Incredible?? really?

[bk31th]

I have been a Verizon customer for many years now and I am debating to jump ship.  I like the coverage of Verizon but there is a lack of quality in every device I have seen them put out for the past 3 years. 

I currently have a BB 8330.  I am on my 4th one in 13 months.  I had two 8830's before that in a matter of 6 months.  I want to blame RIM but I've learned that the carrier actually manufactures the devices.  Correct me if i'm wrong.  I've read nothing but problems with Verizon blackberries.  Don't even get me going on the poorly executed under tested Storm.  Garbage.

fastforward to now!

I saw the incredible commercials, researched the info and started to get a little excited.  Not an iphone fan boy but a technology fan, I have come to appreciate the iphone and its glory.  However, I believe in competition as it only benefits the customer.

After looking over the incredible I saw potential and wanted to have this device.  That is when reality bit me.

Sprint is releasing the Evo on Friday and this phone should've been called the incredible because it makes the incredible look like a toy. 

The incredible's screen is only 3.7 the evo is 4.3.  The incredbile can't record hd video, the evo can.  The incredible only has 512 rom while the evo has 1gig of rom.  Evo has hdmi port and dual cameras.  If Verizon is pushing skype as a service for so many smart phones, updates your blackberry with the **bleep** app for download without my permission, why build a next gen phone without a front facing camera? 

I will tell you why.

Verizon like Microsoft is rushing products off the assembly line without proper testing.  they see an old model as a solution but failed miserably in the early 90's.  which is, build it, fix the major bugs but let the customer be our true test.  While we are buying these subpart incomplete devices, they reap the benefits of our calls and complaints.  so, while john doe bought his phone with  2 year contract to save 200 bucks on a device thats worth half that, he is stuck and can't upgrade from a manufacturers mistake. 

While companies like ATT and sprint know that the coverage can always be added to, its the devices which matter.  I am tired of it.

Why all of you buy into the hype and continue to support the beast, I will never know.  I am not upgrading to anything new verizon has to offer and if they dont offer something competitive soon, I'll pay the 175.00 early termination fee and go to a carrier worth dealing with.  I don't want a polished turd, I want a device worth the over priced mark up you're pitching, Mr. Man.

This incredible is anything BUT incredible.  It has a small screen, low batt life, only 16 gig support and screams "patching needed".

Verizon is feeling the pinch and I know this because I got a random email from them asking a simple question "survey.  why did you cancel service recently?"  hahaha, really?  I haven't but that leak means people are jumping ship for a better device, especially with plan rates like sprint that has also invested millions in their network.

I'm a verizon customer now as with most my family, but if they don't do something to address the lack of quality in their devices, I have not problem dealing with a dropped call once in a while at ATT.  At least I know that can be addressed with adding services to that area vs costing me 300-600 for a new device every few months.

Thank you,

Keith H.

[tim600sl]

Just for the record, I own an Incredible.  I have no problems with it what so ever.  It is a perfectly tested device and working to its full potential. Oh, by the way, carriers DO NOT manufacture phones.

[fezzik]

For the record the Incredible actually has an 8 Gig Rom.  Android can only make use of 768mB of it which is why it looks the way it does and is marketed the way it is.  I imagine that with Android 2.2 and the ability to install apps on sd cards and increased memory support you will see the Incredible's entire rom consolidated.  Though maybe it will stay the way it is now because something like that would require a repartitioning and reformat.  I can't really see anyway around that without a seriously complicated backup and restore system for the 6.6 gigs.

Verizon no more manufactures the phones than BP manufactures cars.  It isn't in their best interest to do so.  Even the few phones that used to be Verizon branded were made by a 3rd party and rebadged Verizon.  Verizon doesn't actually own any manufacturing facilities. 

The reason the incredible is lacking in a few features is because HTC decided to make this phone this way.  They decided to make the EVO the way they made it.  Some of that is actually decided by the carrier but some of it is because the Incredible was in development and production months before the EVO.  It was also released months before the EVO.  The incredible was in development almost a full year before Verizon made a deal with Skype where Verizon said hey you know that full featured SkYpe app you have for the iPhone can you cripple that and give us exclusivity thanks. 

