The HTC Evo View 4G Is a Fun Note-Taking Machine

 

I thank Sprint's 4G WiMAX network and the View 4G's 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor for speedy application processing, which allowed me to zip around from Google.com, Gmail and many other Websites. Users really want to tap the 4G network to use the HTC Watch movie application, which lets users watch movies or TV shows without waiting for the file to finish downloading.

The View 4G's 4,000-mAh battery came up short on consistent 4G network availability. I rapidly burned through the battery using Watch, YouTube, Qik and other video-intensive applications.

While I got 8 hours of heavy use on the Tab 10.1, I got about 5 hours of similar use on the View 4G. Left idle, the battery burned down in a day. Speaking a bit more of movies, the View 4G has 32GB of memory to store movies, photos and applications.

The 5MP camera worked fine, with little latency snapping pictures and videos. Using this back shutter with the front-facing 1.3MP camera, video chats via the preinstalled Qik application served their purpose.

The camera is a good segue for the View 4G's note-taking and scribbling perks, which are well-integrated throughout this device. For example, I was able to take a picture and automatically write notes or draw on it with Scribe. When you save it, it makes the familiar shutter sound.

The notes application tab sits between the application launcher and Kobo reader application at the bottom menu bar, accessible on all home screens. When you tap the notes tab, you get a notebook that looks like a composition screen on which to write or draw.

Moreover, you may use the Scribe pen to tap the physical pen button on the bottom right (next to the back button) to manage drawings, change writing implements (from pen to marker to paintbrush) as well as color.

The pen itself includes two buttons: The lower one highlights text, and the upper one erases it. Users may take notes or draw on any home screen and save it, print it, or share it via Facebook, Flickr, Gmail, Picasa or Twitter.

The View 4G costs $399 on contract, which would be reasonable if this was a WiFi-only tablet, but becomes less of a bargain when you factor in the data plans and Scribe pen.

Rate plans for the HTC Evo View start at $34.99 per month for 3GB of 3G data and unlimited 4G data usage on the Sprint WiMax network. Consumers may add GPS Navigation for $2.99 per day or $10 per month. As with the Evo 3D, the mobile hotspot option is available for $29.99 per month.

The Scribe pen is included with the View 4G purchase for a limited time. When that promotion ends, it will be a pricey $79.99. For that reason, anyone interested in the device should snap it up now.

I had a great time with the View 4G. I don't know of any better gadget for a person who wants to take notes with a digital pen on a digital screen. As a note-taking device, the View 4G is first rate.

You can certainly enjoy media on the View 4G, but I prefer something roomier and thinner in a tablet. It's up to you to decide what you want your tablet to do. If you want to take notes or draw, the View 4G is your best option. If it's media consumption, I recommend the larger real estate of the iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1.