HTC Evo 4G

[Android Devices] Debuting just before CES 2011, the HTC Evo Shift 4G is Sprint's third 4G smartphone and also the most affordable one in its lineup. At $149.99 with a two-year contract, it's $50 less than the Samsung Epic 4G and the HTC Evo 4G and sure, the cheaper price comes with some trade-offs--smaller display, 800MHz processor (versus 1GHz), no front-facing camera or HDMI port--but the Evo Shift still has plenty to offer. Running Android 2.2, the smartphone has 4G support and solid performance. It also combines an easy-to-use physical keyboard in a more compact and solid design. If you're counting your pennies or prefer your devices on the smaller side, the HTC Evo Shift 4G is a great alternative to the Epic 4G.

As a mobile platform, the EVO 4G's Android foundation is still an infant -- well, okay, perhaps it's a tweener -- but in its two-odd years in the public spotlight, the list of truly revolutionary devices to use it has been a significant one: the G1 for being the first to market; the Nexus One for ushering in a new (and subsequently killed) retail model; perhaps the CLIQ for introducing Motorola to the platform or the Droid for bringing the company some desperately needed, long overdue success. For the moment, anyway, a whopping fraction of the world's most important phones are running Google's little experiment. HTC Vigor

Needless to say, Sprint, HTC, and quite frankly, many of us have come to expect the EVO 4G to join that short list for some obvious reasons. Put simply, its magnificent list of specs reads as though it was scribbled on a napkin after a merry band of gadget nerds got tipsy at the watering hole and started riffing about their idea of the ultimate mobile device: a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch WVGA display, 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording, HDMI-out, and WiMAX compatibility. Of course, the list of potential deal-breakers for a phone is as long as the EVO 4G's display is wide; to put it another way, there are countless ways HTC, Sprint, or even Google could've screwed this thing up. So does this moderately intimidating black slab of pure engineering and marketing -- this high-profile bet on Sprint's future -- deliver the goods? Read on.

HTC EVO 4G Video





The good: The HTC Evo Shift 4G has a solid design with a comfortable physical keyboard. The Android 2.2 smartphone is 4G capable and can be used as a mobile hot spot.

The bad: Lacks a front-facing camera and HDMI port.

The bottom line: For those who crave a physical keyboard, the HTC Evo Shift 4G is a solid choice with a more wallet-friendly price than its 4G competitors, and it doesn't sacrifice too many features.





Design
The HTC Evo Shift 4G takes some style cues from its eye-catching, touch-only sibling, the HTC Evo 4G, but the Shift stands out on its own, as it combines high-quality look and feel. At 4.6 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick and 5.9 ounces, the slider smartphone is much more comfortable to hold than the larger and wider Evo. In addition, the soft-touch finish and aluminum accents give it a more premium feel than the Samsung Epic 4G, which felt a bit plasticky and slick.

Overview