with one hand, but still…when you are watching video with the device propped up on that kickstand, all you really care about is the viewable space on the screen.  Likewise, the new interface combination of Android 2.1 and HTC SenseUI 2 is phenomenal, and really makes navigating your way through the device a treat.  Add in the Snapdragon processor and 4G capability , and you can start to get a sense of why this phone has been so highly praised.  This is, by far, the best smartphone I have used, and I think many consumers will have to give this one a second and even third look before deciding whether to leave Sprint for the iPhone 4. 

The HTC EVO 4G is available from Sprint for $199.99 which requires a 2-year contract.