HTC Evo 4G review

[JS80]

I have used a pretty wide range of smartphones - from WinMo phones to Sony Ericssons to iphones - and I have never had a phone lose more than a couple of percent of battery life overnight.

I definitely dont think it is a 'smartphone problem.'

If that's the case, then perhaps my Hero was running something in the background.

So I've been messing around with Qik and Bambusters (live broadcast over web) for about 40 minutes and it drained 20% of the battery.

 

[jlee]

If that's the case, then perhaps my Hero was running something in the background.

So I've been messing around with Qik and Bambusters (live broadcast over web) for about 40 minutes and it drained 20% of the battery.

Probably. If my Centro isn't doing anything, the battery will last for a very, very long time...but actively using it will suck it right down.

It will cost you $80 for individual but instead of going through EPRP for $10 cheaper...yu can search for ways to get 15%-27% of monthly bills via corp discount. 25% will make your $80 becomes $60. Its easier than you think. Do some searching.
The best way is to get others to go on a family plan.
With Sprint all everything $130 plan for 2 people and $20 extra line($30 for EVO).
If you get 5 people, it becomes $48 per person not including any corp discount you can find. No other cell provider can come close to touching this.

Which is great, if you have five people and a 25% discount. I have one person and can get 15%.

 

[you2]

Thanks Jlee. I will do this if they will let me renew my phone early. I've been with sprint for 10 years but 7 months ago I head to get a new phone (old phone battery died after 4 years; and it was no longer made). If they don't let me renew early I will cancel sprint and go with the incredible or iphone 4. After all it will be cheaper to switch provider to do this...

Everything 450: $69.99 + $10 EVO surcharge..$79.99 + applicable taxes, or EPRP for $10 less.

 

[you2]

My plain phone 3810 cp (which I like quite a bit) will last a week or two; BUT if I am out of service area and it has to scan; it will die over night.

Probably. If my Centro isn't doing anything, the battery will last for a very, very long time...but actively using it will suck it right down.



Which is great, if you have five people and a 25% discount. I have one person and can get 15%.

 

[jlee]

Thanks Jlee. I will do this if they will let me renew my phone early. I've been with sprint for 10 years but 7 months ago I head to get a new phone (old phone battery died after 4 years; and it was no longer made). If they don't let me renew early I will cancel sprint and go with the incredible or iphone 4. After all it will be cheaper to switch provider to do this...

If you've been with them for 10 years, you should be a premier member and as such eligible for a phone upgrade every 12 months.

 

[JS80]

Probably. If my Centro isn't doing anything, the battery will last for a very, very long time...but actively using it will suck it right down.



Which is great, if you have five people and a 25% discount. I have one person and can get 15%.

Yea I remember when I had a Centro back in my SERO days, it would last me 3 days.

Battery at 60%, with some calls, regular texting, some google map for traffic (went to Costco).

I would say today was light use. I would expect a regular day would drain down to 40% and a heavy use day would drain to empty. But overall I am satisfied. Turned off 4g when not using heavy web. 3G DL speed at 1900 kbps, 4G hit 3500 kbps.

My buddy founded a portable battery charger company. Think size of something a little thicker than an Airborne bottle, and can "charge an iPhone three times." For $50 retail (he'll give me for wholesale). I'm going to invest in one.

 

[you2]

Yea - but that means I have to wait 5 months; until nov 1st.

If you've been with them for 10 years, you should be a premier member and as such eligible for a phone upgrade every 12 months.

 

[randomlinh]

Thanks Jlee. I will do this if they will let me renew my phone early. I've been with sprint for 10 years but 7 months ago I head to get a new phone (old phone battery died after 4 years; and it was no longer made). If they don't let me renew early I will cancel sprint and go with the incredible or iphone 4. After all it will be cheaper to switch provider to do this...

good luck. no one seems to care much about loyalty. I was with verizon for 8yrs, and they didn't really care I was leaving, heh.

 

[you2]

Yea. They said they might be able to do something 90 days early which would be Aug 1st. That might work for me. It will give me time to see what the iphone 4 looks like and if there are hidden issues with the evo as well as better gauge battery life on the evo. From my perspective it is their loss if they don't allow an early upgrade. My phone is dirt cheap from a whole sale cost perspective (non-data phone scp 3810) and my plan cost will double also it is clearly less expensive for me to break the contract and go elsewhere than pay non-discounted price for the phone so in a weird sense they are encouraging me to go elsewhere Alas it looks like policy will win out over common sense which might not be such a bad thing. The incredible is a bit smaller and verzion service area is a bit better

[One thing i want to see on the iphone 4 is battery life; it is said to have the new processor in the ipad; and if they double the battery life on the device it would be an interesting trade off.]

good luck. no one seems to care much about loyalty. I was with verizon for 8yrs, and they didn't really care I was leaving, heh.

