HTC EVO 4G gets unlimited WiFi hotspot skills, courtesy of root
By Vlad Savov 
posted June 7th 2010 5:11AM
posted June 7th 2010 5:11AM
The root, the root, the root is on fire! Well, not quite, but you just got another pretty splendiferous reason to hack your EVO: android-wifi-tether, an app doing exactly what its name suggests, has now been confirmed to support HTC's 4G-capable phone. There were apparently some compatibility issues at first, but those have now been ironed out and superuser-empowered folks have been successfully pairing the free app and supersonic phone since. Might as well jump on board with this one -- Google has already said Froyo's native ability to do this might be circumscribed by carriers, meaning Sprint's likely to package any official firmware upgrades in such a way as to keep you paying for hotspot capabilities. And who wants to do that?
I love when they get to the ROOT of the problem
@AlienSix
+1 for you, sir, for saying what we were all thinking. :)
That said, this is awesome. Yet another reason to root my Evo, besides being able to install apps to the SD card!
@r34p3r
Also, honestly, what is the point of Google enabling tethering / hotspot functionality in 2.2, when you just know that any carrier who is in it for the cash will disable that ability via ROM updates?
Someone enlighten me...
@r34p3r 2.2 is for people with unlocked Nexus One, those that are not locked to any carriers.
@AlienSix The EVO is rooted already but the cliq xt still isn't? Did I choose the only android phone that remains unrooted?
@AlienSix As much as I love that rooting and the above tethering is possible with android phones, does anyone else think that doing this will tarnish the carrier's views of android, when it becomes easy to get paid for services for free?
That's why they love the iPhone, control is great if you're a carrier, awful if you're a consumer.
@r34p3r Ah my friend... the reason is called THE REST OF THE WORLD. Where a mere 6+ billion other people can indeed take advantage of the features that Google (and others) include in their OSes.
It seems that the US telcos are among the very few who are so greedy/stupid. Everywhere else the telcos recognize that people actually see MORE value in buying a phone that has multiple channels for data, and that every phone that is using WiFi is reducing the load on their limited infrastructure. So until the telco 3G/4G/5G infrastructure catches up with total bandwidth demand (read: never, or after we are all dead), they are actually shooting themselves in the foot twice over by not enabling open WiFi access.
Now the argument that the telcos make is that they don't want to lose the minute revenue for voice calls... but the reality is that anyone inclined to use Skype or Google Voice is doing so already, with minimal impact on their total data consumption limits. It's the videos and music streaming and gaming that uses the most bandwidth - which has nothing to do with voice call revenue.
@spy323 Nope you are not alone. The Incredible is also not rooted and I have been waiting since launch for this. As soon as its done I will be switching me and my fiance to Verizon and the DInc.
@AlienSix
Poor yanks. Paying for tethering must suck (for anyone that pays rather than hacks)
Even my crappy Sony Erricsson dumbphone can tether its 3G at no more cost than the data.
Oh, it can video call too.
The reason why of course is that noone over here seems to want to. (WHY?!) and so there's no point them charging.
@spy323. Your the one that bought a terrible phone
This phone seriously is the BEST phone on the market... well done HTC and Sprint
@SteveyAyo I agree but I will give the iPhone (HD) its props when it get unveiled at todays keynote
@SteveyAyo It could have been if it wasn't a CDMA2000/WiMAX phone.
@AlienSix
I won't.
Why give something props when all it does is gain abilities that competing devices have had for years?
I remember when my friend was proclaiming how awesome it was to be able to send / receive MMS on his 3GS. I just laughed...
@AlienSix i mean i know there will be massive flamewars over which one is better iPhone vs EVO but in the end NEITHER is inherently better, it all comes down to personal taste. For ME the EVO wins because my iPhone experience wasnt an enjoyable one so buying another apple product is the last thing i want to do, for other people im sure they love their iPhone and will buy it... Besides in 6 months the 1.3 ghz Mondrian releases and they both lose (jk lol, but seriously 1.3 ghz Modrian FTW)
@SteveyAyo
It's only .3 GHz...
Once they start getting mobile dual-core procs in a small form factor like this, then you can color me impressed
@SteveyAyo
There will always be flamewars over Apple vs any other competing device. Just a fact of the tech world. Im very interested in Android and like what it does but I know many people just like the Apple experience. It will be talked about for a long while after today but I will be watching just like everyone else on Engadget. Expect lots of "Breaking" lol
@r34p3r Imagine Quad cores in mobile phones Seriously no one thought we would ever get this far in phone tech
@r34p3r no, its 1.3ghz
My HD2 is at 1ghz right now, why would they go backwards to .3, what next gen phone even runs 256 nowadays?
@SteveyAyo
Sorry, I meant .3 GHz more, not just ".3 GHz"
Though, I thought that would have been implied....
@r34p3r nope i really thought you were trying to say it was .3 ghz, thought you were absolutely crazy too lol... but the thing is you can play playstation games on the HD2 now at 60 FPS and with 1.3 (or even 1.5 which it might be) you could theoretically play PS2 games at that rate, assuming the other specs are up to snuff
Android is pumping at least 5 new phone every year and I'm not surprise that it will take over very soon. Also ATT is packing Android phone so customer have more choices. We'll see result by the end of this year.
