Is the Fascinate a decent phone?

[stinkybudz]

I have an upgrade available and can pick this phone up pretty cheap. I have an og droid right now running cyanogen at 1100mhz and love it. How would the phone compare to what I have now? Is rooting and installing a custom rom and kernal just as easy? Also, what is the speed of the processor and how far can it be safely overclocked? Thanks for any help.

 

[Jamis0n]

1ghz processor over clocked to 1.2

Its the fastest single processor aside from the new dual coming out. If you like the Samsung set up and don't mind waiting for the Samsung dual core wait for it. If not rooted to 2.2 with eb01 rom NV. Voodoo is available but idk about the lagfox yet and over clock. I'm looking into it myself.

rockin:
sc nv eb01 v2.4 rom
midnight 1.1 theme

btw, this was 8pen-ed.

 

[ziggy484]

After having this phone for about eight months and reading the forums all the time, I started thinking maybe i was missing out on some better phone... i was at the verizon store to get some screen protectors and i realized that all the other phones pretty much suck in my opinion, droid x probably the next best. Fascinate hardware is just so much better. And yes flashing stuff is real easy, especially with odin.

Sent from my rooted Froyo Fascinate

 

[ezas]

Yes, more than decent.

If mine fell down a sewer I would replace it without a 2nd thought. To me it's the perfect size. Right between the X and Incredible. Any larger and I wouldn't be able to one hand it for dialing/texting. As was said above it's about top drawer hardware for what is available now.

It's plasticky and slick feeling compared to the Inc but I actually prefer the feel with a case on it. So the thinness is plus. Doesn't feel like I'm putting some brick in my pocket with a case on it. Glass is Gorilla Glass so its about as tough as you can get. But I think most people run a screen protector anyway. (I do)

So what don't I like. I don't like the power button on the side and don't like the headphone jack on the top. I'd rather power switch on top and headphone jack on bottom. Of course everyone has their own preferences for those type of things.

Some things I didn't like were fixed with the last OTA update. The GPS was fixed and the softkey backlight stays on as long as the screen timeout now. Now the GPS typically shows what side of the road I'm on when I'm walking/running with it.

Screen is hella vibrant. There are people who say that the SLED screen on the Inc is better for text than the SamoLED screen on the Fascinate, and there are pictures on the web showing a very slight halo on text on the Fasc screen, but I've yet to see one person complain about it in actual use. When I zoomed way in on text on a web page on the Fasc and the Inc side by side I couldn't tell a difference.

Battery life is somewhere in the middle of the pack for android phones. Same with reception and call quality (based on the few people i talk to about phones)

My buddy has an X (and likes it a lot). He watches lots of movies while on long flights so he likes the bigger size. Plus he has monster big hands so the X probably feels to him like the Fasc feels to me. The X has an HDMI port that the Inc an Fasc don't have. (non issue for me).

All the people I have met with new phones are showing up with Fasincates or Iphones. (Why someone wouldn't wait for the Iphone 5 at this point baffles me).

One Fascinate owner switched to Iphone when his Fascinate got smashed, but he has no idea why he wanted an Iphone. It just seemed like the thing to get because of all the publicity I guess.

I've yet to meet anyone who chose a Continuum. Smalls size might be nice for people (females?) with small hands.

When I got my phone I rooted manually using ADB, debloated by freezing apps with TiBackup, and shoehorned in the browser from the Canadian Galaxy S Mesmerize that defaults to Google instead of Bing.

When 2.2 was leaked I ran the all in one package (Root, CWM, and 2.2) that is available. From start to finish (phone restored to pre 2.2 flash) was about 15 minutes. This included reinstalling the swype beta keyboard and flashing a debinged browser. Can't get much easier than that. Of course you can do it with individual packages as well.

Anyway that's my take on it.

 

[Jamis0n]

Yes, more than decent.

If mine fell down a sewer I would replace it without a 2nd thought. To me it's the perfect size. Right between the X and Incredible. Any larger and I wouldn't be able to one hand it for dialing/texting. As was said above it's about top drawer hardware for what is available now.

It's plasticky and slick feeling compared to the Inc but I actually prefer the feel with a case on it. So the thinness is plus. Doesn't feel like I'm putting some brick in my pocket with a case on it. Glass is Gorilla Glass so its about as tough as you can get. But I think most people run a screen protector anyway. (I do)

So what don't I like. I don't like the power button on the side and don't like the headphone jack on the top. I'd rather power switch on top and headphone jack on bottom. Of course everyone has their own preferences for those type of things.

Some things I didn't like were fixed with the last OTA update. The GPS was fixed and the softkey backlight stays on as long as the screen timeout now. Now the GPS typically shows what side of the road I'm on when I'm walking/running with it.

Screen is hella vibrant. There are people who say that the SLED screen on the Inc is better for text than the SamoLED screen on the Fascinate, and there are pictures on the web showing a very slight halo on text on the Fasc screen, but I've yet to see one person complain about it in actual use. When I zoomed way in on text on a web page on the Fasc and the Inc side by side I couldn't tell a difference.

