One of the more consistent knocks against the HTC Evo, the Android-powered phone I've been using every day since my switch from iPhone is that it's battery isn't fantastic. Some found it so poor as to completely recommend against buying it, despite all the other features it does have which make it one of the more intriguing smartphones to debut in 2010. Just behind the concerns about its battery? Issues with its size - leading some to say it's just too big, mocking it with comparison's to Gordon Gekko's cell phone in the epic 1980s film Wall Street.

I have found a battery which really does let the Evo go all day. But guess what? It actually makes the phone even thicker, meaning for a few more hours of talk time, you're jamming a phone reminiscent of the size of a Sony PSP into your belt holster.


For just over $60, you can purchase a battery designed for the HTC Evo, from Seidio, called the Innocell 3500 mAh Extended Life Battery for HTC EVO 4G. The standard battery for Evo is 1500 mAh, so it's no surprise the larger battery gives the phone a lot more power for a lot longer.

Somewhat nervous about the bulk of the device, but more curious about how long I could use the phone, I had to get one. (Remember, no battery is good enough) While previously, I had scared up a full day's worth of use of the phone while running the stock Android UI, the return of HTC Sense following an OTA update in 2.1, and continued Sense through 2.2, has drained the capability of the device, forcing me to be around chargers all day. Most Evo owners have perfected the art form of avoiding draining the phone's battery, or have just resigned themselves to being plugged in often. Having the new battery means this is no longer an issue.


A battery's capacity seems to flow downhill. Once out of the full "green" state, it isn't too long until an Evo battery can get to half-full, less than half full, and start to go amber, followed by red, and periodic warnings of low battery at 15% and 10% capacity. But with the Seidio battery, green lasts a very long time, and I don't have to think about micromanaging my own use. The first day I used the battery, it easily went the full 17 or so hours I had it active, before settling in for the night, and I don't chase power outlets any more. I don't worry about lengthy phone calls, or tapping in to Advanced Task Killer to reduce drain.

The thicker Evo is amusing. The new battery comes with a specialized case that replaces the standard Evo backing. Take the old one off and put the new one on, and you can easily see it's both thicker and heavier, even though it surprisingly feels good in the hand when using to talk, or when turned horizontally to send e-mail, browse the Web, play videos or games.

After using the Evo when I first got the device, it made my old iPhone 3G feel like a cheap toy. Add this battery in the mix, with its extra heft and thickness, and it reinforces that feeling of brute strength. You may not win any fashion awards with this backside growth, but the availability of all-day power cannot be overstated. I'll take the extra ounce for all-day access.

The last few months in the Gray household have been ones of change. We moved out of our condo at the end of July, squeezed for space with our rambunctious two year old twins, and threatened further by the promised arrival of baby number three. As discussed previously, we tapped Redfin to help us with our home search, and finally found a fantastic place. Since then, baby number three, Braden, has arrived, ahead of schedule, and you also saw the news of my VP of Marketing role at my6sense. So change is in the air, indeed.

The arrival of Braden and move to the new home set other things in motion. We needed to get a larger car to hold three car seats at once, and we have a home that needs furniture. Unfortunately, one still can't download either, and the acquisition of both car and furniture has required venturing into the world of retail. The two different ways we went about getting both have remarkable difference in terms of fulfillment and speed, and unsurprisingly, the one that starts with the Web has the happier ending.

My wife and I have a list of "to do" items on our fridge to get our home into good shape. On the top of that list was furniture for the living room, family room, dining room and eventually, patio furniture, in some distant future. In early August, I set off to a department store to pick out sofas, love seats or anything we could sit in that would fit well with our home. That Friday, after my initial reconnaissance, my wife and I returned, and made our picks.

Despite the furniture being on the showroom floor, including the right configurations and colors, this did not indicate the items were available at their warehouse. We were promised an update in days, and shipping as soon as the following week.

The next Monday, I checked in and found that of the eight items, three were available, four more would arrive in the warehouse by August 27th, and one more by September 9th. On August 28th, I called, and found those items had not in fact arrived, but were delayed through September 3rd. So our rooms remain empty.

Today, I called to set up a delivery date. Surprise! The items are further delayed until September 27th, and the one laggard was now September 15th. This means the items are at least a month delayed from the previous date, and all we can do is wait. Something tells me that had I just purchased the same or similar items from Amazon.com or another online retailer, the Earth would have been moved to make my date, and they would be aggressively updating me if changes happened. Not so with tired old department store.

Luckily, this fate did not befall us when looking for a car. Needing to trade in our Toyota Rav-4 and purchase a larger car (or ... minivan), I heard an ad for AutoTrader.com that was made for folks just like me. A new program at tradein.autotrader.com lets you enter the right information on the car you need to trade in, and they will deliver a guaranteed price. While on the site, you can also say what car you are looking for and get people to call you with an offer. Sure enough, it was a slam dunk.

On Thursday night, I put in the data for our Rav-4 and got a guaranteed quote. On Friday afternoon, I got calls back from local car salesmen with offers that matched my needs. On Saturday, my wife and I went in and not only traded in our old car, but bought a new one. We took it home and the car is already in our driveway.

The contrast in these two experiences could not be more clear. The first, which does not operate on Web speed or simplicity, is dragging along with fingerpointing and excuses. The second, which let the Web do much of the hardwork of negotiation, discovery and introductions, made things happen overnight that could have taken weeks or months in years past.

I've long held to the belief that I should be doing as much of my shopping online as I can, or leveraging the Web wherever possible. Time and again, I find myself getting annoyed when the rest of the physical world doesn't work on my timelines, to my real-time expectations and efficiency. Online does. The best Web sites in the world with top notch customer service make things happen, and those dinosaurs that act as if the Web is just a marketing brochure aren't going to keep their edge for too much longer. I've had it with incompetent retail laggards - and can't endorse AutoTrader.com enough. It flat out works.