Android's first Courtship
There was a time when HTC was the darling of Android for Google. Shortly after acquiring Android, +Google and +HTC unleashed the G1 unto the world. A few years later, the Nexus One was born and thus Google's Nexus program along with it. Despite the G1, I was a staunch Blackberry user, supporter and espouser; but then the EVO 4G came along, and that changed everything for me.
First Impressions
Jumping Ship
The EVO 4G was my introduction to Android. Prior to the EVO, I was strictly a BlackBerry person. In fact, my whole premise for getting a new phone was because my BlackBerry had bricked on me. I didn't want to get the same phone as before, and RIM's (that was their name before they changed it) touch screen offering was lackluster. So I went with an HTC Tilt 2; which was a Windows Mobile device with a slide out QWERTY and a stylus. If it hadn't been so slow, I would have probably kept it. Thankfully, during my 30 day window, the EVO debuted. I now had a reason to get rid of my Tilt and say adios to AT&T. I was on my way home and as I passed the Sprint store on 42nd and 6th, I saw a line for the EVO 4G; it was the only phone I have ever stood in line for.
First Impressions
When I unboxed my EVO, Apple's packaging influence was apparent. HTC made a point to highlight the use of post recycled paper and cardboard. It was a nice touch and great for looking out for the planet, but frankly, that didn't stroke me much. What caught my eye was that red interior. Coming from vanilla BlackBerry land, this was very striking. Yes, it sounds ridiculous when l say it out loud, but that made my heart skip a beat. It almost seems as if they were forecasting their interest Beats Audio. Regardless of their intention, the red interior definitely made the EVO 4G distinctive.
User Interface
The EVO made its debut with Android 2.1 (Eclair) and a manufacturer UI from HTC called Sense. These OEM UIs are commonly called skins; because they are software that sits on top of the OS and overlaps the stock (Google Developed) UI choices. What's interesting is that Google later adopts a lot of the UI developments and folds them into future iterations of Android. Slide up to unlock is one such feature-though due to Apple going after HTC by suing them, Google modified this by having the user drag a padlock is an arc motion to unlock their device. Many a blogger has given their pros and cons relative to manufacturer skins, though none has come under fire more than HTC's Sense and Samsung's Touchwiz. Coming from BlackBerry, there were definitely some things I missed when it came to contact/PIM management. In short, HTC's UI was intuitive and not as frustrating as using another phone from HTC that was Win/CE based.
Top 5 Favorite Features/Noted Specs
There were multiple features and specs on the EVO that made it an easy jump to an Android device for me.
1. Screen Size: Going from BlackBerry's 2" screen to the 4.3" Hi Res screen on the EVO was a no brainer. I was instantly satisfied with the increased screen area. Viewing pictures and video seemed more natural and less like a wasted feature. The increased screen area also added a boost in productivity with regard to email management.
2. Sense ROM: Though many people have balked at OEM "skins", I actually enjoyed the overlay that HTC put on Android. At the time HTC included features in their UI that were not part of stock Android. Swipe to unlock to name one, and lock screen widgets to name another were very functional and useful for me.
3. Micro SD: Micro SD was not a new feature at the time; however, it's inclusion on many Android devices was not the norm. As a BlackBerry user, I was accustomed to having expanded storage, so it's inclusion in the EVO was an added bonus.
Top 5 Favorite Features/Noted Specs
There were multiple features and specs on the EVO that made it an easy jump to an Android device for me.
1. Screen Size: Going from BlackBerry's 2" screen to the 4.3" Hi Res screen on the EVO was a no brainer. I was instantly satisfied with the increased screen area. Viewing pictures and video seemed more natural and less like a wasted feature. The increased screen area also added a boost in productivity with regard to email management.
2. Sense ROM: Though many people have balked at OEM "skins", I actually enjoyed the overlay that HTC put on Android. At the time HTC included features in their UI that were not part of stock Android. Swipe to unlock to name one, and lock screen widgets to name another were very functional and useful for me.
3. Micro SD: Micro SD was not a new feature at the time; however, it's inclusion on many Android devices was not the norm. As a BlackBerry user, I was accustomed to having expanded storage, so it's inclusion in the EVO was an added bonus.
4. Wireless Charging: Though not manufacturer installed, the EVO was one of the
few devices that supported wireless charging via PowerMat. Thankfully the replacement cover was just as thin as the one that shipped with the EVO, so there was no added weight.
few devices that supported wireless charging via PowerMat. Thankfully the replacement cover was just as thin as the one that shipped with the EVO, so there was no added weight.
5. Removable Battery: Again, as a BlackBerry user, I was very used to having a removable battery; yet many Android devices did not, and the so called perennial handset has never had a removable battery. Since I am a road warrior, a removable battery is a must.
Notable Mentions:
Kickstand: the kickstand was a featured selling point for the EVO 4G. Though it did not factor in to my decision to get the phone, it was definitely a nice bonus. HTC heavily promoted the Hi Res screen and the fact that you could watch video content at your leisure without having to hold the phone in your hand. I have to admit, it did come in handy while watching YouTube clips in Bryant Park.
Camera: Admittedly, photos were not a focal point for me as a Blackberry user. The 8MP camera that came in the EVO 4G was a very good camera for a mobile phone, especially for its time. I still have photos that I took during a visit to the NY Botanical Gardens and I have no complaints. Color reproduction was satisfactory and there was not a lot of noise in the photos.
Music/Sound: I am not just a music lover, I am also a recording artist; and I must say that HTC did a great job when it came to its music app. The music player lock screen widget was beyond useful because I did not have to unlock my phone in order to advance to the next track and I did not have to deal with dedicated hardware buttons. Besides the excellent music widget and app, HTC coupled this with great sound reproduction.
