Considering a Captivate

[Quantum0700]

I'm considering buying a Samsung Captivate soon. I have AT&T, so that rules out... well, like every HTC or DROID Android ever.

What I'm looking for:

• A functional and smoothly-animated GUI
• A high-resolution screen
• Something with a back and front camera, flash isn't OVERLY necessary
• A phone that calls and texts well (which shockingly some phones fail to successfully execute )
• Good internal storage, I don't want to run around buying an expensive MicroSD
• A phone that can handle apps like word processors (being an Info Tech student, I have a ton of stuff to be typing up)
• A phone with fluid Internet browsing

Now, the HTC Aria is ruled out; the PPI is a bit too low to work with me. Unfortunately that's the only AT&T-provided HTC Android, and no, I won't get an unlocked phone for $600+ dollars.

IF the Samsung Captivate does in fact do all of that (or hell, at least most of it), whatare the go-to, must-have killer apps? I'm so foreign to the Android Market that I usually call it the App Store mistakenly.

I've been looking deeply into it for a while, but it seems the only way to really know is a sample of real Android people who know what they're talking about probably far more than me, the Android n3wb.

tl;dr - HALP PLOX

TY!

 

[Terrigno]

The Captivate is a really good phone. But beware, the battery life on it is HORRIBLE. Your gonna wanna get another battery back up for it and switch them out daily if you want to really play with this device.

PS: Im actually thinking about switching to the Torch as I was a heavy BlackBerry user for 3 years and the battery on BlackBerrys is phenominal!

 

[Nucleartx]

Got my Captivate from Wirefly, they threw in an extra batt for free.

 

[Quantum0700]

UPDATE: I was a bit ignorant in stating the Aria had low PPI: I used a PPI calc, and it has 180PPI, while the Captivate has 233PPI. Still quite a difference, but not as much as I thought. I also do want an Android on the mid-small size range, so it could work out.

How does the Aria compare to the Captivate? It is an HTC, and a friend of mine has an HD2 (that he can boot Android into despite it being a Windows Mobile 6.5th phone) which he clearly loves. Should I go for a better screen but lower battery and RANDOM SHUT OFF (how common is that btw?) or a smaller screen, ???, and then PROFIT?

 

[northernale1]

captivate has no forward facing camera,, battery life on mine is excellent,, 8 hr workday max battery drain is 50% ,, when i had live wall papers runnin battery drain was 80-90%

 

[Aerodrifting]

Captivate has one of the best hardware specs out there, all you need to do is get rid the junkwares comes with and get "Advanced Task Killer" to kill background apps to save battery. Don't forget to turn off live wall paper.

Smooth GUI - check (pretty much identical to iphone 4)

High resolution - check (800 x 480, not as high as iphone 4 but screen is bigger)

front back camera with flash - nope, just one back camera

call and text - check (blazing fast with a 4'' qwerty keyboard that has swype)

good internal storage - check 16GB+2GB default

handle app with fluid speed - check

fluid internet browsing - check faster than iphone 4 plus flash


I really think other than the build quality and no kick stand, once optimized Captivate (or Samsung Galaxy 9000s series) trumps about every single phone available on the market.

 

[slophil3]

Using a dark, non-live wallpaper, rooting and SetCPU I haven't had any issues with battery whatsoever. I don't use a task killer anymore because they really don't do what they advertise, and in fact can kill battery life because often times apps that don't do anything in the first place will start back up again, draining battery.

The "random shutoff" occurred one time, but all I did was remove the battery for about 5 minutes, put it back in and nothing happened again. Overall I really love the hardware. Big screens are just straight fantastic for any kind of word processing(I'm a college student too so I often times take notes on it).

I'd say it's a great phone, but carrying around an extra battery may not be a terrible thing(or at least a charger) depending on how often you actually use it.

 

[Quantum0700]

Well then... ain't that over 9000? I was unaware that it came with a 2GB SD too. You're going to have to fill me in more about the Advanced Task Killer (why "kill" anyways?) and how to delete said "junkware" whenever I do end up getting it.

What's the deal with Swype? I've vaguely seen it in action, but I'm not too sure exactly what it is and what it does for you. From what I see it improves input speed; that much I know.

