After weeks of leaked promo materials and screen shots, Sprint has introduced the EVO Shift, HTC’s latest carrier-exclusive 4G smartphone.
The phone is scheduled to be widely available to consumers on the last day of CES, January 9th.
As Sprint’s press release states, the EVO Shift follows in the speedy 4G footsteps of its mammoth-sized EVO predecessor, but comes in a smaller, tighter package. Highlights include a 3.6 inch capacitive-touch screen display, a slide out QWERTY keyboard, 5-megapixel back-facing camera, 720p HD camcorder and microSD slot for upgradable storage up to 32GB.The phone can also serve as a mobile hotspot, tethering up to eight wireless devices.
For the crowd that wants more power and more features from their phone, however, the EVO Shift may be lacking. The phone ships with Android 2.2. (Froyo, not the most recent version, Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread). It lacks a front facing camera, which means no video chatting either. The 5-megapixel back facing cameras is downgraded from the EVO’s 8 megapixels. The EVO has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, while the Shift clocks in at 800 Mhz. Those that want larger screens like the former EVO (4.3 inches) may not be satisfied with the EVO Shift’s 3.6 inches.
Comparing the EVO Shift to the older, bigger EVO, the question comes down to this: Are you willing to sacrifice screen size, processor speed and other niceties for a slide out keyboard and easier pocketability?
The EVO Shift retails at $150 after a $100 mail-in rebate (with a two-year service contract).
