Considering the Samsung Fascinate and Verizon? Well Please do!!

Glad to hear positive feedback about the fascinate which i also love but so much negative talk about it scares me being I've had for more than a month now and cant exchange. So thank you Ladybell and I agree great phone and will wait for update Froyo plus I do have a car charger now.

Just tired or hearing allot of negative too. I think the phone has great features. I haven't found any software that didn't need tweaking or upgrading at some point. Or some electronic device that was free of defects. Thanks for even replying. It seems the only threads on here that get the most replies are the train wrecks.

Just think if there are people looking for a switch they should at least get some real feedback from current users.

Oh I love ya for all you have said now for the rest to read it and think about all the good the phone has for us. Fascinate #1

ladybell wrote:
I came to this forum along with forums for android central and new-Samsung-phones and I have learned a great deal about what my device will do.

However this forum (with a few notable exceptions) can taint the average purchaser.

So let's here from the people who LIKE the device, who don't just want to post to fuss about what they DON'T HAVE. ... I think it's fascinating personally but you should just go test it out for yourself.

Thank you for the enlightening post and an upbeat, positive attitude. I don't even have that phone but still enjoy reading the posts and trying to help out. But you are right and I have noticed a difference between this forum and the "generic" ones. The generic ones seem better because the people want to solve problems by helping each other. They are much more enjoyable and educational to read. That goes way back to bulletin boards and chat rooms. I sometimes wonder if there are propaganda wars going on and many get caught up in it. Not to deny issues because there are certainly those. But I would hope the forum would be used to address problems that can be solved; not those that can't.

Steveanderson13 please list some of the other forums, I would like to check them out. The more the better I think with more ideas and problem solving from others.

unknown

ladybell wrote:
Go ahead and CONSIDER THE SAMSUNG FASCINATE AND VERIZON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so I have had this new Fascinate for about two months. I was a avid blackberry (crackberry) fan for many years but became increasingly annoyed at little things my blackberry would do or would not do over my ownership. So I get this Fascinate and had to return the first unit within 3-5 days because my first one had an overly sensitive speaker which disturbed my callers (not me my end was crystal clear). Done! My poor inexperienced newbie of a rep managed to get me through on a new phone and my callers were much happier to have clear calls. Me too since it helped them to stop yelling at me. Tier 2 tech support did what they could, validated my issues and simply helped to get a replacement.

This phone has allot of features I am not used to. The whole android world is a completely new game for me and I know I am not the only one. I came to this forum along with forums for android central and new-Samsung-phones and I have learned a great deal about what my device will do.

However this forum (with a few notable exceptions) can taint the average purchaser. I was with ATT for 10-15 years. No true complaint other than the bill at the end of an untimely contract period and dropped calls. But I needed more service area and switched to Verizon. I haven't requested allot of Verizon Customer Service but when I have I have found the tier 2 tech support to be much improved over in store assistance. Although there is one store local to me that has a gem of an employee.

The screen on this phone is great (size, color clarity). The clarity in videos is shocking. The MENU BUTTON IS MY FRIEND! Not to mention the MORE area on many screens. The camera has so many more features than I expect and takes great pics. Sure some of the bloatware is less than desirable but last I checked most smartphone owners get this so it's nothing new. The phone is relatively easy to set up and yet I learn something new ALL THE TIME. Apps are plentiful and download easily. Email accounts are easy to set up. Contacts from Microsoft Outlook are attainable although not with the ease of BB/RIM but with help can be done. Gmail is different but another good source for back-up. There is lots of storage space on this device. The ability to Skype on this phone is a great feature to have. The GPS for me has locked on to my locations easily and that is great since I travel and require this. Bluetooth synced up quick and easy. The size of the phone is great. Swype is a great way to text. Speak to text is awesome. There are lots of reasons to consider this phone. The processor is pretty nice as well.

