Cell-Phone Speeds

Starting today, there's a new, faster breed of cell phone Web access out there. HTC's EVO 4G, available on Sprint, is the first phone that uses WiMAX, a technology that allows fast wireless Internet over long distances. This week, Technology Review previewed this new era of mobile connectivity.
The EVO is the most powerful phone running the Android operating system on the U.S. market. With the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon processor (also found in Google's Nexus One) and 512 megabytes of random-access memory, it packs more punch than both the Nexus and the latest iPhone. The EVO is also a physically bigger beast, with a chunky, cuboid shape and 4.3-inch LCD touch screen, compared to the Nexus One's 3.7-inch window and the 3.5 inches of the iPhone 3GS.

But the real news here is the EVO's WiMAX chops, which have never been seen before in the cell-phone market. Sprint says its "4G" service--as it brands its WiMAX network--makes the EVO capable of downloading up to 10 times faster than today's 3G network.