Four questions for Fascinate Owners

[DroidDev]

I have a question or two or four for you Fascinate owners. I will be getting the Fascinate or the Droid X tomorrow or Friday.

1. Google contacts. Do they Sync to the phone?
2. Facebook Pics. Do they Sync?
3. What is ONE regret if you have about the Fascinate?
4. If you root using the guide in the sticky do you have to put a custom ROM on? Or can you just proceed with all the stock stuff and just disable bloat.

Cheers,

B

 

[namebrandon]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Annoying Bing integration out of the box
4. Rooting has nothing to do with ROM's. You can do whatever you want.

 

[ellisz]

1. All androids phones sync to google I believe
2. Yes. I have mine linked to my contacts
3. Bing. No Froyo. No Led notification. First 2 are fixable...
4. You can use root to debloat or tether. Roms are the ultimate in customization but do require root. Need to be rooted for roms but don't need a rom if rooted...

 

[brug]

1. yes
2. yes
3. no regrets, love this thing. replaced bing with google, froyo will be here soon, and am super happy that there's no stupid notification led on this phone!
4. no custom rom required, root just gives full filesystem/device access

 

[skipper2]

1. Yes
2. Yes (however in my case I disabled Facebook syncing because I have contacts there that are only for games and did not want them included)
3. Bing search (easily fixed with or without root) Led Notification (Fixed with a great app called NoLed that will show either dots or an icon for missed mail, phone calls, mms/sms and everything else) The GPS is a little slow to acquire a signal
4. You can root and do nothing is you so chose, or you can disable bloat. Root does give you access to some neat little apps like shootme which will take screen shots and others.

Came from a BB Storm and LOVE this phone.

 

[Android_IPA]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No LED notification, although I'm actually getting used to it. I expect it will be a non-issue before too long. Note: BING was easy to get around and my GPS is flawless. I'm almost in the "absolutely no regrets" category.
4. Can't help. I'm running stock with LauncherPro and no plans to root. And ShootMe works just fine on my unrooted Fascinate (check out some of my other posts for graphic evidence).

 

[DroidDev]

This is exactly what I was looking for, you guys are great. Thanking all of you.

 

[Dr. K_Xen]

I am about to purchase the Fascinate or Droid X tomorrow or Friday as well and this has helped me too! Thanks!!!

 

[DroidDev]

Yeah I read a few posts that said they could not get the google contacts to sync and a lot of people said they dont on the fascinate.

I am going with the Fascinate tomorrow, when I compare it to the Droid X they both have good strengths. However using the Fascinate makes me happy for some reason. Maybe it is the amazing screen that shoots out screaming rays of happiness with its SAMOLED sweetness. Mayne its the fact it doesnt look like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Maybe its the fact that EVERYONE is getting the X and I dont like being like everyone else. Maybe its the freshness of the UI. For some reason I cannot put the Fascinate down. If it doesnt work out for me I can take it back and get the X. No hassles. Although coming from the Eris, any phone on the market is a step up.

 

[NickA]

Maybe its the fact it doesnt look like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

LOL. It's true though.

Maybe its the fact that EVERYONE is getting the X and I don't like being like everyone else.

That's one of the reasons I got the Fascinate. Not to mention it feels like an underdog because it's not in the Droid lineup, and I always root for the underdog. My 30 days is up on Sunday, but I decided this week I'm keeping the Fascinate. I love the look and how it feels. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

 

[DroidDev]

Yeah I hear ya. When I talked to verizon the other day they said that the Fascinate was a good phone blah blah blah. Then before I ended the call with him he said you know you should try the Droid X or the Incredible.

I was in the store last week looking at the Fascinate and an associate came up to me and ask me if I wanted him to show me the Droid X.

I was on the phone with verizon today asking about the GPS issue and he insisted I consider the Droid X.

It makes me sick how much Verizon are such fanboys of a device that is bugged up. Just look at their forums here on Android Central. The X is a good device. I just dont like the idea being in the "in crowd" Be the lion not the sheep.

 

[wowser]

3. Signal strength. Indoors in some areas I don't get 3g where I used to get it before with a blackberry.

 

[Tari]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Bloatware, but you can remove it with root
4. No. I'm rooted, but I've not done anything beyond removing bloatware. I'm a scaredy cat like that.

4. Can't help. I'm running stock with LauncherPro and no plans to root. And ShootMe works just fine on my unrooted Fascinate (check out some of my other posts for graphic evidence).

Yeah, ShootMe and PicMe both don't need root access on the Fascinate. Pretty neat.

 

[skipper2]

Thank you guys for pointing out that Shootme does not require root. It did on the X. I just tried it and you are right.

I came from a Storm 1 and I am in love with the Fascinate. The BB sucked. BB msgr and the desktop app was the best part.

I was due for an upgrade for a while. When I first saw the specs for the X I wanted that. I held off for a while because I didn't want to pay the 199. Then I saw Walmart would give it for 149 without the mail in rebate. I was ready to go but no one had it in stock. Then I started looking at the Fascinate and what was called the Merge. Damn. 3 phones to chose from. I saw that the Merge had the physical keyboard and I didn't want that plus it is not out yet. That left the X and the F. I chose the F because last week it was free from Best Buy. I have not looked back since. A few of my coworkers have the X and The screen is not as vibrant (it is bigger), and it is too big (my biggest concern).

I am very happy with the Fascinate and my wife is upgrading on Friday (8th) and getting the Fascinate because she has played around with all of the Androids and has a BB Storm 1 and a Palm Pre and she loves my Fascinate.

It feels good, it looks good and unbeknownst to me it does some apps that others require root.

M

 

[packerbacker]

Like most people I hate the lack of an LED light.

 

[azdmelani]

Like most people I hate the lack of an LED light.

Coming from a crackberry, I dont miss the led. It was an addiction. NoLED does the trick for me.

 

[packerbacker]

From what I heard about NoLED, I don't think I'd like it. I mean, I'm used to the no LED too, but I definitely wouldn't mind having one.

 

[j32driver]

From what I heard about NoLED, I don't think I'd like it. I mean, I'm used to the no LED too, but I definitely wouldn't mind having one.

Dude... just download the app and try it. I LOVE NoLED. Works perfect and completely solves the notification issues I had with this phone.

 

[F34R]

3. No LED notification, and signal str could be better...

Other than that, ditto for all the "pro's".

 

[Kurolover35]

Three changes:
-Signal strength is weak at best in same exact locations that a lowly LG Dare was strong.
-Google nav takes forever on this phone to lock in.
-No google search, even after downloading google search the search defaults through Bing.(not a huge deal though which is why it's third)