LAS VEGAS -- Sprint kicked off the CES trade show by announcing the HTC EVO Shift 4G, a WiMax-powered smartphone with a full keyboard that goes up against Samsung's successful Epic 4G in Sprint's lineup, but costs $100 less up front.
The new phone is a 4.6 by 2.4 by .6-inch (HWD) slab with a roomy-looking, slide-out, four-row QWERTY keyboard. It has all the specs you'd expect from an impressive smartphone nowadays: Android 2.2, a 5-megapixel camera, a camcorder that records 720p video, Wi-Fi 802.11n, the ability to work as a Wi-Fi hotspot, GPS and Bluetooth. HTC gussied up Android with its Sense collection of widgets and apps, which we've always liked.
Some of the new phone's specs are a bit behind the Epic's - it has an 800 Mhz Qualcomm processor compared to the Epic's 1 Ghz Samsung chip, a 4-row keyboard compared to the Epic's roomy five rows, and a 3.6-inch screen compared to the Epic's 4-incher. But the Epic also costs $249.99 with contract. The EVO Shift 4G will be available on January 9 for $149.99 with a two-year contract.
The new MiFi, meanwhile, isn't Sprint's first 4G hotspot, but it's certainly the cutest. The Novatel product is smaller and slimmer than Sierra's Overdrive hotspot, which was introduced last year. It connects up to five Wi-Fi devices to Sprint's 3G or 4G networks with about four hours of usage on a battery charge - that's par for the course with these sorts of things. There's an E-Ink status indicator on the front.
The MiFi's most interesting aspect, though, is its OS. Like AT&T's MiFi, the new Sprint device can run Widgets and Web apps right on the device, letting users access them through a local Web page; it can also serve as a server for files stored on a MicroSD memory card. The MiFi will be available on Feb. 27 for $49.99 with a two-year contract.
We're expecting many more 4G devices at CES this week. HTC has been teasing a 4G phone that many people think is called the "Thunderbolt" and is for Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile has also promised more 4G devices. We'll have full coverage throughout the week.