Almost want to switch to Evo...

[Iczer]

I love my Epic, but the only thing that annoys me honestly is the keyboard. I didn't need it and I don't need it. I never use it and it just annoys me when pressing the power button to unlock it that I'm constantly almost popping it open. I saw the Captivate and other Galaxy S phones and they're perfect. Thin and sleek. I love my screen and the speed and everything about this phone except the keyboard. What do I do?

Will there be a case that will lock the keyboard? I don't want a bulky case.

 

[Epicurean]

You could try the iPhone4 technique and tape it shut. ;-) Actually when I bought a case (from Sprint) I found that the slider had more of a tendency to stay in place. So you might want to go to the Sprint store and try one of them out and see if it works for you before you put the $20 down.

 

[jim2point0]

The way I see it.... nobody should discourage you from switching from one android phone to another.

With that being said, if you don't want a keyboard, the Epic is kinda pointless The EVO is a great (but slower) phone!

 

[Jude72]

I'd either say stay with Sprint and the Evo or switch to T-Mobile for the Vibrant. T-Mobile's rates aren't as good as Sprints but they're better than AT&T's and they usually have pretty good service most places.

I'm not sure how much I'll use the slide out keyboard but I'm still leaning towards the Epic for the speed and glass. I love to text with T9 so I'm hoping I can find a great T9 App on the market.

If the camera is important to you, remember the Vibrant doesn't have a flash.

 

[gbugler]

I feel the same way. I have had the Epic since launch day but I am considering trading it for an Evo. I just don't need/use the keyboard. The keyboard almost gets in the way. This phone will be ideal if it didn't have a keyboard. I also dislike the four capacitive buttons at the bottom, frequently have to press them multiple times to get them to work. My wife has had an Evo for about 2 months, it just seems more responsive performing daily activities, phone, calendar, email, etc... The Evo also takes to a protective case better then the Epic.

 

[ratchetjaw]

I am not thinking of permanently switching (love the epic) but did pic up a Evo off ebay. Will use both depending on the mood great to have choices

 

[Iczer]

I feel the same way. I have had the Epic since launch day but I am considering trading it for an Evo. I just don't need/use the keyboard. The keyboard almost gets in the way. This phone will be ideal if it didn't have a keyboard. I also dislike the four capacitive buttons at the bottom, frequently have to press them multiple times to get them to work. My wife has had an Evo for about 2 months, it just seems more responsive performing daily activities, phone, calendar, email, etc... The Evo also takes to a protective case better then the Epic.

Epic is an awesome phone definitely, but I feel the same way as you. It's more developed right now since it's been out a little longer, and the Epic will follow. I guess I just need to get my hands on an Evo to play with it.

 

[al_mac04]

I like the evo/sense ui bettor on the HTC devices. I had a hero before & the moment i & i can say that if the evo had the AMOL.E.D. screen i would, hands down, stay with the evo. I have both phones (evo/epic) but I have to say that I will stick with the epic. I do wish that the info update was faster (ie. twitter, aol, etc.) also the facebook link to contacts is non existant or i have not found a way to link them like on the hero & evo. I have to use the "syncmypix" app then manually apply the pics to the right contacts... so the sense ui to me is the better of the two but the screen & resolution of the epic make it a commodity.

 

[Iczer]

Yeah I'm not sure if I want to get rid of this beautiful screen....I'm going to a Sprint store today to take a look at an Evo and possibly a case for my phone to see if it makes it a little more secure.

 

[iBleedBlackNgold]

the sprint black case is nice & may assist on easier powering of the phone without the keyboard comming out

 

[militaryman]

the sprint black case is nice & may assist on easier powering of the phone without the keyboard comming out

Saw somewhere that an app will let you re-route the volume up/down keys to control the power. This solves the issue with opening the keyboard when power button is pressed.

 

[mynewandroid]

I find myself in the the same boat. Came from a BB Tour and "thought" I needed a physical keyboard. Turns out the spacing is so wide and different from my BB that I am actually quicker and more comfortable with the on-screen keyboard.

This is my first "slider" phone and I don't like the fact that the phone wants to move apart everytime I hit the power button or hold it in the palm of my hand.

Otherwise, I love the phone. I would hate to give up the AMOLED screen, but am considering swapping for the EVO.

 

[megabiteg]

I say... Think very well before you buy and do not be impulsive. The Keyboard is an important factor to this model, so of course there will not be a way to shut it without coming with a price ($$$ and looks)

If a keyboard was not important for you, Epic wasn't for you. Like you say, you should of considered better an Evo or another Galaxy S phone.

