Why is this phone being released?

dm33 said:

I don't get why people care about single/dual core. Its not like you're running supercomputer calculations on your phone. Its just a phone. Running a browser, entering some notes, simply does not tax a CPU. Make scrolling a little smoother? No amount of CPU will make it totally smooth until Google utilizes the GPU, then even a very slow phone will look smooth.

The much more important stat is how fast can it receive data. LTE is no comparison to 3G. LTE is the important speed improvement. Everything else is unneeded useless power.

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If that were the case, my OG Droid wouldn't be so laggy. Android demands a high-end CPU. Dual-core will only help, especially considering Android's development cycle is so fast (6 months) that I'm sure the next iteration designed for phones will have dual-core support.

I agree, LTE is far more important than dual-core. But don't discount dual-core. It's useful for things like 3D games and yes, even for just general everyday use. The browser could offload script processing to one core and render images with the other.

dm33 said:

I don't get why people care about single/dual core. Its not like you're running supercomputer calculations on your phone. Its just a phone. Running a browser, entering some notes, simply does not tax a CPU. Make scrolling a little smoother? No amount of CPU will make it totally smooth until Google utilizes the GPU, then even a very slow phone will look smooth.

The much more important stat is how fast can it receive data. LTE is no comparison to 3G. LTE is the important speed improvement. Everything else is unneeded useless power.

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While LTE is important, the first part of this is just false. Go play with a G2x in store. It FLIES around the OS and really significantly browses the web better.

Its what the experience should be, really.

shadowdude777 said:

If that were the case, my OG Droid wouldn't be so laggy. Android demands a high-end CPU. Dual-core will only help, especially considering Android's development cycle is so fast (6 months) that I'm sure the next iteration designed for phones will have dual-core support.

I agree, LTE is far more important than dual-core. But don't discount dual-core. It's useful for things like 3D games and yes, even for just general everyday use. The browser could offload script processing to one core and render images with the other.

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What specifically is laggy? Scrolling? Starting an app?

I have yet to see really decent games on Android vs. iPhone/iPad.

I think the only way I'll upgrade to this phone is if I'm one of the lucky ones to find one. Houston is one of the 16 cities so I'm keeping my fingers crossed (and my scavenger skills ready).

dm33 said:

What specifically is laggy? Scrolling? Starting an app?

I have yet to see really decent games on Android vs. iPhone/iPad.

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Oh, they're coming, and quickly. NFS Shift, Asphalt, and other 3D titles are quickly making their way to Android devices, and don't expect them to slow down anytime soon. Android overall is surging ahead in sales and shows no signs of letting up the pace. Look at devices like Sprint's up and coming HTC Evo 3D. Now THAT is a serious phone. 3D glasses free, dual core goodness, and an all around amazing device, FINALLY without a keyboard, and on the one network I'm starting to seriously dig right now.

I wish I didn't have that pesky primary line still stuck on Berizon for 16 more months ...

I know my opinions differ from others, but LTE is the one thing I DON'T care about. I don't need more than 3 mb/s rates, honestly (unless you're a frequent tetherer). And even then, 5 or 6 is sufficient to stream HD video. I just can't imagine the need for 20mb/s on a phone, unless of course you need the tethering.

I'd much rather have a speedy device all around that can go nuts on wifi and still have good battery life as a phone. Until LTE tech is more streamlined, battery efficient, and the network has the service available in more areas, LTE can kiss my butt. It's not even going to be in my area for over a year.

For those of you that need the LTE, it's something you have to consider, but the Thunderbolt IS a faster LTE device. The screen is better on the Samsung, for sure, but the Thunderbolt will give you faster performance in non-3D/gaming related tasks, and even some of those gaming/3D tasks will be slightly faster on the Adreno. The PowerGPU in the Samsung still wins some of those.

Why can't Berizon just release a clear winner? Why do they have to make all the choices so dang tough. Just release the SGS2 already ...

So basically this phone is Galaxy S plus 4G LTE and Super AMOLED plus. It's got some spec bumps on camera, battery too. Hummingbird speed is not so bad and on par with 2nd gen snapdragon if it's paired with EXT4 file system. So blame the RFS for lower speed than snapdragon but gaming has always been decent with PowerVR 540 GPU.

Overall it's not strong on processing power and internal storage but if 4G reception, battery life and camera are better than Tbolt, it might sell ok. But I think this is stop gap until SGSII comes to VZW.

rushmore said:

Why? Because VZW thinks they can. They are leveraging their coverage map and holding to their mid level device for premium price strategy. They think people will pick their coverage map and bend over and take these devices with a two year contract.

