The over-the-air (or OTA) update on 28th June for Unlocked HTC ( EVO 4G) smartphone was aborted due to user complaints of the handset acting abnormally or becoming entirely unresponsive (‘bricking’ in popular jargon) in many cases. The software update was intended to resolve a few bug related issues, a Wi-Fi problem and nothing else of much import. This rather standard update created havoc for many HTC EVO users. For some the handset went totally dead while some reported a standard update with no side-issues.

The occassional bricking of a mobile phone is not that unusual during updates. Service Provider pulled the plug on the particular update, explaining itself to MobileCrunch:

“While the vast majority of consumers successfully downloaded and installed the most recent HTC EVO 4G software update, we have received a handful of reports from customers having some issues with the update. In light of this, HTC  have decided to temporarily halt distribution of this software release until we can investigate further. We expect to be able to resume software updates shortly.”

The issue was indeed addressed promptly. This time the update is more or less successful with no large-scale accounts of bricking like last time. Having successfully finished the updating process, users have experienced longer battery life and more speed, but is not clear on what other enhancements have been included in this new OVA update.

HTC unlocked cell-phone manufacturer needs to sit up and take serious notice of these issues and more. The Andriod 2.1 operating system has to be integrated seamlessly with the EVO handset, following which they have to start preparing for Andriod 2.2 Froyo and address the fact that Sense UI makes it difficult for updates to be streamlined. EVO users may have to wait a while as nothing has been announced as yet by HTC on these points.

Several smartphones have been launched over the summer this year – Apple’s unlocked iPhone 4 in June and EVO 4G in March. There are staunch supporters for the brandname associated with each handset, which has resulted in quite a few videos on the internet meant to spark off the rival camp. On the other hand, if one is more interested in mobiles rather than a specific brand or carrier fandom, then these videos are more a hilarity than anything else!

Andriod based HTC Unlocked ( EVO 4G ) has several features in its favour: a massive 4.3-inch touchscreen, the ability to make video calls without the need for Wi-Fi connectivity. The EVO boasts an 8-megapixel camera in the rear capable of HD-quality video recording, as well as a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. Both of these have a higher resolution than their iPhone counterparts. Probably its most telling point agains Apple’s iPhone is the 4G or WiMax capablity, though you are not really likely to be using it as this technology isn’t available worldwide as of now.

Moving on to the iPhone 4, its 5-megapixel image-sensing cameras are of a much better quality than the EVO 4G’s. Phones running the Andriod operating system have a habit of force-quitting applications. As such, Unlocked iPhone 4′s iOS is much more robust and reliable in comparison. Going by the specs sheet, the iPhone has about two times the batter life than that of the EVO’s. Upon practical usage, the iPhone battery life may be more than thrice than  smartphone offering. And although it’s screen is smaller when compared to the EVO, the iPhone 4 posesses a truly impressive 960×640 “Retina Display” which produces a breathtaking visual clarity.

So to which camp do you owe allegiance – the iPhone 4/iOS or HTC EVO/Andriod? If you are still in two minds, maybe the videos may help you decide.

Although the latest release from HTC, the EVO 4G, has all the capability of supporting Wireless N, for some reason HTC decided to leave it out of the first version of this super phone. However, since it was being packed together with Android, you can be sure that there would be some major changes possible for it. So it comes as no surprise that XDA developers have managed to get the wireless N working completely on the Unlocked HTC (EVO).

But be warned, in case you have recently picked out the HTC EVO 4G and are new to Android, it is not recommended that you go ahead with this procedure. However, if you are like most others and are too stubborn to give up, you can give it a go. Although a previous hack for this required users to have a little knowledge of ADB, now it is relatively simpler to hack, as all you have to do is simply flash the zip file, which is very similar to sideloading your phone with a ROM. But our recommendation is that you still learn a bit of ADB as it would aid greatly in the process of getting wireless N working on your phone.

While you might be compelled to just go ahead and immediately get this hack working, be warned that it could drain the battery life of your EVO. Although we have yet to see just what are the repercussions of getting Wireless N enabled on your phone, chances are that it will affect your battery too.  The fact that the developers over at XDA have been able to get a variety of hacks working in the Android, meant that it would only be a matter of time before they came up with bigger and better roots. In fact, you can be sure that any new hacks released will be simply amazing. You can get step by step procedures on how to get wireless N on your EVO at the XDA developers forum.