HTC EVO 4G Froyo 2.2 Update Review

by n3rdg1rl Aug 4, 2010 1:06 AM – 3 Comments

I knew it was coming today. I had read it 1,000 different places. I even got a note from a reader that he had checked and it was there. And then I look at the demo phone that I am currently reviewing and there it was, a little circle in the notification bar letting me know an update was ready. That’s right. The Android 2.2 Froyo update for the HTC EVO 4G running on the U.S.A.’s Sprint network is live and over the air. Don’t worry if you don’t have it yet. Sprint will be rolling out the update over the next few weeks. I went through the normal steps to start the download, watched it reboot when I hit OK, and then waited staring at the screen as the little bar filled. Five minutes later it restarted again letting me know that progress was being made. Then again… I kept staring at the screen waiting to see what was going to happen next. I felt like a kid waking up on Christmas eager to see what Santa had brought. You would think after 20+ years of updating computers and other components I would get tired of this sort of thing. I don’t. I LOVE IT! After the fourth reboot the phone went all the way through it’s boot process and sat on the 4G picture for a few minutes. This is normal after any type of upgrade as it configures it’s new software for the first use. This is equivalent to your Windows machine showing you the hourglass or spinning circle.

Then there it was… “Congratulations! Your phone has been updated successfully to version 3.26.651.6.” Do not get confused. It is not the 3.0 Gingerbread Android update. It is the HTC version number, not the OS number. I click OK and wait as some final configuration is done. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes

The first thing I notice when the configuration is done is how fast it is. It seems much more responsive and doesn’t hang when I want to scroll. Even the browser is faster and more responsive. The News and Weather widget is a nice addition, but I find slightly redundant for HTC phones as these already have the weather / clock. But what I really want to play with is the Flash 10.1!

I go to the market and download Android Flash Showcase. It literally took 3 seconds to download and install. Clicking the app brings me to a website http://m.flash.com/#/home and give me several Flash based sites to select from. I choose CNET TV and wait to see what happens. It plays! It works! There is Flash! And it streams beautifully! I go to Kongregate. The games work perfectly! What a great addition to an already fantastic platform.

Check out our detailed list of what’s new in Android 2.2. (Froyo). The other highly anticipated improvement with 2.2 is the ability to move applications to the SD card. It’s as easy and going to Menu >> Settings >> Applications >> Manage Applications and then click on which ever app you would like to move to the SD card. Remember that not all apps can be moved and this is up to the developer. If you would like to see the feature in an app you can always contact the developer and let them know.

Also, when you plug your phone into your computer via USB, you’ll see a new option for “USB Tethering.” Yes, the option is there, but you will still have to pay Sprint an extra $29.99 a month to activate it. I still advise using EasyTether for a one time fee of $9.99. One of the major complaints with Android was that there was a lack of true hands-free functionality. This was “fixed” in 2.2. It now allows you to activate Bluetooth Voice Dialing using just the button on the headset regardless of the phones state. However, there are two major complaints. Using both my corded and Bluetooth headsets it would never recognize my voice and what I said. When I had someone else try, it still had problems. On my corded headset, when it did recognize what was said, it still gave me a prompt to confirm which I had to physically select on the phone. This makes no sense since you can voice dial while the phone is in sleep. You would have to turn on and unlock the phone before you can even confirm it to dial. With the bluetooth headset, however, it did go through without the prompt, but it still has trouble understanding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVER1e00E6U

Some updates came for the camera application as well. Now when you rotate the phone in either the camera or camcorder app it rotates the icons as well so they face the same direction. You can also now use the flash for recording video with the camcorder as you can see from the video above; better video at night or low lit areas on mobile phones.

Another great thing with the flash is now there is a flashlight app. It allows for three different brightness settings using the power button on a Mag Light looking flashlight on screen. The third settings is very bright, but I’m sure drains the battery like the dickens! There were some minor updates to things as well.

You can now share applications via “App Sharing” using Bluetooth, Facebook, Friend Stream, Gmail, email, text, and Twitter.
The alarm clock allows you to set the volume using the volume buttons in the settings menu.

Your Facebook calendar now syncs to the Evo’s calendar so you can easily see that it’s that girl you went to high school with’s birthday.

The FM Radio got a face lift but the functionality is the same.
You can set alpha-numeric passwords instead of just using the pattern to lock your phone.

The one thing I was going to complain about with the EVO got fixed with the update. I was having problems with the touch screen being finicky and not really reacting the way I wanted it to. This is no longer a problem. Overall, the update is awesome! When you see the circle in your notification bar, do it! It does not cause you to lose apps and you don’t have to reconfigure anything. Please remember some apps may not work with 2.2 so keep checking for updates on those to restore functionality. Sprint, for once, couldn’t have made it any easier and seemless.

Tags: Android 2.2, Cloud to Device Messaging, EVO Update, Flash for Android, Froyo, Froyo 2.2, HTC EVO 4G, Install Android Apps to SD Card, Move App to SD Card, OTA, Over the Air Update, Portable HotSpot, Saving Android Apps to SD Card, Sprint HTC EVO, Wi-Fi tethering

Categorised in: News

3 Comments

By chelsea hunter on September 14, 2010 at 11:52 pm:

After upgrading my htc evo to the froyo 2.2 the battery life has been cut way down and it gets so hot that the keyboard doesn’t respond so I am unable to call out. Is there anyways to fix this? Before I had a task killer on and it did great, I was able to go all day without a charge.

Reply
- By Jason Norment on September 15, 2010 at 12:29 am:
  
  @Chelsea: I have an HTC Evo and I’ve had the exact opposite effect. My battery lasts even longer than it did before and ATK (or any other task killer) actually makes the phone’s performance worst. I use a widget called Battery Indicator to keep an eye on the temp of the battery. Sounds like you may need to take your device into Sprint and have their techs look at it.
  
  UPDATED: Also, may I ask if your using a case on your phone? Also, when you charge your phone do you leave it on a hot or metal surface? Do you face the phone up or down when charging?
  
  Reply