An Overview of the HTC Evo Family of Phones

The third variation of the HTC Evo mobile phone, the Evo 3D, has arrived. Joining its two older siblings, the latest entry in HTC's Evo lineup once again raises the bar for the power seeking Android enthusiast. Here's a quick look at the three devices and what sets them apart.

The HTC Evo 4G, the original device in the Evo family, was released in the United States in mid-2010 on the Sprint network. Quickly dethroning other popular phones at the time, the Evo 4G set a new standard in handset hardware technology along with catapulting the Android operating system further into the masses. Powered by the 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8650 (Snapdragon) mobile CPU, the Evo 4G is still a popular and powerful contender in the market with 512 MB RAM and 1 GB of ROM storage (total). An included 8GB micro SD card (up to 32GB is supported by the phone) allows for additional media storage and application installation. Two of the phones other real strengths (besides the obvious 4G where service is available) are the included 8 megapixel rear camera and the large 4.3 inch screen. The rear camera, which actually provides better photo taking possibilities than some dedicated digital cameras on the market, includes a LED flash, and does ok in dark situations. The Evo's large 4.3 inch screen was by the standard of phones at the time much larger than most, and was welcomed with its 480x800 TFT LCD technology. Originally shipping with an earlier Android release, the Evo 4G was recently upgraded to Android 2.3.3.

The Evo Shift 4G was introduced in early 2011. Notably, the Shift 4G is not an upgrade of the original Evo, but more so a concurrent release. Technical specifications are similar to the older Evo, with a slighter slower 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7630 (Snapdragon) mobile CPU, and a larger 2GB ROM, the Evo Shift 4G also offers a touch screen display along with a built-in slider keyboard for those who require physical keys. A 2GB card is included with the Shift (with 32GB supported overall), and currently operates on the Android 2.2 release.

The Evo 3D, arrived in the early summer of 2011. Following in the groundbreaking footsteps of the original Evo, the new 3D offers some unique and exciting new features. As a true successor to the original EVO, the new 3D has upped the stakes in processing power. A new Dual-Core, 1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8660 (Snapdragon) and Adreno 220 GPU combination offers users an even smoother, more fluid web browsing, and application use experience. Memory has also doubled with 1 GB RAM, and 4GB of eMMC storage. Additionally, as its name states, the Evo 3D's main claim to fame is its 3D capabilities. The upgraded 4.3 inch 540x960 qHD display features glasses free 3D viewing. Gone is the 8 megapixel rear camera. Replaced by dual 5 megapixel cameras, both video and stills can be taken optionally in 2D or 3D via a hardware switch. Admittedly, the 3D feature may be more gimmicky to most who would simply prefer the 8 megapixel camera for quality. While most other features of the phone remain the basically the same, such as the phone's size, other changes include the removal of the very convenient kick-stand, and the addition of a hardware camera button for snapping those photos.

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HTC Evo
HTC Evo Shift
HTC Evo 3D