The Sprint HTC EVO 4G has all the innards within it to support Wireless N, but HTC chose to leave it out of Sprint’s (first) superphone. Luckily, this is Android, and the developers over at XDA have found a way to get it working.
If you’re completely new to Android, it would not be suggested to try this out. But if you’re experienced and determined, give it a go. Initially the process took a little knowledge of ADB, which should be familiar to you if you’ve ever hacked anything on Android OS. Now, though, it’s a simpler matter of flashing a zip file as if you were just sideloading a ROM on your phone. This takes all of the technical hackery out of the equation, making it much easier to get your wireless N on.
In the end, is this WiFi N hack something you and your EVO really need? To us, this hack screams “more battery drainage.” It remains to be see how indeed wireless N effect the EVO’s battery life, but it’s safe to assume it’s not going to make it any better. Still, if you’ve got a router that supports it, why not give it a try if you’ve got the know-how?
The devs over at XDA have done some wonderful things with Android, and as it gains more and more steam, expect even better things to come. Things have certainly come a long way since the first root of the G1, and with more powerful Android devices coming out, Android devs will tinker, and optimize the hell out of your device. Who knows what they will be able to come up with when it comes to future EVO hacks. Let’s hope they find some extra battery life in the thing and get that enabled, pronto.
Step by step instructions to enable wireless N on your EVO here.
[Via: Phandroid]