Still contemplating

[artvandalay22222]

Ive been furiously contemplating switching from the Htc aria that I got a week ago to the captivate.

So far this is what Im lookin at:

pros:

Super Amoled Screen
Swipe
Better gaming
better movies
better battery life

Cons:

Issues with MMS-big problem for me
Issues with gps- which i dont use anyway
Issues with synching with facebook- dont like that...
Issues with laggyness-
Not so great reception
A little bit larger than I'd like



Man I just dont know. Cant decide. I hope they will fix these issues most seem like they are software issues that could be fixed.

Also does anyone know if theres a clock/weather widget like on the Aria, that shows weather affects when you wake it? I know its just a gimmick, but its makes the phone more exciting when I turn it on and clouds float by, or lighnting strikes or when the wipers clear the raindrops off the screen. lol

I really like the HTC sense, but I love the super amoled screen

 

[Baldilocks]

1. I have no issues with MMS.
2. My GPS is functioning about like the one in my iPhone did.
3. I don't sync with Facebook. I'd rather just use the Facebook app or the browser. (Which is easy with 4" of screen.)
4. It's only laggy rarely, and with all the tweaks here, it's pretty snappy. Still faster than the Aria in my opinion.
5. It's not that big.

There are weather widgets, but nothing quite as fancy as the Sense stuff. (At least not for free anyway.) Even if I had the Aria, I would want to get rid of all that Sense UI stuff.

 

[robthecomputerguy]

Man I gotta tell you to go and hold one of these phones... I stopped at the T-mobile store and held their version before ordering this one mail order and I was impressed... but this phone, this phone is a horrible piece of cheap plastic... I got such a good deal on this phone with the subsidy that I don't think I have the option of returning it, but I do want to put my advice out there that this phone is made like a piece of crap: it is all plastic, all cheap, all cheap plastic feeling. Even the seemingly metal plate on [part of] the back is cheap and crappy feeling. Every possible spot on the phone sucks the natural oils out of my hand and just creeps them all over the phone.

This phone is just absolutely awful. I am stunned at how awful it is. I have never seen an HTC phone be of similar lousy quality. Hold one in your hand - a real one - before you make that switch from HTC to Samsung.

FWIW the Sense UI stuff is just a layer of BS between you and getting things done, it's actually very annoying... I expect to be able to get rid of it soon enough.

Oh and I tried to get an account with T-mobile and so have like 6 of my friends who were all turned down for credit, and we all dont' have bad enough credit to be turned down so we don't even know what's up with T-mobile...

 

[Baldilocks]

Man I gotta tell you to go and hold one of these phones... I stopped at the T-mobile store and held their version before ordering this one mail order and I was impressed... but this phone, this phone is a horrible piece of cheap plastic... I got such a good deal on this phone with the subsidy that I don't think I have the option of returning it, but I do want to put my advice out there that this phone is made like a piece of crap: it is all plastic, all cheap, all cheap plastic feeling. Even the seemingly metal plate on [part of] the back is cheap and crappy feeling. Every possible spot on the phone sucks the natural oils out of my hand and just creeps them all over the phone.

This phone is just absolutely awful. I am stunned at how awful it is. I have never seen an HTC phone be of similar lousy quality. Hold one in your hand - a real one - before you make that switch from HTC to Samsung.

FWIW the Sense UI stuff is just a layer of BS between you and getting things done, it's actually very annoying... I expect to be able to get rid of it soon enough.

Oh and I tried to get an account with T-mobile and so have like 6 of my friends who were all turned down for credit, and we all dont' have bad enough credit to be turned down so we don't even know what's up with T-mobile...

I doubt VERY seriously you have even held the Captivate in your hands. I call major B.S. on your post.

 

[dsjr2006]

Ive been furiously contemplating switching from the Htc aria that I got a week ago to the captivate.

So far this is what Im lookin at:

pros:

Super Amoled Screen
Swipe
Better gaming
better movies
better battery life

Cons:

Issues with MMS-big problem for me
Issues with gps- which i dont use anyway
Issues with synching with facebook- dont like that...
Issues with laggyness-
Not so great reception
A little bit larger than I'd like



Man I just dont know. Cant decide. I hope they will fix these issues most seem like they are software issues that could be fixed.

Also does anyone know if theres a clock/weather widget like on the Aria, that shows weather affects when you wake it? I know its just a gimmick, but its makes the phone more exciting when I turn it on and clouds float by, or lighnting strikes or when the wipers clear the raindrops off the screen. lol

I really like the HTC sense, but I love the super amoled screen

The screen is better than the Aria, but I'm not sure how the Aria could possibly have worse battery life than this phone. Lag is not an issue all of the time, but it's still a problem. The other cons you listed are completely true though. I can't send MMS, GPS won't get better than 2 miles unless I give it about 5-10 minutes, Facebook sync doesn't work, reception is not very good and the battery life is abysmal.

