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HTC EVO 4G gets hacked Froyo port, Sense UI be damned
You know what happens when you give EVO 4Gs to a room full of some of the brightest developers the world has to offer? Well, [expletive] is going to go down, that's what -- so it comes as little surprise that the phone's already been blessed with a seemingly functional Froyo port, even though neither the phone nor the operation system have even seen a public release yet. The largest distribution of the EVO so far has come at the hands of Google itself, which provided the Android 2.1- and Sense-equipped handsets to attendees of its recent IO conference; a timely upgrade to Android 2.2 has unquestionably been a big sticking point for would-be buyers, though, so it's good to see that early owners are already hard at work making this happen. Root is naturally required for the 2.2 port to work -- and there will undoubtedly be some hurdles to overcome to make this totally usable -- but we have full faith in these lovely wunderkinds. Follow the break for video evidence of a Froyo'd EVO in the wild.
Qik two-way video calling on the Sprint EVO 4G is free, premium service is not
Qik has lived up to its name in clarifying some leaks indicating that future EVO 4G owners on Sprint will be charged $5 a month to make use of its video chat services. As it turns out, that subscription fee will be for a new range of "advanced premium features," which will be elucidated on June 4 alongside the EVO's retail launch. The core two-way video calling will come absolutely free, we're promised, and only those yearning for extra features will have to pay up. It seems clear from the wording of that statement that multi-party conversations will figure prominently in the premium set, though we're left guessing at what other ways Qik has for seducing us to part with our cash. Either way, good news if you wanted to keep things simple... and cheap. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC EVO 4G accessories detailed ahead of launch
So you live in the land of WiMax and rainbows. Lucky you. Then you'll be needing some accessories to go along with that new EVO 4G you'll be purchasing next week. While we've seen some of these before (image from a previous leak after the break), we now have the benefit of pricing to assist with your decisions. And hey, if $30 for a leather pouch with belt clip seems like a reasonable purchase then you might want to check out our fine selection of pocket protectors and Bluetooth headsets. Don't be shy, embrace your outer nerd... no one else will. Oh!
Stores open early June 4th for EVO 4G with mobile hotspot loophole
When you've got the world's most desired** handset, you don't keep people waiting. As such, Sprint is recommending that its "preferred retailers" open extra early on June 4th. That should give you a bit of time to grab the new EVO 4G on the way to the office for some good ol' fashioned bragging rights in the cubicle farm. At least until you remember that one-third of your life is spent working inside of a beige box. Oh and here's a pro tip: according to the official EVO 4G Launch Guide we're staring at, the mobile hotspot functionality that turns your EVO into a WiMax hotspot for up to 8 devices will initially work without paying the $29.99 monthly fee if you're happy with using it on 4G only (no 3G). Sprint expects to correct this sometime in July after which the Sprint Mobile Hotspot add-on will require activation. Read the details for yourself after the break. ** assuming you have WiMax coverage
Skype Mobile with video support coming to Android Market later this year?
Skype's PR folks have been unusually loquacious today, as they've responded to a query about whether HTC's EVO 4G would get a Skype client with a deep and meaningful forward-looking statement, underpinned by a promise of an Android app "for all consumers globally to download regardless of carriers." This universally available addition to the Market should arrive "later this year," but what's important about it is that it's preceded by a lengthy spiel about Skype's ambition to "set the bar on mobile video calling," which it also intends to do this year. Does this necessarily mean that Skype video calling is coming to Android in time for us to wish granny happy Hanukkah over video chat? No. Is it a well constructed insinuation to that effect? Hell yes. Read the full statement at the source, or find the juiciest excerpt after the break. [Thanks, Jeremy]
Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated)
Last we thought, that mandatory $10 "premium data add-on" for Sprint's EVO 4G would additionally include YouTube and Qik video chat, and well, we may have been only half right. The gang at Android Guys have what's alleged to be a scan from Sprint's training materials, and according to one image, Qik's gonna cost you another $4.99 monthly via PayPal (not through the carrier) to use. We've reached out to see if we can confirm, but if true, it's a bit of a bummer to see the premiums continuing to add up. At least Fring's Skype video is still free, and as you can see in the video after the break, it works pretty well. Update: We're now privy to the official May 26th edition of the Evo 4G launch guide and can confirm the $4.99 fee. While Sprint hasn't said anything publicly, it's looking like that fee will stick saving a last minute call from the governor. Update 2: Qik has come out and clarified that the $5 fee will be for "advanced premium features," and two-way video calling will be completely and utterly free. That's what we like to hear. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
SlingPlayer Mobile for Android teased on an EVO 4G
It looks like those private beta rumors earlier this month were legit, seeing how Sling Media is now officially showing off its latest SlingPlayer Mobile incarnation on HTC's lovely EVO 4G for Sprint. The company is boasting that the app has the fastest load time of any version of SlingPlayer Mobile to date -- and we can't imagine that WiMAX hurts, either -- so this should be the perfect accessory to your EVO 4G purchase when the phone launches early next month. It's not clear yet what other Android devices will be compatible with the software, but we imagine Sling will be saying more soon, so stay tuned.
