EVO 4G from Pre

[beerdini]

I've been on the bubble for a while about switching to the EVO 4G from the Pre and a friend of mine got one so I'm sort of getting gotta-get-it-itis.

One of the big Pros that I see for switching is the app catalog, I'll actually be able to do things. I did purchase a number of apps for my Pre which are also available for Android, do many developers offer their app cross platform or will I need to repurchase them?

Next, from the Sprint comparisons pages the EVO says that it doesn't do some of the things that the Pre does that I'm finding that I depend on now that I have them. Such features are...Combined Messaging, All in one Calendar, Integrated & Linked contacts. How hard is the transition to the Evo?

I'd compare off my buddy's phone but he only has a single account and isn't plugged into as many sites as I am as it is only his first smart phone so is worried about security and stuff like that. Any info will help with my decision...also what is the best feature of upgrading to the EVO as well as the feature most missed. Thanks!

 

[dlaur14]

I came from a pre as well. In my opinion, it was completely worth the switch. I have always wanted a slab style phone with a touchscreen keyboard, and this is as good as it gets. Also, Android does take some getting used to, but it's not all that bad. I still like WebOS a lot better, but Android still does what I need it to.

As far as things that I miss, one is definitely the Facebook app. Android's Facebook app is missing a lot compared to the WebOS version, mostly because of video uploading and tagging of photos. Another thing is the ability to control what apps are open and what aren't. Android controls this on its own, but I still liked being in complete control.

As much as I miss WebOS, I still love the jump to the EVO. The hardware upgrade is enough of a reason. And with the Pre 2 coming out soon, it really is not much of a jump from the Pre or Pre Plus. So, the hardware, in my opinion is the best feature and reason to switch to this phone. But, I will always miss WebOS and will most likely go back to it when better hardware is available.

Best of luck on your decision!

 

[Brainerd]

... I did purchase a number of apps for my Pre which are also available for Android, do many developers offer their app cross platform or will I need to repurchase them? ...

If you acquire them through the Android Market, you will have to repurchase them. However, if the developer will let you "side-load" it (manually) by sending you the .apk file of the app, then you would not have to repurchase it. My guess is that you will probably have to go through the Market and repurchase the most, if not all of the apps.

 

[thegov]

webos is much slicker than android, unfortunately the hardware issues on my pre made it an easy change. i've had my evo since launch day, and i don't miss having to fight with my pre to end phone calls wait for a page to chatch up when scrolling down it and so on. the pre was just too slow and laggy. honestly i don't really miss much from my pre anymore b/c my evo seldom gives me any headaches.

as far as your apps are concerned, some of the apps you have on your pre could very well be free in the android market. the prices are MUCH more reasonable in the market than in the app catalog. if you are into gaming on your phone, that is where you will miss the pre most. evo is not much of a gaming phone and the game selection is not that great.

you will get over integrated messaging, i didn't really use it that much on the pre..as far as the calander is concerned, that was a huge sore spot for me on the pre. mind you i've been w/o a pre since june so they may have improved it, but the calendar never really did what palm and synergy claimed. the calendar on the evo is fine for me.
remember with sprint can take the phone back before 30 days if its not working out. remember with the evo/android if you can't find the option you're looking for on a particular screen (eg. delete, compose etc..) press and hold or hit the menu button. the menu button is your friend.

 

[vel7wil]

Next, from the Sprint comparisons pages the EVO says that it doesn't do some of the things that the Pre does that I'm finding that I depend on now that I have them. Such features are...Combined Messaging, All in one Calendar, Integrated & Linked contacts. How hard is the transition to the Evo?

Any info will help with my decision...also what is the best feature of upgrading to the EVO as well as the feature most missed. Thanks![/QUOTE]

I've also the EVO since launch date and coming from the pre,,,,i'm loving the switch. Not withstanding the prior conmments above after 3-4 months i was already looking for a switch...not so with the EVO. I understand all the ease of use for the pre but after you've gotten use the EVO theres no going back. I've found that alot of the free apps (gemini calender for one, which provides a calender/agenda in one view) does alot of ur intergating for you which helps me out alot in multi-tasking. Your contacts are all intergrated pretty easy....I have Exchange(for most e-mail) and google (for most contacts) The best feature for me is the expandablity of the system.....5 people in my section have the EVO and each one is set up different to meet the needs of the individual person.

