JunBringer
Android Expert
Evo vs. iPhone discussion is way more fun.
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Evo 4G vs Epic 4G
- Thread starter facekl
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- htc evo 4g
nahpungnome
Well-Known Member
This thread is another reason why Android fragmentation is bad 
JunBringer
Android Expert
Eh, I don't see the big deal. Yeah some apps don't work unless it's 2.whatever but I like that we get choices/variety. iFolks all get the same thing.
novox77
Leeeroy Jennnkinnns!
This thread is another reason why Android fragmentation is bad
people cheering for their phone does not mean fragmentation. People argue over 3Gs vs iPhone4 all the time. Does that imply fragmentation as well?
exBBuser
Android Expert
I was at a Sprint Store and the screen of the Epic is what makes me wanna give up my EVO that thing looks just good,the way I think the. Evo should've been from the beginning ,I just can't deal with the QWERTY Keybord but the idea of running to the store to buy one is still there.
jim2point0
Android Enthusiast
Honestly... I think a 4.3" SAMOLED display would give you a good 3 hours battery life tops (screen on time, i mean). The Epic burns through battery as it is... and it's 3". However, my the EVO screen just looks... washed out and bad after playing with an Epic. If you've never seen a galaxy s phone... the EVO screen is fine.
nu2android
Well-Known Member
The Epic screen looks more contrasty and the Evo screen light. If there was a way to adjust contrast on the Evo screen I think people would be more satisfied. To me screen is no issue.
norulesjustgo
Newbie
Why is it that the EVO is STILL sold out and the EPIC isnt? It's been more than two months since the EVO has been released and sprint hasnt recieved any? The website contradicts itself. On sprint's website it says that theyre sold out and that theyre regularly recieving more???? i dont get it.
they got more in the sunday before the epic was released and was sold out by wednesday
i bought mine that sunday. i was checking the website everyday for two weeks until it was available.
htc can not get enough screens to build the amount of phones they need to keep up with demand. my advice is to be patient and keep looking or go with the epic if you need it immediately.
my wife is getting the epic in a couple weeks, she has to have the external keyboard. samsung makes their own screens so they shouldn't sell out.
i bought mine that sunday. i was checking the website everyday for two weeks until it was available.
htc can not get enough screens to build the amount of phones they need to keep up with demand. my advice is to be patient and keep looking or go with the epic if you need it immediately.
my wife is getting the epic in a couple weeks, she has to have the external keyboard. samsung makes their own screens so they shouldn't sell out.
Desert Cactus
Member
So I was just at the Sprint store today. Talked to one guy. He said if they had enough Evo, it would outsell the Epic. This is astounding since the Evo has been out for more than 3 months. Although I think it doesn't go as fast as before, but I would keep checking with them and put your name on their list if possible. They will give you a call.
SporkLover
Android Enthusiast
I know this was the issue with the Incredible, however, I haven't seen anything indicating that this is also the case with the Evo, I mean it's just a TFT LCD, not a AMOLED screen. I was under the impression that it was a lack of planned manufacturing capacity.
Yeah I noticed that too. Fortunately I found a small window of time (two weeks ago) where it was suddenly available online on both Best Buy and Sprint. It actually remained available on Sprint for nearly a week.
My advice is to just check both sites several times every day. That's how I finally got mine.
And I think when they say they are regularly getting more, they probably mean in the stores.
norulesjustgo
Newbie
Ok. I can deal with that. When I went to the Sprint store the other day to check one out the Sprint rep told me that they (HTC) are going to be making phone with the screen from Sony and not only that he said the price would be changing after 9/11. To what I have no idea because the Sprint website still says $199 after mail in rebate. I'll keep checking Best Buy's website and calling the store closest to me that sells Sprint's phones.
On another note: I read on another post that someone when they got the phone did a ##786# command to see the usage. I've read soo many horror stories about people going to buy the phone (EVO) and getting a used one. I'll be sure to tell the guy that I would like to un-box it myself.
On another note: I read on another post that someone when they got the phone did a ##786# command to see the usage. I've read soo many horror stories about people going to buy the phone (EVO) and getting a used one. I'll be sure to tell the guy that I would like to un-box it myself.
LCD screens show up better in sunlight than the type of screen on the EPIC. Google it....
that was what i was told by a sprint rep over the phone. could just be here say.
Not really. I can see my Vibrant screen. I can't see my brother's HD2 screen or my old HD2 screen in the sunlight. Yep, I tried really hard. Me nor my brother can see it on his, but he can see it on mines.
