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Those of you who have theirs already,
POST'EM UP!
There was a reviews thread around earlier...between that and all the "this phone sux" threads, I think you kinda already have it.
thecodemonk said:
There was a reviews thread around earlier...between that and all the "this phone sux" threads, I think you kinda already have it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just thought it'd be nice to have it one place for reference.
you know,in a list form.
Just got mine this afternoon, here are my first impressions:
Pros:
-The screen is absolutely GORGEOUS, one of my biggest issues with past phones (came from the Hero) was the poor quality of the screen compared to, say, an iPhone. This screen blows it away. Its super crisp, very bright and absolutely massive. Its a true joy to browse the web, shoot pictures, watch videos and just plain interact. 10 minutes after I got it I jumped back on my Hero and was amazed at how I ever lasted the 6 months on it.
-Picture quality (still photos), I thought was quite impressive for a phone, and the front facing camera is cool, however it may be a little gimmicky. My dad has an iPhone and I'm sure when the new one comes out he'll get it and I can see us using the cameras to catch up sometimes when I'm down at school, but you do feel kinda silly walking around with the phone in front of your face.
-The phone itself is rather large (obviously), but feels satisfyingly dense and has just the right amount of weight behind it. Feels great in the hand as well.
-The speed is also mindblowing. Everything just plain feels faster, probably because it is. What I found the most improved was navigating the Marketplace, which strangely always felt laggy to me on the Hero. Not anymore, the Evo is literally click-click-click-click DONE. VERY impressive. Text entry also seems very much improved.
Just like any device, it's not without its faults:
-The camera (video), I feel is a little unimpressive. Still it is a very good camera for a phone, it just doesn't pack that same WOW factor as the rest of the device.
-I'm a little worried how the lens itself will hold up, as many have mentioned, the back does rest right on the glass. This is easily fixed with a case though (which I hope to purchase soon).
-SenseUI is also not very appealing to me, I find it incredibly bland and in some sense (no pun intended) flat out ugly. I much prefer the stock Android home. I could also do without the Sprint Bloatware. Both will be addressed with the first custom 2.2 ROM
Things I can't address yet:
-The battery life: I received the phone with approximately 25-30% battery and wanted to run it all the way down before I recharged it fully. I was quite impressed at the lengths I had to go to to get it down to 0. I was watching a live stream on USTREAM, had wifi, gps, sync and bluetooth on, screen on full brightness, and was consistently bouncing back and forth between Google Earth, YouTube and web browsing. Even with all of this, it took 3-4 hours to run down completely. Not bad at all for extremely heavy use
-4G, unfortunately Indy isn't scheduled for 4G until 2012. I should be making a trip up to Chicago soon though and can comment further if requested. There are a ton of people who are in 4G areas who can comment on 4G speeds though.
Anything specific just ask, I'd be glad to address any questions you, or anyone, may have.
booyakasha said:
Just got mine this afternoon, here are my first impressions:
-SenseUI is also not very appealing to me, I find it incredibly bland and in some sense (no pun intended) flat out ugly. I much prefer the stock Android home. I could also do without the Sprint Bloatware. Both will be addressed with the first custom 2.2 ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know if you go to settings>applications>manage applications>HTC sense> and scroll down and click clear defaults, you take off sense.
As soon as you click home it will give you an option for sense or launcher (stock android) and then click automatically choose this option and it will keep whichever you like for default.
However the black notification bar, dialer, and lock screen will all be sense as well. And you cannot have the HTC widgets.
booyakasha said:
Just got mine this afternoon, here are my first impressions:
Pros:
-The screen is absolutely GORGEOUS, one of my biggest issues with past phones (came from the Hero) was the poor quality of the screen compared to, say, an iPhone. This screen blows it away. Its super crisp, very bright and absolutely massive. Its a true joy to browse the web, shoot pictures, watch videos and just plain interact. 10 minutes after I got it I jumped back on my Hero and was amazed at how I ever lasted the 6 months on it.
-Picture quality (still photos), I thought was quite impressive for a phone, and the front facing camera is cool, however it may be a little gimmicky. My dad has an iPhone and I'm sure when the new one comes out he'll get it and I can see us using the cameras to catch up sometimes when I'm down at school, but you do feel kinda silly walking around with the phone in front of your face.
-The phone itself is rather large (obviously), but feels satisfyingly dense and has just the right amount of weight behind it. Feels great in the hand as well.
-The speed is also mindblowing. Everything just plain feels faster, probably because it is. What I found the most improved was navigating the Marketplace, which strangely always felt laggy to me on the Hero. Not anymore, the Evo is literally click-click-click-click DONE. VERY impressive. Text entry also seems very much improved.
Just like any device, it's not without its faults:
-The camera (video), I feel is a little unimpressive. Still it is a very good camera for a phone, it just doesn't pack that same WOW factor as the rest of the device.
-I'm a little worried how the lens itself will hold up, as many have mentioned, the back does rest right on the glass. This is easily fixed with a case though (which I hope to purchase soon).
-SenseUI is also not very appealing to me, I find it incredibly bland and in some sense (no pun intended) flat out ugly. I much prefer the stock Android home. I could also do without the Sprint Bloatware. Both will be addressed with the first custom 2.2 ROM
Things I can't address yet:
-The battery life: I received the phone with approximately 25-30% battery and wanted to run it all the way down before I recharged it fully. I was quite impressed at the lengths I had to go to to get it down to 0. I was watching a live stream on USTREAM, had wifi, gps, sync and bluetooth on, screen on full brightness, and was consistently bouncing back and forth between Google Earth, YouTube and web browsing. Even with all of this, it took 3-4 hours to run down completely. Not bad at all for extremely heavy use
-4G, unfortunately Indy isn't scheduled for 4G until 2012. I should be making a trip up to Chicago soon though and can comment further if requested. There are a ton of people who are in 4G areas who can comment on 4G speeds though.
Anything specific just ask, I'd be glad to address any questions you, or anyone, may have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been to the sprint store and had a chance to play w/ one.
everything seems awesome, except it felt a little jerky,not smooth like the Hero/Eris.
And I noticed a little bit of glitch when going from the camera to home screen too fast. as Sprint has the best plan, I kinda have to go with them.
I just don't wanna think that HTC/Sprint would fudge things up to be cheap. I mean where's the AMOLED love? all in all, I'm sure I'm going to love this phone.
1wingangel said:
I've been to the sprint store and had a chance to play w/ one.
everything seems awesome, except it felt a little jerky,not smooth like the Hero/Eris.
And I noticed a little bit of glitch when going from the camera to home screen too fast. as Sprint has the best plan, I kinda have to go with them.
I just don't wanna think that HTC/Sprint would fudge things up to be cheap. I mean where's the AMOLED love? all in all, I'm sure I'm going to love this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's to hoping the jerkiness you experienced is attributed to early software on the device(s). Regarding AMOLED, there's no way HTC could have possibly included a 4.3" AMOLED display in this phone. There are two main reasons why.
1. AMOLED technology is very expensive as it is at 3.7", I can't imagine how much it would cost for them to order 4.3" displays from their providers. There's no doubt that significant cost would have been diverted to us.
2. AMOLED displays are in short supply. The Droid Incredible's been out of stock for a while because HTC can't get enough AMOLED displays to produce the number of Incredibles that would satisfy the demand of the buying public.
Mecha2142 said:
Here's to hoping the jerkiness you experienced is attributed to early software on the device(s). Regarding AMOLED, there's no way HTC could have possibly included a 4.3" AMOLED display in this phone. There are two main reasons why.
1. AMOLED technology is very expensive as it is at 3.7", I can't imagine how much it would cost for them to order 4.3" displays from their providers. There's no doubt that significant cost would have been diverted to us.