HTC EVO 4G will have a HDMI dock, sold through Best Buy
One of the things we bemoaned in our EVO 4G review was the lack of an included Micro HDMI cable in the box, mostly because they're still somewhat hard to find, but that worry can now be allayed thanks to this newly uncovered HDMI dock from HTC. It will work with the microUSB port at the bottom of your EVO for data and power transfers, but the main attraction will obviously be its compatibility with the phone's Type D connector and HDMI 1.4 connectivity. Before you rush to your nearest Best Buy to get one, though, there are a couple of caveats. PC Mag's testing of the HDMI output found some TVs only recognized a 480p signal when the EVO was sending out 1080p, and a number of apps, including Sprint TV, refused to send their goods out over the High-Definition Multimedia Interface at all. Might be worth trying before buying in this case, as in most others.
The Engadget Show - 009: Kevin Lynch, editor Q&A, AT&T GNOC tour, Sprint EVO 4G
Greetings people of Earth. The Engadget Show is back in a big way with this latest episode! First, Josh sits down with Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch to tackle a handful of thorny questions, from Flash vs. HTML5, to the smartphone revolution and his company's relationship with Apple. Then Josh, Paul, and Nilay welcome editors Chris Ziegler and Laura June for a special editor's Q&A, answering all your burning questions about news, culture, and what it's like to write for Engadget. We've also got a tour of AT&T's Global Network Operations Center (GNOC), which is essentially a war-room for networks that has to be seen to be believed. All that, and music from minusbaby and visuals from noteNdo. Okay that's enough reading... time to watch! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel Special guests: Kevin Lynch, Chris Ziegler, Laura June Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Glenn Gapultos Music by: minusbaby Visuals by: noteNdo Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 009 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 009 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. %Gallery-93618%
HTC EVO 4G rooted in record time (video)
We're still a good dozen days away from its public release, but the EVO 4G has already been given a rooting makeover. Google dished out EVO handsets to all the lucky (so lucky!) attendees of its blowout I/O 2010 event, and a trio of those visitors rolled up their sleeves and decided to get down and intimate with the phone over the weekend. The product of their labor is at this stage just a few screenshots and a blurry video after the break, but fear not, we're sure details of the hack will be forthcoming promptly. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The Engadget Show Live! with Adobe's Kevin Lynch, HTC EVO 4G, and Editor Q&A
Keep your eyes tuned to this post -- because at 5:00 PM ET, we'll be starting The Engadget Show live, with Adobe's Chief Technical Officer Kevin Lynch and special guests, Engadget Editors Laura June and Chris Ziegler. Josh, Nilay, and Paul are back of course, plus we'll have music from minusbaby and visuals from notendo and much, much, more! You seriously don't want to miss it! In the spirit of awesome, we've enabled tweeting directly to the live stream! To be a part of The Engadget Show broadcast, just include the hashtag "#engadgetshow" and watch for your tweet on the ticker at the bottom of the screen. One thing to note, The Engadget Show is a family program, so any single instance of swearing or trolling will force us to turn off the ticker... and it won't come back on. So, keep it clean and have fun!
Radio Shack stores getting WiMAX upgrades ahead of Evo launch?