 

[yh125d]

Had mine almost 24 hrs, and I have no idea what people are smoking when they say iphone OS is better than android. I am baffled by how good this phone is


Batt life isn't as bad as I thought it would be either. An evening of browsing on 3g, downloading apps, watching youtube vids (4+ hours), running overnight, another hour of dinking around with it this morning, and it was only a tad under half batt (from full). About as good as my old HTC Fuze, maybe a bit better even. Definitely satisfactory

 

[Narmer]

My HTC Hero would go from 80% to 0% over night. So I don't think this is a EVO problem. It's a smartphone problem.

I have an HTC mobile phone and I can tell you that they skimp on the battery. After a couple of months usage, the battery would die after only a couple of hours use. I got one of those cheap aftermarket batteries and the phone can go for days without needing to be charged. Don't waste your money on the official batteries. You can get cheap, Taiwanese ones for like $6.

 

[sjwaste]

My Evo sat overnight and lost a negligible amount of battery. Not sure that could even tell just looking at the battery meter.

I'm loving this thing so far.

 

[tfinch2]

My HTC Hero would go from 80% to 0% over night. So I don't think this is a EVO problem. It's a smartphone problem.

That is a crock. On days where I don't use voice or web at all, and just sync/read e-mail on my Hero, the battery will last 2 days.

 

[zerocool84]

Had mine almost 24 hrs, and I have no idea what people are smoking when they say iphone OS is better than android. I am baffled by how good this phone is


Batt life isn't as bad as I thought it would be either. An evening of browsing on 3g, downloading apps, watching youtube vids (4+ hours), running overnight, another hour of dinking around with it this morning, and it was only a tad under half batt (from full). About as good as my old HTC Fuze, maybe a bit better even. Definitely satisfactory

For slickness and ease of use the iPhone OS is better but it lacks so much damn basic functionality. Also you're using Sense UI over Android which has a lot of UI tweaks to it and makes it more user friendly.

 

[yh125d]

For slickness and ease of use the iPhone OS is better but it lacks so much damn basic functionality. Also you're using Sense UI over Android which has a lot of UI tweaks to it and makes it more user friendly.

I don't even like iPhone for slickness/EoU. I learned android much faster than I learned iPhone in the past, and prefer it even for slickness

 

[Muadib]

I don't even like iPhone for slickness/EoU. I learned android much faster than I learned iPhone in the past, and prefer it even for slickness

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

 

[JS80]

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

I don't think anyone denies apple products are for lowest common denominator.

 

[you2]

From my perspective they are all the same. Andriod has the advantage since it is open (flash and stuff) apple has the advantage with apps (games and such) and i'm fairly sure iphone 4 will kick the evo with regards to battery life.

Me? I will go with the evo if I can convince sprint to let me upgrade early - else I will go with iphone 4 and boycott sprint for the next 20 years (when I get sick of at&t I'll give verizon a shot ).

I don't think anyone denies apple products are for lowest common denominator.

 

[zerocool84]

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

lol well with ease of use comes lack of functionality. Android is not the best OS at all but it's so damn customizable and does so much that it's ok to give up some usability just like people are ok giving up basic functions to have the iPhone.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

That's a non-issue for me... It's been a few years since I've been either 9 or a mother.

 

[tatteredpotato]

I'd like to add I really like Sprint's user account website... much better than Verizon's or Alltel's (the only others I have experience with).

 

[her209]

I don't think anyone denies apple products are for lowest common denominator.

Hey now... no need to insult Apple fanbois like that.

 

[yh125d]

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

Both have a sleep button to turn on the screen. If they could figure out the iphone but not the evo they're dumb as a box of rocks.


Yeah, you can view iphone as being easier to pick up, but I see it as simplicity for no good reason. It's not like android is at all complicated to learn if you have any knowledge of the basic functionality of a smartphone, and lets face it, most people who buy iphones and flagship android phones have an idea of what they're doing.


I know there's a large portion of individual preference for each person, but android felt more immediately intuitive to me. iphone OS seems just bland.

 

[CTrain]

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

Wow, did you just compared the 2 by referencing a 9yr old and a mom ??

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Call me an Apple fanboy if you must, but one of us is on something.:awe: I've had my Evo since Friday, and it is no where near as easy as my iPhone was. Don't believe me? Hand your phone to a 9yo or to your mom and say use it. I did that with my iPhone, and both could with no problems. I did the same with the Evo, and neither could get the screen to come on.

My mom and grandma know how to use my blackberry and I didn't have to teach them how to use it. If anyone is inquisitive enough they will figure out how to do it in a very short while.