2. AMOLED displays are in short supply. The Droid Incredible's been out of stock for a while because HTC can't get enough AMOLED displays to produce the number of Incredibles that would satisfy the demand of the buying public.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The jerkiness is def a software problem. I'm sure it's because android isn't meant to be on a screen this huge....yet.
2.2 will surely fix it.
thanx for the screen input, I had no idea about an AMOLED shortage.
samsung i9000 has a Super Amoled on a 4 inch screen, but it is also gonna be considered cheap at $500, and stores in the uk have them for upwards of $600 so i guess you do have a point
ps: i do not actually own either of the two phones
edit: but i wont mind $100 more for a display like the samsung
Sounds like you just got a quirky device. I haven't experienced anything like that. I'm amazed at how smooth and responsive it is :/
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engineer14 said:
samsung i9000 has a Super Amoled on a 4 inch screen, but it is also gonna be considered cheap at $500, and stores in the uk have them for upwards of $600 so i guess you do have a point
ps: i do not actually own either of the two phones
edit: but i wont mind $100 more for a display like the samsung
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because Samsung is the company that's producing the AMOLED displays for HTC. Seems like they're cutting the supply they send to them to use in their own devices as of lately. That's why they don't have to charge as much for the devices; they make the displays themselves.
@1wingangel
If that phone was sitting in the Sprint store with everyone playing with it and no task killer installed. I bet every single application was still running and it was still just a lil jerky. I can't imagine people didn't turn all apps and play with it, unless you tried one new out of the box.
jeffrimerman said:
If that phone was sitting in the Sprint store with everyone playing with it and no task killer installed. I bet every single application was still running and it was still just a lil jerky. I can't imagine people didn't turn all apps and play with it, unless you tried one new out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, it was the display model.
so yeah, I'm sure there were alot of apps running,but isn't the point of having all that ram/rom to be able to have a ton of apps running all at once?
1wingangel said:
no, it was the display model.
so yeah, I'm sure there were alot of apps running,but isn't the point of having all that ram/rom to be able to have a ton of apps running all at once?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah that is true. I haven't noticed any lag with 21 apps running before I installed a task killer. It was lightning fast. My only con is the power drain when it is sitting overnight. And that apps randomly start up in the background. I see my 3g on and arrows going up and down when it was sitting overnight or maybe that happens when I turn on the screen. I lose a third to half my batter overnight, but someone also said it has to be drained and charged a few times and it will get better. My brother has the 3gS and he said it blows it away.
Mecha2142 said:
Here's to hoping the jerkiness you experienced is attributed to early software on the device(s). Regarding AMOLED, there's no way HTC could have possibly included a 4.3" AMOLED display in this phone. There are two main reasons why.
1. AMOLED technology is very expensive as it is at 3.7", I can't imagine how much it would cost for them to order 4.3" displays from their providers. There's no doubt that significant cost would have been diverted to us.
2. AMOLED displays are in short supply. The Droid Incredible's been out of stock for a while because HTC can't get enough AMOLED displays to produce the number of Incredibles that would satisfy the demand of the buying public.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AMOLED display is also craptastic in sunlight. Super AMOLED is better though...but obviously even more expensive with more supply issues.
1wingangel said:
no, it was the display model.
so yeah, I'm sure there were alot of apps running,but isn't the point of having all that ram/rom to be able to have a ton of apps running all at once?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They said it would run all of them at once, not that it would work smoothly with them all running at once No matter how much memory you have allocated, there are still limits~
Xenithflare said:
They said it would run all of them at once, not that it would work smoothly with them all running at once No matter how much memory you have allocated, there are still limits~
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
okay, so I just got back from radioshack, And the guy said that he killed all running background apps and live wallpapers, and it still felt jerky(not laggy),but jerky.
my only thought is that maybe I just never noticed it before,coming from a smaller screen. or maybe the display models just aren't up to par.
p.s. I've also been spoiled by custom roms on mt3g
minus a few bugs the only con is that the screen takes up so much realestate that i am always accidentally activating icons on the screen and the 4 onscreen buttons are way too sensitive.
I was about to buy a BB or Nokia for business and use the EVO for fun but so far this phone is working just fine for business. this is a fast device and i haven't noticed any lag and i am running tons of widgets and running apps that constantly update.
forgot to mention that i will be returning it for a replacement on Tuesday for one without a dead pixel.
1wingangel said:
okay, so I just got back from radioshack, And the guy said that he killed all running background apps and live wallpapers, and it still felt jerky(not laggy),but jerky.
my only thought is that maybe I just never noticed it before,coming from a smaller screen. or maybe the display models just aren't up to par.
p.s. I've also been spoiled by custom roms on mt3g
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Judging from demos in my own store, I can attest to the fact that as soon as we put a unit on display (whether GPS or phone), it immediately becomes defective It's like a rule.
No jerkiness here...
Only time I experienced lag was when I tried turning on 4G while downloading/installing about 10 apps at once when I first got it, even then it was hardly noticeable.
YouTube freezes up on me when I try switching from HQ sometimes.
MixZing and Last.FM act weird together for me. Sometimes Last.FM will just close and MixZing will start playing music off my SD card randomly. I uninstall MixZing and haven't had an issue after that. Kind of strange.
Supposedly I am in 4G coverage but I don't get very good signal, not sure what that is about. I don't really mind since I use Wi-Fi at home/work. I'd have to play with it more to see if its an actual problem.
Everything else is pretty awesome.
Any phone I get will be limited to T-Mobile.
That said,
What phone should I get? Seems like the best two are the N1 and Vibrant?
Is there any advantage to the N1 over the Vibrant? Support worries me on the Vibrant is all. (IE, the custom community).
Recognize you from [H]
It's hard to say since none of the US phones have released and the Galaxy S has only been out for so long internationally. Performance-wise, the Galaxy S' are much much better. The Galaxy S has already been rooted, I would assume that the US versions will also get the quick root, as well. Only advantage I see the Nexus One having over the Vibrant/Galaxy S variants is that it already has an established community. Though, given the same amount of time, I wouldn't be surprised if the Galaxy S had the same custom options. At least I hope so since this is a pretty major Android device.
I agree. The nexus has a huge community and since it runs stock android it has an advantage. it will also recieve OTAs before any other android phone and will always have a lead.. rooting aside.
with root however, id say the vibrant wins. spec wise it is the most powerful android phone available now, and root access lets u flash any custom roms.
of course some things tweaks are phone specific but if im not mistaken arent most roms compatible with all android phones pretty much making it a "shared" community?
while the vibrant is, at this point a slight unknown, i'd take a look at this nexus one support forum thread on google's web
it's a link to page 74, i'd jump back to about 72 and read forward
some folks have exchanged their nexus one 5 times (and there's actually more than a few that did multiple exchanges) and the exchanges are fairly expensive, considering the shipping costs etc
and google has announced it's not going to invest any more resources into fixing the issue
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?tid=0c0fb2a46ad64955&hl=en&start=2920
I can live without the front facing camera or flash, but no notification light is a deal breaker for me.
I have a Nexus One, I ordered it on day one and haven't had to exchange it at all.
It's rock solid, fast and a great phone!
That being said, I love the concept of a dedicated GPU on the Vibrant as well as the fantastic picture and video quaility.
Same Megapixels, but the shots look so much clearer and the colors are more true coming from the Galaxy S phones.
As others have said, the community is great for the Nexus One, but I have no doubt it'll be just as great for the Vibrant.
I don't think I'll switch FROM the Nexus to the Vibrant, but if I had another phone and had to choose, I'd probably choose the Vibrant.
HTH
Allegedly the GPS on the SGS is horrid. I can live without the FFC and the LED flash, but you can't even give me a decent GPS on a so called premium phone? I'm rethinking this purchase.