On a side note, Battery life was much better today, but I had to turn off most of the features to obtain that, which IMO negates the purpose of having them

 

[thejtl]

I switched from the Aria and I'm pretty satisfied. All the things you list as pros are definitely pros. Swype is worth the price of admission alone. And live wallpapers. I know it's a gimmick, but it's fun. The screen is great. I'm really enjoying it. Sure there are a few kinks that I hope will get worked out, but the same was true with the Aria. I got Launcherpro and that's gone a long way toward making me not miss sense. If I could figure out how to post a screenshot, I would. It's really a nice phone and getting better all the time. I say go to the store and take a look at them side by side, then decide.

 

[artvandalay22222]

Not being able to send mms is just worrying me, a lot. I use that feature a lot, and sometimes for work, so it's important to me. I've also read that the captivate has the same verizon to att mms problem as the aria.

It seems to me that phone makers are spending so much time making phones do so many different things that they forgot to make sure it can do the regular "phone stuff" correctly

 

[tyte]

i have never had a mms problem...

gps has never been an issue...accuracy is as close as 20 ft for me

im not sure what you're talking about when you say that there are issues with syncing for facebook... i have had none AT ALL... anyone who says that they are having issues probably doesn't know how to do it probably...

issues with lag can be fixed if you know what you're doing with the right apps

i get the same reception i do as my old blackberry and better reception than my brother's iphone 4

its true this phone is pretty big... but look at the aria and the droid x... and the soon to be released dell streak... but despite its size it still fits in my pockets just fine...

the phone is made of plastic.. its true.. but because of it... the phone is extremely light.. and when equipped with a nice case you don't notice the plastic feel at all

i love my captivate... its going to keep me busy for the next 2 years

 

[dsjr2006]

i have never had a mms problem...

gps has never been an issue...accuracy is as close as 20 ft for me

im not sure what you're talking about when you say that there are issues with syncing for facebook... i have had none AT ALL... anyone who says that they are having issues probably doesn't know how to do it probably...

issues with lag can be fixed if you know what you're doing with the right apps

i get the same reception i do as my old blackberry and better reception than my brother's iphone 4

its true this phone is pretty big... but look at the aria and the droid x... and the soon to be released dell streak... but despite its size it still fits in my pockets just fine...

the phone is made of plastic.. its true.. but because of it... the phone is extremely light.. and when equipped with a nice case you don't notice the plastic feel at all

i love my captivate... its going to keep me busy for the next 2 years

Facebook sync doesn't work. There is no "doing it properly" all you have to do is put in your login info and it doesn't do anything after that.

The size is not a big deal and the plastic build is not bad at all and the good thing is that it's light.

The GPS issue is very real or there wouldn't be tons of people replying to the fix-it threads with their experiences.

The reception is not as good as the iPhone 4 and that is just a fact. The Captivate will drop its data connection where the iPhone just kept going.

Many of the issues, with the exception of the reception will likely be fixed shortly, but I see no point in misleading someone about the issues with the device.

 

[tyte]

Facebook sync doesn't work. There is no "doing it properly" all you have to do is put in your login info and it doesn't do anything after that.

Is it supposed to do anything besides sync with my contacts and get news feed? Maybe I am missing something here?

 

[Jofaba]

I give a fairly lengthy comparison review in the captivate thread in the Aria subsection.

 

[peterpp]

I never had an Aria but I did play with it at the store but I ended up getting the Captivate when it was available. So far I love it!

 

[robthecomputerguy]

I doubt VERY seriously you have even held the Captivate in your hands. I call major B.S. on your post.

Well I don't know who the heck you think you are, but I wouldn't have written that unless I had... and I own one.

 

[Aerimus]

Cons:

Issues with MMS-big problem for me
Issues with gps- which i dont use anyway
Issues with synching with facebook- dont like that...
Issues with laggyness-
Not so great reception
A little bit larger than I'd like

1)MMS - I've tried to reproduce problems with this and I can't? I can send mms messages fine to my wife's iPhone 4, and she can send them fine to me. Video and pictures. I just double checked this 2 minutes ago

2) GPS - I did have a gps issue, but the fix posted in these forums took care of it and it was quite easy to fix. Should have been working properly from the start though.

3)Facebook Syncing - This does seem to be a problem. However, it has worked for me, because my contacts pictures were pulled from facebook...I didn't even realize there was a problem until I checked just now, and I've used this feature previously on my iPhone.

4)Laggyness - This ones a pain in the ass. It's spotty, but there from time to time. This is such a kick as phone, hardware wise, that it really bothers me that Samsung put software over it that lags it down. It's not an issue all the time, but creeps in from time to time. I fully plan on putting a stock rom on it when a stable one becomes available.