I'm pretty certain HD2/Evo use the same screen.
http://www.droiddog.com/android-blog/2010/06/evo-vs-iphone-displays-in-direct-sunlight/
My HD2 looks something like that in the sunlight, totally faded out to the point I can't see anything, much less change song. I can see it on my Vibrant's SAMOLED screen much better. Then again I don't think all LCD are the same type. Maybe only certain types of LCD are better in sunlight than others? Maybe that's why the iPhone 4 (also LCD) looks better than Evo in that video. Not sure.
jim2point0
Android Enthusiast
There are a few reasons. HTC can't get enough parts to keep making more EVOs. The EVO also had more exposure when it comes to advertising. It was the first 4G phone and first phone with a kickstand and blah blah blah.
I have a spare EVO though... I should probably try and sell it. But it has a scuff on the bottom right corner from being dropped. Not even noticeable but I probably won't sell it because of that.
I have both phones and my Epic is easier to see in sunlight. Others have had different experiences. So far, my friend's iPhone 4 is easier to see than both the Epic and the EVO. Lame.
Mr Horrible
Lurker
First post nub, thanks for the [mostly] great comparisons between these mobile devices... Extensive debate over two similar phones usually means that both devices are capable overall and each is attractive to different groups for different reasons.
I'm finally out of contract on AT&T, and it's time for me to ditch the iPhone 3G, and I've firmly decided to go Android. Secondly, looking at the plans, I've decided to go (back to) Sprint... the simplicity of their "everything plan" is a nice change...
So the device is the only remaining question - and I stopped in a Sprint store yesterday to check them out.
First impression - the Epic is an eye-catcher, for sure - but to be fair, it was entirely situational. The EVO and Epic were probably 6" apart on the typical security stands - the EVO had a simple bluish background, and the Epic had an eye-popping aquarium with brightly-colored fish swimming around. I'd guess that the "typical consumer" is going to be drawn to the color frenzy. However, even after watching a few youtube videos and playing a few games, it was apparent that the Epic's screen was what I'd prefer. Yes, the colors are over-saturated and unrealistic, but I don't want a calibrated home-theater in my pocket (I have one of those on a slightly larger scale
).
Next, (with some assistance), I stopped all the apps on both phones with the assumption that resource usage should be at a minimum, and scrolled around, sent a few texts to myself, sent a few texts back, surfed the web (3G at this location), loaded up a few apps, etc. Both phones were a huge improvement over my molasses-based iPhone 3G, so I'm probably not as picky as some. In my experience yesterday, I noticed that both had oddities:
- the EVO seemed to stutter during navigation occasionally, i.e., on notification pulldown, scrolling through apps, scrolling web pages. Not consistently, just every now and then. Nothing that would restrict functionality, just aesthetic, really. However, some of the functions that I would think are UI/overlay-related (again, I'm new to these) like adding apps/widgets to the pages was flawless.
- the Epic had zero navigation stutters that I saw - it was extremely smooth navigation all the way around. BUT - unlike the EVO, adding widgets/apps to the home page seemed to take longer - dropping the icon took a second or two to "pop" into place.
Maps/GPS on both devices seemed to work just fine for me - but after reading about all the potential issues, I'll dive into that a little more on my next visit. Hard to adequately test while standing in a store...
I don't expect much from cameras/video on phones - but both seemed fine for a quick snapshot... Video is along the same lines. To me, a phone camera is ideal for unexpected situations when you don't have a real camera on you, not for quality portraits or scenery.
As for personal preference - the screen real-estate on the EVO is incredible, but I can't honestly say I dig the blocky-feel of the device. The Epic felt better in my hand - the EVO really felt (gasp!) too thin to get a good grip on, but I'd prefer to get a better idea after some daily use. The EVO has better "hard" buttons along the bottom - the Epic's buttons required more force than I expected. Not hard to push, but not a button that you can just lightly brush, either. I don't perceive weight as a measure of quality build, personally - but to me, both phones felt well constructed. Of course, both were new, and only time and use would tell if either would become flimsy. With the Epic's moving parts, it would probably be more susceptible to creaks and rattles... but that's not a given. I had an HTC 6600 for years with a slider, and it was solid - the 6700 was jiggly and loose like a fat hooker after a few months, and the 6800 wouldn't stay shut, so it totally depends on the device and user.
The slide-out keyboard seems to be another topic of great debate... coming from an iPhone, I'm used to a soft keyboard, but before my iPhone, I had the HTC 6600, 6700, and 6800, and I can say that the slide out on the Epic is better than any of those. If you're someone that NEEDS a hard keyboard, then the Epic is the obvious choice - otherwise, since Swype is available on both models (which is VERY cool, I must say), it could be considered a "bonus" feature for anyone else.