From pure spec wise the Vibrant is an amazing phone. That being said Samsung doesn't have the best track record with Android phones. (The whole Behold 2 fiasco) With that said it has its own thread here on XDA so I suspect it will have a great community behind it, so even if Samsung support sucks XDA will take care of it.
cashless said:
Allegedly the GPS on the SGS is horrid. I can live without the FFC and the LED flash, but you can't even give me a decent GPS on a so called premium phone? I'm rethinking this purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not true, i just locked on my gps location in less than 10 seconds indoors
speoples20 said:
From pure spec wise the Vibrant is an amazing phone. That being said Samsung doesn't have the best track record with Android phones. (The whole Behold 2 fiasco) With that said it has its own thread here on XDA so I suspect it will have a great community behind it, so even if Samsung support sucks XDA will take care of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Behold 2 was a single phone on a single carrier. They are releasing the Galaxy S worldwide on the top 6 carriers in the US. I feel they'll support this phone just a little bit better than the Behold 2.
BlackAccord said:
not true, i just locked on my gps location in less than 10 seconds indoors
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great to hear! I heard some issues as well. Still not happy about no LED notification, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.
^ really, there is no notifications that blink? I hate audio... I depend on the light. Ouch.
i'm a little disappointed there is no notication light. in fact i hate it. is it that hard to put a little light there?
No notification LED and the slippery back case are my two bigest gripes so far.
tq745 said:
i'm a little disappointed there is no notication light. in fact i hate it. is it that hard to put a little light there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont really know what companies are thinning.....how hard is it to put a flash and an LED for notification. I mean some phones have 2 flashes ! what the hell was Sammy thinking ? I would even be ok if Flash/LED notification were combined together
No notification light is a deal breaker? Hahahahahaha
The Vibrant is a great phone.
Is it possible to create an app that blinks the screen every 10 secs or so? Use the screen as an indicator.
whypickthree said:
Is it possible to create an app that blinks the screen every 10 secs or so? Use the screen as an indicator.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is one. called: FlashNotify
the problem here is that it will drain battery MUCH more then a LED would.
I think the back-light for buttons might be a good Notification option, but devs have to make it work....
Is this a big deal, YES. I wake up in the morning and I see blue light flashing.......guess what its SMS, I wake up and orange light is flashing, its Email......etc. I dont even need to touch the phone. Different colors for sms, gmail, email, facebook, missed call, voicemail, tweeter, etc...
and for those who think Sound Alerts is good too.....not really, I prefer flashing LED every 2-5 seconds at night (when i sleep) vs sounds every 5-10 minutes
The screen will just spoil other lesser ones for you. BIG downside!
I currently have the N1, and I feel that the vibrant may end up being a better phone in the long run, even if there's small things missing from it. I want a phone that would be good with gaming and the Vibrant seems to be that phone.
Basically if you have owned an N1 please let me know if you're satisfied with the Vibrant. What makes it better, if not, again reasons why. I'm very curious.
mafaesto said:
I currently have the N1, and I feel that the vibrant may end up being a better phone in the long run, even if there's small things missing from it. I want a phone that would be good with gaming and the Vibrant seems to be that phone.
Basically if you have owned an N1 please let me know if you're satisfied with the Vibrant. What makes it better, if not, again reasons why. I'm very curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Coming from a former N1 user, I think you'll definitely enjoy the Vibrant a lot more. It's just something about the phone...it's powerful, fast, sleek design, perfect screen size, 16GB built in memory and the AMOLED screen is best in class hands down.
The two fastest phones available for processing / gaming is the Galaxy S (Vibrant) and the iPhone 4 which uses the same Samsung CPU made in Korea.
Here is a GPU comparison for some of the leading smartphones:
* Motorola Droid: TI OMAP3430 with PowerVR SGX530 = 7 million triangles/sec
* Nexus One: Qualcomm QSD8×50 with Adreno 200 = 22 million triangles/sec
* iPhone 3G S: 600 MHz Cortex-A8 with PowerVR SGX535 = 28 million triangles/sec
* Samsung Galaxy S: S5PC110 with PowerVR SGX540 = 90 million triangles/sec
And for comparison a few consoles:
* PS3: 250 million triangles/sec
* Xbox 360: 500 million triangles/sec
I think the biggest advantage of our phone is the AMOLED screen. There's nothing like it. Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6mAgHO1_8c
There are a lot of reasons of "why the Samsung Vibrant..."
You'll like it.
I'm a old n1 user for 6 months, although I miss froyo and the trackball alerts and flash, the vibrant is all around better. Its smoother, more sensitive awesome screen, amoled is beautiful and the gpu is amazing, its already been rooted so just wait, there will be some bad ass ****...
I
Definatly a worthy upgrade
While I can see that Vibrant may be a better phone on a paper and during the first impression, I get really annoyed with the list of issues that just keeps growing:
1. Signal issues (even if it's software related)
2. GPS issues
3. Market issues
4. No LED alert
5. No trackball/trackpad
6. Lag after few days of use
7. No adjustment for button backlight
8. No dev. support (althought I'm sure that will change)
I also understand that 2 of those are personal preferences but it still scares me that people experience all these issues 2 days after phone came out.
Good luck.
borodin1 said:
While I can see that Vibrant may be a better phone on a paper and during the first impression, I get really annoyed with the list of issues that just keeps growing:
1. Signal issues (even if it's software related) I heard the signal issue wasnt even an issue, its just displaying the wrong number of bars when it has full signal
2. GPS issues Not sure, havent tested yet since I dont have the phone yet
3. Market issues Market Issues are happening even on my G1, so i dont think thats vibrant specific
4. No LED alert Workaround is being developed now using the screen OLED, search the General Forum for progress
5. No trackball/trackpad True
6. Lag after few days of use Same as 2.
7. No adjustment for button backlight I heard that was annoying but its only 4 buttons and im sure it doesnt take long to memorize their location
8. No dev. support (althought I'm sure that will change) lol its only been 2 days, dont worry im sure its gonna change besides we have JAC on here of G1 fame lol
I also understand that 2 of those are personal preferences but it still scares me that people experience all these issues 2 days after phone came out.
good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I think its worth it and those gripes are minor and easily solvable with either a custom rom, apk's being developed right now, and/or an OTA update.
speedysilwady said:
Personally I think its worth it and those gripes are minor and easily solvable with either a custom rom, apk's being developed right now, and/or an OTA update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I certainly value everyone's input but my mind is already made up, I'm not getting it and here's why: I spent enough time working out issues, fixing problems and finding workarounds with G1 (apps2sd, 10mb hack, Danger SPL etc). I want to get a phone that will be good out of the box so I can start improving it, not fixing it and Vibrant is not it, at least for me. I also don't think that I can overcome not having LED notification as I ALWAYS use it (along with a trackball but I don't think I really need it with a bigger screen)
borodin1 said:
I certainly value everyone's input but my mind is already made up, I'm not getting it and here's why: I spent enough time working out issues, fixing problems and finding workarounds with G1 (apps2sd, 10mb hack, Danger SPL etc). I want to get a phone that will be good out of the box so I can start improving it, not fixing it and Vibrant is not it, at least for me. I also don't think that I can overcome not having LED notification as I ALWAYS use it (along with a trackball but I don't think I really need it with a bigger screen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is probably a wise decision. I am probably returning my Vibrant in the next couple of days.
The signal attenuation of holding the phone naturally utterly kills my data speeds and the compass is a piece of crap. That compass does not work at all, it just randomly points around and jerks about.
