*Bragging*I've played with it. Any questions?

[Jorenm]

How does the screen look? In all the pictures or vids I've seen with it next to an Evo 4g it looks dim and faded. I know the 3d mode is dimmer, but these shots were all in 2d.

 

[enzofall]

How does the screen look? In all the pictures or vids I've seen with it next to an Evo 4g it looks dim and faded. I know the 3d mode is dimmer, but these shots were all in 2d.

Screen looks better than the evo by far

 

[Jorenm]

Screen looks better than the evo by far

Great news! I guess it just doesn't photograph well, or they had the brightness manually set low.

 

[Averix]

OK, spent some time with the 3D at Google I/O. Here's a few things:
1) If you want to know what the 3D effect is like, go play a Nintendo 3DS. Same deal, just a bigger screen.
2) Sense is not in 3D. Only relevant content is shown in 3D like pics, videos, and presumably games/apps.
3) I hope this unit hasn't been updated since the previous outing earlier in the year. The phone crashed several times as the person was demoing it.
4) The reps are either told to just say "summer" for the release or are truly clueless. I wouldn't bet either way.
5) Feels thicker than the EVO 4G even though it isn't. Something to do with the edges not being as tapered as the 4G I think.
6) The new Sense transitions are nice. Good evolution of the skin. I've always liked Sense, but I know that is a personal preference.
7) Zippy fast goodness.
8) Even though I'm pretty sure I'll use the 3D stuff very very rarely, I really want one of these.

 

[enzofall]

OK, spent some time with the 3D at Google I/O. Here's a few things:
1) If you want to know what the 3D effect is like, go play a Nintendo 3DS. Same deal, just a bigger screen.
2) Sense is not in 3D. Only relevant content is shown in 3D like pics, videos, and presumably games/apps.
3) I hope this unit hasn't been updated since the previous outing earlier in the year. The phone crashed several times as the person was demoing it.
4) The reps are either told to just say "summer" for the release or are truly clueless. I wouldn't bet either way.
5) Feels thicker than the EVO 4G even though it isn't. Something to do with the edges not being as tapered as the 4G I think.
6) The new Sense transitions are nice. Good evolution of the skin. I've always liked Sense, but I know that is a personal preference.
7) Zippy fast goodness.
8) Even though I'm pretty sure I'll use the 3D stuff very very rarely, I really want one of these.

This is exactly how i felt minus the crashing

 

[linzgeneral]

OK, spent some time with the 3D at Google I/O. Here's a few things:
1) If you want to know what the 3D effect is like, go play a Nintendo 3DS. Same deal, just a bigger screen.
2) Sense is not in 3D. Only relevant content is shown in 3D like pics, videos, and presumably games/apps.
3) I hope this unit hasn't been updated since the previous outing earlier in the year. The phone crashed several times as the person was demoing it.
4) The reps are either told to just say "summer" for the release or are truly clueless. I wouldn't bet either way.
5) Feels thicker than the EVO 4G even though it isn't. Something to do with the edges not being as tapered as the 4G I think.
6) The new Sense transitions are nice. Good evolution of the skin. I've always liked Sense, but I know that is a personal preference.
7) Zippy fast goodness.
8) Even though I'm pretty sure I'll use the 3D stuff very very rarely, I really want one of these.

Hi Averix,

Can you tell us about the quality of the screen? Is the clarity much superior to the original? How sharp is the text? No one have really elaborated on this and this is my most important upgrade. Thanks.

 

[Averix]

Can you tell us about the quality of the screen? Is the clarity much superior to the original? How sharp is the text? No one have really elaborated on this and this is my most important upgrade. Thanks.

Honestly, screen quality is very subjective. Some people like theirs all blue hued and some people like more yellow. From what I saw, the screen in 2D mode is equal or better to the EVO 4G's screen. Were the color temps the same? Was the pixel density better? I don't know. It is impossible to judge something like that with 30 seconds exposure under tungsten/halogen lighting. It looked good to me and I will have no problem upgrading to it later this year.

I will see if I can get some more time on it tomorrow to compare text aliasing and font sizes.

 

[MannyZ28]

This is exactly how i felt minus the crashing

So you got to play with one too, but the one you got to see didn't crash?

Man I sure hope they will anounce the date soon!

 

[linzgeneral]

Honestly, screen quality is very subjective. Some people like theirs all blue hued and some people like more yellow. From what I saw, the screen in 2D mode is equal or better to the EVO 4G's screen. Were the color temps the same? Was the pixel density better? I don't know. It is impossible to judge something like that with 30 seconds exposure under tungsten/halogen lighting. It looked good to me and I will have no problem upgrading to it later this year.

I will see if I can get some more time on it tomorrow to compare text aliasing and font sizes.

Thanks, I was hoping you would say that the EVOD's screen blow the original away...LOL.. I will be first in line on release day though.

 

[sprinttouch]

OK, spent some time with the 3D at Google I/O. Here's a few things:
1) If you want to know what the 3D effect is like, go play a Nintendo 3DS. Same deal, just a bigger screen.
2) Sense is not in 3D. Only relevant content is shown in 3D like pics, videos, and presumably games/apps.
3) I hope this unit hasn't been updated since the previous outing earlier in the year. The phone crashed several times as the person was demoing it.
4) The reps are either told to just say "summer" for the release or are truly clueless. I wouldn't bet either way.
5) Feels thicker than the EVO 4G even though it isn't. Something to do with the edges not being as tapered as the 4G I think.
6) The new Sense transitions are nice. Good evolution of the skin. I've always liked Sense, but I know that is a personal preference.
7) Zippy fast goodness.
8) Even though I'm pretty sure I'll use the 3D stuff very very rarely, I really want one of these.

does 3D work in portrait or just landscape???