The cons as you can read in many posts here are upset hopefuls for the new 2.2 froyo update. Whatever. It will come when it comes. Oh and the cradle that only outputs with the new upgrade. Wait for the upgrade. BING. This is the default search. So just don't push the button if you don't like Bing. Add the Google page as your main browser page or add a Google widget to your screen. All this BING junk is completely avoidable. Battery life..... well..... I got lots more time out of my blackberry battery. You know why? Because it wouldn't do have the stuff this phone can do. It literally took all day to download some apps to that old device and the screen was too small to view all the things I can view now. Websites come in all the way unlike what I experience with BB. The touch screen allows for zooming and so forth. So yeah. My playing with the darn phone eats up battery life. Just get the extra chargers. Really? I had just as many for my blackberry. No big deal. When you travel allot you just get use to it.

So let's here from the people who LIKE the device, who don't just want to post to fuss about what they DON'T HAVE. Some people get bad customer service because they are bad customers, some customers get bad service because the CS reps are poorly trained. It's a crap shoot. To those of you who have helped me with my recent questions, I really do thank you for the input. For those of you considering the Fascinate ... I think it's fascinating personally but you should just go test it out for yourself.

So let me get this straight. You get "tired" of hearing people voice their disatisfaction with the Fascinate and thus wanted to create a thread where people can voice the so called positives. Yet in your statement you single handedly try and trivialize the problems that many Fascinate owners have. You also single handedly talk down to the people voicing those concerns here. You also have the guts to tell people to go out and spend more money on a device to make it work "normally"? What kind of crap is that? No one should ever have to spend extra money like that. If you have to "not use" your device to preserve the battery life or go out and spend money on "more chargers" then the device was designed poorly. Also, just because you can tolerate the device don't have the attitude with people that can't tolerate and thus voice their valid concerns here. Just because you have it set and ran through in your mind on why you tolerate the device or like the device does not mean you should expect others to feel the same way you do which is exactly what you're doing in your statement. You like the device? You're happy with it? Good for you....but, dont be so condescending. If anything, with all the complaints you see on forums, it should actually tell you something like...gee, maybe there is a lot of really unhappy users out there that are upset because of bugs, lack of timely updates and so forth. Try and keep that in mind.

10sEn

I'll have to agree with (almost) everyone else here. It's quite refreshing to read something other than incessant whining about the same issues from the same few people on the site.

I absolutely love this phone, especially after customizing it. (My warranty is still good, in case someone jumped to conclusions about what I was saying. I'm just using a different launcher from the market.) There's so much people could be doing with their phones that they may not know about because they are fixated on things that are beyond their control. If they spent the time they gripe about their phone to learn more about it, they might actually find that it's really cool. One of these days, I think it might be fun to do a "See what you can do on your Samsung Fascinate" post to show people what downloading some free apps will do for their phones.

fyi, ladybell, using a Google widget still takes you through Bing. The only way to circumvent the Bing issue is to go to Google.com on your browser (but one can place a Google bookmark on the home screen). But I honestly don't see what the big deal is other than it's Microsoft. It still gives good search results.

btw, they do have apps on the market that supposedly help with battery life. I'm testing one out, and I'm only noticing some marginal gains at the moment. I say marginal because some days it's really good and others it's not that different. If I find one that works well, I'll be sure to mention it. I just need to standardize the testing first so I have equivalent comparisons.

http://androidforums.com/samsung-fascinate/

bigfrank69 wrote:
Steveanderson13 please list some of the other forums, I would like to check them out. The more the better I think with more ideas and problem solving from others.

Sure, ok this is my favorite because it is well organized, there are a lot of knowledgeable people, they are enthusiastic and sincere and excited about what they do.

If you would like to know more about anything or everthing Howard Forums is a good place. They cover a LOT. It is a good place to ask questions.

http://www.howardforums.com/forum.php

xda is much more technical.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=718

The Saumsung site does not seem very navigable or interactive, although I was able to find instructions today on another phone when I couldn't on the Verizon site. The "community" doesn't compare.

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/SCH-I500RKAVZW?

SBacklin wrote:

So let me get this straight. You get "tired" of hearing people voice their disatisfaction with the Fascinate I didn't read this in the original post. Did anyone else?

Yet in your statement you single handedly try and trivialize the problems that many Fascinate owners have. You also single handedly talk down to the people voicing those concerns here. I didn't read this either. Did anyone else?