The phone's display and speed are great, makes it a whole new experience compared to the G1, but with all the random bugs and the unfix-able antenna attenuation, I can't recommend this phone. Maybe if a firmware patch comes out for the compass and if you lived in an area that has excellent reception, then the phone would probably be great.
borodin1 said:
I certainly value everyone's input but my mind is already made up, I'm not getting it and here's why: I spent enough time working out issues, fixing problems and finding workarounds with G1 (apps2sd, 10mb hack, Danger SPL etc). I want to get a phone that will be good out of the box so I can start improving it, not fixing it and Vibrant is not it, at least for me. I also don't think that I can overcome not having LED notification as I ALWAYS use it (along with a trackball but I don't think I really need it with a bigger screen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*shrug* to each his own, but for the record, I do believe this phone will be the most customized phone in Android history. For the reason that this phone is already in 110+ countries.
t1n0m3n said:
*shrug* to each his own, but for the record, I do believe this phone will be the most customized phone in Android history. For the reason that this phone is already in 110+ countries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said. It's funny seeing some of these people complaining about personal issues. The phone is badass and all the points they pointed out can be fixed.
To the post originator, dude just get the phone. Play with it and if you don't like it you'll have 14 days to take it back. What have you got to lose?
You don't know what you don't know.
t1n0m3n said:
*shrug* to each his own, but for the record, I do believe this phone will be the most customized phone in Android history. For the reason that this phone is already in 110+ countries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with you.
After thinking about which Sammy GAlaxy i was going to get, i decided on the Vibrant. As a 5 year member and at times developer here, i too think that the Vibrant will get the most support from us. For as many reasons there are to not like the Vibrant, there are more for the other models.
Here are my personal evaluations on the Sammys.
====================================
Pro's for Vibrant
-Most like the original Galaxy (big plus for O.S. tweaks)
-Lightest weight, and best looking. This phone was meant to look good.
-Tmobile didn't load this with any junk.
-16 gigs of internal storage. Huge plus for apps. To expand to 32 gigs, only need to buy a 16 gig HC class 16 micro card. About a $100 cheaper than a 32 gig type card for Verizon/sprint.
-True 4G speeds, without paying the extra fee for it.
cons against tmobile vibrant
-LED (would be nice for knowing when phone is fully charged.)
-weird location for charging (TOP)
-no flash (front camera means nothing to me)
Con's against ATT captivate
-same hardware as tmobile but ....
loaded with ATT junk, restricted maps, ****ty network.
-no free movie, extra backplate or great headsets.
cons against Verizon fascinate
-2 gigs of Internal ROM storage (see above)
cons against Sprint EPIC.
-1 gig of internal storage (see above)
-Keyboard can be a plus/minus, for me, it's unwanted extra weight.
-HUGE. Biggest and heaviest of the bunch.
-Sprint extra fees for 4G even if you don't get it.
So it's all a matter of ranking those and more. To me, the biggest pluses are ease of development of which i believe the Vibrant is withs its' near Galaxy stock version. And the internal high speed memory of both ATT and Tmobile.
If a keyboard is a must for you, then the choice is easy.
If a flash camera is needed, then the Verizon/SPRINT is a mimimum. For those live for the webcam things, assuming you have or will have friends that use one of these front camera things, then only Sprint should be your choice.
I personally can't think of a reason to get the ATT model unless Tmobile doesn't have service in your area. And outside of a flash camera, I can't see a reason to get the lower memory Verizon version. I think it's a 2 horse race between the Vibrant and the EPIC.
orateam said:
After thinking about which Sammy GAlaxy i was going to get, i decided on the Vibrant. As a 5 year member and at times developer here, i too think that the Vibrant will get the most support from us. For as many reasons there are to not like the Vibrant, there are more for the other models.
Here are my personal evaluations on the Sammys.
====================================
Pro's for Vibrant
-Most like the original Galaxy (big plus for O.S. tweaks)
-Lightest weight, and best looking. This phone was meant to look good.
-Tmobile didn't load this with any junk.
-16 gigs of internal storage. Huge plus for apps. To expand to 32 gigs, only need to buy a 16 gig HC class 16 micro card. About a $100 cheaper than a 32 gig type card for Verizon/sprint.
-True 4G speeds, without paying the extra fee for it.
cons against tmobile vibrant
-LED (would be nice for knowing when phone is fully charged.)
-weird location for charging (TOP)
-no flash (front camera means nothing to me)
Con's against ATT captivate
-same hardware as tmobile but ....
loaded with ATT junk, restricted maps, ****ty network.
-no free movie, extra backplate or great headsets.
cons against Verizon fascinate
-2 gigs of Internal ROM storage (see above)
cons against Sprint EPIC.
-1 gig of internal storage (see above)
-Keyboard can be a plus/minus, for me, it's unwanted extra weight.
-HUGE. Biggest and heaviest of the bunch.
-Sprint extra fees for 4G even if you don't get it.
So it's all a matter of ranking those and more. To me, the biggest pluses are ease of development of which i believe the Vibrant is withs its' near Galaxy stock version. And the internal high speed memory of both ATT and Tmobile.
If a keyboard is a must for you, then the choice is easy.
If a flash camera is needed, then the Verizon/SPRINT is a mimimum. For those live for the webcam things, assuming you have or will have friends that use one of these front camera things, then only Sprint should be your choice.
I personally can't think of a reason to get the ATT model unless Tmobile doesn't have service in your area. And outside of a flash camera, I can't see a reason to get the lower memory Verizon version. I think it's a 2 horse race between the Vibrant and the EPIC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said and thanks for sharing.
I agree with you that the front facing camera means nothing to me. The led flash is not a big deal either.
It's important for people to realize that this is a phone, not a flash camera so they should really evaluate what the sole purpose of a phone is. Then they may begin to realize the appreciation of what the Vibrant offers and not lose sleep over the ffc or led flash on the camera.
As for the carriers, TM and ATT are contracted to share towers, therefore, the reception between the two are the same. What you have to do is to make sure you go to network settings and turn on the network to AUTO...by default they are selected specifically to their carrier and you'll only connect to that tower. How do I know this about the two carriers? Somethings are left better unsaid.
What I can tell you though is that it's very real. I know it's real and have experienced it myself in places I had 0 reception, now I have full bars. I check my phone and sure enough it says ATT, when I'm a TM customer.
mafaesto said:
I currently have the N1, and I feel that the vibrant may end up being a better phone in the long run, even if there's small things missing from it. I want a phone that would be good with gaming and the Vibrant seems to be that phone.
Basically if you have owned an N1 please let me know if you're satisfied with the Vibrant. What makes it better, if not, again reasons why. I'm very curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as performance, the Vibrant benchmarks better than the Cyan 6.0 Nexus One, except for the linpack because of the JIT on 2.2.
Now I will tell you what I like better about the Vibrant than the Nexus One.
Hardware:
* Larger more beautiful screen and MUCH better in the sun.
* I actually like the lightness of the phone.
* VERY thin, thinner than the N1.
* Capacitive buttons that actually work correctly, the N1 has a problem with the lower section of that area.
* Battery Life is better. 1500mAh! Just don't load up the screen with all the widgets available.
Software:
* I do enjoy the daily briefing widget
* The camera takes photos as soon as you hit that button, no lag!
* Messaging is MUCH better with a nicely done "bubble" thread style.
* The calendar is MUCH better showing your agenda under the "31month" view like iPhone does. Better polish to it.
* Integration with contacts is huge! Facebook, twitter, SMS all in one place under "updates" in contacts. Swipe right to call and swipe left to text!
* World Clock! Something I use greatly on my old iPhone but Android never had one and the market versions I do not like. The Vibrant copied the alarm, world clock, stopwatch, timer app from iPhone and it is beautiful!
* Beautiful memo pad!
* Drop down power control! Just swipe down and there is your power controls, no need to use screen space for that now!
Samsung has done a great job at polishing up Android! I look forward to the improvements Gingerbread brings to the polish of Android but until then, I feel Samsung has done a great job!
unxconformed said:
That is probably a wise decision. I am probably returning my Vibrant in the next couple of days.