Now the EVO has a few extra toys like the front facing camera and a slightly larger screen but it hardly overshadows the incredible.  Especially not by what you might expect from a phone that still hasn't been released compared to a phone over a month out of the gates. 

Finally if it is so easy to add to networks why is it that in middle tennessee it is difficult at best to make a call on the Sprint network but Verizon is blanketed with excellent signal.  Even with a phone that carries the reputation of having signal issues I have dropped 2 calls both in the exact same geographic area on farm land sandwiched between two very tall hills.  With Sprint I was able to make calls from the K-mart parking lot downtown but outside of that lot my phone was a useful clock and phone book.

Oh and Sprint's Wimax "4G" is actually registering slower network speeds than even their own 3G network in most places.  Yeah I'll stick with Verizon and my Incredible till my next upgrade opportunity. 

[wolfsburg]

I have owned an BB 8330 for 18 months and have never had an issue with it.  I work in agriculture and drop the phone in dirt regularly and thanks to the Body Glove cover, the phone takes the punishment.  I have used my phone for daily navigation, web surfing, games, camera, stock trading, email, txting and many other applications over the last year and a half.  That along with an average of 20 phone calls a day.

Reluctantly decided to swap my BB for an Incredible which should arrive in the next week.  I know it will be outdated in 6 months but so will every other phone that comes out.  I know the Incredible will more than accomplish all the tasks that I do on a daily basis.  And the main reason I stick with Verizon is that I know I can do all those task while traveling anywhere between the west and east coast.  Many times, friends who have other services (AT&T and Sprint), end up using my phone when traveling because they rarely have service in BFE locations. 

[AZSALUKI]

it's called technology...and it takes place at a rapid pace. the EVO does look cool....and 3 months after it's released one of the other carriers will put out a phone that makes the EVO look prehistoric. that's just how phones are today. go ahead and switch if your in an area that gets good coverage from other carriers. fyi....by brother in law has had bb's for 4 years (currently the tour) and never has problems with them. i have had the incredible for a month.....NO issues here. when you visit blogs and forums for any device, you find the handful of those who were unfortunate enough to get bad phones. that's (most of the time) why they are on the forum. yes, some of us come to help out or ask a "how to" question. but for the most part it is full of those that are having problems. 100,000 incredibles out the door in the first few days (and who knows how many since?) and i see a few dozen people here with problems. i'd bet that the incredible and your BB has no more issues than any other phone. i need my "phone" to be able to call anywhere at any time. vzn is the ONLY carrier that can provide me with that. sure, i play with it for a lot of other stuff (which i do believe browsing and apps and cam/video on this are amazing). but if my primary purpose was to have the coolest new "gadget," i'd get an ipad or some other insane tablet.

[bk31th]

Thanks for the feedback.

1)  I understand you guys may not have had issues with Blackberries, please see yourself as the minority and fortunate.  Blackberries from the 8330 to the new Storm have OS freezing issues and its widely known.  Event he RIM fan boys are pretty upset at the lack of real fixes RIM has for the phones.  Having to pull your battery or download the pull battery simulated app just to bring your phone back to life gets annoying.  

  I work in an environment that supports roughly 1000 Blackberries.  Out of those, once we started supporting a wider range of mobile devices, 41% jumped ship because of the issues.  We have direct contacts with RIM and unfortunately, they can't produce patches fast enough.

 Out of the remaining 59%, only about 35% are satisfied with their blackberries, but all agreed the phone has issues running apps, multitasking, boot up times are extremely slow and voice quality between blackberries is horrible (no matter the network).

2)  The carrier pays the majority of the cost of production, but does not manufacture the phone. This I have discovered.  So, the design of the phone, specs, bells and whistles is mainly in the hands of the carrier as they pay most of the production cost.   Recently Apple tried going to numerous Universities through out the US and wanted to GIVE the Iphone away.  ATT put a stop to any of those talks as the production of the phone was mainly paid for by ATT and even though ATT doesn't seem to realize the monthly comes straight to them, it was too large of a loss. 