 

[gbugler]

I returned my Epic after 4 days for the Evo. I just did not need the keyboard. Every time I pressed the power button it would slightly slide the keyboard open, made the phone feel sloppy. I also could not stand the four capacitive buttons along the bottom, which seemed to work about 2/3 of the time. The Evo feels more snappy, might just be due the fact the four buttons at the bottom always work. Also the GPS radio on the Evo seems to connect faster and to be more reliable from even indoors near windows. The Epic was hit or miss. sometime I had to reboot it to get the GPS to work. Also, I feel the 3G on the Evo works better or seems to connect faster than the Epic. I do miss the AMOLED screen and smoother scrolling on the Epic but that is about it. I am not much of a gamer but it would be nice if HTC would uncap the 30fps refresh rate on the Evo.

 

[Puddin422]

Isn't there a new HTC phone coming out in a few months? I wonder if the screen on it will be amoled.

I, too, thought I would need the keyboard, and I don't. But I still love the phone, and I wouldn't trade it for one with an inferior screen. Also, the Evo seems bulkier to me because the corners are squared off.

I would definitely consider another phone, just not the Evo..for me..

 

[megabiteg]

And that's why (my friends) we have different phones...

One phone is never going to be good enough for everyone, that's 100% guaranteed....

 

[dbpaddler]

+1
Buying a phone with a keyboard when you know you won't really use it is like buying a bike to go swimming. You buy to your needs and if you get distracted by your wants, well then shame on you. There were many of us wishing the Evo had a keyboard. Different strokes for different folks.

Switching carriers for a phone doesn't make a lot of sense. Overall, t-mobile doesn't have as good of coverage as sprint, you don't have 4g capability, hspa+ isn't widespread, and if you get a subsidized phone you're stuck for two years, not one like with sprint. After a year your phone is worth more for resale than it will be after two which will help offset the cost of the latest and greatest.

If one is contemplating switching, get a cheapo phone off craigslist or ebay and use it for calls for a few to see how you like the coverage first. Can go prepaid to minimize the aggravation of a new line, porting and so forth.

If a keyboard was not important for you, Epic wasn't for you. Like you say, you should of considered better an Evo or another Galaxy S phone.

 

[megabiteg]

+2 (lol)

To be honest with everyone (and here comes my Sergeant side kicking the door) this forum section dedicated to the Epic 4G shouldn't be flooded of these kind of comments: no disrespect.

Why? because we are here to comment about what drives us to the phone, not was doesn't. Yes there are bugs, questions, issues and comparisons to other vendors and models but the main focus is to share what got us here, and what is making us stay. If you feel that the Epic 4G (or for this case any other phone) wasn't good enough for you for whatever reasons, then to be honest, it was an impulsive buy not a well researched and thought out purchase.

Please, we need to stop being emotional. Look around all the other phone forums on this site and you will see one thing in common: ALL PHONES HAVE ISSUES and most of them NEVER get resolved. BUT what can help is to ask yourself an honest question at the moment of purchasing: Do I know enough of the product I'm about to buy? This is a very crucial question on purchasing not only a phone, but any other thing in this world.

Lets start writing about the 1000000 things this phone can do for you, and not what it could of done or does not do, because other than rooting or doing some crazy ninja things to the phone, everything is already set on stone.

I know this is a bucket of thought love, but its necessary to wake up and make a difference on how we do things in life, and this is part of it.

+1
Buying a phone with a keyboard when you know you won't really use it is like buying a bike to go swimming. You buy to your needs and if yhou get distract3ed by your wants, well then shame on you. There were many of us wishing the Evo had a keyboard. Different strokes for different folks.

Switching carriers for a phone doesn't make a lot of sense. Overall, t-mobile doesn't have as good of coverage as sprint, you don't have 4g capability, hspa+ isn't widespread, and if you get a subsidized phone you're stuck for two years, not one like with sprint. After a year your phone is worth more for resale than it will be after two wich will help offset the cost of the latest and greatest.

If one is contemplating switching, get a cheapo phone off craigslist or ebay and use it for calls for a few to see how you like the coverage first. Can go prepaid to minimize the aggravation of a new line, porting and so forth.

 

[mynewandroid]

I couldn't disagree with you more. You tell people to do research about the product they are buying, but then chastise people for posting legitimate concerns about the phone here. Where exactly do you expect them to get information to "know enough of the product I'm about to buy"?

+2 (lol)

To be honest with everyone (and here comes my Sergeant side kicking the door) this forum section dedicated to the Epic 4G shouldn't be flooded of these kind of comments: no disrespect.

Why? because we are here to comment about what drives us to the phone, not was doesn't. Yes there are bugs, questions, issues and comparisons to other vendors and models but the main focus is to share what got us here, and what is making us stay. If you feel that the Epic 4G (or for this case any other phone) wasn't good enough for you for whatever reasons, then to be honest, it was an impulsive buy not a well researched and thought out purchase.

Please, we need to stop being emotional. Look around all the other phone forums on this site and you will see one thing in common: ALL PHONES HAVE ISSUES and most of them NEVER get resolved. BUT what can help is to ask yourself an honest question at the moment of purchasing: Do I know enough of the product I'm about to buy? This is a very crucial question on purchasing not only a phone, but any other thing in this world.