 

[Caitlyn McKenzie]

I came from the Pre, and here's a quick rundown:

1. You'll miss the gesture area, a lot.
2. The EVO may not come with many things you had on your Pre, like combined messaging, but the EVO has the Android Market. And it's a lot bigger than you may think. Trillian on Android, for example, is a good drop-in replacement (And supports MSN!).
3. The above holds true for nearly anything. "There's an app for that" is more than a motto, it's a way of like for Android and iPhone users. Just as the Pre was "There's a patch for that".
4. Customization is slightly harder due to the inability to instantly and easily patch parts of the OS, but it's still themeable, and with root access you're pretty close.
5. You will need to rebuy your apps from the Pre. Licenses don't usually transfer across mobile platforms. That said, as long as you stick with Android, you won't need to rebuy them again. (Not to mention, MANY apps are free)
6. The browser is far superior to the Pre's, and the higher resolution screen makes a world of difference for reading. The larger screen helps as well.
7. Performance is much better. The Pre can be a bit of a dog sometimes.
8. There's so much more you can actually do. Like the camera... not only is it higher resolution, it has autofocus. This means that the barcode scanner actually works in less than perfect conditions. And it's nearly instantaneous too.

 

[LynnL]

I also came from the Pre, and I'm glad I made the switch.

The only apps that I truly miss from the Pre are Pocket Quicken (in Classic) and Accuradio, which is supposed to be coming soon for Android. But there is a much wider variety of apps overall. And the hardware is So. Much. Better.

Also, you'll spend the first week or so trying to swipe apps up to get rid of them, but you'll get the hang of it before long

 

[bmrichmond]

I'm 48 hours into having my new Evo.. Coming from a Pre. I must admit that it is taking some getting used to, but I dont regret it one bit. I've been hardcore following PreCentral and AndroidCentral, looking at Pros/Cons, talking to Evo owners, comparing Pre2 specs to Evo Specs (add that I was a patched/Overclocked Pre owner). You'll be glad you made the switch. All I can do is agree with all of the above mentioned statements.

-larger app catalog makes up for some of the apps I miss from PreWare. There is bound to be something close to what you need.

-Virtual keyboard takes some getting used to, but the autocorrect software is spot on accurate, and even lets you save words you normally type (slang, abbreviations, etc)

-Screen size is a no brainer. Love it.. Nuff said

-Browser speed/features... Again. Love it.

One quick add on.. to save some time and effort. I got my Evo from Tiger Direct.com for $149 w/free Fed Ex shipping. Ordered it monday, had it 8am Wednesday. It was pretty painless to call and order it (Premier Sprint customer, and I used my upgrade) and I was activated within an hour of taking it out of the box.

It'll take some pretty Heavy Hardware to sway me back to Palm/HP. I loved my Pre, and still plan on using it on WiFi just to keep up with Palm/HP's software updates. It'll be nice to compare WebOS 2.0 to Android 2.2.

Quick question for the other Evo vets. It looks like my Wireless Hotspot is already functioning, but its not on my service plan (double checked cuz I plan on rooting anyway to get it). Is this a normal feature of 2.2, or should I look out for a hotspot fee on my next bill?? Just curious. Didnt see anything in the forums.

B-Rich

 

[I.R.R.V.]

Former pre owner here, as much as the pre was nice, I find now that I have the evo, webos had TON'S of flaws. I love webos, I loved my pre, however I am thrilled not to have to wait for patches to get updated just to get a function to work when I need it. The constant maintenance that was needed for the phone to do what it should have been able to do out of the box is something that I do not miss. I love having the evo and it just works.....

 

[pablog54b]

after my fourth pre I had enough, and swithced to the evo, and loving it, nothing Im worried about with the pre 2

 

[4cdndctn]

Former Pre owner here also, my wife still has her Pixie and constantly mocks my "Hip slab".
I miss gestures and synergy email as I can't get K9 to work as advertised but I don't care much since the phone is so much faster. The Pre needed all-in-one/synergy functionality because of its speed; with the Evos speed, it doesn't matter.
I still wish I had gestures over the many touches the Evo requires but the hardware upgrade is well worth it.

 

[jeeplj8]

also former Pre owner. My take is this, I think WebOS is a cleaner, more user friendly interface...but Android is still growing and the Evo is such a better device than the Pre - it makes it worth it.

I definitely think the stock Pre apps for just about everything are better, and it takes a little while to get used to the changes.

I miss the dedicated ringer switch on top the most. Followed by the unified inbox for both email and messaging.

 

[4cdndctn]

I picked up my Pre yesterday to check something in a folder I had not transsfered and it just felt llike a toy after handling the Evo for a few weeks.
The unified Inbox is missed and the K9 mail app that people suggested doesn't cut it for me.

 

[callderek#AC]

i moved from the Pre a few weeks ago since there wasn't any real news about a new HPalm superphone coming out soon.The Evo hardware is sexy and solid...I personally never had to exchange my Pre but the hardware was chinsy. WebOs is DEFINITELY easier and more user friendly without a doubt, but the Android apps are endless and worth the move over...unless there's a kick a$$ Palm superphone coming out I'll be staying for sure.

Also, there are tons of stuff the Evo has built in that the Pre had to be patched for. There's zoom for the camara, 3-4 different res's for the camcorder...sweeet.

Biggest complaint...NOT BEING ABLE TO UPLOAD VIDS TO FACEBOOK!! UGH.