  So,  the incredible being released to be in direct competition witht he Iphone KNEW of Iphone's stats and making such a small screen was their first mistake.  Sure, it eats into the batter more, but they're already saving on battery with the new processor.  Why not learn form the success of Apple and improve upon?  The iphone isn't a new thing.  I'm sorry, but I still disagree.  Verizon has a quality issue with devices where ATT and Sprint are investing. 

I like the coverage of Verizon, just wished they'd spend more time and money on equipment.  I'm not questioning their service.  But, if you look at the bold from att and a few of sprints devices along with the new evo, we are being left behind.  The storm is a complete failure.  Which is why just about any Verizon phone you can get the buy one get one free deal.  Do you think the iphone will ever get there? haha, no. its worth more than that and its selling.

Enjoy the debate, no flaming.  Game on!

[AZSALUKI]

"While companies like ATT and sprint know that the coverage can always be added to, its the devices which matter"

if coverage is so easily added then why is that ATT's biggest problem...still? didn't the iphone come out like 3 years ago? and a few years later that is still a complaint.

also...do blackberries all run great on other networks? i'm not that familiar with them and have never owned one. i'm just guessing if you're gripe is with blackberries, wouldn't that have nothing to do with vzn? like i said, i'm not that familiar, but are you telling me a bb on ATT or sprint runs just fine?

2 quick true stories.

my buddy from chicago comes out to visit me a year and a half ago. he had just got his new iphone and we were goin golphing in north scottsdale. i live in phoenix and it's about a half hour drive to the course. he goes on about everything his new phone can do for almost the entire ride (he couldn't wait to try out his golf gps app....the funnty thing is that any decent course out here has gps on the golf carts). it was nice out and the course was packed so the round was taking about an hour and a half longer than normal. our wives were meeting us for dinner and we were obviously going to be late. anyone who is married knows that if you're going to be late for dinner with the wives then a heads up phone call is a MUST. halfway through the round my buddy asks if he can borrow my phone. i ask "why?" he says "i need to call and let the wife know we're runnin late (i had already texted my wife)." i said "sure, but what's wrong with your new iphone?"    we both knew what was wrong....i just couldn't help but ask the question.

this past winter i go to an az cardinal football game. we get there early and i'm with another friend of mine with an iphone. on the way in he's showing me his cool new cbs sports app that he can use to manage his fantasy team. we are in the same fantasy football league and i'm checking (my env touch....non smart phone) for injury updates (just using the browser). i sub one of my players when i realize he's not playing that day. my buddy asks to borrow my phone. again...."why?" i ask. "i need to see if any of my guys are benched" he says. "what about that app you showed me outside?" he replies "no signal in here."

so maybe i'll always be a few months behind the technology. and maybe other phones on other carriers will be capable of doing a few more things than mine......but my phone will call my wife when i need to. it will browse the web whenever i want. it will send text, email, or MMS messages (and recieve them) whenever i need it to from wherever i may be. i live in AZ and travel all over the state. it is nothing but desert and mountains once you get outside of the city....and i never lose a signal. i have friends on sprint, att, and tmobile that can't do what they want sometimes....IN THE CITY. i prefer to have the best coverage and maybe slightly less superior devices, than superior devices with significantly less coverage that prevents the use of those superior devices. but that's just me.