You also have the guts to tell people to go out and spend more money on a device to make it work "normally"? Money for a car charger? That is bad?

don't have the attitude with people that can't tolerate and thus voice their valid concerns here. Just because you have it set and ran through in your mind on why you tolerate the device or like the device does not mean you should expect others to feel the same way you do which is exactly what you're doing in your statement. Did the poster mean that? Perhaps it is the incessant, never-ending, repeated, complaining, threatening, hostile, blaming, shortsighted, demanding, belligerent, negative tone to some posts that the OP wished to counter with their own experience, especially coming from a Blackberry and another carrier.
.but, dont be so condescending. If anything, with all the complaints you see on forums, it should actually tell you something like...gee, maybe there is a lot of really unhappy users out there that are upset because of bugs, lack of timely updates and so fortIh. Don't know how a different experience is condescending. Sometimes we learn from others. The unhappiness is obvious--bugs are normal, the Fascinate may be worse for some, I don't know, I wouldn't have kept it with a bad GPS; it would have been returned for another phone or carrier. What is a timely update? What is the standard? I already know the various companies records--it's been published.

Please others chime in. One thing the OP said that is definitely true--other forums are made better by the users.

10sEn wrote:

fyi, ladybell, using a Google widget still takes you through Bing. The only way to circumvent the Bing issue is to go to Google.com on your browser (but one can place a Google bookmark on the home screen).

I read there is a Google app in the marketplace. Untrue?

Ann154

steveanderson13 wrote:

10sEn wrote:

fyi, ladybell, using a Google widget still takes you through Bing. The only way to circumvent the Bing issue is to go to Google.com on your browser (but one can place a Google bookmark on the home screen).
I read there is a Google app in the marketplace. Untrue?

I believe that app is only available for phone with Android 2.2 or higher. I don't see with my phone, but then again I don't need to. Google is my default search engine. :smileywink:

HarleyDrifter

I like the Facsinate. One of the few items that I've purchased in my life that I can say that about. The display is awesome and the user interface is well designed. The touchpad is outstanding, never gives me wrong numbers or characters, works really well for texting or typing and it even fricken spells for me. I think it works great as a phone too except that maybe the external speaker could be larger so as to bring out the lower tones more.

The GPS has worked well for me too except that it did take a few minutes to lock onto my position, but once it locked in it was as accurate as any stand alone GPS I've seen. I have a $700 marine grade GPS and a handheld backup GPS for my boat and both of those take a few minutes to lock in too so that was no big deal to me. By the way I used both Verizon Navigator and Google Navigator, and the paid Verizon one worked better and always locked in right away, but I later chose to go with the free Google one because it was good enough and now with the new update it works even better. The Google voice needs to be louder though for turn by turn directions, can't hear it in my noisy work van, nor can I hear it through the earbuds over the roar of my motorcycle.

The camera is good and I was surprised to see adjustments and settings that you would normally only see on a real digital camera. The zoom is kind of lame though and blurs out right away. I've found it works better to upload pics to my computer and then zoom and crop from there. With 5 mega pixels you have a little room for this but 8 or 10 would be better.... OK wait I gotta keep reminding myself, it's just a phone.

The video camera was a nice surprise too, never really thought I would use it much, but after being "blown away" with the 720P video it shoots, I find myself looking for new video opportunities all the time. Not only does the video look great on the phone but it looks great on my 24" monitor too. It took a little time to find a video player that would play the MP4 files though (Verizon's V Cast Media Manager wouldn't even play them). Anyway, the phones got me interested in the video world now.

My phone connects to my PC just fine and I really like being able to edit and organize the Facsinate's files from there. I know there are some others who are having connection issues right now and hopefully they can get those resolved. If you have a phone like this, being able to connect to a computer and move files is important.

Some are complaining that the phone comes with Bing preinstalled. As was said earlier, the simplest solution for this is to create a bookmark for google.com or whoever and place it on your home screen, and yes, Google voice search works from there too. I think I figured out how to do that on the first day.

My only complaint is with the emails not syncing right. That and the lame user manual that came with it that doesn't even scratch the surface as to what this phone can do. Definitely worth your time to download the 180 page user manual from Phandroid. So hopefully, the email thing is something that can be fixed with an update.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with the Fascinate and would highly recommend it to anyone. As for the 2.2 operating system, I bought a phone with 2.1 and was never led to expect anything more. If a new one comes out and I can upgrade for free, that would be a bonus.

