USB tethering apps for HTC EVO don’t need root
If you've ever tapped on the "USB Tethering" option after connecting the HTC EVO 4G to your Windows PC and you don't already pay for the $29.99/month mobile hotspot feature, then you're familiar with the error message shown at right.
Although the USB tethering option is included in the "Connect to PC" settings menu in Android 2.2 (previously listed as Internet Sharing on 2.1), the only way you can actually tether the EVO via USB to your computer is if you pay the extra $30/month. Yes, you must pay for wireless internet sharing with multiple devices to get wired internet sharing with one device.
You can get free wireless hotspot functionality on your rooted EVO with apps like Wireless Tether and Barnacle WiFi Tether, which is great but not helpful for users with non-rooted EVOs.
Thank goodness for PDANet and EasyTether. They won't turn your EVO into a mobile hotspot, but they will let you use the phone as a modem for your computer (no root required). Note that the free versions of both apps do not allow access to secure websites; you'll need to pay a one-time fee of $24 for PDANet (currently on sale for $19) or $10 for EasyTether for that. Neither app is new (PDANet has been around for years on different platforms), but they're both timeless and definitely apps every EVO user, especially those new to Android, should know about.
