Sprint Nextel Corp. started vending out the first phone in the U. S., based on a next-generation wireless technology, a move forward that may guide in gadgets with high- definition video capabilities and faster downloads.

The EVO phone from HTC Corp. is going to be available from today, costing $199.99 with a two-year agreement at Sprint, which is the third- largest U. S. mobile-phone carrier. It runs on Google Inc.’s Android operating system and uses the professed fourth- generation wireless network that Sprint co-owns with Clearwire Corp.

Handsets for example, the EVO will be capable of downloading matter about 10 times faster than the third-generation technology, Overland Park, Kansas-based Sprint said. That will allow people watch live World Cup matches, make video calls and download movies for instance ‘The Karate Kid’ or ‘Shrek Forever After.’

The most imperative thing concerning these devices is not really the piece of equipment itself, but the applications and the content that you can utilize on the device, said Jim McGregor, Chief Technology Strategist at research firm, In-Stat. It totally alters the way the Internet is used.

As additional 4G devices reach the market, developers will be creating software programs, so as to take full advantage of the higher speeds.