Lets start writing about the 1000000 things this phone can do for you, and not what it could of done or does not do, because other than rooting or doing some crazy ninja things to the phone, everything is already set on stone.

I know this is a bucket of thought love, but its necessary to wake up and make a difference on how we do things in life, and this is part of it.

 

[megabiteg]

Wrong, that's not the message.

The message is this: If you buy a phone which has a sliding keyboard but you dislike the sliding keyboards to start with, shouldn't that be a consideration to make before you purchase? The fact the the keyboard bothers you is not a manufacture flaw, its something that personally you don't like.

That's not wrong, because everyone has free will to like or dislike anything out there, but that should not affect your judgment on the phone in the first place, because the moment you pay for it, your accepting the terms of the manufacture and part of that is the sliding keyboard (for this example).

The reason why I send people to research "and know enough about the product" before they buy it's so they can be certain that what they are vesting their money, time and more initially, makes them feel comfortable enough before they commit.

If you need help with existing problems after you purchase e.g.: GPS, software, buttons, etc... then yes, ask to see if others experience the same, this is important because maybe you have a defective one and an exchange is merited.

I couldn't disagree with you more. You tell people to do research about the product they are buying, but then chastise people for posting legitimate concerns about the phone here. Where exactly do you expect them to get information to "know enough of the product I'm about to buy"?

 

[dbpaddler]

I would agree with you if this was a legitmate concern, bug or what not. But the premise is, "I bought a slider phone and don't want the keyboard so I'm returning it." That has zero to do with doing research on a forum. That's just caving to the impulse of fun and cool features without giving thought to how you really use the phone. You don't need a forum full of research threads for that one.

I'll give credence to the screen issues in regards to the screen door effect and readability of small text because you can't get that full effect until you've really used it. Knowing you're an onscreen typer and not into sliders but buy the phone anyway, well that's just a shame on you if you're complaining about the issues that arise from a slider.

I couldn't disagree with you more. You tell people to do research about the product they are buying, but then chastise people for posting legitimate concerns about the phone here. Where exactly do you expect them to get information to "know enough of the product I'm about to buy"?

 

[kristv]

Yeah, I have to agree. Complaining about the keyboard when you knew you didn't need it in the first place is kind of unfair to the Epic. Sure, there are other issues folks are dealing with (GPS, 3G upload speed, etc.), but bashing the phone because of the keyboard doesn't make much sense. It sounds like the OP knew before buying that he didn't want a keyboard, so why buy the phone? Surely the Evo should have been his choice from the start?

Also, militaryman is correct about that app that allows you to change your power button to the volume rocker. It would be a very easy solution for fixing that problem if it's something that bugs you.

I've said it many times before, you need to get the phone that suits your every day needs. If a physical keyboard is not what you want and you feel pretty strongly about that, then getting a phone with a keyboard just to have the other features you want is probably not the right choice.

 

[Iczer]

You guys are all overreacting. I didn't bash the Epic at all. I knew going into it that there was a keyboard, I was ok with it. It's impossible to know everything about a phone, how it feels, etc without actually holding it and using it on a daily basis. I did that. I loved the phone, but hated the keyboard. I just last night traded it in for an Evo and I do miss the Epic to an extent. But I do like the sturdiness of the Evo already.

I'm really only replying to the posters who feel they need to chastise others over a freaking phone choice. Get over it, it was my decision and I have the 30 day policy to decide what I want to do. You're philosophy of sugarcoating the negative and only talking about the positives only works in a fairytale land. People will come here and talk about negatives about their phones, get over it. It's not for you to decide what goes on in these forums. If you don't like it, just pass by the thread.

Sorry for the bickering, I just get annoyed with people who feel like they know everything.

For what it's worth, I didn't plan on buying an Epic. My old Hero was dropped in Water on August 31st, and magically the Epic came out on the 1st. So I went in and bought the latest and greatest thing they had. Turns out I didn't like the keyboard so I moved to the Epic. If Sprint had a version of the Galaxy S without a keyboard I'd be all over it. But they don't, so I moved to the Evo.

 

[VallenG]

I have an Evo and would like to switch to the Epic. I perfer the full keyboard, screen and the quickness along with the HD videos. I got the Evo before the galaxy s line had any news to it and now am kind of regretting it. If anyone is looking to switch send me a PM and I will gladly reply shortly.

 

[Iczer]

+1
Buying a phone with a keyboard when you know you won't really use it is like buying a bike to go swimming. You buy to your needs and if you get distracted by your wants, well then shame on you. There were many of us wishing the Evo had a keyboard. Different strokes for different folks.

This analogy doesn't make sense at all. A better analogy would be more like buying a life jacket to swim in a pool when I already know how to swim. Yeah the life jacket is there if I need/want to use it, but I don't really want it. It may not be the best analogy, but actually makes sense instead of talking about a bike that has nothing to do with a pool.