Battery life is somewhere in the middle of the pack for android phones. Same with reception and call quality (based on the few people i talk to about phones)

My buddy has an X (and likes it a lot). He watches lots of movies while on long flights so he likes the bigger size. Plus he has monster big hands so the X probably feels to him like the Fasc feels to me. The X has an HDMI port that the Inc an Fasc don't have. (non issue for me).

All the people I have met with new phones are showing up with Fasincates or Iphones. (Why someone wouldn't wait for the Iphone 5 at this point baffles me).

One Fascinate owner switched to Iphone when his Fascinate got smashed, but he has no idea why he wanted an Iphone. It just seemed like the thing to get because of all the publicity I guess.

I've yet to meet anyone who chose a Continuum. Smalls size might be nice for people (females?) with small hands.

When I got my phone I rooted manually using ADB, debloated by freezing apps with TiBackup, and shoehorned in the browser from the Canadian Galaxy S Mesmerize that defaults to Google instead of Bing.

When 2.2 was leaked I ran the all in one package (Root, CWM, and 2.2) that is available. From start to finish (phone restored to pre 2.2 flash) was about 15 minutes. This included reinstalling the swype beta keyboard and flashing a debinged browser. Can't get much easier than that. Of course you can do it with individual packages as well.

Anyway that's my take on it.

I must say, bravo! The longest post I've seen thats not a tutorial. Had the same experience and opinion, as you do.

I wish more fascinate users weren't so reluctant to root.

rockin:
sc nv eb01 v2.4 rom
midnight 1.1 theme

btw, this was 8pen-ed.

 

[ezas]

Hey thanks.

You should have seen the first draft:blink:

I'm the kinda guy who if you ask the price of bread I'll tell you how to grow wheat.

 

[stinkybudz]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Looks like you guys made my decision for me and I will be switching over soon. Why would people be reluctant about rooting the fascinate? I plan on rooting as soon as I get the phone.

 

[kparks]

u might aswell wait till this thunderbolt comes out and compare the 2 not a huge fan of samsung but i like the fascinate but why not wait and compare the 2?

 

[ziggy484]

u might aswell wait till this thunderbolt comes out and compare the 2 not a huge fan of samsung but i like the fascinate but why not wait and compare the 2?

What will the thunderbolt be running, gingerbread? Its gonna be tough to beat the fascinate hardware though... 4g or not.

Sent from my rooted Froyo Fascinate

 

[wil318466]

Fascinate rooted is an awesome phone.

Fascinate unrooted isnt.

 

[stinkybudz]

u might aswell wait till this thunderbolt comes out and compare the 2 not a huge fan of samsung but i like the fascinate but why not wait and compare the 2?

I am able to get a refub fascinate for $40 so I can not really pass up that deal. Im sure the thunderbolt will most likely be $200 when it comes out.

 

[Jamis0n]

Thunderbolt will be with froyo. Same snapdragon processor so its not beating the hummingbird, but has 4g. That's all folks.

rockin froyo:
sc nv eb01 v2.4 rom
midnight 1.1 theme

btw, this was 8pen-ed.

 

[hoppermi]

u might aswell wait till this thunderbolt comes out and compare the 2 not a huge fan of samsung but i like the fascinate but why not wait and compare the 2?

I am able to get a refub fascinate for $40 so I can not really pass up that deal. Im sure the thunderbolt will most likely be $200 when it comes out.

I took the same deal 3 weeks ago and it has been awesome. I would certainly pass on the Thunderbolt also. I'm sure its a great phone, but everything I read says that HTC (after an amazing '10) has fallen behind the other manufacturers. Mostly because they only use Qualcomm chipsets and will only be introducing dual-core options at the same time as other who use Tegra will have quad-core options.

I'll likely get one of the dual-core phones some time late Q3 or Q4

 

[forstir9]

Refurbished for $40 is pretty good but check Walmart because I bought a new one there for $48. Like you said its too good to pass up. I have had it for over a month now and no regrets. I did go with super clean 2.4 froyo once I had it for a while. Do some reading and root if you want and if you feel you are ready. It is really easy and well worth it.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using DroidForums App

 

[mysticdroid]

I'm in the same boat as the original poster. I tried the AT&T desire 4G which is essentially the same phone as the Thunderbolt(form-factor wise). I found the screen too big and the phone too thick. The speed and sense 2.0 were great, but I just don't need a phone that big. I'm tired of the slide out keyboard on my OG droid, small(ish) screan, and slow processor (even with moderate o/c my phone can't seem to multi-task audio & browser or other apps). I would wait for the Bionic, but I really don't feel like spending 200 bucks on a phone again and still be stuck in a 2 year contract. With all of this together I think i'm just going to bite the bullet and go with a fascinate and root it ASAP.