Lance

amsing1218

I bought the Samsung Fascinate about 2 weeks ago and I love it! I came from a droid Eris and this phone is far better. I have read all of the negative views and I'm amazed at the childishness of their posts. Every phone has some issues, can't get away from those no matter which carrier or phone you have. Thankfully I have not had any of the problems others claim to be having. My GPS works great, internet is blazing fast (faster than my husbands Droid X), the screen is BEAUTIFUL, and so on.... As for the 2.2 update, I bought the phone with 2.1 and was aware an update may never come, but that is not a problem for me. My manager at work has the iphone 4 from at&t and my Fascinate is faster and is more customizeable. About the only problem I have with my Fascinate is that it won't cook dinner for me or fold my laundry. lol. Can't win them all.

DonM

I also love my Fascinate! My last phone was a Samsung Omnia and the Fascinate is head and shoulders above the Omnia in both performance and ease of use. The obvious points are speed and display, both are state of the art. My cubicle neighbor at work has a HTC EVO and the Fascinate is the EVOs equal or better at almost everything (except that very impressive 4G thing!)

The first thing that really caught my attention when I started using the Fascinate was the much more user friendly way it handled email as compared to my old Omnia running Windows Mobile 6.5 Pro. I use the Gmail app for my personal email and the Fascinate email client for corporate emails from the office, both work flawlessly.

Like most everyone else I find Bing useless, I use iGoogle for my browser home page and the Google Places app for local searches, I sometimes forget Bing is even installed on the phone.

The only real problem I have with the phone is battery life. I have stopped all apps from updating in the background and have configure the phone for low power drain as per what is generally accepted in the phone forums I have visited, (I uninstalled the Advance Task Killer that the Verizon salesman recommended after reading that Android really doesn't like killing apps - doing that alone almost doubled battery life!) I also usually keep GPS and WiFi turned off. I use Bluetooth in the car but keep it turned off otherwise. After all that I was managing to get about 4 days between charges. Installing the recent update from Verizon (DL09) improved GPS lock on speed and accuracy tremendously but reduced battery life from about 4 days to about 2 days. I am eagerly awaiting Froyo due to its rep for battery management improvements.

All in all I have throughly enjoyed the fascinate and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

Thank you for the positive feed back, we need more of that here as some are so frustrated they want to get rid of the phone. Like you said there are problems with all phones and we just need to stay calm and wait for fixes.

PJNC284

ladybell wrote:
This phone has allot of features I am not used to. The whole android world is a completely new game for me and I know I am not the only one. I came to this forum along with forums for android central and new-Samsung-phones and I have learned a great deal about what my device will do.

I think that's most of the problem. There is a definite learning curve with Android and it doesn't necessarily operate the way most think it should. It forces you to adapt or learn to tweak it to your liking. Anyone unwilling to do either and expecting complaining to fix things is in for a rough ride.

As for the Fascinate itself, it's a great device. I came from the OG Droid that I had tweaked til it couldn't be tweaked anymore and the Fascinate still feels like a huge step up. Even without Froyo, the Fascinate performs as well as any other phone on the market and the screen is second to none. It does have its quirks and annoyances as does pretty much any phone. Initially it was laggy GPS when opening navigation, the backlight going off to quickly on the soft touch buttons, no notification LED and Bing (for some people). The first seems to be a non-issue after the most recent DL09 update, the second has been fixed also but adds the inconvenience of the lights remaining on even when in cradle mode. NoLED from the market solved the notification problem and if you just have to have the google search widget, it can be done.

Some have reported issues with USB mounting but I have yet to have any issues using the drivers from Samsung's website and the phone mounts as it did before. The lack of Froyo is a non-issue for me as Flash performance is still lacking imo, apps2SD is irrelevant with phones that have large internal storage and I didn't waste money on the desk cradle. For those that have hatred for Microsoft and Bing, 2.2 is expected to only allow you to download the Google search widget without having to use a 3rd party launcher, NOT replace Bing as the default in the stock browser or search soft key.

As for the Froyo/no-Froyo debacle, the issue is the lack of transparency between Samsung, the carriers (including sales and phone reps) and the end-users. Verizon could easily clear up the confusion and ease some of the anxiety on both sides by giving a progress report but would rather sit on their hands. I think we all understand that software updates take time to be tested and released and even then they still let bugs through (see DL09 emergency dialing bug).