The phone's display and speed are great, makes it a whole new experience compared to the G1, but with all the random bugs and the unfix-able antenna attenuation, I can't recommend this phone. Maybe if a firmware patch comes out for the compass and if you lived in an area that has excellent reception, then the phone would probably be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I returned two today. Compass is useless but I can live with that. But the GPS is also VERY VERY bad. Didn't work in my unit, didn't work in my wife's unit, and, best of the best, didn't work in the store unit.
It simply a very bad GPS sensor.
nricci said:
I returned two today. Compass is useless but I can live with that. But the GPS is also VERY VERY bad. Didn't work in my unit, didn't work in my wife's unit, and, best of the best, didn't work in the store unit.
It simply a very bad GPS sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry you had a bad experience, I have not had any issues with my Vibrant (albeit anything that I didn't inflict LOL, overall my thoughts on the phone has been extremely positive and everything works accordingly and I have not had some of the issues that others have had regarding the GPS and compass.
nricci said:
I returned two today. Compass is useless but I can live with that. But the GPS is also VERY VERY bad. Didn't work in my unit, didn't work in my wife's unit, and, best of the best, didn't work in the store unit.
It simply a very bad GPS sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i know the GPS has issues but you have a whole new level of issue with it not working at all. hopefully we'll get this fixed ota
I just tested my Vibrant to my N1 in maps and the direction the Vibrant thinks I am going is all over the place. There is a serious problem with the GPS or compass.
(Update) After a battery pull all seems well but slower to respond than the N1.
nricci said:
I returned two today. Compass is useless but I can live with that. But the GPS is also VERY VERY bad. Didn't work in my unit, didn't work in my wife's unit, and, best of the best, didn't work in the store unit.
It simply a very bad GPS sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine and my wife's GPS works flawlessly.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
mafaesto said:
I currently have the N1, and I feel that the vibrant may end up being a better phone in the long run, even if there's small things missing from it. I want a phone that would be good with gaming and the Vibrant seems to be that phone.
Basically if you have owned an N1 please let me know if you're satisfied with the Vibrant. What makes it better, if not, again reasons why. I'm very curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boy did I see this at the right time, I am currently holding a vibrant in my hand, well its on my desk, I LOVE IT, sold my Nexus on Ebay for 450.00 and got this for 345.00 becauseiIt was an early upgrade. Well let me tell you, the Phone is INCREDIBLE (not the Droid..lol) The screen is amazing, it is fast, its thin and light, the rep told me its a Gorilla screen which is scratch resistant, but I still put a screen protector on it. The down side its android 2.1-update, but 2.2 shortly, I probably will not rom the phone, not sure why you would the Interface is amazing, and the screen I still can believe is amazing. Also there is no Flash for the Camera but it has some kind on night shot, the HD 720p video is amazing. (I should go work for Tmobile... lol). If you like to know anything else let me know.
Thanks
Lou.
SugarMouth said:
As far as performance, the Vibrant benchmarks better than the Cyan 6.0 Nexus One, except for the linpack because of the JIT on 2.2.
Now I will tell you what I like better about the Vibrant than the Nexus One.
Hardware:
* Larger more beautiful screen and MUCH better in the sun.
* I actually like the lightness of the phone.
* VERY thin, thinner than the N1.
* Capacitive buttons that actually work correctly, the N1 has a problem with the lower section of that area.
* Battery Life is better. 1500mAh! Just don't load up the screen with all the widgets available.
Software:
* I do enjoy the daily briefing widget
* The camera takes photos as soon as you hit that button, no lag!
* Messaging is MUCH better with a nicely done "bubble" thread style.
* The calendar is MUCH better showing your agenda under the "31month" view like iPhone does. Better polish to it.
* Integration with contacts is huge! Facebook, twitter, SMS all in one place under "updates" in contacts. Swipe right to call and swipe left to text!
* World Clock! Something I use greatly on my old iPhone but Android never had one and the market versions I do not like. The Vibrant copied the alarm, world clock, stopwatch, timer app from iPhone and it is beautiful!
* Beautiful memo pad!
* Drop down power control! Just swipe down and there is your power controls, no need to use screen space for that now!
Samsung has done a great job at polishing up Android! I look forward to the improvements Gingerbread brings to the polish of Android but until then, I feel Samsung has done a great job!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Samsung has done a fine job with the Galaxy S phones.
I know the two devices' internals are extremely similar, but I'm strongly considering getting the G2 anyway. I'm just having a hard time fully commiting to justifying the purchase even though I really, really want it, haha.
What do you think? Are the pros and cons for this upgrade a worthwhile endeavor?
Here's what I'm thinking so far:
Pros:
The Adreno 205 GPU, supposedly 4 to 5 times more powerful than the N1's: http://gizmodo.com/5633855/g2s-benchmarks-show-that-despite-processor-speed-it-should-be-fast
Flash Hardware Acceleration, which apparently the N1 cannot do (wtf? really?) (see "Adreno 205 features": http://smartphonebenchmarks.com/for...t-compare-to-other-gpus/page__pid__65#entry65 )
Lower clock speed CPU (800 MHz) vs the N1's 1 GHz, yet the same performance (or better). This, along with the last point = possibly better battery life?
Better multitouch panel (no axes flipping). Would be good for those multitouch games, which I've mostly avoided with the N1
No screen miscalibration issues (having to turn screen off to fix)
Optical trackpad rather than trackball = longer life / won't get dirty / break.
[Edit 9/29]:
HSDPA+!!! For faster 3G, or "4G" even!
Much more internal space for apps etc (4GB on the G2 vs 512MB on the N1)
(Hopefully) the soft button weirdness is fixed (ie the pressure points on the N1's soft buttons aren't directly on the button labels)
Wifi Calling Possibly? http://phandroid.com/2010/09/27/t-mobile-g2-to-feature-wi-fi-calling-but-no-tethering/
Cons:
Slower Google Updates since the N1 will still be the developer phone and the T-Mobile G2 won't be
The G2 will be a bulkier and heavier device
Optical trackpad = no trackball notifications [Edit 9/30]: --> www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCUrxJg_TwQ !!!!!!!
Cost / inconvenience of switching devices (my contract ends in March 2011 so I'd buy off-contact and re-sell my N1 to cover the cost)
Small screen; I'd really like a 4" screen, preferably a Super AMOLED. Sticking with 3.7" is a downer. And there's always some better device on the nearby horizon. However, one with Stock Android is going to be rare, is it not?
[Edit 9/30]:
No FM Radio, HDMI-Out, or Front-Facing Camera (not that the N1 has these, but surely other phones coming out a month or two after the G2 might)
And then there's the keyboard, which at this point I consider neither a positive nor a negative. I've grown accustomed to an on-screen keyboard (Swype) on my N1, and I'm not really that heavy of a texter anyway. So it could be amazing to have a physical keyboard again (I had the G1 previously), or I might ignore it and hate the added weight/bulk.
What do you think? Is this a worthwhile upgrade? Any other pros or cons that I'm missing?
i want one, but to justify it like u said is hard. The N1 is still IMO one of the top phones out even after all these other phones. I will keep mine for some time. Since I never upgraded with my N1 I will buy my wife the G2 since shes coming from the Cliq. They just got 2.1. She will enjoy the bigger screen, flash for the cam, and flash/ 2.2 and she has to have a keyboard.
Will there be a N2 or a phone the google will call there N1 in the future? Thats what I wait for. There is no way Im selling my N1 either
N1 to Vibrant or G2 or what?
I had the misfortune of having my N1 "go away" (don't ask) and I ended up going for a Vibrant as the "next best thing" -- but have since been feeling left out of the Android game (I'm an Android developer, as well) and have been looking at the G2 with some interest.
