Epic 4g Review Floodgates

[skygt]

Pretty obvious that the phone was intended for an August 20th release date considering all the sites just got allowed to post their reviews. And boy are there tons of reviews. Glad to tell you kind folks, it looks like this is going to be one killer phone!

Sprint Epic 4G Review: The Best 4G Phone

Sprint Epic 4G Review - SlashGear

Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint) Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint) Review - A Review of the Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint)

Epic 4G review -- Engadget

CNET
http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-epic-4g-sprint/4505-6454_7-34129371.html

IGN
http://gear.ign.com/articles/111/1116069p1.html


MobileBurn Video Review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb7rXruVU-M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezNUJx-Lq_M

Now I'm curious what caused Sprint to push it back to the 31st. Ooooooh, that date cannot come soon enough

 

[vtective]

I already pre-ordered the phone, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed by some aspects of the reviews. While it appears the phone is generally seen as a great device, there are some short comings:

- The Laptop Magazine review states that the phone does not come with the daily briefing widget. I really liked the idea of that widget, and wish it was included.

- This image has a screen cap of what looks like the stock android music player. Am I right? What happened to the a...pe: [url= - Samsung Epic 4G Hands-On (Sprint).

-The lock screen does not include the puzzle notification, not a big deal, but what's the point in getting rid of a somewhat useful feature?

Hopefully the good guys here at AndroidCentral can address some of these questions for sure when their review is posted.

Eh, I guess there really is no perfect phone. That being said, August 31st cannot come faster.

 

[mikachu]

So a review said that YouTube HQ isnt supported by the Epic (this is really sad, as youtube looks terrible without hq on large screens). Is it possible to root and get youtube HQ? or, Im guessing, simply just go to youtube.com and play back the files via the flash player(assuming it plays smooth and the epic has flash).

BTW incase anyone is wondering, 2 reviewers said the GPS had no problems, whereas engadget said they did.

 

[jfenton]

The biggest disappointment is the GPS issue.

I use GPS on my phone all of the time and this has me wondering whether I try another EVO (my first one was defective) or go with the EPIC.

They really should have had this worked out before launch.

 

[excalis]

From the SlashGear Review - "Best of all, the GPS issues which many have reported affecting Galaxy S family devices aren’t apparent on the Epic 4G, with our review unit proving capable of quickly establishing a fix and tracking it accordingly."

 

[jsimon9633]

From the SlashGear Review - "Best of all, the GPS issues which many have reported affecting Galaxy S family devices aren?t apparent on the Epic 4G, with our review unit proving capable of quickly establishing a fix and tracking it accordingly."

conflicting reports it seems as engadget mentioned the issue is alive and well

 

[lpsteve72]

So a review said that YouTube HQ isnt supported by the Epic (this is really sad, as youtube looks terrible without hq on large screens). Is it possible to root and get youtube HQ? or, Im guessing, simply just go to youtube.com and play back the files via the flash player(assuming it plays smooth and the epic has flash).

BTW incase anyone is wondering, 2 reviewers said the GPS had no problems, whereas engadget said they did.

I really hope you can choose high quality when watching YouTube videos. Damn, I can do it on my stock hero with decent 3g signal strength. There has to be a way....

 

[Aero]

None, NONE of them did any serious test of the GPS. They all lack the objective information needed.

1) does samsung say the software problem they acknowledged is being fixed in weeks was fixed on Epic? Any responsible review would have taken the time to shoot of a quick email with this specific question.
2) did any of the reviews post acquisition times outside with hot, warm, and cold starts , soft reset, hard rest and RTN (factory start)?
3) did any of the reviews simply install a basic gps utility to look and see how fast, if at all ephemeris and almanac were populated under agps (data sourced) and none agps (stalelite sourced) caches, and what the HDOP (position confidence) values were?
4) check if common LBA's (location based application) programs such as google maps and sprint nav or navigon etc were triggering agps and/or standalone gps
5) bother to check if agps is on by default on this model (it isn't by default on other galaxies)


it isn't that the sophisticated tests were not done. It isn't even that the simple objective test were not done. But that the most basic simple quick tests (and 5 second look see at settings!) were not done. The maker was not even asked!