To make it worse, these devices have low to no internal storage and the CRAPTASTIC Blockbuster app. This means no Netflix app- EVER on these devices, since, Blockbuster paid to have this bloatware pre-installed.

Netflix is the other way around, since the Android OEM has to pay Netflix to have their device authorized for Netflix servers.

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you have it a little wrong. #1, the first sentence should be, because SAMSUNG thinks they can. Samsung priced this phone

something people need to get thru their heads: Verizon doesnt make money off devices. you're looking at this, and thinking, "verizon is now making $50 more a phone." verizon makes money when customers oay their bill. they guarantee a revenue stream when a contract is signed. verizon doesnt care whether the customer buys a citrus or a charge. obviously it matters in that they want the customer to be happy with the phone so they sign again 20 months. verizon simply accepts the phone samsung gives them, and presents it as another choice to the customer its good for samsung, because they get to be part of the android market saturation, its good for vzw, because they get the attention of customers looking for a variant of the GSII (whether that's what it is or not) and the customer benefits because they get another choice (not everyone is super concerned over an extra $50. people pay $299 for 32GB iPhones all day long without blinking, and the charge's screen is so much nicer imo.

lack of netflix has nothing to do with blockbuster or "manufacturers paying to have the device authorized on netflix servers." i suppose those would be acceptable explanations, but i happen to know the truth. with netflix, and the fragmentation of android, they have been trying to figure out how to meet DRM requirements when all of the phones are so different. see, netflix uses Microsoft's silverlight for DRM (i hope i'm using that digital rights management term correctly) which is why it was so easy to bake it into win phone 7 (and with iPhone they only had to contend with one device. well, as it turns out, what it relates to is the processor's development platform. so, phones that come out from here on out with Tegra 2s will have Netflix (read: LG Revolution, a phone i will immediately buy, despite all other features and reviews.
Verizon is smart enough to know what people want. they wont hold netflix off a device in order to keep blockbuster. you watch, any Tegra 2 WILL have netflix.

just my $.02

Either way...the phone is delayed! Yes 4G was out yesterday, however on Mobile Tech Review, Lisa says something to the tune of voice quality not being good at all? $299 for a phone with last years specs and crappy voice quality? Lol....VZW better be very careful, the average consumer is pretty smart these days compared to yesteryear. I for one would not pay $299 for this phone.

jcnyc said:

Wow of course this phone is delayed, which one isn't? By the time it does get released, the sensation and evo3d will probably already be released and this phone will be a dinosaur. Damn it verizon, first the 4g goes down and now you still want to release noob phones. Give us the galaxy s2 because i for sure won't let me girlfriend get this phone.

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Wow, folks don't seem to care about LTE. Why bother with this phone if you don't want LTE.

Look, its obvious that LTE is a very new technology. Verizon is having trouble rolling out and stabilizing the network. Phone manufacturers are having trouble making the phones work reliably. The early phones are big, heavy, slow and power hungry.

Deal with it.

If you don't want LTE, go get some sleek, new, fast, power-sipping phone elsewhere. If you do want LTE and are willing to be an early adopter, then you have to deal with some tradeoffs. Thats why Apple isn't including LTE in the iPhone 5.

The Charge's Quadrant scores suck because it's running RFS. As soon as a custom ROM is put on there, it'll jump up to rival the TB.

jcnyc said:

Why tbolt is better
-More storage
-More Ram
-Sense > Touchwiz (had a galaxy S for a month and sense is much better)
-Faster processor (just look at the quadrant scores)
-kickstand

Why Charge is better
-Better screen
-Potentially better battery life but who knows yet

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A few more pros of Charge you forgot to include are
- HDMI out
- Better Camera performance
- Potentially better 4G LTE reception

And 2Gb of internal storage + 32Gb SD card is that big deal when you can move most of stuffs to SD card?

jinwons said:

A few more pros of Charge you forgot to include are
- HDMI out
- Better Camera performance
- Potentially better 4G LTE reception

And 2Gb of internal storage + 32Gb SD card is that big deal when you can move most of stuffs to SD card?

