Verizon: Fail Hard - The Samsung Continuum

[Bateluer]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/08/samsung-confirms-continuum-dual-display-android-handset-for-veri/

* 3.4-inch Super AMOLED primary display, 1.8-inch Super AMOLED secondary "ticker" display.
* "Grip sensor" lets you touch the bottom sides of the phone to light up the ticker.
* Android 2.1 (ouch).
* Bing Maps / Bing Search (double ouch).
* Samsung 1GHz Hummingbird processor.
* Six-axis sensor + accelerometer.
* 5 megapixel camera, shoots 720p video.
* 802.11n WiFi.
* 8GB microSD card included.
* $200 on two-year contract after $100 mail-in rebate.

Some innovative features in there, but damn, the bolded crap is inexcusable. Eclair? Really? Jeebus, Gingerbread is about to be released, Samsung. There's no excuse not to be launching your phones with Froyo now.

Not confirmed yet, but I'm going to guess that the phone is locked pretty hard to Bing. Rubbish pile for me.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I bet the vast majority of apps use the "ticker" for ads.

 

[ponyo]

Haha. No mention of GPS in the Samsung press release. I bet you the GPS is flakey on this phone too. It's amazing Samsung is continuing to release new phones with known defect/ error.

 

[Bateluer]

Despite what the VZW rep told me this afternoon, this crap is what makes me want to just pay the ETF and move to a better phone/carrier.

 

[zerocool84]

Despite what the VZW rep told me this afternoon, this crap is what makes me want to just pay the ETF and move to a better phone/carrier.

It shouldn't surprise you, it's well known Verizon has a deal with Microsoft to put Bing on their devices. It's not going to change.

 

[Bateluer]

It shouldn't surprise you, it's well known Verizon has a deal with Microsoft to put Bing on their devices. It's not going to change.

It didn't surprise me. Just irritated and angered me further.

 

[zerocool84]

It didn't surprise me. Just irritated and angered me further.

Maybe you should leave but it seems every carrier is going to put custom shit or block stuff on their Android phones.

 

[boomhower]

I don't get the two screens. Only thing that is going to use them is Samsung crap since developers aren't going to develop for one phone. Maybe some ROM chiefs will come up with something creative.

 

[Bateluer]

Maybe you should leave but it seems every carrier is going to put custom shit or block stuff on their Android phones.

I may be dumping VZW to the curb in December. Want to see what they launch around Thanksgiving.

 

[zerocool84]

I may be dumping VZW to the curb in December. Want to see what they launch around Thanksgiving.

They just told you that to keep you on for at least another month.

 

[Bateluer]

They just told you that to keep you on for at least another month.

Probably. But if they don't deliver, all it does is 1)Drop my ETF, and 2)Give more time for the community to fully root the MT4G and G2.

 

[gsaldivar]

As much as I like Verizon's service, they deserve every bit of heat they are getting for locking down their Android phones with Bing.

Please Verizon.... just be a dumb pipe.

/rant

 

[NutBucket]

Surprisingly the GPS on my Fascinate has been ok. Been using it the car with google maps for traffic and according to the GPS utils I have 1m accuracy. I'm definitely tracking at least 5 birds consistently. What more do you expect?

I will admit that the antenna is nowhere near as sensitive as my TomTom, but what can you expect for such a small device?

 

[gsaldivar]

the antenna is nowhere near as sensitive as my TomTom, but what can you expect for such a small device?

As far as I know the accuracy of the Fascinate hasn't been as much of an issue as the time to lock. My HTC incredible locks near-instantaneously 100% of the time. Many Fascinate owners aren't seeing that at all...

I wish I had a picture of my friend's face when he I showed him my phone and he realized that's how GPS on an Android phone is *supposed* to work....

 

[NutBucket]

Again, seems about the same as a cold-start time for my TomTom. Granted, should be much faster given it can (I assume it does) download ephemeris data from the network vs. having to get it from the satellites.

 

[gsaldivar]

Again, seems about the same as a cold-start time for my TomTom. Granted, should be much faster given it can (I assume it does) download ephemeris data from the network vs. having to get it from the satellites.

Call me crazy, but I think most people's high expectations are justified considering that they are paying ~$2000+ for a high-end smartphone & data service over a typical 2-year contract.

If most/all other Android phones lock instantaneously, why shouldn't the same be expected of the Samsung Fascinate?

 

[NutBucket]

No idea. I haven't really used any other Android device so I really have no basis for comparison.

Just giving my $0.02 from an engineering perspective.

 

[jersiq]

Despite what the VZW rep told me this afternoon, this crap is what makes me want to just pay the ETF and move to a better phone/carrier.

Please do. Your rage around here is getting rather tiring.

 

[MrX8503]

I don't understand the second screen either. I hope they don't use it for ads or something.

Something that I've noticed about the Verizon/Bing relationship. Its not just smartphones, verizon is loading up Bing on all phones, such as feature phones.

 

[hanoverphist]

I don't understand the second screen either. I hope they don't use it for ads or something.

"Update 2: Okay, we got some more info on that screen. The entire front of the phone is one huge four-inch screen, with the Android buttons more or less painted over the lower third -- the screen lights up underneath them in white to illuminate them. Samsung says it's just easier for marketing purposes to say it's two screens, but that they're selectively turning on the bottom portion of the display for the ticker. As far as battery life, it's a 1500mah battery that'll last about a day, we're told -- the lower screen turns on whenever a notification comes in, but since it's a smaller screen the battery life is on par with the Fascinate. "

lol its not even a separate screen. i doubt it will take long for carriers to realize they can start advertising on that little screen section.

 

[MrX8503]

I knew that it was one whole screen. My problem with it is that it might harbor advertisements. That would suck big time.

 

[s44]

So it's a Fascinate with different firmware?

 

[Bateluer]

So it's a Fascinate with different firmware?

Very similar, from what it sounds like. Samsung is definitely moving a lot of Galaxy S/Hummingbird chips. So that's what they've been working on instead of the Froyo update.

 

[slightlyhuman]

i will NEVER buy another samsung phone. i don't care if it's the only android phone out. never, ever, ever again.