HTC EVO 3D phone records, plays 3D video

Sprint this week unveiled the HTC EVO 3D, the latest iteration in its popular smartphone line, and the first EVO to utilize glasses-free 3D tech. In most ways, the EVO 3D resembles the original EVO handset: Note the 4.3-inch display, the 4G connectivity, the Android operating system – this model gets the Android Gingerbread OS – an Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor, and the dual cameras.

The difference here is that one of the two cameras on the EVO 3D can be set to record 3D video. According to CNET, a toggle switch on the right side of the phone allows users to flick between 2D – at 1080-pixels – and 3D – at 720-pixels – recording options. (See above for a look at the 3D camera on the new EVO phone.)

ALSO SEE: Eight low-tech ways to revive broken gadget

A press release for the EVO 3D describes a range of potential uses for the phone. Among them: "Dad can feel like he is in the bleachers watching the ball leave the park for a home run even if he’s forced to skip a Little League game because he is stuck at the office." And also: "Real estate agents can create and share 3D virtual tours of homes that let out-of-town buyers 'walk through' the house and truly experience the listings before they can see them live."

That all sounds cool. But how 3D is the EVO 3D?

Kent German reports that the experience of using the phone "is not the same as what you'd expect from a 3D movie. The images float off the screen rather than poking you in the face. It's subtle, but definitely noticeable and rather fun." German takes particular note of the EVO 3D touch screen, which he calls "wonderfully bright and responsive"; he also likes the "sturdy" handset.

For more tech news, sign up for the free Innovation newsletter, which is emailed out every Wednesday morning.