I'm feeling an Android is the way to go. iPhone, while its UI is more consistent and it's quite fancier, it's a little too closed off for my needs. It's fun to have control over all aspects of your phone, not be told "Here: you can call, you can BUY apps, you can use apps, have fun."

PS. Also, I use "also" too often in posts.

 

[Aerodrifting]

Well then... ain't that over 9000? I was unaware that it came with a 2GB SD too. You're going to have to fill me in more about the Advanced Task Killer (why "kill" anyways?) and how to delete said "junkware" whenever I do end up getting it.

What's the deal with Swype? I've vaguely seen it in action, but I'm not too sure exactly what it is and what it does for you. From what I see it improves input speed; that much I know.

I'm feeling an Android is the way to go. iPhone, while its UI is more consistent and it's quite fancier, it's a little too closed off for my needs. It's fun to have control over all aspects of your phone, not be told "Here: you can call, you can BUY apps, you can use apps, have fun."

PS. Also, I use "also" too often in posts.

The extra 2GB is default phone storage, main storage is on a 16GB internal SD card (which comes with the phone and can not be removed without taking apart entire device). On top of the 2+16= 18 GB storage space, you also have a micro SD card expansion slot next to the simcard slot which supports up to 32GB. I don't think any phones on the current market can get up to 50GB storage space except the Samsung Galaxy 9000S series.

ATK is a free software you can download via Android market, which is equivalent to the task manager on your computer. Captivate supports multi tasking, which means after you go back to home screen from whatever you were doing earlier (games / web browser / map); those applications remain open on the background draining your battery power. You kill those applications running on the background with ATK.

Swype is Swype, it comes with a tutorial explains better than I could. You need to install Titanium backup to remove stock software after you root your phone

The phone was a little frustrating at first because I never played with androids before, after a couple days learning I absolutely love it and will not consider anything except Splint EPIC 4G (identical to Captivate with extra camera flash + slideout landscape QWERTY keyboard)

 

[Quantum0700]

@Aerodrifting: got most all of that 18GB of internal memory included is INCREDIBLE!(wait... no, it's not by HTC, it's a Samsung Captivate) and Re: Swype, I watched a demo video and it seems to make sense. Quite awesome.

The one thing I'm not particularly familiar with is this "root" you speak of. Titanium Backup sounds like... well, a backup (app? program?), but why would I need to "root my phone" and what would that accomplish?

Sorry if this is supposed to be common knowledge among Androidians, but I'm not yet an Androidian

 

[3gAndroid]

The Captivate is a really good phone. But beware, the battery life on it is HORRIBLE.

The Captivate is a really good phone, but be prepared for GREAT BATTERY LIFE.

PS: Im actually thinking about switching to the Torch as I was a heavy BlackBerry user for 3 years and the battery on BlackBerrys is phenominal!

I have used BlackBerry's for five years and they are great...

But, they are slipping. It all began with the Bold 9000 which was the first BlackBerry delivered to market with a horrible OS. My first BlackBerry was a 7290, which was great. Stable & reliable, and secure were the hallmarks of the BB platform. Next I went with a 7310C with SureType, another great BB model. Next up was a 8700c perhaps the most popular BB just before they decided to get involved in the consumer market. 8800 was my next , then a series of 83xx models. All offered very good experiences living up to their name of reliable secure devices. The real problems began with they rushed the Bold 9000 to market with a flaky OS and then we entered a period of time when "leaked OS's" became the norm. Those of us enthusiasts with lots of BB experience were trying out these unofficial "leaked OS's very frequently. Sometimes each week. It began a massive waste of time, and the beginning of the RIM's downward slide.

The key to remember is that an Android phone of any model is _NOT_ a BlackBerry, therefore they are going to be different and that includes battery life. The Captivate has a huge display compared to the tiny BB display. Smartphones are like laptops, the displays draw the most power of any component. In addition, Android phones are used so much differently than BB's.

I have found on each of the Android phones I have that battery life continues to improve with use, after the first few weeks. As an example, the Captivate I have now gets the same battery life as my iPhone 4. That's a pretty good indicator of the lifespan.

Cheers...

