Still content with my captivate after 5 months

**rob6188#ac** · 01-07-2011, 04:11 PM

Not really a question here, just wanted to share my experience with the captivate after 5 months.

Having switched from a blackberry 9000, I immediately felt the differences. Huge beautiful screen, amazing camera quality, and a new world of apps and hacks to explore.

The only minuses (besides gps) are cosmetic. I really miss the look and feel of the bb9000. It felt durable, had a real keyboard, and was a very handsome phone (IMO). I hate the bright chrome att and samsung logo on the front of the phone. Dark grey and smaller would have been nice. The speakers on the bb9000 were also amazing. On the captivate, about average.

The captivate still feels fragile (although I have dropped it a couple of times and it still works just fine) and is pretty generic looking. Still haven't found a case I really like for it yet. Guess all I'm trying to say is the captivate is tougher than it looks.

I've rooted the phone and installed the overclock widget which has improved my battery life tremendously. So now when I forget to put it on the charger overnight, I don't have to panic. It will go 2.5 days before I start to worry. Granted I'm a light user, but I was lucky to get 1 full day out of it before.

My favorite app is google voice. I use it for free texting and transcribed voicemail. How awesome is that? I only have to buy the $5 200/text plan as a backup when I don't have internet access - which is rare.

I moved down to the $15/mo data plan, and it suites me just fine. I have wifi 99% of the places I go, and learn to do without in the other 1%. (I'm a little pissed that there are now "no contract" android phones with better plans than my "2 year" commitment att plan.)

Internet browsing was impractical on the bb9000, but the captivate is more than acceptable. I found a few apps for twitter and wordpress that have all but eliminated my need to use a browser. Still, the stock browser is fine when I need it. Pinch, zoom, scroll, whatever...browsing is fast and painless.

The only real problem I have is the gps. I've learned to live without it for the most part. It works most of the time, but I can't trust it. Not a deal breaker, but the gps better work properly on my next phone!

The hd video is amazing, the camera is very good. I haven't touched my real camera since getting this phone. There are some great apps for the camera to have fun with too. I just wish there was a real button for the camera instead of touching the screen.

I have to say that I am very happy with my purchase. Everything on the phone works as smooth as silk - contacts, email, apps, multimedia, etc...

This is definitely a significant upgrade to my bb9000, and I'm sure I'll be good until it's time to upgrade again in 1.5 years.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed positively to this forum. Although I don't post much, I do check back quite often and appreciate the civil q&a, tips, and discussion that makes owning a captivate all the better.

Happy new year!

**DroidXcon** · 01-07-2011, 04:14 PM

Hey Rob,

Thanks for the update with your phone im glad you are content and happy new years to you aswell.

**konazxiii** · 01-07-2011, 04:34 PM

I bought mine mid-August and I must say, If it wasn't for boards like this (and especially XDA) I would have been screaming like a banshee to AT&T, as I'm not the quiet type when I'm dissatisfied with a purchase.

I guess all that means I'm still happy with the phone but not with how AT&T and Samsung has treated us owners thus far.

**rob6188#ac** · 01-07-2011, 08:28 PM

I think the word I used "content" is a slight understatement. I'm actually very happy with the phone. But like kona, I'm a little disappointed with att. Particularly the new limited data plans.

When I was on the unlimited data, I used the iheart radio app to listen to stations that I couldn't get on my car radio. I also watched videos without hesitation (not while I was driving, mind you).

Now I don't listen to streaming radio in the car anymore and rarely bother watching streaming videos on my phone since there's usually a computer handy whenever wifi is available.

Updates and such are moot since we have these forums, but I can imagine for the average user, waiting for fixes (if they ever come), dealing with tech support (and I use the term loosely), could really be frustrating and downgrade the overall experience of owning an android.

I forgot to mention the awesome sound I get out of the headphone jack. I ditched my ipod and use my phone almost exclusively for media. All I need now are some quality bluetooth head phones!

So the captivate has replaced my camera and my ipod. In fact, it's better than the gadgets it's replaced. I also don't need to buy a kindle, portable dvd player, or a nintendo ds, or a keychain picture viewer.

I also found some calculator apps, so I don't even need my financial and scientific calculators anymore. Seriously - this phone does it all and does it well.

I paid like $180 at the time, and got 5 times that in return. Best of all, it will still do all those things when I upgrade to a another phone.

**Kromen** · 01-08-2011, 11:38 AM

Going on month one and no problems. I have more than enough free apps downloaded to keep me content and my GPS is really a problem. My battery life isn't a problem either as I have a habit of keeping it plugged up at the house or the car, but when I do have it of the cord, I can go more than a day without a need for a recharge. I installed task manager as opposed to killer and it keeps my battery life extended. I was able to download a couple hundred songs from my PC and I'm hooked up to wi-fi at home and all over the city. I have no idea what Froyo is supposed to do, but I'm pretty content with what the phone is doing so far.

