Living With Evo For Almost Three Months Now My Review..

[BetterMost]

My goodness I can hardly believe almost three months have past since Evos launch. I sure wish that HTC had done its home work and had a better phone for sale at launch time. My having to exchange the handset four times within five weeks for various problems has kind of put me off of HTC and thats sad because it didn't really have to be that way. Radio Shack didn't help matters either when they demanded Evo 4 back after finding Evo 3 was an exchange through Sprint but in the end all parties worked through the matter and I was able to keep Evo #4.

So lets get back to the handset itself. Evo #4 has been a dream its working very very well and I have really had no issues with it. No light leak, no lifting screen, no short in the function key lighting and no dead pixels. Now for a list of what I like and don't like about this handset.

1. I like the kick stand I thought it was goofy at first but I find I use it a lot now.
2. General size, for me this handset is to big, I know the huge screen is nice but I find it a bit to big and very heavy to carry around all day.I wish it were a bit smaller and lighter.
3. The battery is totally unreliable, one day I get 20 hours the next I get 6 very very strange HTC.
4. Android operating system is the best better than IPhone hands down.
5. HTC needs to use better looking and feeling materials on there phones the cheesy battery door on this handset is a disgrace.
6. The power switch is the worst I have seen on a phone ever!
7. The camera on this phone is beautiful takes great pictures and videos.
8. This phone in general is easy to operate and easy to learn for an Android noob like I was.
9. On a whole this handset has good call quality.
10. I like sense IU I maybe the only one but I like it.
11. HTC needs to make this handset more stylish don't ask me what that means but its just to plain Jane for my tastes.
12. The screen is beautiful looking I don't see the need here for an LED or better type of screen. This screen is clean and crisp enough for me.
13. I'm impressed with the Android market it works well and I like the prices mostly free!!
14. The standard browser sux they need to improve this.
15. I'm very happy with Sprint so far no problems or issues they have been nice when I called in with problems.
16. Over all I like the phone but I want more. More internal memory, more style, better switches, and better power management.
17 But I want less too. Less size, less weight, less crappy feeling plastic, less hassle from HTC when there products go bad.

That just about sums it up for me. I'm waiting HTC for Evo 2 Im sure it will be a sweet ride when it arrives some day. At the end of the day however the Evo is a great first effort in the mega Smart Phone arena.

 

[avacomputers]

Maybe, you should design your own device. You just sound like a whiner to me. You can't have it all. This is a great device and although the build quality is not perfect I'm still on a launch week Evo.

 

[RedhddOne]

16. Over all I like the phone but I want more. More internal memory, more style, better switches, and better power management.
17 But I want less too. Less size, less weight, less crappy feeling plastic, less hassle from HTC when there products go badI .

I'm not trying to pick a fight or start an e-argument, but if you wanted less size and weight... perhaps this really isn't the phone for you. Perhaps a Hero?

I am in love with the size (insert girl/size freak joke here) because it is better on my eyes. I remember squinting sometimes to read something on my Pre.

 

[dan330]

glad you love / hate your phone.

this is not directed at you personally.. just in general.. and in conversation...

yes .. as you can see... NO device is perfect.
even IF it is a perfect device for what it is.. we will find things that we wish it could do, and ask why they dont.

remember when the first PDA came out.. it was great..
but we asked.. why does it not make phone calls?
when they did make calls.. we asked why dont they take good pics?
then why dont they take good video?
why cant we surf the net easy?
why cant we watch shows and movies?
why cant it help navigate us?
why cant it combine all this and make it cross reference the information?
why cant it.... (fill in the blank)


suggestion... be happy with what you got... life will be more fulfilling!

PS... thanks for the good review OP.. a little contradicting.

 

[Bagua]

Nice review glad you like it more than you hate it.

 

[Draiko]

It's impossible to please everyone all the time.

I love my Evo. I think it's an amazing 2010 handheld and applaud HTC, Google, and Sprint on it. Could it be better? Of course! The inevitable Evo 2 will probably have some nice improvements.

The only (plausible) hardware changes I'd make for the next version would be:

1. Use a Tegra 2 instead of a Snapdragon-based SoC. That would bump up the performance and the battery life quite a bit.

2. A 4.3" Pixel Qi display with higher resolution

3. SDXC support

4. More robust battery cover

5. More convenient location for the MicroSD slot

6. Dual high-quality mics

7. Gyroscope

8. Better camera lens placement. Having it stick out was a little unwise.

9. No branding on the face.

10. Inductive charging (like the Palm Pre's touchstone)

I'd keep everything else the same (especially the kickstand).

The one other wish I have for the next Evo would be to ruggedize it a little bit. Waterproof and shock proof it. I don't see that happening.

Edit: Added a couple of things to the list.

