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Another Negative Review....Droid-Life

It seems that the consensus so far on this phone is as follows:

Great Hardware, Poor Software, Horrible Forced Bing Implementation.

I don't know what to think anymore. I'm looking to get a new phone, and I honestly thought this would be the one. Top of the line processor and screen...but I can't even get a google experience with it...on an ANDROID phone? This sux pretty bad. Is the consumer ever going to get a choice? I thought open source meant OPEN to everyone...not open to be locked down however you want...lol. What garbage.
 
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It seems that the consensus so far on this phone is as follows:

Great Hardware, Poor Software, Horrible Forced Bing Implementation.

I don't know what to think anymore. I'm looking to get a new phone, and I honestly thought this would be the one. Top of the line processor and screen...but I can't even get a google experience with it...on an ANDROID phone? This sux pretty bad. Is the consumer ever going to get a choice? I thought open source meant OPEN to everyone...not open to be locked down however you want...lol. What garbage.
its not the end of the world....if u like it then get once its rooted you can delete the bloatware if u dont want to root then i suugest u look at another phone....ps u can download the google s@#t if u want it that bad
 
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It seems that the consensus so far on this phone is as follows:

Great Hardware, Poor Software, Horrible Forced Bing Implementation.

I don't know what to think anymore. I'm looking to get a new phone, and I honestly thought this would be the one. Top of the line processor and screen...but I can't even get a google experience with it...on an ANDROID phone? This sux pretty bad. Is the consumer ever going to get a choice? I thought open source meant OPEN to everyone...not open to be locked down however you want...lol. What garbage.

get used to it this is how all of verizons android phones are going to be soon. Except they will just keep making them more locked down until they are so locked down you arent able to root and make it the way you want.
 
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When the web site name has "droid" on it, I don't expect them to be impartial. ;)

You know, I more expect the negative attitude from the Apple fanboys than from people within the Android family. But I guess I am wrong. :)

That's why Android phones have so many different variation to accommodate different taste. For those who don't like TouchWiz or Bing, they can simply buy a different Android device. Right? :) Frankly, if these are all the issues the Fascinate has, it is a very good phone.
 
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if you are going to root it, it's sounds like a great phone. There is no question that you will be able to remove that, may not even require a root. if not rooting, you may want to wait to see what people find out once it is out. I'd hate to be stuck with Bing myself.

reviews based on pre-loaded software are stupid, it has nothing to do with the actual phone or Samsung.
 
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Yeah, my sentiments exactly! Even if we root (and I am not really stoked to do that) there is no assurance that they will get the GPS working or Google Voice Search going. I was going to jump on this and order tonight but now I am a lot less enthusiastic.

They say there are a million of these out there. All with busted GPS systems. If they could fix it with a software update its hard to imagine that it has not been pushed already...

I have a DINC, had an X for a few weeks. Both devices had some minor updates pushed to fix small issues (at least I did not have anything major wrong) in the first few weeks after release. They have left a million users with crap GPS systems waiting for the Froyo release / push??? Hard to believe thats true.

I still might buy it and return if the thing is still broke a few weeks from now. Just have to make sure I can unroot and give it back to them without issues.....I really want this phone! Bigger / better screen and lighter too. The best of all possible worlds except the thing has herpes....I mean Bing


DTMB!
 
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I am in the same situation. I have the DINC had an X that I thought was just too big to carry around in my pocket so I sold it and was going to put the money towards the Fascinate. After reading some of the not so positive reviews, I think I will hold off until the new HTC phone drops. I don't care about Bing, i can work around that but the GPS issue is a huge issue for me.

Too bad because I thought this would be the sweet spot between the DINC and the X.

Yeah, my sentiments exactly! Even if we root (and I am not really stoked to do that) there is no assurance that they will get the GPS working or Google Voice Search going. I was going to jump on this and order tonight but now I am a lot less enthusiastic.

They say there are a million of these out there. All with busted GPS systems. If they could fix it with a software update its hard to imagine that it has not been pushed already...

I have a DINC, had an X for a few weeks. Both devices had some minor updates pushed to fix small issues (at least I did not have anything major wrong) in the first few weeks after release. They have left a million users with crap GPS systems waiting for the Froyo release / push??? Hard to believe thats true.

I still might buy it and return if the thing is still broke a few weeks from now. Just have to make sure I can unroot and give it back to them without issues.....I really want this phone! Bigger / better screen and lighter too. The best of all possible worlds except the thing has herpes....I mean Bing


DTMB!
 
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I am in the same situation. I have the DINC had an X that I thought was just too big to carry around in my pocket so I sold it and was going to put the money towards the Fascinate. After reading some of the not so positive reviews, I think I will hold off until the new HTC phone drops. I don't care about Bing, i can work around that but the GPS issue is a huge issue for me.

Too bad because I thought this would be the sweet spot between the DINC and the X.

The whole Bing thing isn't the biggest deal to me, annoying yes, but not a dealbreaker. However I am in fear that if i buy this device that the GPS will never be working 100%, or that by the time the update comes it will be past the 30 day window.

Another annoyance with that is if I were to decide to take this thing back within the 30 day window because of the GPS not working, it's BS to have to pay a restocking fee on a device that clearly is not giving you what you paid for.
 
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The whole Bing thing isn't the biggest deal to me, annoying yes, but not a dealbreaker. However I am in fear that if i buy this device that the GPS will never be working 100%, or that by the time the update comes it will be past the 30 day window.

