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How would you improve the Fascinate

E

EliC

Android Enthusiast
Overall, the Fascinate if proving to be a GREAT phone. Maybe (probably) the best phone available right now on VZW. However, its not perfect.

How would you improve it?


- Improve call quality: Don't forget, it is a phone. 1+ noise canceling mics would really help as the phone has a big problem with background noise.

- Fix the GPS: Still suspect a hardware issue. Long times to obtain locks, sat locks drop, NO ability to pick up satellites indoors (points to very poor reception)

- Would have designed for a 2000mAh battery: The phone is so lite and thin it would not have been hurt by a 30% larger batter (however, battery life already rocks, currently going strong after 48hrs with 46% battery life left!)

- Increase the internal memory: come on, 2 gigs?

- Increase the resolution: I notice that the screen is pixelated. I think this has to do with the matrix of the oled screen. Plus Apple's retina display is pushing up the standard on mobile phone resolution

- Add FFC: This is not huge to me, but its small and can't see a big reason to leave it out

- Google: Bing? Seriously. Please de-bing and de-bloat the phone
 
EliC said:
Overall, the Fascinate if proving to be a GREAT phone. Maybe (probably) the best phone available right now on VZW. However, its not perfect.

How would you improve it?


- Improve call quality: Don't forget, it is a phone. 1+ noise canceling mics would really help as the phone has a big problem with background noise.

- Fix the GPS: Still suspect a hardware issue. Long times to obtain locks, sat locks drop, NO ability to pick up satellites indoors (points to very poor reception)

- Would have designed for a 2000mAh battery: The phone is so lite and thin it would not have been hurt by a 30% larger batter (however, battery life already rocks, currently going strong after 48hrs with 46% battery life left!)

- Increase the internal memory: come on, 2 gigs?

- Increase the resolution: I notice that the screen is pixelated. I think this has to do with the matrix of the oled screen. Plus Apple's retina display is pushing up the standard on mobile phone resolution

- Add FFC: This is not huge to me, but its small and can't see a big reason to leave it out

- Google: Bing? Seriously. Please de-bing and de-bloat the phone
Click to expand...

-Fix Lag issue.
 
I agree with the OP on all the above.

I would add:

+2 for noise cancellation mic!

increase RAM (thx verizon)

may sound weird, but the charging port on top is a HUGE annoyance to me. try using a car charger and make a call......
 
Jedii said:
I agree with the OP on all the above.

I would add:

+2 for noise cancellation mic!

increase RAM (thx verizon)

may sound weird, but the charging port on top is a HUGE annoyance to me. try using a car charger and make a call......
Click to expand...

How much more RAM do you actually need, isn't 512mb enough?


As far as what would be nice to have fixed...

Lag Issue.
Get rid of Bing.
Get rid the bloatware.
 
tonyb81 said:
How much more RAM do you actually need, isn't 512mb enough?


As far as what would be nice to have fixed...

Lag Issue.
Get rid of Bing.
Get rid the bloatware.
Click to expand...

Umm...yeah. 512 is plenty. Do you own a fascinate? Because every fascinate i have put my hands on only has 325mb OPEN RAM. Verizon is real good about that.

Read this article:

How much RAM does the Fascinate truly have?


fascinate-ram1.png
 
Fix the signal strength reporting. Maybe it can be done with a baseband update. Then with accurate signal strength numbers we'll be able to see if the antenna/radio in the Fascinate is any good.
 
I'm pretty sure the Fascinate has 128MB of RAM dedicated to the GPU. This is what gives this phone such awesome graphic capabilities. That's why of the 512 we're only seeing a portion.

EliC, 48 hours with 46% left? Wow. Do you not use it? Lol. Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with the battery life vs my Incredible, but I still have to struggle to make it 16 hours with my usage.
 
burningembers said:
EliC, 48 hours with 46% left? Wow. Do you not use it? Lol. Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with the battery life vs my Incredible, but I still have to struggle to make it 16 hours with my usage.
Click to expand...

What he forgot to tell you is the phone has been turned off for 36 of those hours. :)
 
It has been lite usage, but making calls, txting, facebook auto updates are on, gps is on, a little web surfing, downloaded some apps. My battery life has been so good I keep turning on more stuff. Now if only the GPS and call quality issues were fixed...
 
