The EVO 4G released in 2010 impressed a lot of mobile phone lovers being the ambassador of WiMAX and a big superphone screen at 4.3 inches. So how will the recently EVO Design 4G compare with its older sibling? If you want to know, read on our review of the EVO Design 4G.

Hardware

In terms of design, this new EVO phone has no wow factor. Do not get us wrong, it feels premium but when you know when you hold it that there should be something better with this HTC. It may lack flair but the soft to the touch rubber, glass, and brushed aluminum gives it a feeling far from cheap. It has a unibody architecture that hugs the 4.3 inch screen and houses its capacitive buttons. It has a dimension of 121x61x12mm and that is a bit thick plus the camera swells on its back.

The LCD display is very crisp even on a smaller screen compared to its predecessor. The 960 by 540 pixel screen displays great color even in unusual angles.
Then 5 megapixel camera is sufficient and should not be counted out. The focusing capability is decently quick even for macro shots. The capture time is also very snappy most times but there can also be washed out images due to the limits of color reproduction.

Software

The EVO Design 4G runs on Gingerbread 2.3.4 and has a design language that replaced the old Sense’s locks, app drawers, home screens, and every layer in between. It looks good but there will be times that its 1.2 Gigahertz processor will be performing rough compared to the smoothness of the Galaxy S II or the iPhone 4. If you will be getting the EVO Design 4G under contract, you can also expect some bloatware to come with it from the provider. HTC though promises an upgrade in the near future to Ice Cream Sandwich.
Performance wise, this phone running on Android will be a lot better if it has a minimum set up of a dual-core brain so it will have the horsepower it needs.

Conclusion

The EVO Design 4G from HTC gives you the best value for your hard earned money. It is well made, nice screen, and very affordable but the phone trying to become a jack of all trades pours in more negativity to its side.

The HTC Gratia can be considered as a compact, subdued, and old machine but at the same time it manages to be capable, edgy, and new. The HTC Gratia will be the newer version of the HTC Aria that will be rolled out in Europe.

The world of Android consists of screaming big screens which somehow makes it difficult to find something in a small package.

Summary of Features

• 3.2” capacitive HVGA touch screen
• Froyo and Sense UI
• Quad band
• Wi-Fi capable
• 5 MP camera
• microUBS and Bluetooth connectivity
• PDF and Office viewer
• Facebook,  Twitter, and YouTube integration

Some of the down sides of this offering from HTC are the following: sunlight legibility is poor;  there is nosecondary camera for video calls; no dedicated key for the camera; and the card slot located beneath the battery cover.

We cannot say anything about the design lines since it stands out carrying its signature back panel screw. Somehow it has the hints of the HD Minibut still exudes its uniqueness. The user interface too is very usable giving focus on the social media craze these days. Using the Froyo instead of the Éclair also gave the setup a speed boost.

The sound quality of the HTC Gratia is also very crisp with no problem in terms of signal reception.

The HTC Gratia performs well as a mid range smartphone but the Aria still has a better impression overall. The price might also be something people in the old continent might not be pleased with side by side the other droid phones.