• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Samsung charge hits April 28

dave1812

dave1812

Android Enthusiast
Tired of waiting (with my POS Storm2) for the Bionic. Can someone give some reasons (other than Sammy is slow to update) why I shouldn't get the Charge? I know little about it, and I am SURE the good folks here are more up on it than I am.

Comments yea/nay on the Charge, please!

EDIT: I think I'll wait for the SGS II or other newer 4G phone.
 
cause it's 299 that is why. That is INSANE for a contract price. That goes for any phone. It doesn't have many more features than the droidX which is dirt cheap compared to that.
 
dave1812 said:
money is not an issue here.
Click to expand...


If money is not an issue, then i suggest getting a Droid X off contract for $400 from Verizon so you dont waste your upgrade, use it for 3 months or so til the bionic comes out, use your upgrade on that, then sell your Droid X on ebay.
 
$299 is insane just to get 4G with the new crop of dual cores coming. I was waiitng on Bionic, but now if the HTC TB dosk and extedned battery get off backorder I may jump on a TB.
 
Yeah, 299.99 is a bit stiff price for this phone. But I guess it will be new norm price for upcoming high end LTE phones like Bionic, SGSII on Verizon just like it has been 199.99 for some time.
 
jinwons said:
Yeah, 299.99 is a bit stiff price for this phone. But I guess it will be new norm price for upcoming high end LTE phones like Bionic, SGSII on Verizon just like it has been 199.99 for some time.
Click to expand...



but what makes this phone a "high end" phone? Just because the 4G that isn't even available in all areas? ......i'm going with no. In fact i wouldn't even say its a high end phone.
 
It's got gorgeous Super AMOLED plus screen that will be on SGSII too. It's got better sharpness than Super AMOLED on Galaxy S. Everyone who look at it in preview was very impressed. But still 299 on it is a bit high. I think 249 or lower is better for this one.
 
I'm considering the Charge, too, actually. I don't care if it's $300. My OG Droid is long in the tooth and having all sorts of problems. I don't think it will last much longer. I was banking on the Bionic being out in Q2, but now it's looking like late summer. I can't wait that long.

Really my only choices are the T-Bolt (terrible battery), LG Revolution (Don't really trust LG, plus it's the same processor as the T-Bolt so it's bound to have poor battery life) and the Charge. The Charge is looking like the best bet right now, seeing as the Hummingbird is superior and with their screen, the battery life should be quite a bit better than the unfortunate Thunderbolt.

I'm disappointed that Samsung takes so long to upgrade their handsets, but it's getting to the point where I just want 4G and can't wait much longer. I'm also a quite upset about the possibility that the new "Bionic" will be the Targa with that fugly camera lump. I wouldn't buy that no matter what the specs are.

I'd love to see something like the HTC Sensation, but I don't think anything like that is on the immediate horizon.
 
vincentp said:
I'm considering the Charge, too, actually. I don't care if it's $300. My OG Droid is long in the tooth and having all sorts of problems. I don't think it will last much longer. I was banking on the Bionic being out in Q2, but now it's looking like late summer. I can't wait that long.

Really my only choices are the T-Bolt (terrible battery), LG Revolution (Don't really trust LG, plus it's the same processor as the T-Bolt so it's bound to have poor battery life) and the Charge. The Charge is looking like the best bet right now, seeing as the Hummingbird is superior and with their screen, the battery life should be quite a bit better than the unfortunate Thunderbolt.

I'm disappointed that Samsung takes so long to upgrade their handsets, but it's getting to the point where I just want 4G and can't wait much longer. I'm also a quite upset about the possibility that the new "Bionic" will be the Targa with that fugly camera lump. I wouldn't buy that no matter what the specs are.

I'd love to see something like the HTC Sensation, but I don't think anything like that is on the immediate horizon.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm also worried about a humpbacked Bionic! Not my cuppa tea.

I want a new phone with a super-gorgeous screen I can read outdoors, 4.3" (or larger), 4G, and relatively problem-free.
 
dave1812 said:
Yes, I'm also worried about a humpbacked Bionic! Not my cuppa tea.

I want a new phone with a super-gorgeous screen I can read outdoors, 4.3" (or larger), 4G, and relatively problem-free.
Click to expand...

My plan is to wait for a few reviews and user comments regarding the Charge's battery life. If it's good, I'll definitely be headed in that direction. I don't really see anything wrong with buying the Charge in your position - I at least have a Droid (no offense to the Storm, but I can't stand that phone). Sure, the hardware may be surpassed shortly, but anything you buy is going to "obsolete" shortly after. I don't really do anything with my phone that would require dual core, and my guess is it isn't going to help the battery life over single core processors. Hummingbird is still quite fast and capable, so here's to hoping they get the battery tweaking right.
 
Folks, LG has a better update rep than Samsung (that does not say much though). Some advantages of perhaps waiting for the Revolution:

1. IPS display
2. 16gb built in flash, plus microsd
3. Dedicated video chip
4. HDMI (reason for item 3)
5. First voice over LTE device
6. Different radio. I think the radio is the problem with the TB and not the chipset
7. Netflix. If you have Netflix, this is a great app (assuming same quality as my iPod 4). Netlfix blocks mobile devices via the device ID, so unless the OEM ponies up and pays Netflix, the app will not work on a device. Rev has Netflix built in.
 
rushmore said:
Folks, LG has a better update rep than Samsung (that does not say much though). Some advantages of perhaps waiting for the Revolution:

1. IPS display
2. 16gb built in flash, plus microsd
3. Dedicated video chip
4. HDMI (reason for item 3)
5. First voice over LTE device
6. Different radio. I think the radio is the problem with the TB and not the chipset
7. Netflix. If you have Netflix, this is a great app (assuming same quality as my iPod 4). Netlfix blocks mobile devices via the device ID, so unless the OEM ponies up and pays Netflix, the app will not work on a device. Rev has Netflix built in.
Click to expand...

thanks for the heads up on VoLTE, and Netflix. I want both!! is there a WAG as to the release time frame for the Rev?
 
jinwons said:
It's got gorgeous Super AMOLED plus screen that will be on SGSII too. It's got better sharpness than Super AMOLED on Galaxy S. Everyone who look at it in preview was very impressed. But still 299 on it is a bit high. I think 249 or lower is better for this one.
Click to expand...