5)reception - has been great for me

6)Size - personal preference...for some things I like the size of the Aria as well. It's a wonderful looking phone and I'd be happy with it as well. I just didn't want to be limited by the processor and other hardware. The Aria can't run Live Wallpapers as an example. Personal preference here, but I think the 4" screen is perfect. Any bigger would be too big.

 

[immortel]

Man I gotta tell you to go and hold one of these phones... I stopped at the T-mobile store and held their version before ordering this one mail order and I was impressed... but this phone, this phone is a horrible piece of cheap plastic... I got such a good deal on this phone with the subsidy that I don't think I have the option of returning it, but I do want to put my advice out there that this phone is made like a piece of crap: it is all plastic, all cheap, all cheap plastic feeling. Even the seemingly metal plate on [part of] the back is cheap and crappy feeling. Every possible spot on the phone sucks the natural oils out of my hand and just creeps them all over the phone.

This phone is just absolutely awful. I am stunned at how awful it is. I have never seen an HTC phone be of similar lousy quality. Hold one in your hand - a real one - before you make that switch from HTC to Samsung.

FWIW the Sense UI stuff is just a layer of BS between you and getting things done, it's actually very annoying... I expect to be able to get rid of it soon enough.

Oh and I tried to get an account with T-mobile and so have like 6 of my friends who were all turned down for credit, and we all dont' have bad enough credit to be turned down so we don't even know what's up with T-mobile...

Smells like a troll. Who cares if this phone is made of plastic on 2 places in the back, it is in no way cheap feeling. And you must have oily hands because my phone sure as hell doesnt "suck" the oils out of my hand. Take the phone back if you dont like it, use some common sense.

 

[dantheman2]

Man I gotta tell you to go and hold one of these phones... I stopped at the T-mobile store and held their version before ordering this one mail order and I was impressed... but this phone, this phone is a horrible piece of cheap plastic...

Internally, the Vibrant and Captivate and function are almost exactly the same. The outer shell has been done better by AT&T's version...that's all.

 

[tekonus]

I had the Aria for two weeks before the Captivate came out. I was able to squeeze 2 full days of average use out of one battery charge on the Aria. On an average days use when I get home from work at 9:30pm my battery will be at ~30% from charging before bed the night before. So... in my experience that battery life on the Captivate is a lot crappier. It is, however, a more robust phone... so in my mind, that is to be expected. I do think the Aria might have taken better pictures, though. Maybe not video, but all my pictures so far on the Aria came out better than on the Captivate. I didn't expect that one at all.

 

[DontMindMe]

pros:

Super Amoled Screen
Swipe
Better gaming
better movies
better battery life

Cons:

Issues with MMS-big problem for me
Issues with gps- which i dont use anyway
Issues with synching with facebook- dont like that...
Issues with laggyness-
Not so great reception
A little bit larger than I'd like

All those Pros, i can agree with. I had my phone on the charger last night and turned the screen brightness all the way up and couldnt believe what the screen looked light.

But on to the Cons,
I havnt had any issues with texting or sending pictures. Ive only had one text not send, and im pretty sure its cause i was in an area with little/no cell phone reception, and Pictures send a whooole lot faster than my old phone. My girlfriend sent me a picture and it got to me in like less than a minute.

My GPS is fine. Its actually really accurate. Or its lucky. I was on google maps and i used the "locate me" function, and it was on my house and over my room, where i was.

Issues with syncing to facebook- I havnt really had any. I tried using the default feed widget but got bored of it, so i got the app. Everything seems good, and my only complaint is that when you open the app, it sends you to a main screen for like Profile and Friends and News Feed and stuff, but if you have any notifications it doesnt come up with a little number anywhere on the notification tab. But maybe im doing something wrong, i have it set so i have to manually refresh it.

Lagging- I have experienced none. Even when going between apps, some people have said that it hangs a little bit on a black screen, but i havnt gotten that. Everything is very quick.

Reception is really fine, it goes have a "Death Grip", but ive only been able to do it once, and it wasnt how i would normally hold the phone. Ive been sticking to around 2-3 bars at my house, but thats what it normally is.

Its actually not that large. I thought it was going to be, but when i held it in my hand, it felt really nice. Its not too big, and its not too small for someone who is giant like me. Its the perfect size, and you cant really feel it in your pocket. Or at least i couldnt.


My only real complaint about this phone, would be the power button/volume rocker. Its fine, but i find myself pushing the "down" button on the rocker sometimes when i turn it on. Its not that big of a deal, i can live with that, but it happens.
Oh, and ATT loves your money. I have NEVER clicked on the "ATT Nav" app that they install for you, and it keeps loading up in the background. I wouldnt care so much if i was on an unlimited plan, but im starting out on the 200Mb plan, so it kinda worries me. Im seriously considered rooting my phone to take all the bloatware off, but I wont root it unless i have to. Is there a non root way to take it off?