[fezzik]

The iPhone has a 3.5 inch screen with 480-by-320-pixel resolution.  The Incredible has a 3.7" 480x800.  Slightly larger with double the resolution.   Both have the same hardware issue causing reception issues for some.  I actually find it tough to hold it in a way that causes the problem.  iPhone 3 MP camera Incredible 8MP camera.  iPhone 600MhZ Incredible 1Ghz.  Etc.  Now yes the EVO is an awesome phone.  Drop the EVO and the Incredible is the top of the pile.  We aren't being left behind just the newest thing isn't coming out on our network exclusively.  The EVO is the newest thing and comes out soon the Incredible is still top of the heap.  After the EVO surely it will be T-mobile's turn to get something shiney and powerful.  AT&T is sort of getting Android phones but notice how no one ever talks about their Android phones.  Market only app installs, as of yet nothing that comes close the iPhone 3Gs.  I am assuming they are holding out the big guns until the new iPhone 4G comes out this summer then it will raise the bar.  Oddly enough I think it is sad that they are making sure to keep their Android lineup behind their iPhones by the end of the year that is going to be fairly tough to do. 

Sprint and Verizon seem to be the ones coming out with the big Android phones right now.  The new Mytouch for T-Mobile should be cool but not the flash in the pan that everyone else is getting.  Seems sad to me since they were the early adopters and they seem to be left behind now.  Look at the Ally our lower end semi mid range Android phone.  The specs are superior in some ways and equivalent in the other ways to the current king of iPhones the 3Gs.  Sprint's Android line up is the Hero (the same phone as our DROID ERIS minus a few minor enhancements the Eris added), and the Samsung Moment ok pretty nice little phone not quite the Incredible in specs but nice.  Now they are adding the EVO for a nice round Android line up.  Ok so the EVO is a little nicer than the Incredible with a couple of toys and the Moment is possibly the best mid-range Android phone out there but Verizon has the variety and prices. 

Also if the current iPhone tech specs rumors are true then iPhone is in serious jeopardy.  Because the Android market is growing by leaps and bounds and with the JIT addition and Flash coming lookout and the tech specs are already beat by the incredible and more so by the EVO.  Whatever we have by September or October will make the iPhone 4G look silly. 

[AZSALUKI]

oh yeah.....and the new moto droids are supposed to come out this year (late summer or early fall?). i know nothing about them, but i suspect they will be evry bit as nice as the EVO. my original point was that in today's world of technology, each carrier will have "the latest and greatest" for a matter of months (or even weeks). so i'll stick with the network.

[M91-30]

IMO, counting network functionality, my old samsung hue beats an iphone, and here's why. I was in a dire situation, needing immediate help. my hue was rendered useless by the pond known as superior, but no big deal, my friend had a phone, too. his AT&T network and nokia phone showed full bars, and full services. he tries to dial 911, but the network will not connect him, giving a busy signal or error message. now, signal strength was not the issue, rather the network is fundamentally flawed and would not connect him, delaying help until we found someone with an (at the time) alltel phone. AT&T can suck a big hairy (use your imagination), with it's spotty coverage and lack of (any real) 3G network. oh, and when you do get signal, don't count on the network saving your life.

when you need to rely on your network to save your life, verizon will be there, if you use AT&T, you might want a second phone or another person around you using verizon.

as far as the devices themselves,  user storage space of the palm pre plus (16GB), and omnia 2 (8GB), omnia 2 and incredible have way more resolution than the iphone, and are bigger. omnia 2 and palms already have flash support, which even the evo will not necessarily come with. and omnia 2 doubles the iphone's battery life (real life comparison), and omnia 2 (800MHz) and incredible (1GHz) beat the iphone (600MHz) in processor speed. my point? there are many devices that can compete with (or exceed) the iphone's (or any "leading smartphone" for that matter) capabilities/features. one thing that makes me steer away from the incredible is battery life, but such is the way of HTC with their smart phones (especially when you push for it to be so stylishly thin).

as for why the HD2 and EVO screens (4.3") are not widely duplicated is simple. 3.7 inches is already pretty huge for a phone, and pretty decent for a PDA, 4.3 inch screens make the phone HUGE for a phone. most people do not want to carry that large a device around at this time.

[Wildman]

In my opinion I would truly think it over completely before considering jumping ship because of a device, I have had Sprint and AT$T and Verizon's network is superior and also I tried the HD2 from T-Mobile and the device had its possibilities but I loved the device but T-Mobiles service was terrible with dropped calls, lack of 3G in my area and customer service shows no interest in resolving anything, So far I haven't experienced any major issues being where Im at with Verizon.

