There aren't many 4G phones in the market right now, so we aren't exactly bombarded with too many choices yet. As such, it's quite easy for handsets to separate themselves from the pack with just little changes and the HTC Evo Shift 4G manages to pull that off nicely.
Physically, the handset brings a high-quality design that makes you feel like you're handling a really premium phone. The aluminum accents, soft-touch finish and beefy dimensions take it a step up the style ladder. Display is a 3.6-inch capacitive touchscreen (800 x 480 resolution) that manages sharp and clear pictures, with plenty of bright colors. The slide-out landscape QWERTY keyboard works great, although the lack of dedicated number keys might put off some users. Regardless, it's one of the best keyboards for its size and makes a good case for choosing the Shift over the other keyboard-less 4G offerings from Sprint.
As a phone, the Evo Shift 4G makes for above average call quality. Everything went through clearly on both ends of conversations, with no background noises to disrupt. Speakerphone, however, was just average, although we appreciate the high volume level. Battery should last you over six hours in continuous talk time.
The phone comes in at a cheaper price than other 4G handsets right now. To allow that, it makes some compromises, such as the lack of a front-facing camera and an HDMI port. Most notable, though, is the 800MHz processor, which is a downgrade from the 1GHz standard for other 4G devices. For the most part, though, you'll only notice the slight drop in speed when you've got a plethora of apps open -- for regular use, it should be fine. Plus, it plays Flash even with the lower CPU clock.
As a full-fledged Android 2.2 smartphone running HTC Sense, you get all the usual features you'll expect: a variety of calling options, basic and advanced messaging and a variety of preloaded apps (both Google's Mobile Suite, as well as HTC's own apps and widgets). Connectivity support is full-blast, with 4G, 3G (when WiMax isn't available), WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth. It also supports mobile hotspot capabilities for up to eight phones at a time.
On the multimedia end, it provides average playback of content. Naturally, Sprint loaded it with their various streaming services, which you'll likely find plenty useful over the high-speed 4G network (hopefully, you have coverage in your area). The 5.0 megapixel camera offers plenty of editing options, all while taking above average shots and very watchable 720p clips.
Overall, the HTC Evo Shift 4G is an excellent choice for an Android smartphone, provided you spend most of your time in an area with Sprint's 4G coverage. The $149.99 price further makes a compelling case, especially if you’d like a physical keyboard to go with your Android smartphone.
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