HTC EVO 4G sets new sales record for Sprint

Much of the tech world’s media types may currently be focused on Apple’s newly unveiled iPhone 4 handset, but that doesn’t mean the cogs of industry have ground to a halt where rival mobile phones are concerned.

Moreover, the folks over at Sprint will be eager to draw consumer attention towards the recently released HTC EVO 4G smartphone, which has reportedly broken the wireless carrier’s one-day sales record.

That’s according to research specialist FBR Capital Markets, which has offered up an EVO 4G traction estimate it claims has brought 100,000 new customers to Sprint alongside a healthy 220,000 existing customers who are thought to have opted for a handset upgrade.

HTC’s EVO 4G may not boast the seemingly irresistible brand power attributed to Apple’s mobile devices, but it has certainly found favour with the critics thanks to its super-speedy 4G connectivity, Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 1GB of ROM, 512MBs of RAM, a bundled 8GB microSD card, and a spacious 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive touch-screen display.

Other contributing elements luring prospective buyers away from competing devices such as the iPhone and BlackBerry, include Google’s Android OS (v2.1), the Sense user interface, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), an 8.0 mega-pixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3 mega-pixel front-facing camera, 720p HD video capture, and support for up to eight wireless devices through the 3G and 4G Mobile Hotspot.

Factor in Google services such as Search, Maps, Gmail and YouTube alongside onboard GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, an FM radio, a HDMI port, a digital compass, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a kickstand for hands-free viewing/multimedia playback, and the HTC EVO 4G’s price tag of $200 USD means the phone is all-but selling itself.

Apple Announces iPhone4

Drooling Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) fans the world over got their first true glimpse at the Apple iPhone 4 yesterday, when Apple chief Steve Jobs showcased the latest iPhone iteration at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.The device is already being heralded as a powerhouse and seen as superior to its predecessor, the Apple iPhone 3G, plus the previous two iPhone generations -- but does anyone care about those anymore anyway?
The new Apple iPhone 4, which hits stores June 24, certainly packs a punch. It's 24 percent thinner than its predecessor and runs Apple's self-made ARM-based A4 central processor, the same chip that powers the Apple iPad touch-screen tablet. It's the first device to tie in iPhone OS 4 and adds a 5-megapixel camera that takes stills and 720p HD video. The camera is front-facing, making video chat available. The hardware also features a three-axis gyroscope for gaming accuracy; a 3.5-inch scratch-resistant glass display, dubbed Retina, that offers 326 pixels per inch for a clearer picture; and new iPhone software that adds reader functionalities similar to the iPad.
And with the 16-GB model and 32-GB model running $199 and $299, respectively, iPhone 4 isn't too much of a drain on the wallet.
Still, as with anything Steve Jobs and Co. unleash on the gadget-hungry Apple faithful, it hasn't been met without criticism. Here we take a look at five letdowns, or bummers, of the Apple iPhone 4.
1. FaceTime video calling works only over Wi-Fi: One of the biggest coups for the Apple iPhone 4 is the ability to make video calls using the new FaceTime offering. But FaceTime, for now, only works over Wi-Fi. Yes, video calling overWi-Fi is better than no video calling at all, but isn't the point to be able to have an impromptu video chat anywhere at any time, or attend a last-minute meeting on the fly? Granted, the ability to use FaceTime on 3G networks would be a bandwidth drain, but in a pinch it would be a nice option to have.
2. FaceTime also only works iPhone 4 to iPhone 4: In true Apple fashion, one of the coolest new features in iPhone 4 works only with other iPhone 4s. It's unclear how long the video service will be limited to just the newest-generation iPhone, but your dreams of calling your pal who still uses an iPhone 3G S and taunting him over a video chat won't come true any time soon.
3. The iPhone is still AT&T (NYSE:T) only: There was a collective sigh of disappointment when, after Jobs showcased the Apple iPhone 4, there was no mention of the device hitting other carrier networks. The world had hoped and prayed that Verizon would get its crack at the iPhone and rip iPhone exclusivity away from AT&T. That wasn't the case. There's always next year, though.


4. AT&T's scrapping of unlimited data plans: Sure, this isn't really an Apple problem, but it will affect nearly every Apple iPhone 4 user. AT&T last week deep-sixed its $30 unlimited wireless data plans for smartphones, netbooks and the Apple iPad and replaced them with a 200-MB-per-month plan for $15 and a 2-GB-per-month plan for $25, with $10 for each additional GB. AT&T claims the new plans will save most consumers money, but iPhone loyalists, especially those who use their devices for bandwidth-intensive apps (many more of which are sure to surface with the new iPhone 4 capabilities), the first AT&T bill under the new plans could be a rude awakening. The disappearance of AT&T's unlimited data plans are another reason Apple should start looking elsewhere -- ahem, Verizon Wireless -- for its darling iPhone.


5. The Apple iPhone 4 is cool, but it's no HTC EVO 4G: Possibly the biggest iPhone challenger to surface since the industry started seeking a true iPhone killer is the HTC EVO 4G, the first commercially available 4G smartphone, which runs on Sprint (NYSE:S)'s WiMax network. The comparisons are bound to happen, but the iPhone 4, for all of its luster, still lacks a little of the flare of the Google Android HTC EVO 4G, which ties in a better camera and larger screen. The EVO also has support for Google (NSDQ:GOOG) Voice, free navigation and unlimited multitasking. The comparisons are sure to continue, but as the JC News Network pointed out: "The new iPhone 4 doesn't mean it is a 4G phone. The only 4G phone as of the moment is the HTC EVO 4G. It is being powered by Sprint Mobile that uses WiMax, the only network provider that offers 4G." Only time will tell which one is the true victor, but so far, the HTC EVO 4G is off to a strong start.