After leaks last week pointed to Sprint outing the first 4G phone at the opening of CTIA in Las Vegas, Sprint made good on its promise by formally announcing America’s first 4G phone on Tuesday. While we’re still disappointed that Sprint decided not to roll with the frighteningly fast codename “Supersonic” as originally rumored, the Android-powered HTC EVO will boast 4G WiMax along with a slew of other high-end features.
Sprint claims the EVO’s 4G WiMax modem will offer speeds up to three times as fast as 3G. Our own dabbling with Clear’s WiMax network here in Portland suggests that’s slightly optimistic, but two or three times better speed looks realistic, and the claimed 10x factor could be possible with hardware and network upgrades. For times the EVO falls outside the 27 4G markets Sprint currently blankets, the EVO also has an independent 3G modem to fall back on.
Like the Windows-Mobile-powered HD2, the HTC EVO will use a massive 4.3-inch screen, but run Google Android 2.1 instead. Besides being the first 4G phone in the United States, the EVO will also boast a number of features that set it apart from the current crop of Android devices.
For instance, it will use two cameras for videoconferencing: one user-facing 1.3-megapixel shooter and another facing outward with a whopping 8 megapixels and autofocus, which will shoot HD video like the latest mini camcorders. It will also work as a mobile hotspot, converting a 4G signal into Wi-Fi for up to eight other devices, and includes an HDMI port for outputting video, pictures and slide in 720p high-def. Qualcomm’s beastly 1GHz Snapdragon chip will power the entire show.
HTC has customized Android with its Sense user interface, and it will also take a crack at Motorola’s Motoblur app with Friend Stream, which will aggregate updates from Facebook, Twitter and more into one fluid feed.
Sprint plans to make the EVO 4G available this summer for a price yet to be announced. Its product page offers early adopters a chance to register for updates and get the first word when further details arise.
Well, I've been obsessively checking every day, all day long for news of a 2.1 upgrade for my Hero. To be honest, I didn't think we would see a 4g phone until the end of the year. It may be impetuous and ridiculously optimistic, but I'm planning to buy the Evo for myself and my boyfriend just as soon as it hits the shelf. I've been waiting a long time for this kind of hardware on an Android device. I was an early adopter. I've had a G1, a myTouch and now a Hero. My dad has my boyfriend's old G1, My boyfriend and I both have Sprint Heros now. We had to switch networks when we couldn't get voice or data coverage in our home or offices. We have Clear Networks as an ISP, so I'm super psyched to see Sprint partnering with them. And I'm way excited about the possibility of simultaneous voice/data services. Anyway, glad to find a community like http://www.Evo4Gforum.net with full of people as anxious as I am for the release of the Evo.
I can't wait for this to hit!!! Shocked I have been with Sprint for 21yrs now and have enjoyed every minute of this growing company! We have had our problems and I still say as I did back then “Sprint is the Best cellphone Company.”I have the HTC Hero, got it on October 9th and it ROCKS best cell I've ever had! I had some of the problems with my Hero but nothing to send me packing. I truly hope that this update that is going to happen, happens soon and I hope I can use the 2.1 for a little time so when the I get my mitts on the 4.3in screen and all the goodies to boot I just might have found my last cellphone that I buy?! But like everything else the day I/we buy, it will be out done by a new beast but thats the Tech World for ya..share your opinion on this great device at http://www.Evo4GForum.net a site dedicated for eVo 4g.