 

[BetterMost]

It's impossible to please everyone all the time.

I love my Evo. I think it's an amazing 2010 handheld and applaud HTC, Google, and Sprint on it. Could it be better? Of course! The inevitable Evo 2 will probably have some nice improvements.

The only (plausible) hardware changes I'd make for the next version would be:

1. Use a Tegra 2 instead of a Snapdragon-based SoC. That would bump up the performance and the battery life quite a bit.

2. A Pixel Qi display

3. SDXC support

4. More robust battery cover

5. More convenient location for the MicroSD slot

6. Dual high-quality mics

7. Gyroscope

8. Better camera lens placement. Having it stick out was a little unwise.

I'd keep everything else the same (especially the kickstand).

The one other wish I have for the next Evo would be to ruggedize it a little bit. Waterproof and shock proof it. I don't see that happening.

Good point on the camera lens I forgot to address that one.

 

[Draiko]

Good point on the camera lens I forgot to address that one.

Yeah, it's a minor gripe and is easily fixed with a case. I'll take that over the iPhone 4's "fixed-only-with-a-case" issue any day!

Yeah, I'd definitely make those changes on my list and call the next version the Evo HD.

Bringing 1280x720 to a 4.3" display is very possible. It would have ~342 dpi versus the iPhone 4's 326 dpi. I can see that happening as early as next year. A Tegra 2 + Pixel Qi combo would have no problem supporting that res (and a higher fps rate) while keeping a 12+ hour battery life and making the display perfectly visible in direct sunlight.

That hardware loadout would be the only way I'd upgrade my Evo next year.

 

[jparker71]

I had initial concerns that it was going to be too bulky in my pocket but that hasn't been a issue. Love this phone a little bit more every day.

 

[pb pedis]

It's interesting how varied experiences can be. While I still have my 6/4/10 launch day EVO, and have zero issues with it, others have replaced theirs 4 times. That said, I bought two EVO's on launch day and while mine is great, I did have to bring my wife's phone to sprint who determined the shutdown of the screen sensitivity was a hardware problem and exchanged it for a refurbished unit. As has been said before, no device is perfect, and it's unlikely for a revolutionary device like the EVO to be 100% problem free for EVERY one of its users.

Personally, I am so attached to this device I can't go anywhere without it. I feel lucky to own so much technology and capability in my pocket. Having come from a Treo 755p before the EVO, I will never again be behind the times on a smart phone.

 

[BetterMost]

It's interesting how varied experiences can be. While I still have my 6/4/10 launch day EVO, and have zero issues with it, others have replaced theirs 4 times. That said, I bought two EVO's on launch day and while mine is great, I did have to bring my wife's phone to sprint who determined the shutdown of the screen sensitivity was a hardware problem and exchanged it for a refurbished unit. As has been said before, no device is perfect, and it's unlikely for a revolutionary device like the EVO to be 100% problem free for EVERY one of its users.

Personally, I am so attached to this device I can't go anywhere without it. I feel lucky to own so much technology and capability in my pocket. Having come from a Treo 755p before the EVO, I will never again be behind the times on a smart phone.

And the specs seem to be getting better and better with each new offering like the Epic not a whole lot better but a little bit. You can only imagine what will be out next year at this time.

 

[Bnice]

I don't own this phone but i go to all the carriers and check out the latest phones,this is one of the best phone out there,i like the soft finish on the back and it doesn't have that cheap look or feel like the galaxy s,the screen size is a beast and make up for the resolution but imagine if they up the resolution or when they do, and improve on some of the features you guys mention.(my girl have this phone so i get to play with it,she's 5 1"and love her phone)..

 

[novox77]

The one other wish I have for the next Evo would be to ruggedize it a little bit. Waterproof and shock proof it. I don't see that happening.

I like this idea. Call it the Evo Sport.

 

[Brewmeister]

glad you love / hate your phone.
...
remember when the first PDA came out.. it was great..
but we asked.. why does it not make phone calls?
when they did make calls.. we asked why dont they take good pics?
then why dont they take good video?
why cant we surf the net easy?
why cant we watch shows and movies?
why cant it help navigate us?
why cant it combine all this and make it cross reference the information?
why cant it.... (fill in the blank)


suggestion... be happy with what you got... life will be more fulfilling!
...

Actually, I think that you contradict yourself a little here. If everyone were happy with what they had and didn't keep asking for more, would they ever have made a phone with more?

Personally, the size of the Evo is one of the things that almost turned me off to the phone. I even almost considered an Epic (even though I hate sliders), until I realized that it was the same size (maybe even a little bigger), but with a smaller screen.

