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[Merged] Samsung Galaxy S / Captivate Android Phone

Would you consider it?

  • Already did, Android/Samsung here I come

    Votes: 21 22.1%

  • Hmmm, let me get back to you...

    Votes: 31 32.6%

  • Never! Apple For Life

    Votes: 43 45.3%
  • Total voters
    95
  • Poll closed .
My Samsung Captivate is a beast. Not because of Samsung, but because of ANDROID. As i mentioned in my post, Apple is not afraid of Samsung, they are afraid of ANDROID. So no I am not returning my Captivate, I look forward to what lies ahead for ANDROID.

Hey, be happy with your iphone, I was for 3 years. I am ready to move to the next level, which is ANDROID.

PEACE.
 
It is my understanding that zooming in Android browser feels choppier for a reason. Whereas on iPhone zooming is straightforward, on Android the browser re-formats text while zooming. The browser reformats text to fit in the screen. While it may look not as smooth it requires less zooming because more text gets fitted into the screen. And unless you are reading while zooming :) the smoothness does not matter or does it?

Trade-off between better icons and smarter icons (i.e. widgets), in my opinion, also favors Android.
 
Mad Mac said:
:rolleyes:

Like looking through a mesh screen? What does a 3GS screen look like then? A cheesegrater?
  • 3GS: 163 pixels per inch, 320x480 resolution, 200:1 contrast ratio
  • Captivate: 233 pixels per inch, 480x800 resolution, 50,000:1 contrast ratio
  • iP4: 326 pixels per inch, 640 960 resolution, 800:1 contrast ratio

Sure the iP4 has higher PPI, but unless you're looking at the phones under a microscope you're not going to see it. The 3GS screen still looks pretty good and the Captivate's screen is higher res than the 3GS. If you say you can see the individual pixels, you must really hate the Macbook screens with their 110-130 ppi resolution.

With that said, what you *can* see is the Captivate's superior black levels that no iPhone can match.
Click to expand...

The type of screen the Captivate uses makes it look very grainy. It looks worse than other phones that share the same resolution. I believe it's called a pentile type display. While it has great contrast and blacks the clarity is pretty bad compared to iPhone 4 as are the innaccurate colors.

It looks good from a distance but kind of crappy up close at normal phone viewing distance. So comparing resolution is kind of pointless because it's about the type of display panel captivate uses. The HTC Evo or the Droid X don't have the excessive grainy look the Samsung has and they have almost if not the same resolution. Comparing any screen next to the Captivate make it obvious, even my 3GS didn't look as grainy. Not talking pixelated, it's different on the Samsung.

Actually reading your post makes me wonder if you've even seen the Captivatea screen? Genuine question.


Could be just preference, if someone wants a high contrast screen with good blacks then Captivate is nice. Just not sure how anyone can compare that to the all around clarity, detail and accurate colors on the iPhone 4. It just looks so much better to me.
 
Vegastouch said:
I dont know what to think of this response.

I have the Vibrant which is the same phone and i dont have any of those issues you speak of on the screen. It doesnt look grainy and i have no issues with small text. But to say you "wouldnt put up with it"? Really? How long have you had an iPhone? Is the iP4 your first? Judging by your member date, id say no.
Because the iPhones before the iP4 sure didnt have near as nice a picture as the Galaxy's do and you put up with those. The display on my Vibrant just blows away the picture on my iPhone...which is not a iP4. Loved my iPhone but it looks real small compared to my Vibrant and im not one that loves the bigger phones. I think the Droid X, HTC HD2, and the Dell phone are too big as a whole. I wouldnt want to go bigger than a 4" screen.

iphone 4 is was not my only iphone or smart phone for that matter. I "put up" with those previous phones because I hadn't really seen better. My point in looking at the Captivate was to return my iPhone 4 for it. Just to try something different really. Once you see a really good display like the iPhone 4, it makes going to something different that much more difficult. So yeah, I didn't have an issue with my 3GS at the time, but only because I didn't have an iPhone 4 yet to compare it to. With that being said, the Evo, Droid X or even 3GS don't have the same grainy effect that I saw with the Captivate. I think the Vibrant uses the same screen, not sure how anyone can't notice how it effected text, pictures etc. To my eye it just wasn't clear. I do agree that those other phones are too big and the Captivate was a nice size.

