Well, I guess my problem is that I am loyal. Have been with Verizon for forever, and as much as I think the iPhone is an amazing and tech changing product, at heart it is still a phone, and friends tell me, "It's a great device, lousy phone." So, Verizon has always been good to me, and I didn't want to switch companies.
Enter the Samsung Fascinate. Truly, a REMARKABLE phone. I love it's functions, app's, interface, all of it is 1st rate. My only complaint as I'm sure so many other's, BING...really? I mean it's the only thing on this phone that actually freezes it up and has to do a force shut down. One time, it just got stuck and totally froze the phone. Then while it's running, you can't do any other things because, well it's BING.
Verizon, really. I have 30 days to try out this phone, but if this keeps up, I'm sorry, just out of frustration I'll wait till my contract expires and get the iPhone.
Yes, I know I can download GOOGLE SEARCH and I have, but isn't this kinda like Mr. Job's saying "Just don't hold the phone like that."
GIVES US THE CHOICE AS WE HAVE THE CHOICE TO STAY WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
BING on an android phone. I'll definitely pass. I hope this is not a trend with verizon.
Verizon; Why do you think people love the android phones? Its not because of Microsoft!
Get rid of BING. Or at least let us uninstall it and replace it!
it's a dealbreaker for me. wanted to check the fascinate, but now sticking with my incredible. @carlmagnus98....i wouldn't go so far as at&t and the iphone. you can return the fascinate and get an incredible, droidX, or droid II. all great devices with NO bing.
I downloaded Bing for my Droid. It works just fine and can give directions just as well in my area. The only reason I haven't used it as much on the PC is because they went out of their way to make it visually unappealing. At least they do not do that to the android app.
reallyniceguy wrote:
um well why not download Google search instead? Is it the "principle" What about Steve jobs telling you that you can't have FLASH on your iphones? Isn't that kinda the same dilemma but worse?
At least you can put Google search on your device without voiding your warranty, and you have no choice with an iPhone >.< I just think all these hoopla deal over something is over exaggerated by the media and the people are sucked into it.
M91-30 said: This should not be an issue.
You're right in that it shoud not be an issue, but not in the way you suggest. It should not be an issue in that Verizon shouldn't have *removed* functionality from the OS in an attempt to force people into using Bing.
-TouchWiz was programmed specifically to *block* the Google search widget. Other versions of the Galaxy S have the ability to add the Google search widget to the home screen without any problem.
-The search settings panel, which allows you to specify your desired search engine, was *removed* from the stock browser, and the browser was hard-coded to use Bing.
To regain full Google functionality, a user has to replace both the home screen launcher and the web browser with 3rd party apps, some of which cost money. Then to regain the functionality of the Samsung widgets (that don't work with 3rd party launchers) a user must again turn to 3rd party apps, some of which cost money, some of which are buggy and some of which may very well include mallicious code.
Verizon was, no doubt, paid by Microsoft to open it's users to such expense, inconvenience and potential threat. Clearly, the customer is at the bottom of Verizon's priority list.
Agreed, and I really hope some decision makers at Verizon read these forums.
My Parents have been with Verizon since before it was Verizon, as many of you have I am sure. When I got my first cell phone in 2005 (I know, I was behind the curve), I too got Verizon and have been loyal ever since - and will continue to stay loyal as long as the service continues to out-shine the competition.
Here is my quarrel with VZW and the Fascinate at this time:
-Bing - Again, REALLY!? This is an ANDROID phone and Android is GOOGLE. We get Android phones because WE DON'T WANT MICROSOFT CRAP ON OUR PHONES! I personally am partial to Microsoft on my Computer (and even BING as my search engine), I am not a huge fan of Apple, though I appreciate the quality of their products. According to my sources (which may or may not be reliable), Microsoft (among others I am sure) is the reason you turned down the iphone when it was offered to you before AT&T!
- You say the Google search issue can be overcome. To be honest I don't care about the default search as much as others. I set google as my homepage on my Droid 1 and used it as my primary search and did the same on my Fascinate. Beyond BING, I am irritated that I am unable to uninstall the "bloatware" VZW put on the Fascinate. I.e.. VZNav, Vcast junk, city id, blockbuster, Kindle, etc. - all of which are programs which require a monthly subscription($$) for use! At least allow us to remove anything we don't want! (without voiding our warranty)
- Navigation - on every other Android there is a Cardock app which gives you Google navigation. With the Fascinate you have to download Google maps to get the nav. This is a good app, however it doesn't operate as well as cardock did, the voice volume is low and it is not as easy to use as cardock. With this phone you have Car Cradle which is essentially the same Idea. However the navigation is VZnav. So tell me, WHY would I pay another $9.99/month on top of the 29.99 I already pay to have a Navigation system that runs off Towers and not Satellite?
- Onboard Memory (the closer you get to your onboard memory limit, the slower your phone gets) - The T-mobile Vibrant comes with how much onboard memory? 16GB!? And the Fascinate comes with how much? 2GB!? Seriously? Droid X - 8GB, HTC Incredible - 8GB, Droid 2 - 8GB... Why in the name of all that is good and holy would you put 2GB on the Fascinate!? The onboard memory wouldn't be AS much of an issue if you weren't taking up almost 1/4 of it with your pre-installed un-removable software! GAH!
I don't care that it comes with a 16GB sd card. Apps are installed to the phone memory, not the SD card. With Android 2.2 people say I can save Apps to my memory card - FALSE! on my Droid1 I have 2.2 and out of ALL my apps (I have 40) there are a total of 3, yes 3! That I can save to my card..That's 7.5% of my apps that can be saved to my card - and they don't even take up that much space!
Okay, I'm done now. But seriously Verizon, if you read this, please please PLEASE stop making decisions that upset your customers just to make an extra $buck. You turned down the iphone, you started requiring a 9.99 data feature on your multimedia phones (I have no problem with the 29.99 smartphone package) - phones that appeal mostly to teenagers whose parents don't want internet on their children's phones (you are now reconsidering this decisions as you have seen a decrease in sales of those phones post-data requirement), and finally you pull this stunt with your Android phones.
You are the best wireless carrier in the U.S. So act like it.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