So I guess that brings me to updates/support, which is the only area I can contribute anything more than an opinion... As I said earlier, I had an HTC PPC 6600/6700/6800... as an early adopter of the 6600, support was pretty awful - the phone was riddled with bluetooth issues, battery issues, reboots, lockups, d-pad failures, and other issues. Sure, some of it was attributable to Win Mobile, but there were some things that were chipset/build quality issues. Obviously, no one (including me) "gave up" on HTC after those issues. Samsung is new-ish to the "real" smartphone market - for several years they developed phones that looked fancy with touch screens and icons, but were really nothing more than gimmicky phones with a fancy UI. Stepping up to a real OS is a huge change - expect some growing pains. HTC had them once upon a time too! I buy a phone for the functionality it has *right now*, and anything better that comes down via software updates is just a bonus.
So now I'm in research-mode, getting opinions of actual users, which lead me here. I'm really torn between the 2 devices, but honestly leaning Epic right now, based on my impressions. I'll probably be picking up one or the other for the 30-day trial in a week or two...
-Mr. H
I'm finally out of contract on AT&T, and it's time for me to ditch the iPhone 3G, and I've firmly decided to go Android. Secondly, looking at the plans, I've decided to go (back to) Sprint... the simplicity of their "everything plan" is a nice change...
So the device is the only remaining question - and I stopped in a Sprint store yesterday to check them out.
First impression - the Epic is an eye-catcher, for sure - but to be fair, it was entirely situational. The EVO and Epic were probably 6" apart on the typical security stands - the EVO had a simple bluish background, and the Epic had an eye-popping aquarium with brightly-colored fish swimming around. I'd guess that the "typical consumer" is going to be drawn to the color frenzy. However, even after watching a few youtube videos and playing a few games, it was apparent that the Epic's screen was what I'd prefer. Yes, the colors are over-saturated and unrealistic, but I don't want a calibrated home-theater in my pocket (I have one of those on a slightly larger scale
). Next, (with some assistance), I stopped all the apps on both phones with the assumption that resource usage should be at a minimum, and scrolled around, sent a few texts to myself, sent a few texts back, surfed the web (3G at this location), loaded up a few apps, etc. Both phones were a huge improvement over my molasses-based iPhone 3G, so I'm probably not as picky as some. In my experience yesterday, I noticed that both had oddities:
- the EVO seemed to stutter during navigation occasionally, i.e., on notification pulldown, scrolling through apps, scrolling web pages. Not consistently, just every now and then. Nothing that would restrict functionality, just aesthetic, really. However, some of the functions that I would think are UI/overlay-related (again, I'm new to these) like adding apps/widgets to the pages was flawless.
- the Epic had zero navigation stutters that I saw - it was extremely smooth navigation all the way around. BUT - unlike the EVO, adding widgets/apps to the home page seemed to take longer - dropping the icon took a second or two to "pop" into place.
Maps/GPS on both devices seemed to work just fine for me - but after reading about all the potential issues, I'll dive into that a little more on my next visit. Hard to adequately test while standing in a store...
I don't expect much from cameras/video on phones - but both seemed fine for a quick snapshot... Video is along the same lines. To me, a phone camera is ideal for unexpected situations when you don't have a real camera on you, not for quality portraits or scenery.
As for personal preference - the screen real-estate on the EVO is incredible, but I can't honestly say I dig the blocky-feel of the device. The Epic felt better in my hand - the EVO really felt (gasp!) too thin to get a good grip on, but I'd prefer to get a better idea after some daily use. The EVO has better "hard" buttons along the bottom - the Epic's buttons required more force than I expected. Not hard to push, but not a button that you can just lightly brush, either. I don't perceive weight as a measure of quality build, personally - but to me, both phones felt well constructed. Of course, both were new, and only time and use would tell if either would become flimsy. With the Epic's moving parts, it would probably be more susceptible to creaks and rattles... but that's not a given. I had an HTC 6600 for years with a slider, and it was solid - the 6700 was jiggly and loose like a fat hooker after a few months, and the 6800 wouldn't stay shut, so it totally depends on the device and user.
The slide-out keyboard seems to be another topic of great debate... coming from an iPhone, I'm used to a soft keyboard, but before my iPhone, I had the HTC 6600, 6700, and 6800, and I can say that the slide out on the Epic is better than any of those. If you're someone that NEEDS a hard keyboard, then the Epic is the obvious choice - otherwise, since Swype is available on both models (which is VERY cool, I must say), it could be considered a "bonus" feature for anyone else.