While there's certainly plenty to love about HTC's EVO 4G, that 4G in the title is certainly one of the major draws. We're guessing it'll be a little easier to sell the things if customers can experience the wonders of WiMAX for themselves, so that's probably why RadioShack is (according to our tipster) installing these Clearwire WiMAX repeaters in at least some of its stores ahead of the May 30 June 4 launch of the phone there. This will effectively turn The Shack into 4G hotspots and, while we're not sure of the range of these bad boys, this is a good thing even if it extends the reach of WiMAX just a few feet further into our lives. Another picture after the break. Update: Oops, the phone is of course launching on June 4. It's 4G that's going live in this tipster's home city on May 30. [Thanks, Markus]
Shipping HTC EVO 4G ROM released into the wild
Can't wait to get your hands on an EVO 4G? Then it looks like you can now at least settle for the next best thing that's not actually anything like the real thing: the final, shipping version of the EVO 4G ROM. That's just been released into the wild courtesy of Conflipper, and is ready to be downloaded for use however you like -- and at your own risk, of course. Hit up the source link below for the download link, and let us know in comments if you manage to work any magic with it. [Thanks, Marcos]
The Engadget Show returns, this Saturday, May 22nd with Sprint's Evo 4G, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch, and an Engadget editors Q&A!
Guess what humans? It's that time again -- the Engadget Show returns this Saturday, May 22nd at 5pm... and it's shaping up to be a killer! First up, we'll have an exclusive interview with Adobe's CTO Kevin Lynch (taped at the Google I/O conference), which is sure to be both informative and wildly entertaining. What's more, Josh, Paul, and Nilay will be putting the new HTC Evo 4G through its paces live onstage, then they'll be joined by our very own Chris Ziegler and Laura June for a hard-hitting round of Q&A with the audience. That's right, it's your chance to ask the Engadget editors anything, live and in-person, plus much more (see instructions in the bullet points below). And as usual, we'll have some rocking 8-bit music from minusbaby and visuals from notendo and plenty of those good 'ol Engadget Show shenanigans. You like giveaways? Well then, this is your lucky week (if you attend). Many of you will be walking away with shiny new Voyager Pro headsets, courtesy of Plantronics and we've got tons of Engadget t-shirts to hand out! Oh, and did we mention we're also giving away a brand new iPad (courtesy of The Little App Factory and bundled with all of their software titles)? Well we are, alongside a handful of other goodies. The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's all the info you need: There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:30PM on Saturday, doors will open for seating at 4:30PM, and the show begins at 5PM You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break) The show length is around an hour If you have a question for the editor Q&A, email your question to showquestions [at] engadget [dot] com, or hand the question in to us at the venue by 3:30PM. You must hand in the query on an index card or piece of paper when you pick up your tickets. If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
HTC EVO 4G review
As a mobile platform, the EVO 4G's Android foundation is still an infant -- well, okay, perhaps it's a tweener -- but in its two-odd years in the public spotlight, the list of truly revolutionary devices to use it has been a significant one: the G1 for being the first to market; the Nexus One for ushering in a new (and subsequently killed) retail model; perhaps the CLIQ for introducing Motorola to the platform or the Droid for bringing the company some desperately needed, long overdue success. For the moment, anyway, a whopping fraction of the world's most important phones are running Google's little experiment. Needless to say, Sprint, HTC, and quite frankly, many of us have come to expect the EVO 4G to join that short list for some obvious reasons. Put simply, its magnificent list of specs reads as though it was scribbled on a napkin after a merry band of gadget nerds got tipsy at the watering hole and started riffing about their idea of the ultimate mobile device: a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch WVGA display, 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording, HDMI-out, and WiMAX compatibility. Of course, the list of potential deal-breakers for a phone is as long as the EVO 4G's display is wide; to put it another way, there are countless ways HTC, Sprint, or even Google could've screwed this thing up. So does this moderately intimidating black slab of pure engineering and marketing -- this high-profile bet on Sprint's future -- deliver the goods? Read on. %Gallery-93334%
What the HTC EVO 4G packaging does -- but hopefully won't -- look like
