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"Palm Pre to EVO 4G -- for those considering the switch"
4.5 starson by GadgetarmsPros: My pros would have to be screen size, speed, cameras, kickstand, overall hardware, the internet experience, virtual keyboard,call quality, apps, expandable storage, voice commands work Very.. etc.. I can go on and on..
Cons: Weight (noticeable difference from Pre), $10 monthly fee even in 3G only areas, Multitasking
Summary: Let me start off by saying this is mainly for people who are considering the switch from the Pre to the EVO. It's just some of my thoughts.
IMO WebOS is GREAT!!! It's simple to use and extremely user friendly. If you're emotionally attached to cards, gestures, your touchstone and the homebrew community, I'd think twice about getting the EVO. After thinking twice I'd probably still get the EVO. If you're hesitant because there's no physical keyboard, don't be. After my last 2 phones (the BB 8330 and the Pre) I was unsure myself. To my surprise the virtual keyboard on the EVO is good. With the options of portrait, landscape, and even voice to text I find it rather easy to use. The large screen definitely helps with that.
The multitasking on the EVO (or any phone I've ever used/seen) doesn't compare to WebOS. IMO WebOS does this perfectly. Multitasking on the EVO is simple but WebOS is king here. I miss the cards and gestures but not nearly as much as I anticipated. With the EVO my pages and apps load so fast it's a trade off I'm willing to keep.
My gf loves her Pre even more than I do. We still have them lying around.. lol.. One of her biggest concerns switching to the EVO was size. For those of you (especially with smaller hands) who share this concern, I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor either. The phone is not as big as people make it out to be. When the keyboard is exposed on the Pre it is longer than the EVO. The EVO is wider but still thinner than the Pre. My gf is 5' tall with small hands and hasn't complained about the size much at all. It is obviously larger but with that size you'll find it amazing to use for media, internet, email, messaging, etc... I enjoy the screen size so much I'm holding off on a netbook because I'm satisfied browsing on it.
I haven't experienced the "TERRIBLE" battery life that others have. The EVO has lasted both my gf and I longer than our Pre's. This is not to say the Battery life is great however, for us it just hasn't been a con based on our past phone. Maybe this is due to the fact that I'm in a 3G only area. I've read that 4G drains the battery at a pretty high rate. I don't know.
The hardware on this phone is great. It is a lil heavy but a huge difference in quality from the feel of the Pre. The EVO feels like a phone that's worth what it cost. The Pre's hardware as always been an issue.
WebOS to Android and Sense is definitely a transition that will take some getting used to. You'll have to control your thumb from wanting to swipe everything. It's a fun change though and one I can honestly say I'm happy I made. The ability to customize the layout of the home screens, widgets, and app shortcuts are great. The market with access to thousands of apps is great. Google maps as well as other applications just run better on the EVO. It's newer hardware so that is to be expected. I'll always have a soft spot for WebOS and if HP PALM come out with a device I feel is better then I'll consider getting it. I miss my touchstone as well.
With that said I won't be returning the EVO. Our thoughts were we'd buy the EVO and try it out and if we weren't completely satisfied we'd return them and go back to the Pre. Well we're completely satisfied. All the things I miss about WebOS this phone makes up for any many other ways. Both are great devices but this phone is close to perfect. If this thing had gestures and cards it would be perfect.
- 14 replies to this review
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One of the replies mentioned the Pre's notifications versus the Android/HTC Sense ones. I just saw a little video on LifeHacker.com about an app called: GOTO Lockscreen. It has a different look and feel from the Pre's notifications, but it's similar functionality. It is a paid app, but given Android's strength of customizing your phone just the way you want, this could be helpful to some of you who are missing some of the niceties of WebOS.
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I loved this review and somehow felt that, along with everybody's replies to it, that I had kindred spirits out there in the smartphone world. One response said that their Pre had been replaced 5 times. Mine has been replaced 8 times, and when I bought it, Sprint somehow forgot to put me under contract. Silly me, why oh why didn't I jump ship long ago? Because I believed in the idea of what the Pre was supposed to be. I love WebOS, especially cards and universal search--especially universal search. I also LOVE the ease of closing applications. There's nothing as simple as just tossing them away. Ingenious! And I love my touchstone. But I would love it even more if we hadn't been sold beta hardware. I was one of those people waiting in line on Saturday June 9 (?), 2009 to get one of the first Palm Pres, and I had been waiting for it for 5 months.
This review and all of your comments was exactly what I needed to read to solidify my decision to buy the EVO and not look back. Thank you. -
I am also considering the switch and really appreciate the info. One question I do have, how do all these people LOVE their Pre's? I do love all the features you talk about but this was the worst phone purchase in my entire life. I am on my 5th replacement, all due to soft and hardware issues, most of them generally known in the precentral community. Worst. Phone. Ever.
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Should I jump on <a href="http://mobile-store.dell.com/htc-evo-4g-for-sprint-7662.html">this deal</a>or keep looking?
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This was very helpful, I currently have a Pre and am considering the Evo. My biggest concerns are size, keyboard and battery. You addressed them well. I am going to give it a shot although I know I will miss the cards.
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Thank you so much for this! As a die hard pre lover I was contemplating but so worried I would be miserable!
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This assessment is very accurate and almost matches my experience switching from Pre to EVO. I do TOTALLY miss the cards and notifications approach of the Pre, but I'm getting used to not having them. The Android notifications are lame (absurd little icons that tell you nothing. Pre is far superior). I wish the EVO handset had the choice of different OS so I could use the Pre OS. The handset size is great. The apps are superior. I'm happy with the change for now.
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Hi. I'm considering the switch from Pre to Evo, although I hesitate to give Sprint an ADDITIONAL $120 annually for something I can't use (4G). That said, I have a question regarding multitasking: does it actualyl multitask, like the Pre? Can you run multiple apps at once; or is it one at a time, like iPhone? Thanks for the review. Very helpful.
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I love my Palm Pre, and I'm hesitant to let it go, but It does have it's limitations. I'm seriously thinking about the EVO, especially the larger screen and speed. Based on this review I think I'll give it a try.
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This is an awesome review for those of us who are happy with the Pre and considering the EVO.
Ever since I got used to WebOS, I try to swipe any touchscreen device without even thinking about it and am always disappointed when it doesn't work, so I have been hesitating, but I think I'm almost to the point of trusting those of you who say it 's still worth the switch to the EVO. I'm interested in it mainly because browsing on the larger screen and taking pics with the 8mp camera are enticing. And also the widgets, home screen customization, and apps.
Thought about the iphone4, but I just can't bring myself to switch to AT$T... -
I just went from the pre to the evo myself. I was very leery of doing so, but was willing. After having the evo for only a couple of days, I must say I am very pleased. I am HUGE into youtube, and make videos for youtube daily. The speed of access i have to youtube, has made all the difference. I've yet to miss my pre.... The onscreen keyboard is a WHOLE lot better than i thought it would be. Ive used the iphone keyboard, and much prefer the one on the evo.... great product. Just have to tweek some settings to get the battery to last a full day with moderate usage, not much different then what i went through with the pre....
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I also recently upgraded from my Palm Pre to an HTC EVO 4G. I must say, your review is spot on. All the great things about the Pre -- best multitasking, deck of cards, notification system, ease of use -- are not enough to beat out the Evo, which has the superior hardware and overall user experience (after you figure out how to use it). I could not have said it any better. For anyone wanting to upgrade from a Pre to an EVO, this review is highly recommended.
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This was awesome just what I needed thanks alot I'm still scared cause I love my Webos
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Great review, I currently have a Pre and want to switch to this phone.
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