HTC EVO 4G vs. iPhone 4 (was: so I spent about 2 hours with the EVO 4G today...)

Notifications are annoying---with the iPhone and the way it does it---they pop up right in the middle of the screen.

Its obvious to me you never experienced true non obstrusive, yet informative notifications before. You want to know how Android handles an SMS notification? While you're in the middle of an app, it will start scrolling left to right on the top of the screen on the notification bar. It won't do that "in your face" approach the Iphone does.

It may take you two seconds to check the things you need on the iPhone homescreen. (And probably another two seconds to return to the app you left.) It takes me a fraction of a second to pull down the Android notification curtain and see all my SMS, email, download, Facebook, Twitter notifications all in one simple glance without leaving my app.
 
Drillbit:

I don't even know where to start, you've made so many glaring factual errors.



In MP3 players, Apple owns 70% of the US market and is far and away the largest MP3 player device maker in the US. Almost all of those are two models -- the iPod touch and iPod nano -- and there are just four core model lines. Meanwhile, Creative, who carpet-bombs the market with small variants on the same concept like most PC makers, has next to no share. Even SanDisk has that problem (try to explain to anyone why they should have a slotRadio player over a Clip+). So no, the markets are not the same.



It's as official as it can get: it's in the FCC filing for the iPhone 4 going on sale next week. Apple just isn't likely to advertise a frequency band when it doesn't have a deal with NTT DoCoMo yet.



Excuse me?

Let me put this bluntly: I am a technology news editor. I've used more Android phones in one year (from 1.1 onwards) than you might use in five. There are certain Google betas and even features within apps that won't work unless you have 2.0 or later. If you don't have a more recent version, you won't get OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics for certain 3D games and other content, and certain integration features between apps and contacts won't work. So no, it's not "little," and we're not even touching on OS features independent of apps.

Also, don't surgically pick what you want to argue against. The point was not just overall Android fragmentation right now but the future. In about four days, it will have been one month since Android 2.2 came out. HTC hasn't even ventured a real guess as to when its phones besides the Nexus One (including the Desire, Droid Incredible, Evo 4G and Legend) will get the update. Sony Ericsson's X10 won't be getting 2.1 until the summer, or a few months after 2.2 came out. We've got a whole range of top-tier smartphones that can't use the latest features of the platform, and in some cases they'll have gone several months without updates by the time they move to either 2.1 or 2.2.

Don't make sweeping assumptions about anyone's mobile history when you clearly don't know what you're talking about.



The fragmentation here is hardware-related, not software, and it's far less severe than you're trying to make it out to be.

Any feature that an iPhone 4 can run which an iPhone 3GS or earlier can't run is due to hardware limits. You can't go back and add a faster processor or a sharper display to a previous phone. And of course an iPad app is going to be different: if you want to take advantage of the extra screen area in certain ways, you can't avoid having to redo the UI or art assets. I wouldn't expect Adobe Premiere to work as well on a 10-inch netbook as it would a 17-inch desktop replacement.

Moreover, it's much easier to have apps gracefully work on all three platforms. You can write a single iPhone app that works on legacy iPhones, the iPhone 4 and the iPad that gets new advantages on each; I've used a few universal apps that take advantage of the extra space on an iPad without affecting the UI of the iPhone app at all. An iPhone 4 will take any older iPhone app and scale every resolution-independent element on its own, no recoding required.

The problem with Android is that you can have hardware entirely capable of newer features but which is denied them by phone OEMs that can't or won't upgrade in a timely fashion. And tablets? Sorry, but the Dell Streak is not the endgame of Android tablets. I used pre-release tablets at CES with 1024x600 or 1024x768 displays. Guess what: almost none of the apps are optimized for the extra size. They're literally phone apps with longer scroll lists or more thumbnails.



I don't think you understood what I meant.

As I said, Google Sync is great. But what you just described isn't direct-to-device sync. It's desktop to web to phone sync. I'm talking about having all the photos you took on that recent vacation, the 10 new songs from that new album you already have on your hard drive, and that video rental you paused halfway through but want to finish on the airplane. That's where iTunes is very simple; unless you only ever want content to go directly to your phone, Android is something of a mess as you have to remember to get those files off the phone when you get back home, or go to multiple different sources to accomplish the same thing.

Besides, what you think is simple isn't necessarily so for a casual user. Try explaining to friend X who hates computers how to do what you do for loading music. Apple seriously needs more independence from cables, but Google needs better support for local media. Drag-and-drop should be strictly optional rather than mandatory for people who don't know better.



And right now, Nokia has sent a warning of disappointing high-end phone sales, RIM is losing market share, and iPhones are gaining rapidly. Android is gaining share too, and that's great, but don't assume large market share is the result of someone making an active choice for that platform. Many BlackBerry owners are forced to get one for work; Symbian is old and sells through every carrier and its mother in nearly every country, so it has a legacy support base that neither Apple nor Google has yet.

Over-the-air updates are outstanding, and that's a big area where Apple needs to focus, but having the feature is meaningless if your phone maker and carrier aren't ready to push the update in a timely fashion; you need both OTA and speedy upgrades for it to make an impact. When did you get your 2.1 update for the Droid Eris? When was 2.1 first available? Oops.
 
I hate it when some people praise the EVO screen over iPhone 4... saying... "EVO has 4.3 inches! iPhone's 3.5 inch screen is too small!"

I just ask them... "What would you rather view? A 60 inch 720p TV or a 42 inch 1080p TV?"
 
Sorry but you are still wrong. Four core lines already shows quite a bit of variety.

Shuffle - 2 generations
Nano - 4 generations?
Classic - many different HD configurations in 9 generations, with video added.
IPod Touch - 3 generations, 3 memory configurations each.

That's quite a bit of SKU, price points and memory capabilities offered. I doubt Creative has even the resources.

DOCOMO 800mhz. Sorry but Electronista isn't official. Apple's web page is. Apple says no 800MHz there and therefore no 800MHz. This is one of those you have to see it to believe it. It's just like those Verizon Iphones all these mags write about.



So WTF. Do you OWN them? Do you have the breadth and depth of experience that only TRUE long term ownership can bequeath? How far is your use? Temporary? A day, a week?

I own these phones for months.

I own an Android 1.5 phone for months till it got updated to Android 2.1.

I own and still own an Android 1.6 handset for many months now and it will remain so it gets its official Froyo upgrade.

Long term ownership lets you experience how the phones actually grind against you with true everyday, day to day, week to week, month to month usage, that also includes apps, lots of apps. No way will short term use lets you try and experiment with apps and use them on a long term, version to version basis.

And I now have in my possession, at least four Android 2.1 handsets now. Including the HTC Desire. And the Samsung Galaxy S. If you refer to use, I already tried stuff like the Sony Xperia X10, the Samsung Wave with Bada and even the Motorola Milestone XT. That's right, the Motorola handset with the faster CPU and without the keyboard.

I have downloaded and used quite a large number of Android apps. The big divide in apps is actually between 1.5 and 1.6. 2.1? Only Twitter for Android, Dolphin Browser HD and Google Earth don't work on Android 1.6. That's it. Its not easy to find apps that won't work on 1.6. Really.

Talk about the future. No. Talk about the time span.

Iphone OS 3 : June 2009. Iphone OS4: June 2010.

One year.

Now look at Android.

Android 2.1: January 2010. My Droid Eris got its update May 2010.

Five months.

The Droid Eris still its one major OS update before an iPhone 3GS did. Its wait time for a new OS is five months. While effectively the iPhone gets its only in one year. And Android 1.5 with HTC Sense still has more features than IOS4.

In truth, the wait time should only be two months, because the Android 2.1 with HTC Sense only came out in the end of March with the Desire and the Legend. So end of March meets mid May. No. That's less than two months.

Yes, some of the games won't run on the older handsets because of the OpenGL. In the first place, their CPU is rather weak so you won't get a good experience anyway. Only Android 1.5 and 1.6 phones are all ARM11 except for Sony Ericsson Xperia X10.

Except for the X10, which is only a small minority, all Androids with the A8 ARM core, the Snapdragon or OMAP3, are all 2.1 now. Droid and Milestone has been issued with updates already. The ones capable of running 3D, are all with the version OS that has OpenGL ES. Even Xperia X10 by recent announcement has moved up the update schedule, being the only one left of the power phones with Android 1.6.

Address book sync? What are you talking about? Even Android 1.5 has Contacts sync. Check with Sense and Blur.

All the lower end ARM11 phones are meant to be messenger and social networking phones, not games. That's why they often come with slider keyboards and come packing with social networking widget systems.

Its not because the phone makers wished not to upgrade their phones in a timely fashion. Its because they are not used to the lightning pace of Google. They have been used (spoiled) to the slowmo of WinMo updates. But even with the five month gap of Droid Eris, its still respectable. I got a Blackberry Tour with OS 4.7 last year. It only got updated to OS 5 in May 2010. The same month as the Droid Eris, even though the Tour has been out longer and OS 5 has been out since October of 2010. And remember, your iPhone basically stayed with the same version of the OS for about a year.



Oh I perfectly understood what you meant. You didn't understood what I meant since I don't think you have experienced true device to Cloud sync without PC intervention.

Pictures I took with my Android phone, I can upload directly to Flickr or Picasa. Just like that. From the Gallery view even. Heck from the Gallery view, I can view all my Picasa pics that are uploaded. No PC or Mac needed.

Man, with Android, I don't even NEED a PC to download my songs from. The Android browser can download directly from any website and store them in your SD card. Just like that. The media app automatically scans the SD card for any song or video and bring them to the app menu.

Getting songs from a PC? I don't even need a cable. Just slip in the SD card to the laptop. No cables ma.

Oh yeah, when did my Droid Eris got its Android 2.1 update? Last month. And when is your iPhone getting its OS4 update? OOPS.

And oh by the way, since I do have an HTC Desire and a Samsung Galaxy S, I must mention, the HTC Sense on the Desire, has a better Select-Copy text system than even Apple's. You can mark blocks of text with beginning and end drag markers now (heck the markers are even more touch friendly than Apple's) send them off not just to a clipboard, but also to a Language translator, Wiki or Google search engine for further reference.
 
I hate the iPhone's notifications system. It's just terrible especially with iOS 3, no way to background what you're doing unless you're JB'd. With all of the real estate they have on the lock screen, I have to get a summary of all notifications... terrible.
 
I've been an EVO user since launch, and a former iPhone 3G owner. While it is true that the scrolling FPS isn't nearly as high as the iPhone; its just as responsive. Yeah, I miss having the high framerate scrolling, but I'd easily trade that for all the other wonderful features that the Android platform offers that the iPhone doesn't.

Hell, turn by turn GPS navigation is alone worth the price of every smooth Apple feature that isn't on the EVO.

Really, the only thing that bothers me about the EVO compared to the iPhone is that the keyboard is a distant second. My text typing errors has increased tenfold.
 
Its easy to make a solid phone when you don't allow users to remove the battery or SD card. *shrug* I do agree, the iPhone is solid like no other (worked for 18 months after 30+ drops and a few encounters with water) but it comes at a price.

Personally, I've decided I'd rather have a removable battery and memory, and have phone insurance for $7/month than have a phone that is 25% stronger.
 
I know how WebOS handles notifications. Not bad, but I like Android still better.

I used to think like you. I don't like notifications. But I experiment and try different platforms for experience. I don't like notifications turns out because I was mentally trained that way by bad, intrusive notification approaches. The iPhone is particularly bad with its on your face approach, which doesn't save the last one before it. I started liking notifications when I started using Blackberry. That's why BB users still swear with their notifications. I don't like the flashing red light however. With Android, I find the system that truly is non intrusive yet informative. I get a notification, I see my trackball glows, yes glows and pulses like some Scifi movie, and my messages scroll like a billboard on Times Square on the top of the screen. Once I start learning how to manage notifications, my productivity improved. I can handle situations faster, more responsibly in business and in social life. My mobile forms around my life, instead of my life being formed around my mobile.
 
+1. No notifications, no sale. iPhone's notifications are annoying as hell, and I've seen Android's notifications in action. Hopefully the guy from WebOS will implement the same/similar notification style from WebOS (which according to videos is quite unobtrusive) into iOS4
 
Its takes getting used to. I have become proficient with the HTC, Apple, Samsung, and Google keyboards. I love the HTC the most over time because of the double symbols per key---press longer to get the symbol instead of switching the keyboard to the symbol mode to get the symbol.

Also, the HTC keyboard learns as you go on, it accumulates the words that you type in and add to its word completion library. Just as you get used to it, it gets used to you.
 
This argument is biblical.

Apple has one phone to worry about, the iPhone. They spent 2.5 years on the first one and 3 years building up to iPhone 4. They spent all that time polishing and making a amazing and fast user experience. How long does HTC work on its phones? Dont they have like 10 phones out now? And instead of upgrading they just scrap the phone and build a totally new for for all different carriers. You lose quality with quantity. Apple is battling everyone with ONE phone, on ONE carrier. And i strongly believe that HTC phones were heavily influenced by the iPhone, a device that took the mobile market in a new direction.
 
Sometimes i wish Apple would just put all these things on the iPhone just to satisfy all the arguments.....but i feel certain that after adding all of this to the phone nothing would change as far as complaints go. Not saying you dont have legit grips...i guess the iPhone just doesn't vibe with you. HTC really should step up the marketing, its not like a consumer has any easy way of testing out that phone, iPhones are heavily available, i walk into the apple store and there are 20 to play with. I go to bestbuy and all the HTC devices are just empty boxes.....but the Touches, iphones and iPads are readily available

For me, the iPhone does everything i need so i dont have any real complaints, but i always feel disappointed when i use phones like Storm and Driod. Apple has just one phone model, Motorola has about 700. Its impossible to ensure a polished quality when you are pumping out phone after phone...maybe thats what gets me about them...idk.
 
Same as above. My friend got an Evo on launch. We were at dinner and he asked me how flash loaded trying to be funny. I downloaded cloud browse and my phone loaded flash faster than his.

I was seriously considering the Evo but like OP said, on paper it looks awesome, in real world it's NO WHERE NEAR as smooth as an iPhone.

Bring on iPhone 4!
 
Good to hear. My biggest problem is the arrow keys underneath the space bar. I want to get a different keyboard; maybe the Swype keyboard once its released; it eliminates those arrows
 
I wonder if i am a victim of apples marketing strategy....i had no idea there was video conferencing on other phones. no one has ever talked about it...

Just seems like Apple doesn't do stuff untill its "complete", i have a hunch that the Video conference on the iPhone will be easy and seamless, but ive never video conferenced so who knows.
 
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