There are actually days when we envy those who are paid to hawk telephones. Today, for instance, we hear that certain Sprint employees have recently obtained an HTC EVO 4G. However, our jealousy is tempered by the fact that we've already spent considerable quality time with the superphone, and, quite frankly, by the ridiculous packaging you see immediately above. Pardon our French, but it looks like a microwavable food tub. See a pair of close-ups after the break. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Radio Shack taking EVO 4G preorders for $50 deposit, will toss in $20 for accessories
Between Sprint and Best Buy locations, there shouldn't be any shortage of opportunities to score an EVO 4G next month -- assuming inventory holds up, of course -- but Radio Shack's getting in the game, too, and it's sweetening the deal just a little bit. If you reserve a phone prior to launch by purchasing a $50 gift card (which you'll presumably use in June to help pay for the purchase), they'll toss in a $20 credit toward accessories when you come back in. Of course, these days, that doesn't even get you all the way to affording a freaking wall charger, but it's better than a punch in the nose. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sprint selling HTC EVO 4G on June 4 for $199
Everyone's favorite WiMAX-powered Android device finally has a date and a price, and you don't have terribly long to wait: June 4 is the date that you'll want to be lining up outside your local Sprint store for an EVO 4G, $199 in hand (assuming you're signing up for a new contract, of course -- according to the fine print, the full cost is $450 before all discounts). Interestingly, Sprint has specifically called out that you'll be able to video chat (remember, the EVO 4G has a front-facing cam) over both 3G and 4G using Qik -- not a bad choice, considering the company's well-established expertise with streaming live video out of handsets. Unfortunately, there's a downside to all this: customers will be paying a mandatory (as confirmed to us by Sprint reps) $10 per month "Premium Data add-on" on top of their plan -- ostensibly for the privilege of enjoying WiMAX when they're in a Sprint 4G market -- and the 8-device WiFi hotspot feature runs an extra $29.99 a month, which Sprint is quick to point out is half what you'd pay for a dedicated mobile broadband account. As we saw at CTIA, the phone is the first to offer on-phone YouTube high quality video, a feature that automatically kicks in when you're in the sweet confines of a WiMAX tower. Oh, and check this out: Sprint was hesitant to commit to offering simultaneous voice and data before, but HTC must've worked out the kinks, because it's all systems go -- you'll be able to yap and browse on 4G at the same time. We're at the EVO 4G's announcement in New York as we type, and we can tell you that everything Sprint is demoing is crazy fast -- we'd expect no less from an WiMAX device with a 1GHz Snapdragon -- and we're particularly stoked to see them demo Need For Speed Shift on it, which will be launching on Android around the same time as the device. Follow the break for Sprint's full press release! Update: According to Phone Scoop, that $10 premium add-on has the benefit of no data cap for either WiMAX or 3G connections. Since we're on the subject of updates, have you seen our bevy of new EVO 4G videos yet? Update 2: Starting today, Best Buy is accepting pre-orders for the device, and per usual, they won't require you to wait for the mail-in rebate -- it's just $199.99 straight-up on contract. Thanks, all!
HTC EVO 4G training begins at Sprint, reveals a few surprises
The HTC EVO 4G has already turned up in Sprint's inventory, hit the FCC, and pushed away anything in its path, and it looks like it's now hit one more milestone on its way to availability: the all-important Sprint employee training program. While there's still no indication of an actual release date, the training materials do reveal a few new details, including the first real indication that customers who buy the phone will also have to sign up for special "plans designed for the HTC EVO 4G" -- details on those plans remain a mystery, unfortunately. The materials also seem to suggest that both Sprint Navigation and Google Navigation will be present on the device, that the hotspot feature will support WEP and WPA encryption, and that phone does indeed pack an FM radio. Hit up the source link below for a look at the rest of the materials. [Thanks, LOVEisPEACE]
Sprint cans Nexus One in favor of EVO 4G
In light of Verizon's recent decision (or was that Google's decision?) to say goodnight to the Nexus One in favor of the Droid Incredible, we thought it might be wise to reach out to Sprint and get a comment on its own version -- the EVO 4G is just around the corner, of course, and it's lying in wait to cast a long, long shadow over any other Android device in Sprint's lineup. Sure enough, the carrier says that it's now taking a pass on Google's first "superphone," seeing how the EVO 4G is basically better in every respect: WiMAX support, larger screen, better camera, and so on. Of course, this might peeve a few folks who'd prefer stock Android over HTC's Sense UI -- if for no other reason than the fact that Sense-powered devices tend to have wildly longer firmware upgrade lag times than stock ones do -- but otherwise, the move seems to be a perfectly logical one. Oh, and as for that EVO? No update on a launch window, but Sprint says that it's still targeting Summer, thank goodness.
