HTC Evo 3D (Sprint)

Pros: + Dual LED flash
+ Dual core processor is fast
+ Call quality has been excellent
+ Slightly slimmer than the original and feels great in the hand

Cons: - Much of the hype is on the 3D feature
- Screen would be more vivid

Summary: When the Evo 4G came out, it was a beast like nothing before it. Even a year later, the Evo 4G isn't too shabby. It just received Gingerbread, the latest Android update and is one of the few Android phones right now that can stream Netflix.

A little history on myself, I've generally had the top Sprint smartphone since the Mogul, then to Touch Pro, Palm Pre and in the last year, I've used mainly the Evo, with a few months of the Epic.

Onto the 3D: HTC's follow-up to the blockbuster Evo 4G is to give us a feature that nobody was asking for: a 3D capable display with stereoscopic cameras. The 3D effect is pretty cool. You do have some blur until the camera adjusts. While it's something you've probably never seen, short of the Nintendo 3DS, it just not something most people will find impressive. At no point have I thought wow, I'm really glad my phone can do this. You do have the option to turn it off and take regular pictures. The 3D has dual LED flash, just like the first Evo and the standard pictures come out sharp. Speaking of the LEDs, it is missing the flashlight app, but I'm sure HTC will add that in for a future update.

Ok, that's out of the way. What else does this phone have? Speed. The dual core processor is fast and you will notice it from the first boot-up. Subsequent boot-ups take about 12 seconds to get to the home screen. My Epic Galaxy S, not a slow phone by any means, takes over 30 seconds to boot to the home screen. Even when downloading my 30-40 apps from Market, there was no lag. You have 1.15GB of internal memory for apps, so you won't have to worry about running out of space like the first one. HTC is still only throwing in an 8GB micro SD, but it's class 4 speed this time. 16GB cards are cheap, so that's a worthwhile upgrade for those that want to put a lot of media on their phone.

HTC's Sense interface has been a popular feature and with Sense 3.0, a lot of improvements are made and there's a lot to love here. I don't care for the carousel effect when flicking screens and you still don't have an option to remove screens (I don't need 7). The notification bar has a quick settings tab that let's you toggle all your data widgets. I will eventually go back to Launcher Pro, but for now I am enjoying the new Sense. The lock screen has the ability to go to certain apps, and to display weather or other items that you can personalize. It's a welcome integration and you no longer have to rely on a third party app for this function. You will notice other little things like the segmented app drawer pages.

Call quality has been excellent, just as the original. From when I've checked, I'm getting at least 4 bars throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

So is it worth it if you have an Evo 4G, or an Epic 4G? Not if what you have is still going strong. It is an improvement, so if money isn't an issue, by all means, get it. The 3D is slightly slimmer than the original and feels great in the hand. I prefer the matte finish on the side and the new case design, but this is subjective. I absolutely love the giant camera button. The power button is very soft and doesn't take much effort to push. You might have to get used to that, but I now prefer it over a button that is harder to push.

I do like the phone a lot. Like the original Evo, it is a beast in the specs, as well as performance department. I gave the original 5 stars and the 3D is better but I can't give it 5 stars because so much of the hype is on the 3D feature, which I will hardly use, same as most people. You have to compare it to what is here now and the Evo 3D isn't far ahead of any other phone, like the original was. The masses would have preferred that HTC just left out the 3D all together, make it thinner and lighter, maybe leave in the kickstand. The screen would be more vivid, with better viewing angles, since it would closer to the glass. The camera is not flush with the rest of the back, which can be annoying, just like the first Evo, if you didn't use a case.

So the Evo 3D is great but most users that want a big screen will opt for Samsung's Galaxy S II, once it's an option.

*** P.S. If you will buy this HTC Evo 3D I suggest at: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054LECV8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=***************&********=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&************=B0054LECV8

Updated on Sep 27, 2011

Edit Broken Link:

If you will buy this HTC Evo 3D I suggest at: http://beam.to/HTCEVO4G