That said, my number 1 tip for any prospective android owners, NEVER base a phone purchase on an expected update as you'll just end up disappointed and frustrated with waiting.

pool_shark

DonM wrote:
I also love my Fascinate! My last phone was a Samsung Omnia and the Fascinate is head and shoulders above the Omnia in both performance and ease of use. The obvious points are speed and display, both are state of the art. My cubicle neighbor at work has a HTC EVO and the Fascinate is the EVOs equal or better at almost everything (except that very impressive 4G thing!)

The first thing that really caught my attention when I started using the Fascinate was the much more user friendly way it handled email as compared to my old Omnia running Windows Mobile 6.5 Pro. I use the Gmail app for my personal email and the Fascinate email client for corporate emails from the office, both work flawlessly.

Like most everyone else I find Bing useless, I use iGoogle for my browser home page and the Google Places app for local searches, I sometimes forget Bing is even installed on the phone.

The only real problem I have with the phone is battery life. I have stopped all apps from updating in the background and have configure the phone for low power drain as per what is generally accepted in the phone forums I have visited, (I uninstalled the Advance Task Killer that the Verizon salesman recommended after reading that Android really doesn't like killing apps - doing that alone almost doubled battery life!) I also usually keep GPS and WiFi turned off. I use Bluetooth in the car but keep it turned off otherwise. After all that I was managing to get about 4 days between charges. Installing the recent update from Verizon (DL09) improved GPS lock on speed and accuracy tremendously but reduced battery life from about 4 days to about 2 days. I am eagerly awaiting Froyo due to its rep for battery management improvements.

All in all I have throughly enjoyed the fascinate and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

I came from the Omnia also, and although I have the Droid 2 not the Fascinate, I disagree with your statement about email.

The Omnia's email capabilities were much better than Android. The stock email app on Windows Mobile deleted email from the server. My ISP is roadrunner which is pop3, I put the settings in WM and everything was great.

Now I have to have gmail retrieve my roadrunner email and delete from the server. Then I have to wait for gmail's algorithm to send me my emails instead of just retrieving at specified intervals.

I also hate gmails conversation view.

I can't use it for my corporate email because my job only allows their devices on their network. But I wouldn't want my corporate emails on my personal device anyway.

SBacklin I say very good to voice your opinion and when I did VZW warned me and wanted to delete me so I have to watch what I say. You are right as the others with a positive for the phone but I think the positive ones just dont want to see all the whining and would rather wait for the updates and fixes without ruining their day being frustrated about them. You know the phone is very nice and all phones have issues and the people will never be 100% happy with anything you give them not even a new car.

You know there always has to be someone to try to rain on my parade. No big deal. I didn't intend the thread to be condescending so if you felt I was talking to you, they have counselors for that dear (Sbacklin or S blackin or whatever your call name is). The reality is to me that there are allot of people who will just never be satisfied. That's a shame. Heck I am one of those people from time to time myself. But I see no need in getting on a forum thinking that if you bash the providers and manufacturers to the points that I had read here that it will get you anywhere but ticked off and stuck in a thread of who can use their vocabulary to try and impress others with your ability to just sound crappy and irritated.

I came to the forum to learn tips and tricks on how to get the best out of my new phone. I want to learn and what I have learned so far is pretty great. Are there some bugs with the devices and/or service? Well yeah. I think you and some others have made that painfully clear. But I am glad you have. The complaints about the update or lack thereof, customer service issues, misinformed sales reps, frozen screens, GPS issues and so on have informed me of things I need to pay attention too or avoid or at least they give me to tools to correct an issue that is similar should I experience it. So I am not bashing your frustrations or posts.

The Samsung Fascinate is a nice device. And to share in a comment that I read in another forum, "I'd punch a kitten to get froyo myself" but I can wait, learn to use what I have and I am proud to show off my phones ability compared to others. It's clearer, faster, more receptive and responsive than many of the phones my colleges have. So to conclude reread the subject matter and at least let potentials consider the device.

Rashid

Well said Ladybell I am behind you all the way

GUESS WHAT?????

I JUST FOUND SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS COOL.