I've pretty much decided to wait. The N1 is still the phone of choise for developers, ROM cookers, and modders. Part of it is because it's great hardware, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that it's the closest thing to the Android code base. It will always get the first updates, it will always get a more stable platform, and it's pretty much the phone that Android itself is coded for/on. Every google employee has one (or at least had one at one point), including the google devs. And I think it will be that way until google either launches another phone, or has an intimate connection to a specific phone (maybe even on a specific carrier.) That's the phone I'm waiting for. And hopefully my Vibrant will catch up a bit with the custom ROMs and I can go back to "pure" stock Android. Not into my Android looking so much like iOS.
The N1 and the G2 are great phones, and I think they'll be at the top of the pile for a while longer, but they won't be forever. And I'm just waiting to see where the next next generation phone shows up.
Just sharing my thoughts, not really looking for debate on my points.
My biggie would have to be INTERNAL SPACE. This is a major flaw in the nexus. I can't even install sense like roms along with my necessary apps because of this.
fnirt said:
I had the misfortune of having my N1 "go away" (don't ask) and I ended up going for a Vibrant as the "next best thing" -- but have since been feeling left out of the Android game (I'm an Android developer, as well) and have been looking at the G2 with some interest.
I've pretty much decided to wait. The N1 is still the phone of choise for developers, ROM cookers, and modders. Part of it is because it's great hardware, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that it's the closest thing to the Android code base. It will always get the first updates, it will always get a more stable platform, and it's pretty much the phone that Android itself is coded for/on. Every google employee has one (or at least had one at one point), including the google devs. And I think it will be that way until google either launches another phone, or has an intimate connection to a specific phone (maybe even on a specific carrier.) That's the phone I'm waiting for. And hopefully my Vibrant will catch up a bit with the custom ROMs and I can go back to "pure" stock Android. Not into my Android looking so much like iOS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're a developer, wouldn't it make more sense to stick with N1 instead of the Galaxy? Even with Gingerbread/3.0 coming out soon (read: Nov/Dec) the N1 is still pure Android supposedly be able to run 3.0 as well.
gkaugustine said:
My biggie would have to be INTERNAL SPACE. This is a major flaw in the nexus. I can't even install sense like roms along with my necessary apps because of this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How many necessary apps do you require? I was able to install the Sense ROM from these forums without issues.
One in particular is a space hog for corporate email "Good for Enterprise" takes up well over 35mb on a slow day and it contains widgets so i cant move it to SD.
Did you go through all HTC apps and move them to SD card?
Either way to most internal space i have even now on cm6 is 30mb, internal space on the nexus is horrible.
@fnirt: Yeah you're right; I forgot to mention that the N1 will probably have more support from XDA etc than the G2. Although... Cyanogen, THE man himself, is actually purchasing a G2... So who knows, maybe the G2 will gain just as much support from the community as the N1?
@gkaugustine: Ah yes, I didn't even consider internal space. The N1 has 512 MB of space for apps while the G2 has 4 GB? Wow, good jump. Although I can't say I have trouble with this since I use the Apps2SD feature of CyanogenMod6 to move all my large apps.
Oh yeah! HSDPA+!!
Well, I didn't even think about this until you mentioned it...no trackball alerts?
There better be some blinking (and I mean every 2 seconds, not the idiotic one every 15 seconds we had at the launch of the nexus) led notification.
Otherwise it's a dealbreaker for me.
But if they're right about flash being hardware accelerated...I'm intrigued, for the first time. (I don't care about gaming because the only time I find myself having TIME to game, I'm already home and my PS3 with Wipeout HD are right there).
Honeslty Paul I wouldn't upgrade until you know that there are no GPS issues like the galaxy phones and other issues which may not be apparent until later.
IMO, the Nexus One is still the most complete package of a phone.
Yep, no trackball alerts. Though I think the trackball as we know it will soon be phased out of all phones forever (in favor of trackpads), so you can pretty much kiss that feature goodbye. In addition to trackballs getting dirty and eventually trackball failure, it's probably cheaper in the long run for the manufacturer due to less support and fewer phone replacements.
Honeslty Paul I wouldn't upgrade until you know that there are no GPS issues like the galaxy phones and other issues which may not be apparent until later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm definitely not going to pre-order the G2. I want to at least play with it in store (unlike I did with the N1, though that was a HUGE jump from the G1, so it didn't matter as much).
Also, because my upgrade date is 6 months away, I actually can't pre-order haha.
Paul22000 said:
Yep, no trackball alerts. Though I think the trackball as we know it will soon be phased out of all phones forever (in favor of trackpads), so you can pretty much kiss that feature goodbye. In addition to trackballs getting dirty and eventually trackball failure, it's probably cheaper in the long run for the manufacturer due to less support and fewer phone replacements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I realize that, and I am already starting to worry about my Nexus's trackball becoming dirty/sticky and I have no idea how I'm gonna replace it. I'm all for trackpads, but having no dedicated LED light like on the iPhone or the Galaxy S phones is totally a dealbreaker for me. I don't want to have to grab my phone to know I have a message. Do you know if the G2 will have one?
But I like the idea, IF true, that it will hardware accelerate Flash, because more and more sites are starting to have higher quality videos which get choppy on the Nexus, and that's unfortunate, since one of my regular bashing points on the iPhone is the lack of flash.
Does anyone have the internal spec sheet on the G2? im interested to know where the radio antenna is installed.
I love my trackball... especially when I had my sidekick 3 and it had trackball notifications. Awesome and convinient.
I would hold off... I have a full upgrade with tmobile and I'm holding off for a bigger screen, front facing camera, and other gingerbread goodies to come next year.
ksc6000 said:
I realize that, and I am already starting to worry about my Nexus's trackball becoming dirty/sticky and I have no idea how I'm gonna replace it. I'm all for trackpads, but having no dedicated LED light like on the iPhone or the Galaxy S phones is totally a dealbreaker for me. I don't want to have to grab my phone to know I have a message. Do you know if the G2 will have one?
But I like the idea, IF true, that it will hardware accelerate Flash, because more and more sites are starting to have higher quality videos which get choppy on the Nexus, and that's unfortunate, since one of my regular bashing points on the iPhone is the lack of flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure that at the very least it has a charging light, that can be hacked. I've also heard for other phones of people looking into hacking one of the 4 soft buttons, so that the backlight on one of them acts in a similar manner to our trackball notification.
leyvatron said:
I love my trackball... especially when I had my sidekick 3 and it had trackball notifications. Awesome and convinient.
I would hold off... I have a full upgrade with tmobile and I'm holding off for a bigger screen, front facing camera, and other gingerbread goodies to come next year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah yes, I forgot about the front-facing camera feature. Buying a new phone without it makes me pause... Though to be honest I would never, ever use it, but it's just a point so that iphoners can't brag about it to me.
Trackball alerts are great, but a poor alternative may be the Blinker app. It uses the charging LED for notifications, so you only have a few options (orange, green, blue), but with rate combinations...
I'm thinking about a new phone for my wife, and there's not many Androids with keyboards.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Just a heads up. There is a led notification at the top right of the phone that Does appear to blink. Also, a lot of people are saying the ring around the trackpad lights up. So we'll see.
I just sold my N1 for $400 and pre-ordered the G2.
What sealed the deal for me:
4GB internal memory
720p recording - I know the N1 has it hacked, but it was always slow for me.
Dedicated GPU
Flash Acceleration
No multi-touch/screen positioning issues - This was a big one for me
HSPA+
Keyboard - I text a lot :\
What I'll miss:
Fast updates
Crazy dev support
Beautiful styling
Noise-canceling
AMOLED display - G2 uses STFT.
Paul22000 said:
I'm just having a hard time fully commiting to justifying the purchase even though I really, really want it, haha.
What do you think? Are the pros and cons for this upgrade a worthwhile endeavor?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really hope we don't lose you Paul since your one of my favorite guys here on Xda. I've thought about getting the G2 before as well but it just isn't a big enough upgrade for me to justify it.