@SteveyAyo
Why? Because it is the same as any other smartphone since 2007 and uses whatever is currently available from the chip fabs?
Or because it runs on what ultimately is a version 1 of the 4G network technology?
Or maybe because it uses Android like plenty other phones already do?
Not dismissing it, just questioning the whole "amazing" tag being given to each new iteration of tech spooned out.
@r34p3r Thats a 33% increase so it is pretty significant for games. But, you're right as soon as we get dual core processors these things gonna run like a pig on laxatives.
@Cy Starkman
The iphone 3gs is basically running the same OS as the iphone 3g with speed boost. You came from your mom and your dad came from your grandparent. Fail.
@Cy Starkman Youre kidding right? It has an amazingly beautiful screen that only the HD2 compares to, a 1ghz processor that makes it the fastest on the market (iphone HD will have 1ghz as well), 4g network, Runs probably the most capable OS on the planet and will soon get the FroYo update to make it even better AND the first mainstream American phone with Video Calling (not something i want or need but still cool to have)...
Even from a hater standpoint you have to admit this phone is legit, HTC is the best hardware developer around
@SteveyAyo
The Evo will never beat the iPhone in market because its CDMA and that makes it a no go anywhere outside the USA. We already know its evo>iphone specwise so whats the arguing about?
@SteveyAyo
Just a mention that you can play Playstation 1 games on a 6 year old Windows Mobile phones (clockeda t 624MHz) at 60 FPS. This isn't new with HD2. The new thing with HD2 is the ability to use onscreen controls with its multitouch screen.
Playstation 2 games are still having issues on PC so I doubt someone will port that emulator any time soon. Can hope though.
@SteveyAyo
Once rooted, I become the EVO twin.
@r34p3r COSIGN
@xsacha oh i know, but the HD2 runs all games flawlessly at 60 FPS and the screen makes the games viewable...
Errr, any Android phone can tether if they're rooted. Nothing new there. The issue is the official free tethering from 2.2, whether carrier-locked phones would be blessed with it or not.
@pika2000
But i have had my phone rooted sense day one. They have had no such luck with getting the tether working yet.
Its a pretty bad port too. no camera no 4g and a lot of other things.
I am still waiting for a good port with camera. we are not getting 4g till the end of summer.
@pika2000
I'm on Verizon and I'm not expecting it...at least without a fee...
@a falling stone
what root are you using? My 4g and camera works fine..
Is it true that you cannot root the evo if you downloaded the OTA firmware upgrade? I was unable to use my camera on the phone until the OS was patched. Right now I am paying the extra $30 until I can get it rooted for free
@Scubasteve03
The update was supposed to prevent the root exploit but there's a new version of the exploit out which still works on updated phones.
@Scubasteve03
Yes there's a new root already and everything works.
the best phone in the world that we can't use in europe grrrrrr =(((
@Tg
Don't fret too much.
Europe (namely Russia) had a 4G phone long before this 4G stuff ever came about in the US. It was called the HTC MAX:
http://www.htc.com/www/product/max4g/overview.html
@Tg Why can't we do that? It's got 3G, right?
Also; Doesn't the EVO have a WiFi hotstop app natively?
@ree
cdma doesn't work in europe ...
there is no sim card in Evo4G...
@r34p3r
4g is not important i want 1ghz processor android 2.2 , hd movie ,4.3 inch screen and a SIM CARD slot ...
@Tg
No need to be sad, it's about time our USA friends got a mobile network technology before it is was nearly obselete. They have suffered greatly during 3G, I think they have earned 4G
@Tg Don't worry... HTC is doing multiple versions of all its phones, with minor or major upgrades with each iteration. So what you see in the US won't be far behind everywhere else. And as noted, it is often the reverse, with releases first in Europe or Asia, then followed in the US.
Same with Samsung and others. By end of this year we'll all be spoiled for choice in the Android world. And the iPhanboys will be happy worshipping their new idol as well.
You already paid for a data plan plus premium. What in the world is going on with Sprint and that $30 hotspot fees. They're turning to ATT. Just another reason to ditch the Sense UI and get stock Android.
@cdf74dc9
Well if you weren't paying the hotspot fee on your phone, you'd be paying it with the overdrive. So in effect, it's the same idea; you're just getting a faster experience.
@r34p3r
Overdrive, another hidden fees. But I had unlimited data and 4g. Such irony. FCC should un-limit all this limited BS.
@cdf74dc9
If you can use your phones internet on a PC you're going to chew through more data. If people are using more data the carrier needs more network infrastructure to support it, therefore the extra cost is justified.
@Bratyr that is a load of poppycock. I'm so tired of this argument. If you are tethering your pc to your phone its still limited to the bandwidth of your phone. It's like saying my isp has the same justification to charge me extra for having 10 pcs on my network instead of 5. Also I can suck down huge amounts of data on my evo by streaming Pandora, watching YouTube and using Qik, the same things I would do on my laptop. It's the same exact tube people, open your eyes when your taking it in the ass