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'Potentially better 4G LTE reception' doesn't mean anything. Is this 'potential' based on any fact?
Thunderbolt also has 32GB SD card and more internal storage. So that is not an advantage of the Charge over the Thunderbolt.

jcnyc said:

Wow how is this releveant to my post? I have a HTC Thunderbolt and live in NYC and you damn well believe LTE is one of the most important things I'm looking for. My gripe is why Verizon released a phone that adds nothing to the smartphone inventory when a far superior phone from the same manufacturer is already released.

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Ok, sorry. Misinterpreted your post. I've read so many complaints about whatever phone not being dual core, not being .2Ghz faster, etc. that I assumed that was the complaint.

To me all the phones these days look pretty much the same. They all look very much like the iPhone vs. the pre-iPhone days. They're all touchscreen slabs. Hard to be really different.

jcnyc said:

I have a thunderbolt and the camera takes some pretty damn good pics, where have they stated the camera quality might be better? I'd be interested to read since that is impoirtant to my gf lol

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No good reports on the Charge's camera yet, but the new 8MP is MUCH improved over any of HTC's previous offerings (other than the Desire on AT&T, which has the same new camera). HTC has had 8MP cameras for a while, as well as motorola, but neither brand's 8MP camera has been able to equal the picture quality of Samsung's 5MP camera on the galaxy S series or Apple's 5MP camera on the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 was typically superior to the Galaxy S camera as well, but not by a huge margin.

This 8MP camera on the Thunderbolt completely catches it up to the 5MP on the Galaxy S, at least from the samples I've been able to compare from other people in similar lighting conditions. It's an excellent camera for a cellphone. The thought that Samsung's new 8MP offering on the Charge is even better is definitely not outside the realm of possibility. Samsung is typically quite good at cameras in the last few years.

dm33 said:

'Potentially better 4G LTE reception' doesn't mean anything. Is this 'potential' based on any fact?
Thunderbolt also has 32GB SD card and more internal storage. So that is not an advantage of the Charge over the Thunderbolt.

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I was merely pointing out that storage in Charge is not so bad compared to Tbolt as some folks are making it out to be. Not that it's advantage over Tbolt.

Potentially better LTE reception is based on the observation that Tbolt had many 4G reception issues reported. So this remains to be seen for next a few months. BTW, some early review was just posted on this forum and they found it to be working well.

Connectivity issues are moot. There is an upcoming TB baseband update.
HTC Thunderbolt getting new radio firmware, according to Verizon doc -- Engadget

SirKronan said:

Exactly what's in the Galaxy S.

Finally, we no for sure.

NO 1.2GHz hummingbird like AT&T's 4.5" samsung.
NO dual core.
SAME processor from LAST YEAR.

What a disappointment. (I mean the screen, camera, and HDMI are great features, but WHY didn't they upgrade the CPU to run all the new goodies better? This phone simply makes NO SENSE.)

Regardless, I thank you.

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Again, because VZW thinks they can. They think they can sell midlevel spec phones for premium prices due to their better coverage map. I hope this device fails BIG TIME.

I don't know about Verizon's ideas, but I think this phone being released underscores the main thing with Android - choice is good.

People get more access to the brands they prefer with the features they prefer.

Sounds like an Android win to me, and when Android wins, we all win.

EarlyMon said:

I don't know about Verizon's ideas, but I think this phone being released underscores the main thing with Android - choice is good.

People get more access to the brands they prefer with the features they prefer.

Sounds like an Android win to me, and when Android wins, we all win.

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There's nothing wrong with the phone. But $299 on a 2 year contract is ridiculous for what you get: a refresh of 2010 hardware that will stay with you into 2013. I think it's a solid choice for someone that doesn't need cutting edge, but I wouldn't touch it for more than $99 on contract (keep your eye on 3rd party retailers). Verizon is milking the new-ness of its LTE network.

99 dollars? negative

199....i could see something like that being a fair price....

Personally, it looks a lot better than the thunderbolt and the revolution

I think the thunderbolt is overpriced for being a slightly enhanced Evo

+1 to 199 for Charge. Seems like right price for it.

jinwons said:

+1 to 199 for Charge. Seems like right price for it.

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Even $250 would seem reasonable. Better screen than the TB, HDMI out, and like the TB it has a 32GB SD card. If that's a class 4 like the one in the TB that's worth a pretty penny. I just don't think they should charge more than the TB. Some of the phone is superior, but some of it is inferior as well, and the price should reflect such. The Droid and Droid X had the Droid branding and sold for $299 before a $100 rebate. If this sells for $299 with no rebate options, that will make it the most expensive Droid on its release date, for incremental upgrades in technology over older Droid branded sets.