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Captivate - Xperia

maxyst

Lurker
Oct 22, 2010
1
0
My ATT contract is due up in November, and as much as I've LOVED my Samsung Eternity for the last 2 years, it's time for an upgrade.

I could actually go to any carrier since the contract is up, but I've been happy with the ATT service, so I've narrowed it down to the 2 phones mentioned in the title.

I've played with both in the ATT store... probably over a dozen times and for hours.

The captivate edges out the Xperia almost every time. I've found it consistently faster, snappier and more enjoyable to play with. It should be a done deal, BUT I've been lurking in these forums for weeks and I keep reading about the GPS issues (which all ATT in-store reps always deny even exist, so I've learned not to believe any of 'facts' they spew)...

Captivate:
Is there a GPS fix yes/no??
This is a deal breaker for me... I don't use GPS that often (twice a month or so) but when I do, it HAS to work. That's a dealbreaker.
I thought I read there was a patch or software update that Samsung/ATT released just a couple of days ago... did that fix anything??

Xperia:
The Xperia I've read has battery issues and won't be upgradeable to 2.2?
Is that correct?

If I've missed anything in my Captivate vs Xperia debate, PLEASE let me know.

Thanks!
 
well personally my gps works fine. i get locks easily and ive only used it once while driving but i made a track and it was an hour drive and it was right on the entire time

now with the xperia there are a few deal breakers for me, first its not even running 2.1 yet, it also doesnt support multitouch from what ive heard. i dont like the skin that se has on it. but i wouldnt be worrying about 2.2 for it cause there is a question about 2.1 for me. its a pretty good phone but the old os and cluttered skin i cannot take. 1gb internal memory is a big no-no also(it may come with an external sd card im not really sure).

really i havent used it nor do i know a whole lot about it but i did look those things up awhile back when someone else asked me the same things.
 
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GPS worked okay for me since the beginning. Got me where I needed to go although some might have complain about the "accuracy" (tracks not going along with roads 100% of the time). After the update, it worked even better and got more accurate especially after changing the SUPL server from the spirent to google. Since the launch of the phone when I purchased it, I haven't regretted it once. I could wait for Froyo as my phone is 100% stable and fast as it is right now.
 
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I personally love my captivate and my wife love hers, I bought it as a smart phone and not a tomtom, so GPS is not that much of an issue for me. Plus there is a lot more available for the captivate since it is part of the galaxyS phone series. I have seen many complaints about the Xperia, so I never even considered it. The Xperia is just so much less of a phone.

Anyways, only you can really decide on whcih phone you want to goto, heck if you wait just a little bit and don't want either you can get a motorola, see here: http://androidforums.com/t/202507-so-what-will-next-droid-att.html

I recommend whatever you go with keep 100% track of when the 30 day return is up.

Best of luck and if you end up with the captivate, I look forward to seeing your posts here :D

By the way did you check out the xperia thread and see what is going on?
 
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I had an Xperia X10

and quite frankly
i will say the dealbreakers
really are

Android 1.6...and that is about it

stuff like the UI can be changed with ADW/Launcher pro

2.1 is coming...they have showcased 2.1 on the Xperia and it looks amazing
and they have improved the UI greatly

Lag...Ummm, no more lag than on my captivate

Personally,
the Xperia(aside from hd) camera performs GREATLY...neither has a flash although the xperia has that light thingie...

But the xperia blows the captivates camera out of the water...No discussion

Most of the captivate's Pros are all overhyped to me...Such as the Super amoled(not that i am complaining because i love it)

As well as the processor(i haven't noticed much difference from an evo, droid x, incredible and a captivate...in fact it's slower)

My gps has actually improved and got me where i needed to go yesterday

I like the look of the Xperia better because it is a much more attractive device(save the screen) than the captivate

I only have one now because the Captivate is the only 2.1 device on At & t(flipout/flipshot and the aria)

Honestly, if you never had a smartphone before..Android 1.6 is not going to be noticeable
i say get the xperia

Or i honestly say jump over to WP7 and get a focus if you have the desire to stick with samsung...I am anticipating the release of WP7....

