Hey All. I've been lurking these parts for a while trying to decide if this phone was for me, and I finally went ahead and picked one up. I've had the phone for 2 days now and i want to share how I feel about it so far, as well as talking about some areas that are important to me.
Coming from the Triumph, the Evo is a MAJOR upgrade in all aspects of the device. It is much faster and smoother to navigate around the phone, and the dual-core processor is very nice compared to the Triumph single-core processor. Finally, it feels good not having to deal with a phone that got very hot while performing simple tasks. Also, the USB port actually works, unlike the Triumph which had a very very weak connection when it was plugged in. The display is much nicer and much more crisp. I also like the feel of the glass better; It just feels smoother and less jerky IMO. Additionally, The signal is significantly stronger than the Triumph, although I have experienced the fluctuating bars issue that others have. It hasn't bothered me yet though, as I've always managed to keep a signal even if it was weak for a few seconds.
Random Reboots
I have not experienced any random rebooting issues, but my brother who also just bought the Evo V did have problems with his. He exchanged his phone at Best Buy and now has a new one. Keeping my fingers crossed that I won't experience the issues he had.
Battery Life
The only measurement of battery life I have is in comparison to the Triumph, which was awful. The Evo is very power efficient when it is asleep, but the screen is a huge battery hog when it is on. In 1 day, with some texting, web browsing, and a lot of Twitter, my Evo came came out with about 20% battery left, while my Triumph would've most likely been dead. I am also using a lot of widgets that consume data. I did not use data consuming widgets with my Triumph in an effort to conserve battery life.
Camera
The Evo's camera is good, but it is certainly no iPhone quality shooter. Pictures in natural light come out pretty darn good, but low-light photos have a very grainy look to them. The 3D camera is kinda neat, but I became bored with it after a few pictures. It really is very gimmicky like most people have already said. In comparison to the Triumph, the camera is a significant upgrade that should be suitable for most users. In my opinion it is what a cell phone camera should be like(Thank god I don't have to deal with the Triumph terrible green tinted camera anymore). Shutter speed isn't the fastest, but it has suited my needs. Sample Pictures at bottom of post, 3rd party app "AfterFocus" used in one picture of my dog and the "depth of field" camera effect was used in the Dr. Pepper picture
3G/4G Coverage
3G coverage with Virgin Mobile is not the greatest, but with it's budget plans it is to be expected. Speeds are good enough for what I use my phone for(mostly Twitter, Email, light web browsing). As mentioned above, the signal is stronger than the Triumph.
Sprint's 4G Wimax coverage is sketchy at best. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, I have found good 4G coverage in downtown Pittsburgh and some areas outside. My home has no 4G coverage, and I do not get 4G inside most buildings. 4G was not my primary focus when I was contemplating buying the Evo, so anywhere I get it is a plus for me. You do not have to worry about the phone searching for a 4G signal constantly due to the 4G toggle switch in the notification bar.
Sense 3.6
The Evo comes loaded with ICS and Sense 3.6 over top of it. I actually like the look of Sense 3.6, although I probably would not want anything heavier such as Sense 3.5. I've enjoyed the HTC widgets and ICS is a huge plus, of course. The Sense animations are very detailed and colorful, but that just might be my first time novelty of an HTC device. The Sense lock screen is probably my favorite of any android lock screen, including stock ICS.
Overall, I love the Evo V. It is a huge improvement from the craptastic Triumph, and at a $35 per month price, it can't be beat. If you are looking to move up from any of th current VM phones, I highly recommend you pick up the Evo. In my opinion, it is the first Virgin Mobile device that offers a true Android experience. I might update this later with more thoughts. Feel free to ask if you have any questions for me. I would love some feedback and any other thoughts on the Evo.
Coming from the Triumph, the Evo is a MAJOR upgrade in all aspects of the device. It is much faster and smoother to navigate around the phone, and the dual-core processor is very nice compared to the Triumph single-core processor. Finally, it feels good not having to deal with a phone that got very hot while performing simple tasks. Also, the USB port actually works, unlike the Triumph which had a very very weak connection when it was plugged in. The display is much nicer and much more crisp. I also like the feel of the glass better; It just feels smoother and less jerky IMO. Additionally, The signal is significantly stronger than the Triumph, although I have experienced the fluctuating bars issue that others have. It hasn't bothered me yet though, as I've always managed to keep a signal even if it was weak for a few seconds.
Random Reboots
I have not experienced any random rebooting issues, but my brother who also just bought the Evo V did have problems with his. He exchanged his phone at Best Buy and now has a new one. Keeping my fingers crossed that I won't experience the issues he had.
Battery Life
The only measurement of battery life I have is in comparison to the Triumph, which was awful. The Evo is very power efficient when it is asleep, but the screen is a huge battery hog when it is on. In 1 day, with some texting, web browsing, and a lot of Twitter, my Evo came came out with about 20% battery left, while my Triumph would've most likely been dead. I am also using a lot of widgets that consume data. I did not use data consuming widgets with my Triumph in an effort to conserve battery life.
Camera
The Evo's camera is good, but it is certainly no iPhone quality shooter. Pictures in natural light come out pretty darn good, but low-light photos have a very grainy look to them. The 3D camera is kinda neat, but I became bored with it after a few pictures. It really is very gimmicky like most people have already said. In comparison to the Triumph, the camera is a significant upgrade that should be suitable for most users. In my opinion it is what a cell phone camera should be like(Thank god I don't have to deal with the Triumph terrible green tinted camera anymore). Shutter speed isn't the fastest, but it has suited my needs. Sample Pictures at bottom of post, 3rd party app "AfterFocus" used in one picture of my dog and the "depth of field" camera effect was used in the Dr. Pepper picture
3G/4G Coverage
3G coverage with Virgin Mobile is not the greatest, but with it's budget plans it is to be expected. Speeds are good enough for what I use my phone for(mostly Twitter, Email, light web browsing). As mentioned above, the signal is stronger than the Triumph.
Sprint's 4G Wimax coverage is sketchy at best. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, I have found good 4G coverage in downtown Pittsburgh and some areas outside. My home has no 4G coverage, and I do not get 4G inside most buildings. 4G was not my primary focus when I was contemplating buying the Evo, so anywhere I get it is a plus for me. You do not have to worry about the phone searching for a 4G signal constantly due to the 4G toggle switch in the notification bar.
Sense 3.6
The Evo comes loaded with ICS and Sense 3.6 over top of it. I actually like the look of Sense 3.6, although I probably would not want anything heavier such as Sense 3.5. I've enjoyed the HTC widgets and ICS is a huge plus, of course. The Sense animations are very detailed and colorful, but that just might be my first time novelty of an HTC device. The Sense lock screen is probably my favorite of any android lock screen, including stock ICS.
Overall, I love the Evo V. It is a huge improvement from the craptastic Triumph, and at a $35 per month price, it can't be beat. If you are looking to move up from any of th current VM phones, I highly recommend you pick up the Evo. In my opinion, it is the first Virgin Mobile device that offers a true Android experience. I might update this later with more thoughts. Feel free to ask if you have any questions for me. I would love some feedback and any other thoughts on the Evo.
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