Another annoyance with that is if I were to decide to take this thing back within the 30 day window because of the GPS not working, it's BS to have to pay a restocking fee on a device that clearly is not giving you what you paid for.


Question is can a user still use Google Search if they wanted and also use Google Nav, rather than pay $10 a month for Verizon Nav. Seems VZW is trying to rip consumers by forcing a Bing portal for hit kickbacks and $10 a month for Navigator. Lame if correct and WILL hurt Fascinate sales.
 
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Question is can a user still use Google Search if they wanted and also use Google Nav, rather than pay $10 a month for Verizon Nav. Seems VZW is trying to rip consumers by forcing a Bing portal for hit kickbacks and $10 a month for Navigator. Lame if correct and WILL hurt Fascinate sales.

From what I've read, you can't use Google search at all, but you can use google nav and maps and search within those apps. If you tried to search outside of those apps for an address (like on the web or your phonebook) there's no way to link the apps and have the results show up in nav or maps.
 
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From what I've read, you can't use Google search at all, but you can use google nav and maps and search within those apps. If you tried to search outside of those apps for an address (like on the web or your phonebook) there's no way to link the apps and have the results show up in nav or maps.

You can use Google search from Google.com. Also, the default maps/nav CAN be changed per the reviews.
 
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You can use Google search from Google.com. Also, the default maps/nav CAN be changed per the reviews.

Yes, they can be changed, but like I said before, they aren't linked to anything, so if I want to get to a friend's house and I have his address in my contacts app, I can't click on the address and automatically have it give me directions in Google Maps/nav. I'd have to manually enter that data in those apps which is a PITA.
 
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Even though the fascinate arrived late to the party vs. the other Galaxy S variants, this phone could have been a gem at release with a few things done differently, and now due to a combination of VZW and Samsung, it's launch seems like a bumpy trail.

_Release with fixed GPS
_Released with Bing as default but Google as an option

The combination of these two things have completely put me at a halt for buying this device. I had been ready to get it on launch day when the guys in the droid x board was saying that the GPS hadn't given him any problems, but now after the multiple reports of GPS issues in combination with Bing, I just don't think I will be able to bring myself to pay for this phone when it doesn't even do the things it advertises. I can live with Bing being forced down my throat, but in combo with the GPS is what breaks the deal.

Sad.
 
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I don't think it was necessarily a "negative" review, given that on the page for the video, he asks the Droid faithful what they think he should use to "attack" the Fascinate! Sounds like he's starting the review with a little bias and intent to have the Droids (including the reviewer's own Dinc) come out on top. He actually states that the phone is a winner toward the end of the review.
 
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you can download and use google maps/nav, but it has been stated that you can NOT change it to the default. I have not tried so I can't confirm.

ROOT is the answer.

Per the Engadget review, unless they got it wrong:

"Beyond this, Verizon also has tweaked the device so that it defaults to Verizon Navigator instead of Google Navigation in any area of the phone which calls for navigation (including the context menu in contacts). This can actually be changed, but only through a fairly arcane combination of settings -- another annoying alteration that seems unnecessary here"
 
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Elic's post in the GPS issues thread was enough to convince me to not spend my money on it (out of contract price). Maybe when the phone starts hitting the classifieds I'll pick one up then.

http://androidforums.com/1540993-post56.html

And with them offering to bogo on a new android phone like this. I am sure the market price will drop. Unlike the inc and x still hold there value very well on ebay.
 
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Per the Engadget review, unless they got it wrong:

"Beyond this, Verizon also has tweaked the device so that it defaults to Verizon Navigator instead of Google Navigation in any area of the phone which calls for navigation (including the context menu in contacts). This can actually be changed, but only through a fairly arcane combination of settings -- another annoying alteration that seems unnecessary here"

Point is VZW have went out of their way to con users who are already paying $30 a month for data to pay another $10 for Verizon Nav- on a Google based device. Many people will be ignorant to this and be duped into paying- due to the way VZW set the device up.

Respectfully, this device deserves to fail to send VZW a message that consumers do not like being duped. Bing portal and VZW Nav- riiiggght. :rolleyes:
 
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After reading all the reviews and comments from different forums, I as well started to re-consider the Fascinate, but the phone has a lot of potential, especially going the "root" route.
Of all the reviews I've read, no one mentions the GPU, I'm curious to see what the assessment is on that.
So I'm still going to get it, root it, remove all the crapware, install google (search, maps, and navigation), and run launcherPro (or ADW). Finally hope that a fix comes in soon for the GPS issue.
I'm hoping this makes this a much better phone.
 
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Point is VZW have went out of their way to con users who are already paying $30 a month for data to pay another $10 for Verizon Nav- on a Google based device. Many people will be ignorant to this and be duped into paying- due to the way VZW set the device up.

Respectfully, this device deserves to fail to send VZW a message that consumers do not like being duped. Bing portal and VZW Nav- riiiggght. :rolleyes:

Is there automatically a fee or is it only if you use VZW Nav? I ordered this phone because Samsung Epic has a terrible 3g signal (Evo was much better). I also have a droid x coming. Now I'm debating which to keep.

Anyone know if there is a way to avoid the 35 dollar activation fee?
 
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Is there automatically a fee or is it only if you use VZW Nav? I ordered this phone because Samsung Epic has a terrible 3g signal (Evo was much better). I also have a droid x coming. Now I'm debating which to keep.

Anyone know if there is a way to avoid the 35 dollar activation fee?

Only if you open their nav app and then agree to the monthly charges.
 
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