Social/PIM Integration: The way Sense integrated PIM, for me, was seamless. I had no issues transferring my contacts, notes, and other non-email content to my EVO. Additionally, the ability to consolidate information from my multiple digital profiles was very welcome, especially since I didn't have to be tethered to my computer if I didn't need to be.
Kickstand: the kickstand was a featured selling point for the EVO 4G. Though it did not factor in to my decision to get the phone, it was definitely a nice bonus. HTC heavily promoted the Hi Res screen and the fact that you could watch video content at your leisure without having to hold the phone in your hand. I have to admit, it did come in handy while watching YouTube clips in Bryant Park.
Camera: Admittedly, photos were not a focal point for me as a Blackberry user. The 8MP camera that came in the EVO 4G was a very good camera for a mobile phone, especially for its time. I still have photos that I took during a visit to the NY Botanical Gardens and I have no complaints. Color reproduction was satisfactory and there was not a lot of noise in the photos.
Music/Sound: I am not just a music lover, I am also a recording artist; and I must say that HTC did a great job when it came to its music app. The music player lock screen widget was beyond useful because I did not have to unlock my phone in order to advance to the next track and I did not have to deal with dedicated hardware buttons. Besides the excellent music widget and app, HTC coupled this with great sound reproduction.
Social/PIM Integration: The way Sense integrated PIM, for me, was seamless. I had no issues transferring my contacts, notes, and other non-email content to my EVO. Additionally, the ability to consolidate information from my multiple digital profiles was very welcome, especially since I didn't have to be tethered to my computer if I didn't need to be.
Wireless Charging: When the EVO 4G was released, the number of smartphones that supported wireless charging was very few and very far between. Thankfully, HTC partnered with PowerMat, thus making this great phone one of few that supported wireless charging. To my surprise, PowerMat was able to develop a noninvasive battery door within a very short amount of time; out also added a negligible amount of weight. I truly relished his setting my phone down to charge, rather than crying tethered to an outlet.
Caveats
Fragility: Despite its solid feel, the HTC EVO 4G was a fragile phone. I went through two of them. I live in New York City; a very good battle test ground for device durability. While walking up the subway stairs on the L line, I slipped and unfortunately landed on my phone; which hit the edge of the stair screen first. The screen splintered on the bottom right corner and was unusable, so I had to get a
'new one'. The second phone decided that it had enough and the screen just would not turn on. I truly missed BB's separate PIN option for desktop synchronization. Once that happened, I was done with HTC.
Fragility: Despite its solid feel, the HTC EVO 4G was a fragile phone. I went through two of them. I live in New York City; a very good battle test ground for device durability. While walking up the subway stairs on the L line, I slipped and unfortunately landed on my phone; which hit the edge of the stair screen first. The screen splintered on the bottom right corner and was unusable, so I had to get a
'new one'. The second phone decided that it had enough and the screen just would not turn on. I truly missed BB's separate PIN option for desktop synchronization. Once that happened, I was done with HTC.
OS Updates: Although Google and Sprint are just as much to blame, HTC deserves equal parts or more. Anyone who has owned an HTC device knows they are notorious for lackadaisical updates to new versions of Android. This was true for this phone as well. I vaguely remember my frustration as I noted no concrete date for the EVO's upgrade schedule. Thankfully, all parties have vastly improved their approach; ensuring that users either get the latest Android features or have access to them via the Google Play Store.
Sprint's Helter Skelter 4G Commitment: WiMax was not considered to be true 4G by many in the industry; however, my HTC phone's data access was definitely better than my previous ones. Given this, Sprint did not turn on its WiMax towers in NYC in a timely manner. When they finally did get true 4G capabilities in NYC, they had all but abandoned WiMax. Honestly, if it were not for their unlimited data plan at a competitive price, I would not be a Sprint customer.
Sprint's Helter Skelter 4G Commitment: WiMax was not considered to be true 4G by many in the industry; however, my HTC phone's data access was definitely better than my previous ones. Given this, Sprint did not turn on its WiMax towers in NYC in a timely manner. When they finally did get true 4G capabilities in NYC, they had all but abandoned WiMax. Honestly, if it were not for their unlimited data plan at a competitive price, I would not be a Sprint customer.
Conclusion: The HTC EVO 4G was the best introduction to Android that I could have possibly had. Google's mobile OS was beginning to come into its own and HTC's Sense skin was not terrible nor displeasing to the eye. Transitioning from BlackBerry, HTC delivered on almost everything that mattered to me: User Interface, User Experience, Expandable Memory, and Easy Integration with my existing tech family. Due to the unfortunate sudden screen outage, I cannot attest to an optimal build quality, especially since I went through two phones early in the EVO 4G's life cycle.
The 8MP camera took great photos; giving me confidence in a mobile phone camera-from a general use perspective at least. Sometimes a novelty feature can add something to the experience that you didn't know you wanted; the kickstand was that for me. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to music or watching a movie without having to hold the phone in my hands. Considering the weight of the EVO 4G, this was very welcome.
Given a choice, I would buy the HTC EVO 4G again. It was a solid phone with UX elements that were thought out and set standards that other OEMs emulated and Google eventually incorporated into Android. Presently, HTC no longer has the EVO line; hopefully they revive it because it was a great line with great features. Honestly, I probably would not have considered an Android device had it not been for HTC's first flagship device.
-Edmund
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| Court were of Sprint.com |
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| Courtesy Sprint.com |
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| Courtesy Sprint.com |