| | | | | accurate GPS, in conjunction with entertainment |
| HTC EVO 4G Android Phone Save: $300.00 | | | | apps such as Yelp! and Flixter, is mind-boggling. |
| (60%) At: | | | | Touch Flixter, and this very smart phone instantly |
| To give you the perspective that I'm coming | | | | (NO input required) brings up all theaters, movie |
| from, I'm not a dedicated techie. I upgraded to | | | | times, trailers, Rotten Tomato ratings, AND, all |
| the EVO from a Treo Centro (sorry Palm OS!). | | | | the restaurants in the area of your chosen movie, |
| Though I know what a Snapdragon processor is, | | | | AND turn by turn directions to the theater thanks |
| my review won't be on that level of expertise. I'd | | | | to Google Maps. Basically, get off a plane |
| rate my ability to adapt to new technology as | | | | anywhere in North America, you're ready to roll! |
| fair-to-middling. | | | | The GPS. Eerie, when combined with Google Maps. |
| Here goes: The phone itself is classy looking. | | | | To navigate, you don't have to enter your |
| When off, it reminds me of the black stone | | | | starting place, the phone already KNOWS where |
| monolith in 2001, A Space Odyssey. When on, the | | | | you are. With a function called "layers", while |
| screen is bright, and has VERY sharp detail (again, | | | | navigating from point to point you can incorporate |
| I'm coming from the perspective of my Centro). | | | | a satellite view, giving you an awesome (and |
| The pinch and spread function (to contract or | | | | distracting!) view of all the territory/buildings |
| spread the picture on the screen) works very | | | | around you, for miles, depending on the scale that |
| smoothly and consistently. The "flick" function, | | | | you choose. Get a (free) sports app, and the GPS |
| used to scroll through apps, is wonderful, don't | | | | accelerometer kicks in to tell you exactly how far |
| know how I did without it before. The screen is | | | | you've gone, maps the route you've taken, tells |
| QUITE sensitive to touch, requiring a bit of getting | | | | you how much elevation you've gained (!), and |
| used to for someone who does not count manual | | | | how many calories (incorporating your weight) |
| dexterity amongst my assets. Though the phone | | | | that you've burned. Crikey, what fun! I used the |
| is big (4.2 inch screen)it is very slender, not | | | | GPS first day out with my EVO to find a |
| heavy, and I don't find it cumbersome in the least. | | | | restaurant, than used the voice turn by turn (it |
| It is comfortable in the hand. | | | | does call out specific street names, not just "turn |
| The camera: first, it has two: the heavy duty one | | | | left" or "turn right"). It was flawless, and VERY up |
| (8 megapixel) faces out the back, a 1 megapixel | | | | to date with recent construction in the area. |
| on the keyboard side. In a 4G area (I'm not, yet), | | | | WiFi, signed on to my home network without any |
| this allows video phone calls, I'm told. The camera | | | | trouble. |
| has autofocus and a surprisingly bright flash. | | | | Ability to personalize: terrific, many options to |
| Picture quality seems good to very good. | | | | "make it your own". |
| Sound: I'm a bit hard of hearing, no problems at all | | | | Synchronization with multiple functions: terrific. No |
| with this phone. The sound quality is the best I've | | | | trouble setting up e-mail accounts (you MUST |
| ever had on a cell phone. EVO has very few | | | | have a Gmail account for full function). I calendar |
| buttons, but it does have a very easy to use up | | | | with the online Google calendar on my laptop, the |
| and down volume buttons on the upper left side | | | | transfer to my phone calendar is automatic and |
| of the phone, works great. | | | | virtually instantaneous. |
| Keyboard. Well, hmmm. My Centro had a manual | | | | Bad stuff: they lie if they say that getting all your |
| keyboard, and if there is anything that I really | | | | Palm OS data is going to transfer accurately. |
| miss with the EVO, it's actual keys. Though the | | | | Argh. But I'm getting it straightened out. In the |
| virtual keyboard is BIG when the phone is tilted to | | | | "Someday" category: EVO does not support |
| landscape mode, many functions on the phone | | | | Netflix instant play yet, nor Hulu. I'm a family doc, |
| (including entering contacts!) only allow the portrait | | | | it DOES support Epocrates, an essential |
| keyboard for Qwerty. The phone has three | | | | pharmacology data base. |
| keyboards to choose from, so if you're a whiz | | | | Battery life: I'm guessing 4 hours of continual |
| with the standard cell phone keyboard that kids | | | | multi-use, way better than that for talk time only. |
| are miraculously good at texting with, you can | | | | This multi-function micro-mainframe of an |
| choose that format. I'm getting better, but still | | | | instrument has multiple draws on its battery: GPS, |
| quite a few errors in keying. | | | | WiFi, AND, you can actually talk on the thing. |
| Speed: in a word: fast. Very little lag between | | | | So here's my bottom line: If they could give me |
| functions, even when more than one function is | | | | an easier keyboard, or allow full voice recognition |
| chugging along. | | | | (I use and love Dragon 10.1 at work), EVO and I |
| Voice recognition: the Google search by voice is | | | | would become soul mates. As it is, after about a |
| (for a novice like me) nothing short of a miracle. | | | | day and a half of adapting to a non-Palm OS |
| Say "Quilt stores", and the phone takes into | | | | system (I had one of the original Palm Pilots), I |
| account your GPS location, in seconds a list of | | | | can tell that a long and fruitful friendship is in the |
| quilt stores (or Starbucks, or mountain biking | | | | making with this product. The leap from a |
| trails)is at your disposal. SO cool! The directory | | | | semi-smart phone, like the Palm Centro, to this |
| search for phone contacts by voice is a bit more | | | | one is a quantum leap, not a simple upgrade. |
| hesitant, could stand some spiffing. | | | | Without exaggeration, I can say that the EVO will |
| | | | | change the way I operate on a day to day basis. |
| HTC EVO 4G Android Phone | | | | I can also say that it is a whoppingly fun toy to |
| | | | | play with! |
| Apps: Holy Cow! Again, I'm a novice, but the very | | | | |