....so a Super Amoled makes it a high end phone? ....


you people that are saying you don't care that it's 300 dollars or that its your best option blah blah blah...please do some more research before you throw down that cash and renew a 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! year contract.
 
trophynuts said:
....so a Super Amoled makes it a high end phone? ....


you people that are saying you don't care that it's 300 dollars or that its your best option blah blah blah...please do some more research before you throw down that cash and renew a 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! year contract.
Click to expand...

I'm more concerned with the 2 year wait for the next upgrade cycle than I am paying $300 for a phone. good god man, I pay more than $1,800 a year for service. If I buy a new phone for $150 or for $300, what's the difference?? not much...
 
If the Charge is $300...wonder how much Verizon will charge for the bionic? I really don't understand their pricing reasons....nobody else has raised their prices that much on phones a lot better then the thunderbolt or charge. The Full retail price hasn't gone up hardly either with these new phones...so the point of charing more for the phone? I guess just being greedy. just how they are when they took away the NE2, 1 year contract and annual upgrade. $300 isn't too terrible but it's still a nice chunk of change. My bill is $202.81 every month x that by twelve...they make $2433 off of me alone a year..not to mention everytime I buy a new phone. They're still making plenty of money.
I love Verizons service but as a company they're just turning to shit. sorry, had too put in my 2 cents. I would jump and get the Charge but Samsungs rep, esp with updating software is the lowest in the smartphone industry. I'm itching to get rid of my X tho so who knows.
 
Yes, Dave, that VoLTE would be the ideal senerio and the ONLY reason I am debating on the Bionic...maybe the with delay, Moto will include VoLTE capabilities? If memory serves me correctly, doesn't the Charge have phyiscal keys at the bottom on the phone, like the Storm1 had? That is a deal breaker for me, as I have to keep the phone 2 years and don't want button problems...the Galaxy S2 has the touch buttons, like the Storm2; but will it come to Verizon?
 
corymcnutt said:
Yes, Dave, that VoLTE would be the ideal senerio and the ONLY reason I am debating on the Bionic...maybe the with delay, Moto will include VoLTE capabilities? If memory serves me correctly, doesn't the Charge have phyiscal keys at the bottom on the phone, like the Storm1 had? That is a deal breaker for me, as I have to keep the phone 2 years and don't want button problems...the Galaxy S2 has the touch buttons, like the Storm2; but will it come to Verizon?
Click to expand...

To me LG Revolution is poised to be the best single core phone on VZW with all the neat communication features, HDMI out/mirror. Droid Charge is a little lesser phone to me than revolution with over pricing.

I think Droid Charge is just stop gap for Samsung until they get SGSII out to VZW. It's sure to come on VZW. Recent benchmarks done with retail version of SGSII at UK show astonishing performance, handily beating Tegra2, Snapdragon 8660. The only question for me whether it comes with LTE radio for VZW or not.
 
grn4frk said:
If the Charge is $300...wonder how much Verizon will charge for the bionic? I really don't understand their pricing reasons....nobody else has raised their prices that much on phones a lot better then the thunderbolt or charge. The Full retail price hasn't gone up hardly either with these new phones...so the point of charing more for the phone? I guess just being greedy. just how they are when they took away the NE2, 1 year contract and annual upgrade. $300 isn't too terrible but it's still a nice chunk of change. My bill is $202.81 every month x that by twelve...they make $2433 off of me alone a year..not to mention everytime I buy a new phone. They're still making plenty of money.
I love Verizons service but as a company they're just turning to shit. sorry, had too put in my 2 cents. I would jump and get the Charge but Samsungs rep, esp with updating software is the lowest in the smartphone industry. I'm itching to get rid of my X tho so who knows.
Click to expand...

Yanno, that is a great question as to why the price jump. Hell, AT&T has dropped their prices (you can get an Atrix for $150 from them, $100 on Amazon, and they even had a weekend a few weeks ago where they had it for $50). Cell phones have been a steady $200 for quite some time now, and it seems Verizon is the only one jacking the price, and in a very short time. $250 for the TB, $300 for the Charge? Remember when companies used to practically give phones away (and every year) just to keep you on their service?

Oh and for the record, my plan is $220 a month, which is $2640 in a year. It was $300 before getting a pretty great deal, which would have been $3600 a month. Considering their 93 million users, I'd say they're doing alright, even if only half are smartphone users, or on a family plan.
 
I think VZ is using their network to their advantage, they know they have the better network and know popel want to be on VZ so they are charging for it by jacking up phones, fees etc. They have $350 flat ETF fee, at least ATT is prorated a bit and TM is only $200.
 
Vehtemas said:
The problem is that this chipset was obsolete for the past 8-10 months...
Click to expand...

Probably it's got refreshed Hummingbird with a little faster clock speed like 1.2GHz, similiar to what happened to 2nd gen snapdragon 8655 vs 1st gen snapdragon 8650. The PowerVR SGX540 in Hummingbird is still very competitive GPU in gaming, trailing Tegra2 by small margin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom