HTC Evo 3D Contracts

HTC EVO is a brand name that is already well established in the United States, with the WiMAX enabled EVO 4G being one of the most popular smartphones released on the Sprint network. In fact, Sprint markets the EVO 4G as their flagship Android device and as one of the first phones to come with WiMAX support it is easy to see why it became so popular stateside. Unfortunately this handset never made its way across the Atlantic as its design restricted it to CDMA networks only.

Unlike the EVO 4G and the EVO View 4G, a GSM version of the EVO 3D has been produced by HTC so that now we in Europe can also enjoy this fantastic smartphone as well. Unfortunately for us 4G networks like WiMAX are not yet available in the UK outside of Milton Keynes so, as was the case with the high powered Atrix, we will have to make do with a 3G version of this phone instead. While this is a disappointment for sure it in no way detracts from the excellence of this handset which is one of the first smartphones to feature a 3D display and also the first dual core handset from HTC.

Although LG beat HTC to the starting grid with these last two features (in the form of the Optimus 3D and the Optimus 2X) it is easy to see that the EVO 3D outperforms both of these handsets in these core areas. In a nutshell, the EVO 3D is an excellent messaging, entertainment and web browsing smartphone that features a mesmerising screen and top of the line features in almost every respect. In terms of connectivity and hardware power it is virtually unrivalled within the UK phone market and will be of particular interest for people wanting to get a taste for the latest 3D craze.

EVO 3D Screen

The EVO 3D features one of the most gorgeous screens found on a smartphone to date, with the spacious 4.3" 3D display running on the highest quality Super LCD technology. This comes with a 540 x 960 qHD pixel resolution making the EVO 3D sharper than the current crop of WVGA devices. Included are the usual accelerometer and proximity sensor, as well as a new gyro sensor for 3 dimensional controls which can be put to good use with many games and apps from Android Market.

Like the LG Optimus 3D and the Nintendo 3DS the EVO 3D features glasses-free 3D technology, although the higher screen resolution of the HTC smartphone makes for a more enjoyable 3D experience than its LG counterpart. The technology is similar to that of the Nintendo handheld console with a ´parallax barrier´ on top of the standard screen which causes a disparity in the images seen by each eye.

The good thing about this parallax design is that it does not require you to wear glasses to enjoy the 3D effect, although there is a big drawback in the fact that the system restricts 3 dimensionality to certain viewing angles. This is the same problem faced by the Optimus 3D and is unfortunately the price you will currently have to pay for not wearing ridiculous glasses all the time.

Power & Connectivity

It is with the EVO 3D that HTC will be joining the dual core club as the earlier Incredible S and Desire S handsets revealed at the 2011 Mobile World Congress remained single core Snapdragon smartphones. The EVO 3D has upped the ante however, by packing in a dual core 1.2GHz processor with 1GB RAM. This provides more processing power than even the Motorola Atrix, a phone that many have considered to be a convergent device between smartphones and laptop computers (due to its peripheral docking ports).

The EVO 3D comes with some excellent connectivity options available making it ideal for all forms of online activity and messaging. This includes high speed HSDA connections for mobile data transfer as well as DLNA Wi-Fi and the EVO comes with the ability to be used as wireless hotspot. The EVO 3D also features improved Bluetooth with Enhanced Data Rates (EDR) and the microUSB port supports MHL to allow you to connect the phone to your home TV. Viewing content from the EVO 3D through a television can also be achieved with the Wi-Fi´s DLNA, provided that your TV comes with DLNA support.

Online Features

All this connectivity provides the EVO 3D with an unparalleled web presence. Along with the excellent web browsers available for Android the larger 4.3" screen allows you to enjoy web pages in their fully glory. As the EVO 3D comes with Adobe Flash and YouTube support this includes online streaming video and the phone comes with support for many online services such as Flickr, Picasa and the most popular social networks.

As the EVO 3D, like most HTC handsets, comes with the Sense user interface it features excellent social networking support. Your Facebook and Twitter accounts can be integrated with the phone and the EVO 3D features HTC´s Friend Stream to provide updates regarding the activity of your online friends and followers. The EVO 3D also makes it easier than ever to share content online, whether it be photos or videos captured on the 5 megapixel camera or any other content on your phone, and this can be shared to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.

3D Camera

The EVO 3D features a dual 5 megapixel camera that comes with support for 3D video recording and stereoscopic images. Stereoscopic image capture is restricted to 2 megapixels and while 3D videos can be recorded in 720p quality, standard 2D videos can be captured in the higher quality 1080p.

The main camera comes with a dual LED flash and many software features such as geo-tagging to enjoy. There is a dedicated camera button included on the phone´s exterior as well as a toggle to choose between 2D and 3D video capture.

As well as this excellent main camera the EVO 3D features a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera for video calling, although this is restricted to 2D videos for now. The HDMI port included with the EVO 3D allows you to output 3D videos directly to your 3D TV, allowing you to enjoy your home movies in all their dimensional glory.

Summary

Once again HTC have proved that they are at the forefront of the phone market with the EVO 3D, a phone that outperforms many of its leading competitors in some of the most cutting edge smartphone features around.

The EVO 3D makes use of a speedier 1.2GHz dual core processor than the standard 1GHz dual cores found on the likes of the Optimus 2X and Motorola Atrix. It also offers a superior 3D experience to its only 3D phone competitor, the Optimus 3D, with a more vibrant qHD Super LCD screen. The 3D effect offered by the screen still comes with the same limitations as those found on the LG device but for the time being you will not be able to find a better 3D experience in the world of smartphones.

The biggest drawback of the EVO 3D is that it does not come with WiMAX like its US counterpart, although this is through no fault of the phone itself but rather the UK phone industry that has been slow to adopt 4G technologies. Regardless of this omission, the EVO 3D packs a great deal of connectivity with 3G and excellent Wi-Fi, and even with outstanding Bluetooth and USB support.

The EVO 3D is the best option for people with a desire to experience 3D and dual core on their smartphones, easily outperforming other phones already available with these features.