 

[Spruce1969]

New to Android and considering the EVO and Epic4G

Hello,

I am considering replacing my BlackBerry Tour with either an EVO or an Epic4G. I am wondering which of the two to upgrade to. The Epic looks extremely tempting and I am wondering if the Epic will provide what I would use it for, the web, email, and all the apps of the Android Market.
Any ideas on which phone I should upgrade to?

Spruce

 

[Phone#IM]

Hello,

I am considering replacing my BlackBerry Tour with either an EVO or an Epic4G. I am wondering which of the two to upgrade to. The Epic looks extremely tempting and I am wondering if the Epic will provide what I would use it for, the web, email, and all the apps of the Android Market.
Any ideas on which phone I should upgrade to?

Spruce

It basically comes down to if you want a keyboard or not since both phones are very similar.

 

[Mattism78]

Hello,

I am considering replacing my BlackBerry Tour with either an EVO or an Epic4G. I am wondering which of the two to upgrade to. The Epic looks extremely tempting and I am wondering if the Epic will provide what I would use it for, the web, email, and all the apps of the Android Market.
Any ideas on which phone I should upgrade to?

Spruce

I think honestly you will prefer the Epic. Going from a device with a quality QWERTY (like your current device) to a touchscreen device is HARD. Some people make the transition with ease but I have struggled since I had my Blackberry Bold. I absolutely LOVED the keyboard on that phone. I could text day and night and not worry about misspelling. Switching to a touchscreen (I currently have an iPhone 3Gs) was such a pain. Sure you can still type but I find myself using shorthand a LOT more. I use my device for as much as I can. I try to justify my monthly costs. So I will reply to emails, browse online, etc. With a touchscreen device I often times will wait to get home just so I can type on my keyboard.

I think even if you take all other aspects of the phones and rule them as equal (which they are not). The one with the keyboard will be a smoother transition for someone coming from a blackberry.

 

[vader4633]

why would they take off the daily briefing widget? I thought that was part of the "galaxy s life"

 

[fkabibil]

why would they take off the daily briefing widget? I thought that was part of the "galaxy s life"

They also took out the samsung music player for some reason

 

[messiah143]

I would go with the Epic 4G.

 

[whippingboy]

If all these omissions are TRUE - then all these reviews are TERRIBLE. This is the 1st time we've had supposedly the same phone on all major carriers in some time- if the phone is being branded as a Galaxy S- then I expect the UI to be THE SAME. A botched lock screen, supposedly non user modifiable home icons (the bottom row) removal of SAMSUNG added options and widgets-

WHOS to blame- Samsung for allowing this to happen? Sprint for requesting the changes?

Android is about CHOICE- so GIVE IT TO US. If I can get these from the market- then I have no gripe- but if I must ROOT to enjoy the phone that I thought I was getting- I may as well go elsewhere. I want to buy a phone and use it- not hack the dang thing.

 

[vader4633]

They also took out the samsung music player for some reason

The music player too??

 

[Mattism78]

If all these omissions are TRUE - then all these reviews are TERRIBLE. This is the 1st time we've had supposedly the same phone on all major carriers in some time- if the phone is being branded as a Galaxy S- then I expect the UI to be THE SAME. A botched lock screen, supposedly non user modifiable home icons (the bottom row) removal of SAMSUNG added options and widgets-

WHOS to blame- Samsung for allowing this to happen? Sprint for requesting the changes?

Android is about CHOICE- so GIVE IT TO US. If I can get these from the market- then I have no gripe- but if I must ROOT to enjoy the phone that I thought I was getting- I may as well go elsewhere. I want to buy a phone and use it- not hack the dang thing.

Don't go lighting your torches and grabbing your pitchforks just yet. These are first initial reviews. Some of the videos weren't even hands on as they had Sprint/Samsung tech's walking through the demo. I think we need to get a little closer to launch and some more definitive proof before we set out to burn down the village.

 

[HAAS599]

When will Android Central be posting a review?

 

[MissJennell#IM]

I tend to take these sorts of reviews with a grain of salt. I won't make judgements until I can have it in my hands and play with it.

 

[fkabibil]

The music player too??

Yeah - in the review from here you can see its the stock player. Makes no sense to me why they would want to get rid of it.