 

[Averix]

Ok, after some quality time with it this afternoon, a few more observations and answers for some of you.
- The screen is 3D in landscape only, at least for the camera app. The camera app specifically tells you to turn it for optimal 3D viewing.
- Compared the screen to my first round (hw rev 2) EVO's screen. The text on the 3D looks smoother. The notification area and icons are smaller. I hope there is an option to set default font size. It was tough to tell if the icon/homescreen fonts were smaller. The new sense doesn't have the black background behind icon text. Makes it tougher to gauge them against each other. The screen is bright, but didn't seem brighter than mine. Don't jump to conclusions because the phones had different backgrounds, but the 3D seems to have a bit more yellow less blue screen. Not enough to cause issue, but side by side could see it when looking for it.
- Crashed again. When I flipped the hardware switch, while in camera app, from 3 to 2 D it dropped out of the cam app to the Sense home screen and locked hard. Still an early build I would say.
- Still going to be my next phone.

 

[cdjh]

It makes sense that the camera app is only 3D in landscape because the orientation of the camera is side by side in landscape only. But does the screen have the 3D effect in portrait at all? Perhaps looking at a gallery photo in 3D might show this if held in portrait. Either the photo will rotate to portrait and show in 3D or it will be locked in landscape.

Anyhow if there is no 3D in the UI, then 3D is only for viewing photos, movies, or apps that are likely focused around a landscape orientation. I'm not a big 3D fan, but it seems kinda pointless to have a 3D phone, that has no 3D in the UI.

 

[blaidan]

I actually disagree. I think that it would be senseless (no pun intended) to have 3D in the UI. It would serve no functional purpose.

Restricting 3D to media seems to make the most sense for the implementation of that technology on a cell phone.

 

[Averix]

Honestly, the 3D effect is just like a Nintendo 3DS. That's fine for limited interface stuff, but I would hate to have that as the constant interface. The 3D effect tricks your eyes into unfocusing on two different images. You don't want to be doing that all day. I cannot say 100% that it won't work in portrait, but it definitely didn't work with the camera. It displayed the image, but until you turned it, you were just sort of looking at an out of focus live image. That tells me the screen has to be oriented in landscape in order for the effect to work. I'll have to try turning my 3DS on it's side when I get home. Pretty sure the effect will be the same.

 

[cdjh]

I actually disagree. I think that it would be senseless (no pun intended) to have 3D in the UI. It would serve no functional purpose.

Restricting 3D to media seems to make the most sense for the implementation of that technology on a cell phone.

Sure it would serve no purpose other than the gimmick. But the whole thing is a gimmick as I see it. If it's supposedly a major feature that we are paying for (I'm convinced it'll sell for $250-300), then give me the gimmick in the most used part of the phone: the UI. Still, I see your point.

 

[deltatko]

How does the back feel? Is it rubbery? Does the textured back feel good?

 

[Averix]

Actually, the back did feel grippy. Didn't pay that much attention to it to say whether I liked it or not.

 

[theotherlinh]

OK, spent some time with the 3D at Google I/O. Here's a few things:
1) If you want to know what the 3D effect is like, go play a Nintendo 3DS. Same deal, just a bigger screen.
2) Sense is not in 3D. Only relevant content is shown in 3D like pics, videos, and presumably games/apps.
3) I hope this unit hasn't been updated since the previous outing earlier in the year. The phone crashed several times as the person was demoing it.
4) The reps are either told to just say "summer" for the release or are truly clueless. I wouldn't bet either way.
5) Feels thicker than the EVO 4G even though it isn't. Something to do with the edges not being as tapered as the 4G I think.
6) The new Sense transitions are nice. Good evolution of the skin. I've always liked Sense, but I know that is a personal preference.
7) Zippy fast goodness.
8) Even though I'm pretty sure I'll use the 3D stuff very very rarely, I really want one of these.

Nice that they had it at Google I/O. But frequent crashing? That does not bode well for June release to me =/ You'd think HTC would have the lastest build of something put out at Google I/O...

 

[MannyZ28]

Yeah it sucks to hear that the software still isn't up to snuff. Who brought the phone there, developers, or Sprint themselves? I am surprised not to see any videos taken and posted to YouTube, did Sprint prohibit video taking?

 

[Averix]

Yeah it sucks to hear that the software still isn't up to snuff. Who brought the phone there, developers, or Sprint themselves? I am surprised not to see any videos taken and posted to YouTube, did Sprint prohibit video taking?

Didn't even try to take pics or do a video. Figured there are enough of those out there. It was demoed by an HTC rep. No Sprint reps in sight. They had the Flyer there as well. Remember that LG, Samsung, and Sony were all there showing off their newest toys too.
It crashed the second time I played with it when flipping the switch from 3D to 2D in the camera. That's a pretty specific scenario I'm sure they can lock down. I'm guessing this is still running the build shown earlier this year and not even updated. In my experience, once you have demo units functional, you seldom update them prior to launch unless there are bugs your sales guys can't talk around.