And im sure people here are going to have negatives about that OS but definitely give wp7 a look as well(they are coming out next month)
 
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how many phones you have carmendiva? just asking

I'm your typical girl...so i have the same shoe in different colors and different handbags

and discovered i can just as easily change my phones so i have had ALOT of different phones since my droid in last november

currently, i have 2(my captivate & my backflip...which i only use for the social networking aspect lol)
 
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There is no GPS "fix"... only an update that was supposed to fix it and didn't, and a certain tiny percentage of users who were lucky enough to get some random hardware apparently unaffected by the GPS issues for some reason (or maybe it's their environment).

Until we're at the point where either A) Samsung comes out with a definitive fix that actually resolves the GPS issues for everyone, or B) Samsung comes out with a hardware refresh which accomplishes this, one cannot safely rely on the Captivate for high-accuracy GPS usage. It might get you in the same town, or within a few blocks of where you are, but don't expect much better.
 
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I have been following the "Underground" of this phone now for over a month. I am new to android itself but not new to electronics (I have a degree in it) and have been working on various electronic an computer based systems for more than 15 years.

I am not a dev. because my programming skills aren't all that great, especially in C. I have been beta testing and consulting with various devs and "hackers" that are working and tinkering with the software of this phone.

Here are some findings and theories. Non of these are official and take them how you will.

The fancy, proprietary bluetooth this phones come with are causing trouble with blue tooth voice command, which is supposed to be a froyo feature. No one (to my knowledge) has figured out how to make it work. Yes you can touch an icon on the screen to activate a command input, but not by tapping the voice input button on your bluetooth device... thats something my old Razr did 5 years ago. (But my old iPhone 3g didnt either)

The lag: A good chunk for the lag is coming from Samsungs choice of file system... plain and simple its just really damn slow and unles the completely rewrite it... it sill still be really damn slow. You can tweek it and optimize it, but the underlying problem is still there. Unless you flash a custom ROM (one is in the works now that uses the "voodoo fix" integrated in the kernal)

The GPS, as far as I know, no one knows why the hell it isnt working. (for most). For some people it works, for some it sort of works and for others, it's dead as a rock. There is all kinds of ideas and theories about what is wrong and how/if it can be fixed. First Samsung said they'd fix it with the jh7, it didn't work, now they are saying Froyo will fix it, and so far, it hasnt with any of the different versions running around for the different models. It is largly still broken, so it is reasonable to say that Samsung still isn't sure what is going on. But it is looking more and more like the GPS will never work 100% propperly for everyone.

That being said, the X-10 is probably a good alternative. You wont have the bragging rights of the SAMOLED, or a 1ghz Proc, etc. But what you will have is a fully functioning product with SE standing behind it for support. 2.1 is coming for it soon and will make a huge difference.

The Dell Streak is another. It has a 5 inch screen (probably too big for many to use as a "phone"). It is on 1.6 too, but the rumor is now that it will be skipping 2.1 and going straight to froyo when it updates.

The Acer liquid metal S210 is rumored for AT&T and if that rumor is correct, I'd wager we'd see it by mid to late november. This will me a GREAT alternative to the Capt. (if everything works on it). Acer Liquid Metal S120 spotted running Android 2.2 on AT&T bands in FCC -- Engadget

The Canadian Bell Desire Z: Its just like the T-mo G2, but it's radio is 100% (supposidly) compatible with all of AT&T's current frequencies. This is likely the route I will go when it comes out in a few weeks. I might keep the Capt. to mess with to get more into the finer workings of Android, or I may just Ebay it..
 
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i signed a three yr contract and my supplied xperia crashed constantly...got a lemon...but rather than get another x10 i said i would wait for my carrier to get the captivate...they loaned me a samsung wave ....it was a non android watered down version of captivate...i waited and in some ways enjoyed the amoled screen and was to get the captivate in late sept...which became early oct...then mid oct...well...today..yes today...got the call that the phone was waiting for me at rogers in canada and i ran....and picked it up...first thing i did?
gps.
i was in heaven....within 30 seconds it had me down to a few meters.....i tested it going home....using google navigation...took me turn by turn to my door.

now...i hear of some saying it changes ? or gets worse gps wise? i will watch...the temp samsung wave gps never worked...the wave..browser crashed constantly...but so far...my very very limited opinon is that this phone...my first smartphone (exluding my botched x10 experience)...is that i want to make love to this phone.

as a non techie....not going to root..well...someday mabye...but just avg user...is that my opinion is that this is the freaking bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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How can you easily change your phones? are you not locked in some contract or 30 days time limit?

