HTC Evo 3D review

Is 3D on a phone a killer feature or pointless gimmick?

The definitive HTC Evo 3D review
The definitive HTC Evo 3D review

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htc evo 3d

Our test phone included the standard Google Maps app, but disappointingly the mapping apps do not take advantage of the 3D screen tech in any way.

HTC evo 3d review

That means, there are no road signs jumping from the screen as you drive to help you check speed limits or upcoming intersections, and there are no 3D effects for buildings or other objects that could make the mapping features more interesting.

Thankfully, the dual-core 1.2GHz processor did make mapping speedy enough for most tasks. We zoomed in quickly to a city locale, even with the satellite mode enabled in Google Maps. There was none of the typical blocky fill-ins and wait periods.

The Evo 3D is bright and clear, but does not match the quality of the Samsung Galaxy S2 by any means, so maps tended to look a little washed out compared to that superior phone.

htc evo 3d

GPS locked quickly in a variety of settings, including driving in a car, walking around town, and standing next to an office window.

Apps

There's a Connected Media app for streaming content, an FM Radio app, Polaris Office for opening Word docs and spreadsheets (and editing documents with basic formatting options) and a Twitter client called Peep.

HTC evo 3d review

Many of these apps add functionality, but we'd prefer to see more 3D-related apps. There were no apps for finding a lost phone, either.

There's not a lot more than that on offer, to be honest; although we still love the Weather app, which has on-board temperature graphs, multiple city information and no need to connect to the mobile app to see any more information - it's all there on the phone for you in the morning, and has the adorable animation to tell you what's going on.

John Brandon
Contributor

John Brandon has covered gadgets and cars for the past 12 years having published over 12,000 articles and tested nearly 8,000 products. He's nothing if not prolific. Before starting his writing career, he led an Information Design practice at a large consumer electronics retailer in the US. His hobbies include deep sea exploration, complaining about the weather, and engineering a vast multiverse conspiracy.