As for the Incredible it has its possibility but it wasn't for me but I have got a chance to lay hands on the HTC EVO (Now that's the power I expected from Android) and I hope Verizon realease a simular device that can give the HD2 and EVO a run for their money because Sprint is making false statements on the EVO and the network, 4G is only in a small amount of the cities and they still will force customers to pay for 4G even in areas that its not even available (How does that work) and also the forward facing camera isn't supported by any software as of yet and you can only use the Video Conference feature when you are in a 4G area.

I hope you think your decision out wisely because Verizon isn't perfect but its closer than others in a lot of area at least in my opinion.

[nautene]

                                               "when you need to rely on your network to save your life, verizon will be there, if you                              use  ATT  you might want a second phone or another person around you using verizon."

If my house was on fire I would have to go next door for a call to 911. I can stand outside and get no signal and I have VERIZON. Even the Verizon rep said my area is "mediocre" yes its quoted.

 My sister has Verizon NO Problems. I have Verizon BIG PROBLEM. I switched because of her. If another service works better for you, move to that service. If I were to stay with Verizon, I would have to go back to having a  Land Line at home..That I haven't had in a year or two. To each their own make the best choice for you. There are many people on the forums that have not had any problems with Verizon  and love the service but there are those of us who have multiple ones. Everyone has an opinion you have yours they have theirs.

FOR SOME PEOPLE big red is not the answer sadly I am one of those people. I will try another network if not I will go back to ATT who I never had call issues with (they are changing their unlimited internet)...Listening to my sister I ended up with a headache. AGAIN YOU MAY NOT HAVE HAD AN ISSUE BUT I HAVE HAD MANY in the short time(service started March 5)  that I have dealt with Verizon. AGAIN, For those people who support Vzw it  may work for you but it doesn't mean it works for everyone.

[AZSALUKI]

nautene...it's one thing if you've got bad coverage, but the original post here is by someone who admits his coverage is much better with verizon. i have no problem with switching for better coverage.....but it's silly to switch back and forth based on which carrier has the nicest phone (for a few weeks or months until the next nicest phone comes out).

[wolfsburg]

Well stated AZ. Exactly how I feel.

[gainesville]

bk31th your post contains a few errors.

1. The Incredible has 8GB+512MB of (Flash)ROM. Not 512

2. THe Incredible supports up to a 32GB expansion card. Not 16 "gig"

As for the 3.7 vs 4.3 inch screen...... All I can say is that I received my Incredible last week and I doubt I would want a much bigger screen. The 3.7 AMOLED screen is just right, for me. There is no way I would trade connectivity for hardware. And believe me, I am no fan of VZW, just look back through some of my previous posts, I am perhaps one of their biggest critics.

I have had many different cell phones in the past, starting with a "bag phone" in 1994. Motorola's, Samsungs, etc. 2 years ago I bought a LG Dare and was very happy with it. UNTIL I bought an IPOD Touch and realized what all the hoopla over the Iphone was about. However, I have had friends and co-workers who have the IPhone and they constantly complain about reception. At the end of the day, (for me anyway) its all about THE PHONE. I would gladly go back to 1990s technology in hardware if it meant reliable connectivity. I was holding out on upgrading my LG Dare thinking maybe the IPhone was coming to VZW, until I saw the Incredible. Now that I have had a chance to use the phone for five days I can honestly say that I am extremely pleased with it.

The one point that you bring out that I can agree with is the battery life, mine does last all day, but having to recharge it every night is an issue for me, albeit a minor issue (for me) considering the features that the phone gives me all day in trade off for the nightly recharge.

[gerio]

Ahhh, the bag phone...THAT was a phone, eh.....

I remember rigging up 12V converters to run those things on shows backstage and rigging up a goofy antenna rig. People thought I was was nutz until they needed to make a phone call.

My first Moto brick phone was like walking in space... albeit with the appropriate price tag...

Cheers, Geri O