 

[Quantum0700]

Even if the battery life is iffy for the first x days, I'm willing to endure it as the battery gets "broken in". (again note that I do NOT have the device yet XD)

Oh yeah, I've heard rumors that the Skype Android app doesn't work on Galaxy S phones; is it true? Hopefully not : O

 

[fldude99]

Even if the battery life is iffy for the first x days, I'm willing to endure it as the battery gets "broken in". (again note that I do NOT have the device yet XD)

Oh yeah, I've heard rumors that the Skype Android app doesn't work on Galaxy S phones; is it true? Hopefully not : O

No rumor. The rumor is whether it will work on 2.2

 

[northernale1]

no skype,, which i find upsettting,,, not sure if its a skype issue or samsung issue,, i hope corrected soon,,,

my battery life is awesome,, actually i find it amazing,,,

 

[dsjr2006]

I'm considering buying a Samsung Captivate soon. I have AT&T, so that rules out... well, like every HTC or DROID Android ever.

What I'm looking for:

• A functional and smoothly-animated GUI
• A high-resolution screen
• Something with a back and front camera, flash isn't OVERLY necessary
• A phone that calls and texts well (which shockingly some phones fail to successfully execute )
• Good internal storage, I don't want to run around buying an expensive MicroSD
• A phone that can handle apps like word processors (being an Info Tech student, I have a ton of stuff to be typing up)
• A phone with fluid Internet browsing

Now, the HTC Aria is ruled out; the PPI is a bit too low to work with me. Unfortunately that's the only AT&T-provided HTC Android, and no, I won't get an unlocked phone for $600+ dollars.

IF the Samsung Captivate does in fact do all of that (or hell, at least most of it), whatare the go-to, must-have killer apps? I'm so foreign to the Android Market that I usually call it the App Store mistakenly.

I've been looking deeply into it for a while, but it seems the only way to really know is a sample of real Android people who know what they're talking about probably far more than me, the Android n3wb.

tl;dr - HALP PLOX

TY!

You could go Windows Phone 7 too..... pretty impressed with it so far and of course the MS Office support is excellent.

Don't expect great battery life or working GPS from the Captivate, otherwise it's a nice phone. Cool thing that most people don't know about it is that you can do video out via the headphone jack using a video cable for an iPod video.

 

[CrimsonPride]

ok ive heard about enough about the battery life, i can get 2 days off a charge and moderate use, its impossible for me to drain the battery in a day, and i leave wifi on 24/7.

now you may consider a windows phone 7 phone, i never would as the os is very boring, not nearly as bad as ios, but its not even close to android good.

ill also add the galaxy s phones are the smoothest phones out there, just as smooth as the iphone. all others are choppy with fast scrolling, the g2 is pretty good but its on tmobile. with exception of the front facing camera id say this is probably a good phone for you

 

[northernale1]

battery life on this phone is amazing,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nomoiphone]

Maybe this simple review will help - http://androidforums.com/samsung-captivate/218762-first-impressions-old-iphone-user.html

 

[Quantum0700]

UPDATE: I tried a friend's iPhone today (granted it was an iPhone 2, but still), and compared to what I've seen of Android and the Captivate...

...meh.

Captivate is the one to get for AT&T users like myself, and I've already found a good-looking case for it (as if I wouldn't get one!) - Samsung Captivate Commuter Series Case // OtterBox.com

I'm getting mixed reviews on the battery life, and as for the random shutoff issues, have they been fixed? Re: UI lag, I'm willing to use 2.1 until FroYo comes out (god do these version names make me hungry XD) And WP7 just ssems too new and unsupported to get it too soon. also seems restricted like iOS.

 

[sremick]

Well then... ain't that over 9000? I was unaware that it came with a 2GB SD too.

Storage - CapFAQ

You're going to have to fill me in more about the Advanced Task Killer (why "kill" anyways?)

Task killers - CapFAQ

and how to delete said "junkware" whenever I do end up getting it.

Uninstalling stock apps - CapFAQ

What's the deal with Swype? I've vaguely seen it in action, but I'm not too sure exactly what it is and what it does for you. From what I see it improves input speed; that much I know.

Text input - CapFAQ