**Reggie** · 01-08-2011, 12:43 PM

Great post - no GPS issues for me - loving the phone. Got mine the day it was released

**derande** · 01-12-2011, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by rob6188

I just wish there was a real button for the camera instead of touching the screen.

if you're into trying a different ROM, Assonance (although not supported anymore) and Serendipity both allow you to use the phone's physical POWER button to take a picture rather than tapping the screen. GPS also works great on both ROMs.

i'm running Assonance 5.0 and couldn't be happier but am itching to flash Serendipity soon. this is my first android device (also came over from a BB9000) and i'm very satisfied (even with my AT&T service).

**raven71#ac** · 01-12-2011, 07:46 PM

I use my BB case from my bold for my Captivate. Fits nice and keeps it safe. By now I was on my 3rd Curve or my 2nd Bold. I don't understand why your all losing your unlimited data plans. I have a family plan with 3 phones. $143.67/month. If my wife ever losses the plan I be out of ATT so fast. Mind you we started at $69.00 and had four phones. We have been with Cingular and that's when ATT took over the price went up.
My son moved to Verizon because of connection issues and has way better service then we do, but pays for it.

**loraque** · 01-12-2011, 07:52 PM

Those with the unlimited data plan of old will never want to give it up. I know I won't willingly give up the two I pay for. Seemed expensive a couple years ago, but with all the lame half packages that people are not going to want, it seems cheap now.

**the3dgm** · 01-13-2011, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by rob6188

Having switched from a blackberry 9000, I immediately felt the differences. Huge beautiful screen, amazing camera quality, and a new world of apps and hacks to explore.

The only minuses (besides gps) are cosmetic. I really miss the look and feel of the bb9000. It felt durable, had a real keyboard, and was a very handsome phone (IMO). I hate the bright chrome att and samsung logo on the front of the phone. Dark grey and smaller would have been nice. The speakers on the bb9000 were also amazing. On the captivate, about average.

I'm retired and no longer have a car so the lack of a working GPS is not a problem for me, other than that, I agree completely with you! I do miss the 'solid' feel of my 9000, but I won't go back just for that!!!

Originally Posted by rob6188

I moved down to the $15/mo data plan, and it suites me just fine. I have wifi 99% of the places I go, and learn to do without in the other 1%. (I'm a little pissed that there are now "no contract" android phones with better plans than my "2 year" commitment att plan.)

I've found, oddly, that my home WiFi internet connection, AT&T with a wireless 2WIRE router, doesn't like to work with my Cappy and yet AT&T hot spots like Panera Bread work great. . . go figure!

**loraque** · 01-13-2011, 09:13 AM

I have run into this issue with several mobile phones simply not liking certain routers. I think it is either the way DNS is passed, or some other aspect to DHCP that is the issue. I have not tracked it down. It may be worthwhile to check if there is a firmware upgrade for your router.

**jengle53** · 01-13-2011, 01:38 PM

4 months here. Had the option to return it at the 3 month mark, but after getting the blackberry 9800 for my wife decided to stick with the cappy. GPS fix works pretty well for me. My gripe is using bluetooth for hands free not working until Froyo.

**loraque** · 01-13-2011, 02:38 PM

What is it that is not working for you on Bluetooth? Listening over BT for dialing? I think that is the only thing that doesn't work, and it still doesn't work in 2.2 to my knowledge unless you load the Euro version. BT otherwise works great.

Maybe that is one spot the official release will differ than the leaked one.

**the3dgm** · 01-13-2011, 11:05 PM

Thanks loraque, I'll look into the router upgrade tomorrow. I honestly had not even thought about that!

**GQ50** · 01-16-2011, 11:38 PM

Inregards to bluetoothe mine works fine for the most part but I miss with BBerry voice dialer using my headset. It doesn't work with my Captvte. With my BBerry I didn't have to touch the phone to make a call, just tap my ear piece and say call Android(example)... Does anyone know of Happy? I know Froyo was bringing that with the OS..

**loraque** · 01-17-2011, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by GQ50

Inregards to bluetoothe mine works fine for the most part but I miss with BBerry voice dialer using my headset. It doesn't work with my Captvte. With my BBerry I didn't have to touch the phone to make a call, just tap my ear piece and say call Android(example)... Does anyone know of Happy? I know Froyo was bringing that with the OS..

I believe that if you switched to using an i9000 based ROM, like Perception, you will get your BT voice dialing back. Perception is almost exactly the same thing as Cognition, just starting from a different base of Froyo.

**jengle53** · 01-17-2011, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by loraque

What is it that is not working for you on Bluetooth? Listening over BT for dialing? I think that is the only thing that doesn't work, and it still doesn't work in 2.2 to my knowledge unless you load the Euro version. BT otherwise works great.

Maybe that is one spot the official release will differ than the leaked one.

On the bb without touching the phone I can tap my bt headset and give a call command. On cappy I have to pick up the phone, start vlingo, give the command, and half the time touch the keyboard again. Not very "hands free".