Might be a little thing to some but did you know that in video mode, you can actually zoom in and out while shooting the video??? Super cool.

Oh and if you touch the camera and reel button in the top left corner you can can limit the size so the video can be sent eaier in a MMS?

SCarVZW

I've been doing a lot of research (too much actually) the past couple weeks on what kind of new phone I wanted to get. I had the LG Venus, loved it with all my vain heart, but it was time to get a smartphone with better texting ability.

I read all about the 2.2 update delay and almost decided to get either the Droid X or Incredible.

When I went to the Verizon store to check them out one more time before making my purchase, they just didn't suite me.

I gravitated back to the Samsung Fascinate and fell in love again. I reminded myself that I mainly use my phone for calls, texting, and music playing. Only real new thing I was looking forward to are the apps. I live 3 minutes from work, so I didn't need a supercomputer in my pocket.

The phone just feels so great in my hands and the 4" screen is perfect. Anything less wasn't enough and 4.3" was too big. Or maybe I just hated that camera hump on the Droid X. :smileywink:

The AMOLED screen also makes my eyes glitter like a gold-digging hoochy. :smileytongue:

My wife will soon tire of me pausing TV so I can shoot my phaser, ignite my lightsaber, or any other silly thing I find next. :smileyvery-happy:

The only trouble I've had with the phone is my apps mess up quite often. My drum apps will stop playing sound as well the other ones mentioned. I don't know if that's the 2.1 or the quality of the apps, but I don't think I've had any real issues.

I'm very happy with this phone. The speaker plays my music louder than the LG Venus (iPhone speaker is pathetic!) so brushing my teeth and break time at work is even better than before!

Thank you Wal-Mart for selling it for $53.

LBell

Holy buckets. You got your phone for $53. So amazing. I imagine your app issues are actually with the apps. But do for your own sake keep an eye on the performance and consider adding a antivirus or security app such as lookout or the other to protect your device. And although you don't need a mini computer in your pocket. FYI the processor on this phone is blazing fast and you can search the internet with ease and multi-task while you are doing that as well.

Pun intended .... My phone is fascinating! :womanwink:

homerunholt

Like sending many pics with one topic to multiple addresses - how???

PO_pack_mule

One thing I found out today.. When you land on a webpage and it's in a small font, instead of pressing the magnification icon thingie, just double tap on the screen and it will toggle back and forth. Yes, love the phone! It's more like a handheld laptop that oh by the way happens to handle phone calls.

JaziJoi

Here! Here! I'm in total agreement with your total post Ladybell! I too was a former "Crackberry" user. I never thought I'd leave BB. But the web browser was so painfully slow and the other limitations that I now see it had is unbelievable. I'm totally FASCINATED by the Fascinate. I like my email better than BB....never thought I'd be saying that. And the spead of the processor is awesome! Maybe anything would seem like lighting speed coming from the BB world.....LOL....each day I'm finding more and more about the phone to love. It was by far the best change for me. I was holding out for the iPhone and still chose the Fascinate over the iPhone and I feel I made a wise choice. There is way too much hype built up on the iPhone in my opinion. I love the Market for apps. I've found EVERYTHING I needed to set my phone up for my daily needs and more. A truely AWESOME phone!!!! Two thumbs up from me!!!! :smileyvery-happy:

Jax_Omen

I agree with the TC that the whining over Bing is ridiculous. I don't think I've *EVER* pressed the search button on my phone, and I don't even have a bing'd phone! When I want to search, I open the web browser and go to google, same as on my computer *shrug*...

Regarding 2.2, however... *points at sig*... Adobe Flash, App2SD, Bluetooth Voice Dialing, and most importantly, the new Java Compiler are major, major features that honestly, every single competing android phone has had for over half a year now. Add in the fact that the Galaxy S phones run on the RFS filesystem, which is what causes that random stutter you get sometimes when doing simple things like scrolling webpages or playing music... The fact that we're stuck with such outdated and/or flawed software unless we hack our phones is downright OFFENSIVE. Samsung treats it's customers like second-class citizens and even though their hardware is seriously topnotch (best screen of any android phone, bar none, best graphics chipset of any phone at launch, mine has a fantastic keyboard, great cameras... etc), I will never buy another samsung phone because of their software support.