Now, it's obviously unrealistic to think that the phone could be any smaller with as big of a display, but I'd almost prefer a smaller display (with all other features the same) just for a smaller phone. Now, it could be that adding the 4G radio was another driving factor in the size (maybe why the Epic is the same size), and they simply took advantage of the increase with added screen size rather than the screen size driving the phone size; only the Devs know.

-Brew

 

[novox77]

Personally, the size of the Evo is one of the things that almost turned me off to the phone. I even almost considered an Epic (even though I hate sliders), until I realized that it was the same size (maybe even a little bigger), but with a smaller screen.

Considering the Droid X is selling just fine, and it's bigger than the Evo, I think most people don't have a problem with the phone size. As far as touchscreen phones go, I prefer my screen to be bigger. Makes it that much easier to type fast, especially in portrait mode. I think the Evo did a damn good job fitting as much screen on the front face as possible. Both iPhones and the Epic fail at this. (epic fail lol). But the epic has the keyboard, so I'd imagine a lot of ppl who buy epics do so for the keyboard, and the touchscreen size becomes less important.

Also, most of us are at an age where tiny screens and text size aren't an issue. But a lot of people age 40 and up start losing their near vision, and the bigger screen is much more preferable. iPhone 4 got it totally wrong. Increasing the res and keeping the size the same doesn't improve the functionality of the phone one bit.

And here's a pre-release evo next to an iphone. It's not that much bigger in physical size, but the screen is so much bigger. Props to HTC for that.

 

[FunDroid]

I wonder why they ditched the red screen?

 

[jxr94]

Hasn't it only been 2 months and some change?

 

[evo_stunts]

brew...
i love mine , i wouldnt want any other device , if you wanted the evo , just smaller you should got the htc droid incredible , i just bought it for my girl , and it really is basicly the same phone , just 3.7 in screen , its actually pretty nice , and got outstanding reviews , but just a question , did you take back your phone just because of the light leak ?? and did they replace it because of that ??? i have it , but it really dont bother me at all , but if they would give me a new one without i might go in and take it

 

[evo_stunts]

and ps in that pic up there the iphone is so ugly compared to the evo

 

[con40]

that evo doesnt look that much bigger than iphone but the screen size is a heck of a difference.

 

[Brewmeister]

brew...
i love mine , i wouldnt want any other device , if you wanted the evo , just smaller you should got the htc droid incredible , i just bought it for my girl , and it really is basicly the same phone , just 3.7 in screen , its actually pretty nice , and got outstanding reviews , but just a question , did you take back your phone just because of the light leak ?? and did they replace it because of that ??? i have it , but it really dont bother me at all , but if they would give me a new one without i might go in and take it

You must have gotten messages crossed. I haven't returned an Evo yet. I'm still on a couple of waiting lists and trying to get my first. The biggest reason that I didn't go with the Incredible is that I've been with Sprint for years, and would prefer to stay (that, and I happen to be in a good 4G area). After all is said and done though (and after taking yet another look at the phones at BB), I did decide that I prefer the bigger screen just because I do plan to use it for tasks that it's better suited for.

-Brew

 

[evo_stunts]

You must have gotten messages crossed. I haven't returned an Evo yet. I'm still on a couple of waiting lists and trying to get my first. The biggest reason that I didn't go with the Incredible is that I've been with Sprint for years, and would prefer to stay (that, and I happen to be in a good 4G area). After all is said and done though (and after taking yet another look at the phones at BB), I did decide that I prefer the bigger screen just because I do plan to use it for tasks that it's better suited for.

-Brew

"My having to exchange the handset four times within five weeks for various problems has kind of put me off of HTC and thats sad because it didn't really have to be that way. Radio Shack didn't help matters either when they demanded Evo 4 back after finding Evo 3 was an exchange through Sprint but in the end all parties worked through the matter and I was able to keep Evo #4. "

you said you returned 3 phones and are now on #4

edit --- found the error i ment to mess bettermost , not brew , names kinda look the same at a glance

 

[jediknight36]

I am on two waiting lists for mine. My wife dosent like the size, but the new Galaxy S coming out for Sprint is only .3 in difference in screen and she likes that. Go fig. Im jumping from a Palm Pre to the EVO. I heard the battery life wasn't amazing, but neither is the pre. I bought a AA adapter for when Im on the go to to support the pre. My wife's pre lasts all day, mine wont. So Im used to it. I just hope the Android world isnt like the Apple world with keeping up with the Jones'.

 

[jws]

nice review. i totally agree with the battery door, it feels creaky and cheap. this really shouldn't be that hard of a fix for htc. i shouldn't need to stick a shim to make it not creak when pressing down.

the size is a bit large (i frequently have to 2-hand operate it), but overall the phone is awesome.

 

[sk0rpius]

my only gripe is the power management issue other than that its the best damn phone around....period...