I found the Captivate to have poor whites that looked grey or blue, images when scrolled on a web page became distorted, text again looked grainy as did photos. It did have fantastic black levels and the colors popped, but they were also very saturated and inacurate. I'd say the Captivate has a great wow factor and is good eye candy from a distance, but when you hold a phone close like you normally would I believe detail is far more important that great black levels, and right now IMO nothing comes close to the detail and clarity of a retina display. If the Captivate had a screen that was on the same level of clarity as retina, I would have it right now. It didn't. That's an important feature for me, not saying it was bad by any means, just to me it was a step down, as was the camera and other aspects. I really wanted to like the Captivate more so now I wait to see if AT&T can bring any other high end Android phones to it's network then maybe I'll try again.
Click to expand...


I know it sounds like I'm slamming the Captivate, but personally I was looking forward to trying it and was just very let down. So I'm voicing my opinion about it. Sadly this forum can turn pathetic quick and voicing a negative opinion about something makes you a fan boy with no life. Ridiculous.
 
Captivate was awful in browsing. The scrolling was not as smooth as iPhone 4. It was crap compare to iPhone 4.
 
First, it's important to note that I'm _not_ advocating for either Android or Apple. Personally I enjoy them both, each for their own strengths.*

Second, to those who may be considering Android, it is nothing like iOS4 and therefore requires an open mind, patience, and time before one discovers just how exciting, fun and useful this OS is.*

Third, the in-store experience (no matter how long one spends) is in no way a fair trial for you or the device. Due to the very nature of Android, there are too many variables to cloud you're judgement upon first look.*

To the OP, kudos for your open minded, fair report. If you proceed to buy a Captivate, once you've taken it home and spent some time with it I expect you will be nicely surprised with all you discover.*

As one who enjoys _ both_ iOS4 & Android ver 2.1 (Eclair) I must say that Android is indeed an exciting OS. Furthermore, as we move forward to version 3.0 (Gingerbread) which is due to be released in Q4, a significant improvement will occur which will change user experience and ease of use dramatically. The future of Android from my perspective is very exciting. Gingerbread will eliminate the various handset makers present launchers ie: *TouchWiz, Sense, etc. This will present a unified "Face Of Android" which is presently missing. This is what people will really respond to in a positive manner, and it will take the platform to a level previously unknown.*

We are experiencing very exciting times in the smartphone industry, for those enthusiasts with open minds, and a non-judgmental position, you have the best seat in the house... *:)
 
There is not really a comparison between the colors on the Captivate/Vibrant vs the iPhone 4.

The Captivate/Vibrant wins in that department, hands down.

The iPhone 4 may have better resolution, but that is the only advantage its screen has.
 
jonjames said:
Isn't macrumors an apple forum for people to discuss apple products????
Click to expand...

Struggling to find why you'd bother opening the thread, given the title, then go to the trouble of posting that.

OP, seems fair and balanced. As another poster alluded to, the Android experience is generally dictated by the quality of the skin applied by the hardware manufacturer. The Samsung skin isn't particularly good, in all honesty, particularly when compared to the HTC Sense skin.

Swype is available for download for most Android devices and is, imo, incredible.

Samsung have, in the past, reneged on promised upgrades to later versions of Android. While this will only hurt their reputation amongst tech fans who keep abreast of these things, it's definitely something to think about!
 
You know I keep hearing how it's a phone first and that should be the focus. However I've yet to meet anyone who uses a smartphone to make lots of phone calls where it's its primary function. Seriously when you add up my uses, i would bet phone calls would equate about 5% of its uses. In my opinion it's a gadget first with with a phone as an extra function. I use my iphone for email, news apps, texting, and music & podcast listening. I would venture to say I'm not alone in this...and can confidently say that no other phone or OS does these things better than iPhone 4. So you can keep your Androids, the lag on those devices are a deal breaker for me as well as a less than steller music and podcasting management.
 
allmIne said:
Samsung have, in the past, reneged on promised upgrades to later versions of Android. While this will only hurt their reputation amongst tech fans who keep abreast of these things, it's definitely something to think about!
Click to expand...

Excellent point!*

My past experience with Samsung prior to acquiring my new Captivate, was average at best. Typically one weak link was phone performance. Support was also less than stellar. Fast forward to the present. The "tipping point" for *me was a few articles over the last couple of months. They alluded to the fact that Samsung has woken up to the fact that it's past practices in the mobile phone sector, have resulted in leaving a lot of money on the table. Now they say Samsung has a new goal. That is to take on more market share in smartphones with a premium offering in the form of the Galaxy S in it's four unique versions for the top four US carriers.*

So far I can confirm that AT&T's version (Captivate) does indeed live up to it's premium billing in terms of build quality & exemplary phone performance. Even with the bar raised high with the intro of Apple's glass iP4, for a plastic phone, the Captivate is excellent and does not disappoint. I've had mine since launch day, I have a lot of time on it, and I'm impressed. Whether Samsung breaks old habits and provides good support and timely updates remains to be seen. That said, I do tend to think there is a good chance that they will. Time will tell... :)
 
I read on engadget that there are some big connectivity hurdles you have to jump through to load music and movies on your captivate, especially with a Mac. Add that to the fact that there is no flash, and the phone looks like a cheap knockoff of the the 3GS, no thanks.