So I guess that brings me to updates/support, which is the only area I can contribute anything more than an opinion... As I said earlier, I had an HTC PPC 6600/6700/6800... as an early adopter of the 6600, support was pretty awful - the phone was riddled with bluetooth issues, battery issues, reboots, lockups, d-pad failures, and other issues. Sure, some of it was attributable to Win Mobile, but there were some things that were chipset/build quality issues. Obviously, no one (including me) "gave up" on HTC after those issues. Samsung is new-ish to the "real" smartphone market - for several years they developed phones that looked fancy with touch screens and icons, but were really nothing more than gimmicky phones with a fancy UI. Stepping up to a real OS is a huge change - expect some growing pains. HTC had them once upon a time too! I buy a phone for the functionality it has *right now*, and anything better that comes down via software updates is just a bonus.
So now I'm in research-mode, getting opinions of actual users, which lead me here. I'm really torn between the 2 devices, but honestly leaning Epic right now, based on my impressions. I'll probably be picking up one or the other for the 30-day trial in a week or two...
-Mr. H
novox77
Leeeroy Jennnkinnns!
You can't go wrong with either phone, IMO. iPhone3G sucks ass. My wife has that phone, and the recent iOS4 update has completely crippled it.
Being a power root user of my Evo, I will say that the stuttering you observed on the Evo is very real, and it's due to a poorly implemented 30fps cap that HTC created in order to support HDMI. It's totally bogus, since the development community for the Evo has revealed a modification to the kernel that eliminates the cap while preserving HDMI functionality. Once applied, the Evo is "set free" and it scrolls as smoothly as any other Android. No more stuttering either. Check out the video in my sig for a comparison between capped and uncapped fps.
It is VERY unfortunate that you have to root and flash a custom kernel to resolve this issue. Fortunately, the rooting community for the Evo and HTC phones is huge, and there are tons of goodies available if you root. Samsung's rooting community is pretty weak. Epic is rootable, but there's no custom recovery (no flashing custom ROMs or kernels, no nandroid backups) and no engineering bootloader (not able to remove crapware bundled with your phone). Over time, Epic may get these things, but HTC phones had all this on day one. Just another variable to add to your decision
No smartphone out there can come close to a fully rooted Android phone.
You can't go wrong with either phone, IMO. iPhone3G sucks ass. My wife has that phone, and the recent iOS4 update has completely crippled it.
Being a power root user of my Evo, I will say that the stuttering you observed on the Evo is very real, and it's due to a poorly implemented 30fps cap that HTC created in order to support HDMI. It's totally bogus, since the development community for the Evo has revealed a modification to the kernel that eliminates the cap while preserving HDMI functionality. Once applied, the Evo is "set free" and it scrolls as smoothly as any other Android. No more stuttering either. Check out the video in my sig for a comparison between capped and uncapped fps.
It is VERY unfortunate that you have to root and flash a custom kernel to resolve this issue. Fortunately, the rooting community for the Evo and HTC phones is huge, and there are tons of goodies available if you root. Samsung's rooting community is pretty weak. Epic is rootable, but there's no custom recovery (no flashing custom ROMs or kernels, no nandroid backups) and no engineering bootloader (not able to remove crapware bundled with your phone). Over time, Epic may get these things, but HTC phones had all this on day one. Just another variable to add to your decision
No smartphone out there can come close to a fully rooted Android phone.
The Samsung community is fine. I just applied the lagfix and rooted by phone really easy by installing an apk that does the job for me. We have an unlocker app (another 1-click app) that gets the unlock code/unfreeze code for you. There is also a way to change the battery indicator to a percentage.
You can remove any of the bundled crapware, and even the animation/sounds during the startup. Do a cursory glance over at xda. We have ClockworkMod working and it is right now installed on my phone. Good lord...give it time, only been out for a week or so for Epic. For Vibrant/Captivate, given the short time we have most/all the things you already listed.
Droidone
Android Enthusiast
All I can say regarding any type of stutter is if you root and put a custom kernel, this phone will be just as fast as the epic. My phone runs at 53 fps and scores 1255 on quadrant. I love the Evo even more now then I did when I got it. Fresh's rom is the shizznit
Rooting is simple and more people should do it. It just makes the phone 100% better than stock. Just like the iphone got better with Jailbreak.
Rooting is simple and more people should do it. It just makes the phone 100% better than stock. Just like the iphone got better with Jailbreak.
jim2point0
Android Enthusiast
Not to confuse people, but he probably means that fps2d runs at 53 FPS, which means the limit was removed. A green ball bouncing around a screen is hardly a graphically intense operation
The EVO physically can not be as fast as the Epic. The quadrant scores are just inflated by Froyo's jit compiler. It's still the same speed as a Nexus One. Even with a custom kernel, browser panning\zooming on a busy web page will still be choppy, and you won't be able to watch a 720p MKV movie on the EVO without down-converting it. We all know the Epic has a GPU which can process 90 million triangles per second, and the EVO can push 22 million at best. May not be many apps that can take advantage of that YET, but that's because Android still has a lot of phones with dated hardware like the snapdragon processor.....