I would def wait for something better. You just KNOW something will come in the next 2 months.
Paul22000 said:
Yep, no trackball alerts. Though I think the trackball as we know it will soon be phased out of all phones forever (in favor of trackpads), so you can pretty much kiss that feature goodbye. In addition to trackballs getting dirty and eventually trackball failure, it's probably cheaper in the long run for the manufacturer due to less support and fewer phone replacements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They could, and should think about doing a light halo around the trackpad like around the button on the touch pro... (obviously it should be a RGB one, not just plain white leds)
Even better let it have segments (like an xbox...)
HTC... gimme a job!
Oh yeah, I also forgot the soft button weirdness on the N1. I've always found that it works better to tap above the white labels than directly on them. Hopefully the G2 has this fixed.
Trackball alerts are great, but a poor alternative may be the Blinker app. It uses the charging LED for notifications, so you only have a few options (orange, green, blue), but with rate combinations...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where do you get the Blinker app?
http://www.appbrain.com/search?q=blinker -- No "Blinker" app exists?
I just sold my N1 for $400 and pre-ordered the G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a random question: what are you using in the meantime? I'd be without an Android phone.
What I'll miss:
Beautiful styling
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, take a look at the G2's back and wow-wow-wow. That brushed aluminum is downright beautiful. Picture here: http://www.engadget.com/photos/t-mobile-g2-preview-hands-on/#3410970
ap3604 said:
I really hope we don't lose you Paul since your one of my favorite guys here on Xda. I've thought about getting the G2 before as well but it just isn't a big enough upgrade for me to justify it.
I would def wait for something better. You just KNOW something will come in the next 2 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, thanks
There definitely will be better devices around the corner, which is what kills me. However, how many of them will have Stock Android *and* get the massive community support that the G2 will get (especially since Cyanogen is literally purchasing one himself)?
Blinker:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=744138
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
I have prepared this thread to help myself and others compare and contrast the different phones and hopefully come to a decision here. If anyone has anything to add to the comparison that I have missed, please list it and we can get it all chocked up.
For the record. I have only listed something as a "Disadvantage" if I believe that the category is below what we would expect of the average Android.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advantages:
ATRIX
Battery Life - This is a big thing for me. I can make my vibrant last through a 14 hour day by crippling every single possible feature. But people here are saying that the Atrix runs solid though 30 hour periods. This is a huge plus for me.
Higher Resolution (even if its fake) - Even though this resolution is fake and can actually cause text to blur, I can say first-hand that I saw the screen in action at a local wal-mart and found it to be acceptable by my standards. I think it may help overall with browsing. The GS2 has a larger screen size, and no pentile matrix display, which could possibly be considered better. This is one that may work out to be a tie.
Tegra 2 - I list this as an advantage not because it is faster, the various benchmarks for either processor seem to be inconclusive at this point. I am listing it as an advantage because it has its own series of games optimized specifically for it, and because Google has chosen to build their framework around tegra 2.
Webtop - I am initially hesitant to even mention this. The phone has a webtop environment, it is most likely Debian Linux and it is said to also be very sluggish. If, in the future, devs gain access to this environment and find ways to optimize it and add in worthy apps such as Chrome and open office, then this will be a massive advantage, but right now it is pretty much just a gimmick.
The webtop interface retains its session when you disconnect it. So you can plug the phone back into another dock and go right back to what you were doing. This is one of the good things about webtop.
Laptop Dock - We all know it is hideously overpriced right now and maybe in the future a cheaper solution will be available. But regardless of how you get the dock, it is an advantage to run your apps in full screen, even if you don't use the sluggish webtop interface and firefox.
The dock charges your phone, but plays sound through your atrix speakers, it has no speakers of it's own, you can answer calls by removing the phone, picking it up on bluetooth or by just yelling at it from behind the laptop. The phone retains its session when you remove it and there is no special unmounting procedure, you just grab it and run.
GALAXY S2
Screen - Bright beautiful and extremely rich. Those who have seen the screen firsthand have claimed that there is nothing like it at all and that it is miles above even the old Super Amoled display. The 4.3 inch size is also a bonus for those of us with large hands. This is probably the best overall feature of the Galaxy S2.
Camera - 8 Megapixels, and 2 megapixel front facing camera. People say that megapixels don't really matter in the long run but the Atrix camera is also said to have a purple wash to it and that the video can be splotchy in certain situations.
Design - Even though it looks way too much like the iPhone, this phone actually looks exceptionally nice. I like the three button design much better than the 4, the search button is pretty useless overall. The thinness of this phone is also amazing if you are into that sort of thing. Naturally it may come down to the US carriers to ruin the design, but by it will likely be summer before that happens.
32GB internal storage - Expect to pay for it, but it is there, you get 64 gigs total with this phone.
Gingerbread - The Atrix won't likely get gingerbread until at least this summer, this phone will have it much sooner if you get the international version coming sometime this quarter.
Gyroscope - This phone has it, do any apps support it? Not sure, but it is there.
NFC - In the off chance that any stores upgrade to NFC this year, you will have the ability to use it. NFC may have other uses that we haven't envisioned yet. It is a protocol, so it can be applied to just about anything. You could potentially set it up to unlock your home, cars could start with it, whatever.
So it has a lot of potential use other than having your money stolen from you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disadvantages:
ATRIX
Bootloader - To sum it up for those not familiar, the phone can be rooted, a custom ROM can be flashed, but the kernel cannot be altered at all. (someone will likely correct me here) but if part or all of the webtop code is contained in the kernel somehow it will be difficult to alter it to add new software or make it run more efficiently. This would be a terrible shame.
I can tell you that Team Whiskey has made my Vibrant browse faster than I have seen in Atrix videos, with half the memory and a single core processor. It is scary to think of what this phone could actually accomplish if Moto decided to allow it.
Motoblur - I read that this requires you to sign up for an account before you can even use the phone. I find it alarming that Motorola has decided to help themselves to all this information and it makes me wonder just exactly what they really have access to and why.
Crippled FM radio - WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY. All of these phones have both transmitters and receivers for FM. So can someone tell me why in god's name anyone would disable them? FM radio has many more uses than just listening to local stations and why again should I have to burn my limited data on
internet radio when there is a receiver right in my phone?
GALAXY S2
Heat - My current Galaxy S runs very hot already, if the screen is active while the phone is being charged it will heat up to what seems to be a very dangerous temperature. The pre-release Galaxy S2 was said to be scorching hot after running with the screen on and the charger active.
Fail File System, Hideous and crippling lag - Update: the galaxy S2 is said to not use RFS. Chock one up for Samsung.
Updates - Samsung has a horrible reputation for updates when working with US carriers, even for new phones. If it was not for this community I would have likely given up on Android and Samsung altogether. Although I know that part of the update delay has been t-mobile, it is also in Samsung's interests to ship out new phones instead of updating their old ones.
Battery Life I have a feeling that Samsung tried to push the limits to get their phone to be as thin as possible and I am worried that they have done so at the expense of battery life. We won't know for sure until it gets in people's hands but I expect the battery life to be subpar.
NO HID Bluetooth Support (possibly) - I have had a black wiimote sitting here for 6 months waiting to connect to my Vibrant. I love emulated classics but action games are near impossible to play with the on-screen kb. So if you want this feature, I would make sure that the GS2 has it first, because it is not likely that it will.
Availability - What it really comes down to now. Unless you want to shell out over 1000 for the phone, you will probably need to wait 5 months from now for any kind of US availability this summer. And don't doubt that those versions will become crippled and even more bloated in the process. But again there is no locked bootloader here.
Ok I think that covers it. Having written all this down, I think I am really leaning more toward the Atrix. There just doesn't seem to be anything else out there now that will be able to match it at the moment. And as you can see, our experience with Samsung has not been exceptional.
