Fascinate Free at Best Buy Tomorrow, Worth Getting?

[mojo7766]

So Best Buy is running a promo tommorow for a Free Fascinate with contract extension. I was due for an upgrade last week and was intending on waiting for the release of the Merge before making a decision on which phone to get. But its hard to argue with Free! and Right Now! Question is, Is the Fascinate worth getting?

This will be my first Android phone (BB Storm 1 right now). I am an avid google user so the whole Bing thing really turns me off this phone (my BB alone I run Gmaps, Gsync, Gvoice, Gmail, Gmobilesearch, google's youtube app, not to mention the PC programs I use chrome, docs, reader, etc). I intend to root the phone regardless so the whole Bing thing should really make no difference correct? I should be able to eliminate all the bloatware and set my own defaults right?

Secondly, how durable is the Fascinate? I've never broken a phone but they do take some damage over the course of 2 years. I'd like something that would be able to withstand the damage of loose change and the occasional drop without cracking the screen. I never use a case and don't intend on starting to. But I also don't want to live my daily life thinking that there is a $500 piece of glass in my front pocket either.

I haven't handled the Fascinate yet but I have read a few reviews and posts about it. Just looking for some user opinions on it. It's hard to really judge a product based on 5 minutes in the store (hence why I have a BB Storm). As far as the other Verizon Android phones go, the DX's size really does not bother me. But I have read the Motorola UI is not very good, plus for $150 it really holds little advantage (screen size) over the Fascinate (free) or the Dinc ($40). Ideally, I want a physical keyboard but the D2's keyboard seems unusable. Basically should I jump on the promo tomorrow? Or should I wait until the Merge comes out to make a decision? What are the chances that I could trade the Fascinate for the Merge once released? Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.

 

[ellisz]

It is a great phone IMO. I went from the D1 to the Fascinate and don't regret it all. If it was free, I would no hesitate. I need to wait longer to do my upgrades... mine was not free LOL

 

[thechemE#CB]

Well i had the fascinate coming from a bb tour myself. I wanted to love the phone because it simply has the best hardware of any android out atm. However as time went on i became extremely frustrated with the gps issue (it either locks, doesn't, and the majority of the time it takes a while to lock). People seem to have been falling into those 3 different categories. I was in the doesn't lock, at all (except once but that was a miracle). So i took it into vzw and they told me they didn't know why it doesnt work with google maps or nav but i could use vzw navigator. I told them i didn't want to use that and they had no other options to give me, so i exchanged it for a dinc and I'm very satisfied now. That ontop of the random little bugs such as opening up my messages and instead opening up the last thing i did on the phone whether it be an app or a webpage (backspacing did not help it just went back to the last thing you did before the thing it opened up) pushed me towards the dinc.

*Edit The above was just my experience with it, others have had no problems as well.


I too was deciding between the x and the dinc but hated motoblur. However at no cost it is really a steal if you could deal with everything before the alleged fix comes with froyo for the phone. Anything will seem amazing to the storm 1 (i had one for about 3 months). However if you do not want to do that, i assure you from my use so far everything works flawlessly on the dinc, except it has poor battery life (you can always buy an extended or an extra one for cheap).

As far as the merge goes, to my knowledge bing will be on every phone except those that are a part of the "droid" line (x, droid 2, incredible, and such). So it will also be binged out

 

[TSX05]

where did you see that they were doing the fascinate again? so its going to be the free one on 10/22?

 

[mojo7766]

I can live with some workarounds for a bit as long as an update is coming. I survived 2 years of the Storm solely by working around the default UI, Browser, and other stock apps. My main concern was really with the bloatware and durability of the phone itself. I have never had an Android so I've never dealt with rooting. But as long as Bing can be uninstalled by rooting I am fine with it whether it be on the Merge or Fascinate. I lived off of leaked OSs on the BB for the past 2 years so I'm used to tweaking my phone.

 

[mojo7766]

where did you see that they were doing the fascinate again? so its going to be the free one on 10/22?

Gizmodo...

Dealzmodo: Samsung Fascinate, BlackBerry Bold 9700 For Free

 

[voghan]

The Fascinate is a great phone. It's light, has a bright 4" screen and has tons of room for apps. If you are willing to play a little you'll have no issues removing Bing. The GPS has not been an issue for me or my wife. We used Google Navigation on a recent vacation with no issues. She also uses a program that maps the terrain differences while you walk and hasn't has any issues.

 

[TSX05]

wow, very nice

 

[packerbacker]

Bing is not a big deal. The Fascinate is a great phone, I highly recommend it. My only true complaint is no LED, but you get used to it.

 

[jjcasillas15]

You sound just like me about 3weeks.
I had my Storm1 for 2years but was finally frustrated with it and was due for an upgrade. I picked up the Fascinate at Best Buy on their first "Free Phone Friday" and have been very happy since.The screen quality is just amazing. And the quality of the phone ,as a whole is great. What I love about it is that you can customize it how you want it. I have all the google apps on my phone...search, maps, voice. And Bing is actually not that bad once you get used to it.
The whole Gps thing hasnt affected me at all. And once Froyo comes out its only gonna make things better.
Camera and Video are great as well! My wife is actually due for her upgrade and is going in 2morrow to pick herself up a Fascinate as well.

 

[packerbacker]

My dad has a Storm 1 still... and he still loves it. I don't know how he deals with that slow POS. I always hated the Storm though. I liked the newer Blackberry OS, but the clicky touchscreen you had to push down on was always weird to me.

 

[jjcasillas15]

I know what you mean. My wife still has her Storm1, and after having my fascinate for a while, I grabbed her phone to make a call and realized how much it sucks to have to push down to "hit" a button.

 

[packerbacker]

I never got the hang of typing on my dad's Storm. He's good at it, which is all that matters, I guess.

 

[mojo7766]

I actually have alot less hate for the Storm1 than alot of other ppl. I like the clicking screen (which is probably why I want a physical keyboard), and there were enough 3rd party apps out there that I was able to turn it into an functioning smartphone instead of the lagging hourglass POS it was out of the box. I was really looking for excuses to buy another BB and try out the new OS they came out with but they really offered NOTHING in terms of comparable hardware to any phone on the Android line, maybe by my next upgrade? (doubtful). I'm excited to be moving on though.

 

[hava123]

The Fascinate is a great phone. I never use GPS so I can't comment on that.. but the bing issue is not a big deal. I have no complaints when using it. I can't tell the difference really, but that might just be me.

 

[thechemE#CB]

im pretty sure if i hadn't gotten what i consider a lemon (it lagged, gps didn't work, and it was buggy) as well as receiving poor support from vzw I would probably still have the fascinate. The hardware is unbeatable and if all goes well its a steal

 

[iPhoneSuks]

I also moved on from a storm 1 to the fascinate and couldn't be happier. After rooting and removing bing along with all the bloatware this phone has been perfect. I got my fascinate for free at best buy during the first friday they were running this promotion. I paid $0 neither tax nor activation fee. This phone is a steal for free.

Screenshot of my current setup

 

[StonewallUSMC]

DOes "Free phone friday's" apply to just upgrades? What about new activations?

 

[jjcasillas15]

It should be available for new activations as well. I would recommend grabbing it. great phone for free. you cant beat that!

 

[iTz Nicholas72]

Is it 100% that the Fascinate is going to be the "free" phone for Verizon tomorrow?

If so my brother and I are going to upgrade. Also what happens if they run out do we get rain checks or are we SOL?

-- Sent from my Palm Pr