Sprint Nextel has unveiled pricing plans for its new Android-based 4G smartphone, which promises to deliver data up to 10 times faster than today’s 3G phones. Under the plans announced Thursday, small businesses will be able to deploy the forthcoming HTC EVO 4G to workers under a pricing structure that starts at $44.99 per month, excluding taxes and surcharges.
When businesses tap the power of next-generation 4G, e-mails arrive quicker, files download sooner, multiple applications stream smoother, and web browsing becomes blazing fast, said Tom Shaughnessy, director of small business at Sprint. “For small businesses, 4G makes sense,” said Shaughnessy. “It’s all about working faster, boosting productivity, cutting costs, and, ultimately, improving profits.”
Working Faster, Boosting Productivity
Slated to take its inaugural bows exclusively on Sprint’s network beginning June 4, the HTC EVO 4G integrates a 4.3-inch color display, a one-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1GB of ROM and 512MB of RAM, an 8GB microSD memory card, and plug-and-play USB. And to enable video chat, the smartphone has two cameras: An eight-megapixel autofocus unit featuring an HD-capable video camcorder and dual LED flash, plus a forward-facing 1.3-megapixel sensor.
Beyond 3G and 4G, the handset’s wireless communications capabilities include Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP Stereo and EDR functionality. Also on tap is an HDMI output for connecting the smartphone to video entertainment platforms.
Even better, HTC EVO 4G buyers will be able to convert their devices into mobile hot spots for an additional monthly fee, allowing the user’s other Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets to enjoy 3G/4G speeds, including laptops, cameras, music players, and video players. Yet another option is to share the smartphone’s built-in roving hot-spot platform from Novatel Wireless with up to five persons on the fly.
On the software side, the HTC EVO 4G incorporates the full spectrum of Google mobile…