Good comparison there. I am also looking at the exact 2 models and thank you very much, looks like Atrix will too be my choice.
I guess I'll get the atrix laptop dock too and prays for the devs here to make it all better. Otherwise, I think its still a good piece of hardware I don't mind owning.
""Samsung's dual-core, Gingerbread-powered Galaxy S II has appeared on Play.co.uk alongside a tentative SIM-free price and release date. According to Play, which is currently taking pre-orders for the phone, it'll ship Mar. 31 for £599.99 (~$960). Pre-release prices are never guaranteed to be accurate and are always subject to change, but £599 seams like a realistic price point for the Galaxy S II, as it's slightly higher than current single-core offerings from other manufacturers.""
Just published at androidcentral. £599.99 (~$960)?? Get a grip..
Not bad, just a couple of things to note that I thought of while reading. First, the screen resolution can be arguable considering the Pentile screen that the Atrix uses. That gives the SGS2 more sub pixels, but then it's a bigger screen, so less (I believe) pixel density still... it's really kind of a toss up, but I think they will both look great. I think the lower resolution and bigger screen on the SGS2 will look just fine with the full 3 subpixels per pixel.
Also, the SGS2 looks nothing like an iPhone. I wish people would stop saying that about every phone that comes out. Apparently every square black phone with a screen is an iPhone now.
And also it's been reported that the SGS2 does not use RFS.
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
hotleadsingerguy said:
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
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The updates aren't really an issue for people who visit sites like this. I would never rely on Samsung to update my phone. My Captivate has been running 2.2 for ages while they just released the update for everyone else. Yes, Samsung sucks at updating, but the hacking community will always get it done regardless.
I must be the only one, but i use the search hotkey absolutely all the time. I love it and I realize that you can hold menu for the same effect on the SGS2, but i'd prefer to have the 4th hotkey than their ugly stupid home button. It is not an iPhone, embrace uniqueness samsung.
eallan said:
I must be the only one, but i use the search hotkey absolutely all the time. I love it and I realize that you can hold menu for the same effect on the SGS2, but i'd prefer to have the 4th hotkey than their ugly stupid home button. It is not an iPhone, embrace uniqueness samsung.
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I really miss the hardware home key! The orientation of the 4 buttons makes it a bit awkward to thumb navigate since its so close to the bottom. Its actually one of the things about the sgs2 that is making me think twice about my atrix. Despite how much I love it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Man_of_Leisure said:
I really miss the hardware home key! The orientation of the 4 buttons makes it a bit awkward to thumb navigate since its so close to the bottom. Its actually one of the things about the sgs2 that is making me think twice about my atrix. Despite how much I love it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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I wouldn't mind if the buttons were hardware, thats another debate. I just want all four of them!
The back button is beyond crucial. Maybe back and home should be two hardware with the other capacitive? For symmetry, obviously a concern for samsung .
I definitely want the new Galaxy S 2. I've heard that the Atrix was a huge let down. I used to own a Captivate and I loved everything about it except the ****ty build quality and lack of flash for the camera. It was so smooth with voodoo and custom roms. The Galaxy S 2 will have an amazing screen and I think it will do average on battery consumption. Just my 2 cents
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
King Shady said:
I definitely want the new Galaxy S 2. I've heard that the Atrix was a huge let down. I used to own a Captivate and I loved everything about it except the ****ty build quality and lack of flash for the camera. It was so smooth with voodoo and custom roms. The Galaxy S 2 will have an amazing screen and I think it will do average on battery consumption. Just my 2 cents
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
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****ty build quality? Like hardware wise? I personally think the Captivate is the nicest of all of the Galaxy S phones. The hardware itself has been absolutely wonderful for me. The software quality leaves a lot to be desired from a stock standpoint though.
AJerman said:
****ty build quality? Like hardware wise? I personally think the Captivate is the nicest of all of the Galaxy S phones. The hardware itself has been absolutely wonderful for me. The software quality leaves a lot to be desired from a stock standpoint though.
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The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
SGS2 is apparently RFS-free. Also, some versions will have Tegra2 instead of Exynos - hope this includes us.
People knock Samsung's plastic designs, but they're actually a lot harder to break than the "well-built" iPhone 4.
Very good write up man, these are the posts that I like to see.
By looking at my signature, you can see that I just got the Atrix as well, and I love the phone. Amazingly fast, awesome screen (love the higher density and the effect itbhas on the overall experience), and the battery is pretty good too.
I'm seriously thinking about buying the laptop dock, but I don't know how well that will perform, and I haven't seen any live videos of it.
I really like the design and specs of the GS 2, but there are a lot of possible problems holding me back....
Rooted/ROM Captivate (For Sale)
Rooted Atrix
FLAC Vest said:
Very good write up man, these are the posts that I like to see.
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Thanks a lot, bro.
I am no engineer and I can't build tools. But I can put a few thoughts together and provide someone with some information.
This is an amazing community and what people do here is outstanding, I just want to do what I can to add to that.
King Shady said:
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
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Click to collapse
S2 looks like meizu m9
I have both and a Galaxy S 2 on order
Why? I really liked the Captivate. My plan was to use both but the Atrix is so much more fun to use I'm selling the Captivate. Well, maybe. Maybe not.
Yesterday after I removed the SIM card and replaced it, the Atrix went bonkers with freezes and instability issues. After numerous soft resets, two factory resets and replacing the SIM card, SD card and battery a couple of times it seems to be back to normal. I suspect I had reinserted the SIM card incorrectly but maybe there was another issue.
So why would I pay $1000 for the Galaxy S 2? The Captivate was that much fun. Although I'm sure we will be able to do more custom rom's shortly on the Atrix, the Galaxy S 2 sounds like an even bigger blast than either. And boy oh boy does that LG 3D look interesting. But you have to draw the line somewhere.
Here is what the Atrix has that the Captivate does not:
1-better graphics and screen quality, dynamic and vivid visuals, a joy to read and watch (text as well as video quality is sharp and crisp, very clear)
2-more interactive features with outside devices (i.e. computers)
3-interacts more efficiently with e mail, voice and text programs (really like the way it handles multiple incoming calls especially when you are already on one-notification, instructions and directions for handling)(I can now actually use Excel spreadsheets and Word documents) (works well with contacts)
4-updated browser can handle more types of video content and pop up windows better
5-it feels better when you hold and talk or watch or do most anything with it (I did make one call and even though I could hear the other party clearly they could not hear me-I do not what happened.)
My friends all tell me I should get an iphone. I had one for years and the Androids are far more fun. I'll never return. I don't think. LG 3D anyone?
I think Tegra2 is actually a disadvantage for Atrix 4G.
As a new generation dualcore processor, it's early, but not strong.
It's video playback ability of H.264 is limited, but H.264 is currently the most frequently played format.
It has no neon support, big loss on processing power.
Till now Tegra2 has not proven itself in Graphics power. In benchmarks it's no superior to Hummingbird.
However the performance of Mali400MP on GS2 is also questionable, so just wait and see...
hotleadsingerguy said:
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 great post!
King Shady said:
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
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Click to collapse
See, I don't understand that. There is far less plastic on the Captivate than the majority of the phones out there. The front is all glass, and the back is mostly metal. It's only the top and bottom on the back that are plastic, and they have both felt very solid to me since I got the phone on launch day. I came from an iPhone 4 as well, and granted nothing compares to the iPhone 4 in build quality, the Captivate definitely doesn't seem bad at all to me.
As long as you're happy with what you have now though, that's what matters. I just think the Inspire is a bit of a waste of money considering it's lack of power compared to all the other phones coming out now. It feels like it's last generation still. I did play with it a little at the AT&T store though, and it seemed nice. If it had come out last summer with the Captivate (even if it didn't have 4G), I might have gotten it. Now I'm going to wait until a dual core offering I like though.