IcyCell Battery Door for the HTC EVO 4G

This summer, HTC hosted a smartphone-centric event in Chicago. The affair focused on the newly-released HTC Aria, and was truly a fantastic event. In addition to hors d’oeuvres, drinks and a plethora of over-zealous Android fans, a number of Aria handsets were on display. One such display featured a Aria with clear battery door. In case you don’t know, HTC has added a splash of color to the interior of a number of their phones. The interior of the Aria is yellow, while the EVO and Incredible feature a red interior. Perhaps they feel it adds a bit of panache to their handsets. I certainly think it does. I liked the idea of a clear battery door so much that, upon returned home, I scoured the internet for a clear battery door for the HTC EVO 4G. There were a number of clear cases, but I was unable to find a clear battery door.

The following day, I created a thread on xda-developers.com regarding a clear battery door for the EVO in the hopes that someone would know where I could find one. A few days thereafter, a fellow xda member named Joey announced that he liked the idea and was going to make a mold of his battery door. Two months later, Joey has produced and shipped clear, red, blue, yellow, black and white battery doors for the EVO.

Within two days of purchasing the clear IcyCell battery door for my HTC EVO 4G, it arrived at my door. I immediately noticed that the IcyCell battery door is slightly thicker than the stock battery door on the EVO. Fortunately, it does not add much girth to the device. It is, however, a more durable, higher-quality battery door. It also fits more snugly than the stock battery door, which has been known to creak and flex due to its thin, flimsy construction. The IcyCell battery door is considerably more difficult to remove as a result of its rigidity, but a knife or key should do the trick.

One of the main complaints about the HTC EVO 4G is that it rests on the camera lens when lying flat on a surface. This results in a scratched camera lens, an issue that I have experienced firsthand. The IcyCell battery door eliminates this issue by utilizing two rails that raise the phone slightly while it is lying face-up. I did notice that there is a small gap between the battery door and the frame of the phone near the headphone jack. This may seem like a cause for concern, but I have yet to see an increase in pocket lint or dust inside the battery door since installing it on my phone.

The IcyCell battery door for the HTC EVO 4G is a welcome improvement over the stock battery door. Its durable construction and eye-catching aesthetics will add a unique flair to any EVO. Purchase one because it is more durable than the stock battery door. Purchase one because it is fabricated out of a higher quality plastic than the original battery door. Purchase one because it displays your phone’s eye-catching interior. Purchase one to support an individual instead of a large company. Most importantly, purchase one because it looks pretty darn cool.

Joey has now expanded the IcyCell line to include blue, yellow, red, black and faux carbon fiber battery doors, in addition to the original clear battery door. The aforementioned doors range in price from .95 to .95, and can be purchased at www.icycell.com. For more information on the production process and questions regarding the various battery doors, hit the links below.