EliC said:
It has been lite usage, but making calls, txting, facebook auto updates are on, gps is on, a little web surfing, downloaded some apps. My battery life has been so good I keep turning on more stuff. Now if only the GPS and call quality issues were fixed...
Click to expand...
Still you are way beyond the average users battery life. I have yet to hit 24 hours even on my lightest use day and I usually keep things off except maybe BT. WiFi is as needed. I'm wondering if you use the Live Wallpaper?
 
EliC said:
Overall, the Fascinate if proving to be a GREAT phone. Maybe (probably) the best phone available right now on VZW. However, its not perfect.

How would you improve it?


- Improve call quality: Don't forget, it is a phone. 1+ noise canceling mics would really help as the phone has a big problem with background noise.

- Fix the GPS: Still suspect a hardware issue. Long times to obtain locks, sat locks drop, NO ability to pick up satellites indoors (points to very poor reception)

- Would have designed for a 2000mAh battery: The phone is so lite and thin it would not have been hurt by a 30% larger batter (however, battery life already rocks, currently going strong after 48hrs with 46% battery life left!)

- Increase the internal memory: come on, 2 gigs?

- Increase the resolution: I notice that the screen is pixelated. I think this has to do with the matrix of the oled screen. Plus Apple's retina display is pushing up the standard on mobile phone resolution

- Add FFC: This is not huge to me, but its small and can't see a big reason to leave it out

- Google: Bing? Seriously. Please de-bing and de-bloat the phone
Click to expand...
How the hell are you pulling that off?
 
EliC said:
No, static wall paper. In fact, I keep meaning to download a true black wall paper to further decrease use of power for screen.
Click to expand...
Yeah, "Display" is always my #1 battery drain. I guess I like those water ripples too much to turn it off but without question I'd see a boost if I did
 
saps said:
Yeah, "Display" is always my #1 battery drain. I guess I like those water ripples too much to turn it off but without question I'd see a boost if I did
Click to expand...

Yea, I am loving the Nexus One live wallpaper too much to change it. I will probably go and switch to a static black wallpaper soon.
 
EliC said:
Overall, the Fascinate if proving to be a GREAT phone. Maybe (probably) the best phone available right now on VZW. However, its not perfect.

How would you improve it?


- Improve call quality: Don't forget, it is a phone. 1+ noise canceling mics would really help as the phone has a big problem with background noise.

- Fix the GPS: Still suspect a hardware issue. Long times to obtain locks, sat locks drop, NO ability to pick up satellites indoors (points to very poor reception)

- Would have designed for a 2000mAh battery: The phone is so lite and thin it would not have been hurt by a 30% larger batter (however, battery life already rocks, currently going strong after 48hrs with 46% battery life left!)

- Increase the internal memory: come on, 2 gigs?

- Increase the resolution: I notice that the screen is pixelated. I think this has to do with the matrix of the oled screen. Plus Apple's retina display is pushing up the standard on mobile phone resolution

- Add FFC: This is not huge to me, but its small and can't see a big reason to leave it out

- Google: Bing? Seriously. Please de-bing and de-bloat the phone
Click to expand...

I agree with all you're saying and would add some little that enhance the user experience like:

1.Give us the option to turn off the DING DONG no cell coverage notifier sound

2. Let us add to the Google calendar as a default instead of having it added to the phone calendar

3. Let us alphabatize the apps if we want to

4. Let us use a custom ringtone for a google contact without having to make a phone contact and link the two

5. Fix the issue that if I turn off an alarm, it still might ring.

6. Let me send someone directly to voicemail when they call based on their contact info.

7. Let me choose which screen opens when I hit the phone button


A lot of this stuff is minor, but has been accomplished with Sense and even stock Android. In terms of actual hardware I'd like to have a FFC and that's about the only difference I'd choose besides having a higher pixel density (although ironically the screen looks less pixelated than my DINC).
 
I'd echo the signal strength. I haven't had a problem on calls, but it doesn't seem to pick up 3G or Wifi in my house as well as I'd like. I never see more than 3 bars of service, either.