Just curious...

AT&T owners have SIM carded phones. A SIM card belongs to a wireless user, and that card gets inserted into the phone being used. Changing phones is as easy as shuffling the SIM card around.

This has been how I've been changing phones around the the last 5 years without needing to let AT&T know.
 
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I just went into the AT&T store last night to get a sim card for my new Captivate. The rep and I got to talking and she told me she wouldn't sell "that piece of junk" (Xperia) to anyone. She didn't give me specifics but I got that impression just by testing it out in the store. Don't go with the Xperia. Captivate all the way.
 
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The only thing good in Xperia is GPS...because it works there....

It doesnt even have multi touch. Why the hell are we even comparing SE's first attempt (made by HTC) to jump into Android market with your Captivate.

If you are with ATT and you want to replace Captivate (for any reason) i would suggest to go for Dell Streak or wait for new Moto or samsung phones, which might get launch by december or January.
 
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AT&T owners have SIM carded phones. A SIM card belongs to a wireless user, and that card gets inserted into the phone being used. Changing phones is as easy as shuffling the SIM card around.

This has been how I've been changing phones around the the last 5 years without needing to let AT&T know.

So you mean you buy new phone and than just shuffle the SIM card. I bought captivate with 2 yr contract. Its locked to ATT. the only option for me to use any other phone is to get it replaced from Amazon before 30 days.
:mad:
 
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So you mean you buy new phone and than just shuffle the SIM card. I bought captivate with 2 yr contract. Its locked to ATT. the only option for me to use any other phone is to get it replaced from Amazon before 30 days.
:mad:

No. You are on-contract with AT&T for 2 years. You are not tied to that specific phone for 2 years. There is nothing stopping you from buying any unlocked GSM full-price, from AT&T, an online retailer, or eBay, moving your SIM card over, and happily enjoying your new phone. At any time.

That's the beauty of GSM, and one of the reasons I am with AT&T and not Verizon. People are so used to the Verizon "rape the consumer" way of doing things that sometimes they can't fathom how the rest of the world (which is almost entirely GSM) handles cell phones.
 
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My wife bought the Captivate as my birthday gift and also buy the Xperia for her. My esteemed colleague... I dont know if I love my Cappy more than my wife (I hope she never reads this)... but there is no comparison. The Captivate be at a level where the Xperia can not reach. The only thing I envy is the 8.5mp camera and the flash because Samsung had the ridiculous idea of not integrating a flash to improve the quality of the photos. Other than that Samsung did an excellent piece of technology. 16Gb (up to 32 with micro SD card), 4 inch AMOLED screen 800x480 pixels, protected by Corning Gorilla glass, 1 Ghz speed, TV Out... My friend dont think more and go for your Cappy now. Believe me, Your gonna love it too.
 
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gps does NOT work..its broken and there is no fix for it right now and wont be..so if gps is important to u..dont get the captivate.
Before you go spreading lies, you'd better get your information correct.

If you are so certain, post a link that proves the GPS does not work.

I want to see proof there will be no fix.

Post proof of what you are spreading.

I say this is sour grapes. You just don't like your phone.

Yes some users are having issues, but not all phones are affected.

I know this as fact, I have personally purchased five Captivates for myself and my family members. Four out of the five have GPS that works well, the fifth is one of the affected phones.

Second, Samsung in the _past_ did not have a good reputation for support. That however, is changing.

They have a renewed focus on improving their services and support. I've dealt with them directly on a couple of smaller issues with my Captivate and they were knowledgeable and resolved the issues to my satisfaction in just a single contact.

I realize that people love to bash large corporations but it's unfounded in many cases.

Cheers... :)
 
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