I think a lot of people are taking iTunes integration for granted.
 
Until Froyo 2.2 comes out, there is really no reason to buy captivate. I don't even trust samsung that they will actually release 2.2 on captivate. Samsung did the same thing to T-mobile customers with behold. Samsung cannot be trusted.
 
jonjames said:
Isn't macrumors an apple forum for people to discuss apple products????
Click to expand...

Not anymore! All the bgr/engadget verizon android fanboys have made their way over to our forums to take a crap. I don't quite understand, if they're such a big android fan then why spend all day on Macrumors? What a trip! Flame away, fanboys!
 
I already tried captivate at AT&T store. The scrolling was not smooth at all! It was laggy. Sorry but, if the touch screen phone is laggy, then I would never consider buying one. Maybe I am used to apple's snappy performance in web. I will try again with 2.2 Froyo update, but who knows for sure if Samsung is going to release 2.2 update on Captivate? Samsung screwed their T-mobile customers with updates, so why should I expect better from them with AT&T?
Don't trust Samsung AT ALL!
 
I have a Captivate right now and I use a Mac, and loading my iTunes music was very simple - no hurdles to jump through.
 
And to add, I'm using the Captivate until my iPhone 4 arrives when I will decide between the 2, but I don't find the screen to be "grainy" at all as some people have said. I'm no screen expert, but I certainly enjoy the Captivate's screen. To each his own, I guess.
 
wirelessmacuser said:
First, it's important to note that I'm _not_ advocating for either Android or Apple. Personally I enjoy them both, each for their own strengths.*

Second, to those who may be considering Android, it is nothing like iOS4 and therefore requires an open mind, patience, and time before one discovers just how exciting, fun and useful this OS is.*

Third, the in-store experience (no matter how long one spends) is in no way a fair trial for you or the device. Due to the very nature of Android, there are too many variables to cloud you're judgement upon first look.*

To the OP, kudos for your open minded, fair report. If you proceed to buy a Captivate, once you've taken it home and spent some time with it I expect you will be nicely surprised with all you discover.*

As one who enjoys _ both_ iOS4 & Android ver 2.1 (Eclair) I must say that Android is indeed an exciting OS. Furthermore, as we move forward to version 3.0 (Gingerbread) which is due to be released in Q4, a significant improvement will occur which will change user experience and ease of use dramatically. The future of Android from my perspective is very exciting. Gingerbread will eliminate the various handset makers present launchers ie: *TouchWiz, Sense, etc. This will present a unified "Face Of Android" which is presently missing. This is what people will really respond to in a positive manner, and it will take the platform to a level previously unknown.*

We are experiencing very exciting times in the smartphone industry, for those enthusiasts with open minds, and a non-judgmental position, you have the best seat in the house... *:)
Click to expand...

Apple set the bar in smart phones, and you're right. I can't wait to see the outcome of all the others to raise the bar with a fine polish. Competition is great!
 
ChazUK said:
Who has said it was an iPhone killer? :confused:
Click to expand...

It wont be a single phone that kills the iphone, It'll be a slew of affordable capable smartphones that you can buy 0ut of contract for under $200. The days of $600 smartphones are numbered.
 
Sean4123 said:
I read on engadget that there are some big connectivity hurdles you have to jump through to load music and movies on your captivate, especially with a Mac. Add that to the fact that there is no flash, and the phone looks like a cheap knockoff of the the 3GS, no thanks.

I think a lot of people are taking iTunes integration for granted.
Click to expand...

I have my Captivate setup to easily sync my music, pictures, videos, calendar, contacts, and notes with my 2010 15" MacBook Pro.

It was easy to setup, and works as smoothly as my iTunes library for my iPhone 4.
 
hcho3 said:
Until Froyo 2.2 comes out, there is really no reason to buy captivate. I don't even trust samsung that they will actually release 2.2 on captivate. Samsung did the same thing to T-mobile customers with behold. Samsung cannot be trusted.
Click to expand...

Respectfully I doubt you're up to date in the Android space.

I just finished installing Froyo 2.2, and I was the last amongst my friends to do so. It's the first chance I've had, this is one awesome upgrade.
 
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