And the battery, I guess, although I know it is my fault. Mine goes thru it quickly -- I haven't gotten more than 5 or so hours, albeit 5 hours of pretty heavy use (live wallpapers, GPS on, running Mytracks and Google Maps and Sat Test and sometimes even Nav all at the same time, plus Pandora). I need to quit screwing around with it so much. I mean, I know how to get home from the office, and I don't really need to run all those programs to track my trip home, right?! I don't need to use Mytracks to track myself mowing the lawn, toggling between that and Google Maps and Sat Test to see differences in elevation and exactly where they place me in my yard, do it? But then, how would I know I walk 1.2 miles doing the job, while averaging 2.4 miles an hour?

My wife doesn't use all of those programs, and her phone had 41% when she went to bed yesterday, so I know it is pretty much just my use habits.

Anyway, I love my phone, and at this point, not sure what I would change about it. I was in a VZW store yesterday adding a line for my father-in-law, and playing around with the DX and Inc while waiting. They're fine phones, but let me just say I'm glad I got the Fasc!
 
tystevens said:
I'd echo the signal strength. I haven't had a problem on calls, but it doesn't seem to pick up 3G or Wifi in my house as well as I'd like. I never see more than 3 bars of service, either.

And the battery, I guess, although I know it is my fault. Mine goes thru it quickly -- I haven't gotten more than 5 or so hours, albeit 5 hours of pretty heavy use (live wallpapers, GPS on, running Mytracks and Google Maps and Sat Test and sometimes even Nav all at the same time, plus Pandora). I need to quit screwing around with it so much. I mean, I know how to get home from the office, and I don't really need to run all those programs to track my trip home, right?! I don't need to use Mytracks to track myself mowing the lawn, toggling between that and Google Maps and Sat Test to see differences in elevation and exactly where they place me in my yard, do it? But then, how would I know I walk 1.2 miles doing the job, while averaging 2.4 miles an hour?

My wife doesn't use all of those programs, and her phone had 41% when she went to bed yesterday, so I know it is pretty much just my use habits.

Anyway, I love my phone, and at this point, not sure what I would change about it. I was in a VZW store yesterday adding a line for my father-in-law, and playing around with the DX and Inc while waiting. They're fine phones, but let me just say I'm glad I got the Fasc!
Click to expand...
Yeah this mirrors what I've found in terms of usage. 5hrs give or take a bit is all that 1500mah battery is good for. Now Im talking basically non-stop usage with the screen always on and some form of WiFi use, app use, game, something active. In terms of call time I'd place that right around 7 hrs in my experience.
To tie this into the theme of Fascinate improvements, while the battery is good I'd love to see longer life [who wouldn't] in the same size form factor of a battery.
 
There is so much to like about this phone, especially coming from a BB curve. I am just writing some problems I have experienced at this point::


Nuance Voice Commands is not as accurate as on my old BB Curve.

Cannot Sync Outlook 2003-07 with PC. I have heard some 3rd party (Paid) apps may help this
 
EliC said:
Overall, the Fascinate if proving to be a GREAT phone. Maybe (probably) the best phone available right now on VZW. However, its not perfect.

How would you improve it?


- Improve call quality: Don't forget, it is a phone. 1+ noise canceling mics would really help as the phone has a big problem with background noise.

- Fix the GPS: Still suspect a hardware issue. Long times to obtain locks, sat locks drop, NO ability to pick up satellites indoors (points to very poor reception)

- Would have designed for a 2000mAh battery: The phone is so lite and thin it would not have been hurt by a 30% larger batter (however, battery life already rocks, currently going strong after 48hrs with 46% battery life left!)

- Increase the internal memory: come on, 2 gigs?

- Increase the resolution: I notice that the screen is pixelated. I think this has to do with the matrix of the oled screen. Plus Apple's retina display is pushing up the standard on mobile phone resolution

- Add FFC: This is not huge to me, but its small and can't see a big reason to leave it out

- Google: Bing? Seriously. Please de-bing and de-bloat the phone
Click to expand...

Not busting your chops, just making an observation. You state that the Fascinate is probably the best phone on Verizon then go on to list its short comings. I just wanted to point out that with the exception of the FFC you just described the Droid X. :D;)
 
I may be way off, but I think the memory 328mb ram is a limitation of the Android 2.1 kernel....if I remember right, 2.0 had a 218mb limitation as well.
 
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