 

[Clovis]

Im loving my Captivate! As for the weather widget, look up Fancy weather. I just got it 2 days ago and it looks exactly like the htc wether widget that you see on the aria screen, at least its working great for me. It may not be available very much longer.

 

[Clovis]

I have to agree. This phone is in no way cheap! Just as solid, or more so that the other phones iv owned. Heck, it's the best phone I have owned so far (as long as nothing drastic happens to it)

 

[NaplesBill]

Well I don't know who the heck you think you are, but I wouldn't have written that unless I had... and I own one.

Apparently you have no real ability to give a subjective review or comparison. Your comment was pure drama and not really helpful at all. Also, considering the phone has a painted surface, there is no way for the phone to suck anything out of your hands.

I have owned many phones from HTC. Most of their phones are plastic as well. The plastic on the Captivate is definitely not cheap and actually seems very durable and scratch resistant. The battery cover and mechanism is probably the best design out there. You will never have to worry about the back popping off or getting loose. I had an HTC Pure and that was the cheapest plastic I have ever seen on a phone. Also, there is almost no perceptible gap between the digitizer and the lcd. It almost seems like it is all one piece. All of this makes the phone slim and light. I carry my phone in my shirt pocket during the week so lighter is better.

I do not have any perceptible lag 99% of the time so for me the performance is outstanding. I did have GPS issues but it's not all the time. It's definitely a firmware/software issue so I feel confident this will be resolved. MMS has worked without a hitch. I have not had any issues with Facebook sync and all my contacts are using the facebook profile pics as well.

As far as reception, this phone has not dropped a call on me yet. I have always had issues at my house (all carriers too) so the fact that it hasn't dropped a call is impressive to me. Even when it shows no bars it still maintains the data and voice connectivity.

I recently bought the Body Glove case for it and I really like the look and feel of this case. It adds very little heft and appears to protect the phone very well. It's also a very snug fit and it still slides easily in and out of my pocket.

 

[robthecomputerguy]

Apparently you have no real ability to give a subjective review or comparison. Your comment was pure drama and not really helpful at all. Also, considering the phone has a painted surface, there is no way for the phone to suck anything out of your hands.

Listen, you have a right to your opinion as well as I have mine. Nobody asked you for your opinion of my take on the phone.

So again, the Samsung Captivate phone feels terribly cheap.

1. For those that might have commented otherwise, I would disagree that the plastic is scratch resistant. Why is phone in this class being made with plastic at all?
2. The screen may in fact be glass, yesterday I guess the screen felt like plastic because the phone was running, so it was warm/at room temperature? Today the screen is cold and it feels like it could possibly be glass. It probably is glass, but I was talking about how the phone felt, and it feels like crap.
3. The added texture to the metal plate on the back of the phone makes it feel less like metal and more like plastic.
4. For those who disagree with the feel of the phone, perhaps you are accustomed to lower end phones; I am not.
5. Another point about why the phone feels so cheap is because of the god awful placement of the home button - now try and follow me here... one must be handling the sides of the phone quite a bit to reach for and press the home button on the top right side... and just holding the phone, the border of the phone is indeed plastic. That's what you're touching the entire time you're holding the phone, is the plastic.
6. Two horrible design flaws in the phone are the home button being on the side where it's not easily manipulated, and the weird invisibleness of the navigation buttons down below.

 

[robthecomputerguy]

Internally, the Vibrant and Captivate and function are almost exactly the same. The outer shell has been done better by AT&T's version...that's all.

I held the Vibrant and it felt better to me... the shape was also more aesthetically pleasing. It got a more favorable review for physical design on a few reviews I read as well.

An interesting point about the navigation buttons at the bottom, though, is that they are easy to use - although I can't see them well enough in dim light - but I can definitely hit them when holding the phone with one hand.

On my iPhone 3GS, the way I would do something low with one hand, my pinky would end up covering the speaker on the bottom of the phone, and that's definitely not the case with the Captivate.

 

[falcon26]

I do have to agree here. My friend has the T-Mobile version and it feels and looks better than my captivate IMO. And my captivate does have a cheap plastic feel to it. A few others thing that bother me is, so far the phone has crashed on me a few times. Getting email is a really chore, half the time it doesn't get it. And GPS well I'm lucky if it ever locks on to a position, and yes I have tried all the work arounds for this. Going from an Iphone 4 which felt like a Mercedes to the captivate which feels like a Camry in terms of quality of materials used. Now with that said I am keeping the phone, because I am hoping with some firmware updates here and their that the phone will get better.

 

[peterpp]

My Captivate is no way cheap looking, looks and feels very solid to me. To me, I find the Iphone very cheap looking but that is just my opinion.