There is no way to remove pre-installed apps without rooting, Calling Sprint will not help as they can not do it either.

I don’t have the EVO yet, but I confirmed with Sprint customer service these apps cannot be removed.  Actually, will not be removed.  Sprint forces its customers to run these idiotic apps they do not want or need, which suck up marginal battery life and apparently just turn themselves on and off at random.

Let me get this straight: Sprint would rather lose loyal customers of over 10 years rather than remove these apps, or at least have an option to turn them off?  My Sprint contract is up this week and I’m seriously considering walking. 

All this begs the question: whose phone is it? This is exactly why people are PO’d at Apple.

Disgusting.

He was talking about them not going down the same road as Apple. Because Apple has alienated users for similar reasons. I'm afraid the "fail" moment lies in your reading.

So is Sprint going to provide a way for those with another phone from the ones you mentioned to remove the apps they don't want?

I've been reading a few of these threads now and it starting to sound more and more like HTC should be the target of the brunt of our collective ire.  They are slick phones and Sprint knows a) they sell and b) most people don't care about the stowaway software. (Feel free to yell and scream all you like but don't fool yourselves - you're the minority)

The impression that I've been getting is that Sprint is rather ambivalent about whether or not people choose to root their phones.  If you're willing to trade your warrenties (which costs Sprint money if used) for the ability to "scratch an itch" (which costs them nothing) then it appears to be up to you.  It's your phone, after all.  Am I the only one getting this vibe?

Frankly, I've been a Linux geek for 10+ years now and the hack job involved here is kind of a joke in terms of ease.  Consider yourselves lucky with anything short of soldering JTAG pins onto the board.

Now, all of that being said, a quick question.  The various process managers I've played with so far tend to be oriented toward "kill everything that isn't whitelisted".  Does anyone know of one based on a blacklist instead - preferable one that sits in the background and automatically kills the little pests as they pop up?  That way, I don't need to root my phone and people who don't know what is safe and what isn't can simply pick stuff the don't want and let a backgrounded app do the rest.

Here's the deal:  I too am opposed to all of this, but it comes down  to money.  Sprint endorses NASCAR, hence the SPRINT CUP.  TV viewership  has declined in all areas over the past couple of years, likely due to  the availability of more interesting things available on the internet,  youtube, on demand, etc.

"The target both governing bodies [NASCAR & NFL] are trying  to attract is the general  sports fan, one that will watch an exciting  event. Millions of people  make up this demographic." 

http://www.hardcoreracefans.com/nascar-cup-news/4811-nascar-sprint-cup-versus-the-nfl

So, in order to get more exposure, and help their mutual  contract, and not exclude all the millions of NFL viewers, it makes good  business sense, in dollars, for them to force these apps and others on us. 

However,  we do have the right to file a class action suit to force Sprint to  stop.  I don't have the energy, but will gladly join.  :-)