HTC EVO 4Geez

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This is the most powerful gadget I have ever had the pleasure of using.  Just looking the specs will blow your mind:

• a 4.3-inch 800×480 capacitive TFT touchscreen with multitouch capabilities out of the box;
• Android 2.1 OS with HTC Sense UI;
• 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording;
• 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video conferences;
• 1GB of flash memory where you can install apps;
• 512MB RAM;
• 1GHz Snapdragon processor;
• 802.11b/g WiFi;
• GPS/aGPS with free turn-by-turn navigation;
• Bluetooth 2.1 A2DP + EDR;
• 4G WiMAX technology / 3G EV-DO REV A;
• FM Radio;
• HDMI out port;
• 3.5mm headset jack;
• microUSB port;
• 8GB microSD card out of the box (expandable up to 32GB);
• Digital compass, G-sensor, Proximity sensor, and a Light Sensor;
• 1500mAh battery;
• Kickstand on its back.

I just have to talk about the Android 2.1 OS with HTC Sense UI, because it offers you so much.  When I opened the address book I suddenly realized I had way more contacts then I had originally.  The EVO actually uploaded all my friends from Facebook and Twitter and loaded them into my contacts with the option of linking my phonebook contacts with their Facebook and Twitter profiles. 

I want to tell you a little about the hardware of this device and what’s so instrumental about it.  First, there are two digital cameras: a primary 8 megapixel on the back with an LED flash that allows for 720p HD video recording and a secondary 1.3 megapixel on the front to accommodate webcasts and self-portraits. Who gives out microSD cards? Sprint does!  An 8GB expandable microSD memory card is included out-of-the-box with a capacity of 32GB.   HDMI mini allows for connection to a HDTV for multiple output options. 

The FriendStream is a great new feature for consolidating social interactions.  It allows you to post a status update to your Facebook and Twitter simultaneously and shows your friends updates from those Social Networks.

Now, let’s talk about speed. The HTC EVO comes with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor which makes this gadget faster than a speeding bullet, able to run multiple apps in a single bound, and power 8 other devices on its WiMax Network.   

Is there anything this little gadget can’t do?  Only one: since 4G has not made its way to the Big Apple the EVO can’t produce a high-speed internet hotspot, so I will have to wait a bit before I cut the cord from Time Warner Cable ISP.  Let’s face it; ease of use is very important these days. Being able to turn your internet ON from your phone is much easier than having some stranger come to your house to install a modem and forget about having something go wrong. Waiting for service calls from 8-11am is not how I want to spend my Saturday.  It’s just old technology that’s easy to let go.   

Lastly let’s talk about Sprint. I have been a long time Sprint customer for about 20 years from when my parents used them for home phone service. They have been a great company with reliable service. A few hiccups along the way but nothing devastating. The other big players like Verizon which I think ties Sprint for 1^st in overall customer satisfaction also doesn’t carry a super phone like the iPhone yet so there was no reason to jump ship for them. AT&T on the other hand has the iPhone which is enticing but the carrier quality is not up to par with that of Sprint or Verizon so they were never an option.  I think this could be the biggest thing for Sprint since they moved to mobile.

My overall rating of this phone is 10 out of 10 for a true technological masterpiece. 

Related articles

• HTC gives Sensation a WiMAX makeover for HTC EVO 4G+ (slashgear.com)
• Sprint Launches The HTC EVO 3D for $199.99 (techie-buzz.com)

Socialnomics

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“It’s all about the economy, stupid.  No, it’s all about a people-driven economy, stupid.”  This statement is incredibly powerful and was the opening and closing statement of Eric Qualman’s book, Socialnomics.  In it, Qualman explores how we, the consumers, are finally given the power we deserve to expose the best companies from the worst.  No longer can these corporate giants hide behind closed doors as we have to put up with bad service, products, and experiences.  Our voice is heard through the crowd, and they know it, as we are now influencers, brand ambassadors and ultimately their bread and butter.  Companies now have the responsibility to share ownership of their brands with their consumers, or be left with bad reputations that will ultimately close their business. 

Socialnomics is a walkthrough of the last 10 years or so, which is respectively the entire social media age.  If Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, Crush It is the intro to social, then Socialnomics is the text book for the advanced social guru.  There are so many examples from the copyright infringement episode of the music industry to the adoption of widespread internet TV.  Traditional advertising will be phased out into incentives on social channels.   I have experienced this phasing with the news as I no longer look for it, it comes to me.  Many of the concepts explained in this book I have been stressing since the start of my own journey through this ever changing, dynamic social environment.

I highly recommend reading this book as it has been an eye-opener into the complexities of the Social Media space.  It will give you a clearer understanding of how and why we should be embracing the social space and what’s to come.  In chapter 5, Qualman talks about how the social influence of your friends directly impacts the decisions you make as a consumer.  This illustrates that you are more influenced by friends through social mediums than by how Google ranks brands and products in search results.  Word of mouth grows to World of Mouth and creates a collective intelligence that will benefit mankind—and marketers—for years to come.  

Related articles

• Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business (smallbusinessmarketinguk.wordpress.com)
• Watch: Socialnomics' Social Media Revolution Gets Updated For 2011 (socialtimes.com)
• Social Media Revolution 2011 Video (janeknight.typepad.com)