@Ken_Darrow:
Ohh i see what you did there. Another point goes to you.

Encore!

mr30gZune

Your attitude about this is much better than a certain AOL sites.Thanks Gizmodo.I'm a happy instinct owner and this update was just a glimpse of whats to come.For those wondering what the fixes where.
-I saw that the OS is now able to read a full battery at 100% instead of 90% which isn't a really big deal since the battery lasted pretty much all day.Having this updated to work properly was good.
-auto correct now works all the time,when you're typing it automatically fixes your typos. :) my favorite new feature.
-the os feels snappier.
- bluetooth volumes now are better.

not much updated that is really noticable to the common user,but the big update in 2 weeks will be the one to keep your eyes open for. :D

TonyBravo

Hey at least I didn't mention the Zune.. Ooops I just did.

Ken_Darrow

@Ken_Darrow:
Here we go again. I wanted to see how long someone would mention the iphone. Lo and behold its on the first post

Bravo!

mr30gZune

So they will update the OS to copy more of the iPhone.

Ken_Darrow

@MDIFILM:

yeah you're right.They're both great phones.Honestly though besides apps and the browser there is very little the iphone can actually do better than the instinct.
for starters battery life owns everything.Combine that with the ability to switch the battery with the xtra given,you're back up and running in the matter of a minute.
i personally prefer the touch screen on the instinct for the simple please of the vibration feedback it gives.It's like rubbing your Girl the right way and her giving you feedback.As opposed to rubbing rubbing and rubbing with the bitch now saying anything! lol
GPS also owns any other phone out there.With the pedestrian option and it can pin point your location to a matter of feet (not blocks) its a great option to people who walk in big cities.
Voice quality is superb and it just got better with the recent update.

so as for me personally i still can't find something that i really would like paying $30 more a month for plus $80 for the phone.Apps will come,and opera will come.Apple fan boys commence tearing up the instinct cause from what i've seen this is the first one to stand a chance against the iphone,and it's still a first generation instinct.Iphone is 2nd gen.

TonyBravo

Honestly, how does the Instinct compare to the iPhone?

I was messing with the Instinct and it doesn't seem as intuitive as the iPhone.

yoshi

@mr30gZune:

the phone is good.If you're coming from a upstage you're in for quite a fun experience.Theres plenty of games out there for the phone too.The touch screen is great as is the rest of the phone.The only drawback of the phone and what people like to cling on to is the browser.Which isn't that bad,it just could be better you know? But when opera drops you'll have no reason no to get this phone.The speed on it is amazing too,you can download a song in the matter on seconds (36 seconds i timed it).When/if you get it just stay connected to the message boards for the phone and you'll be fine.Most of the people there are very helpful. :)

TonyBravo

I have both, the Instinct and the Iphone (previously an Upstage and Tilt - just sold my unlocked Tilt :))

Anyway, both phones are really good, if you can't change network, then Instinct IS the best phone out there for Sprint.

And if you compare them side by side, they both have pros and cons and at the end, it all matter on taste.

MDIFILM

@TonyBravo:
Do you really think its worth buying it now? cause i still have an upstage, and i love the shit out of that phone, but i thinks its time for an upgrade.

I'm planning on waiting for the helio 2.0, but im also leaning on the instinct

what do u think? should i hold out or just get it now?

mr30gZune

i just got the instinct yesterday and my internet is really fast. maybe you dont live in a area with a good connect. i just timed the time it took to go to Kotaku. 8 seconds

ZetaCrossfire

@TonyBravo:

I'll agree that both phones are great devices with a lot of functionality, but the iPhone wins hands down. It's OS is much more intuitive with a more responsive touchscreen that makes haptic feedback unnecessary. When apps are released for the Instinct, the quantity and quality will be inferior because of a less robust development community.

Both have their advantages. The Instinct has the ability to swap batteries, but for most people this is a non issue, and for those that are not in the proximity of an electrical outlet throughout the day, there are plenty of options for charging your iPhone on the go. Some of the options actually seem better than having a swappable battery. For example, one of the external batteries for the iPhone chargers both the iPhone and external battery all while still being able to use the device. In order to charge the Instinct's batteries at the same time you have to carry around two chargers.

For now the Instinct has a slight edge on GPS simply because it has turn by turn directions. However, I have found the iPhone's GPS to locate just as accurately and in less time than the Instinct. When companies like Garmin start releasing their software in the App store, the iPhone will totally dominate the Instinct in regards to navigation.

justinpe

@TonyBravo: The first gen iPhone is a better phone than the Instinct. I dont understand how you can honestly say that this phone has a chance against the iPhone. You prefer the Instinct over the iPhone because it gives you feedback? Its not human being its a phone. Thats a cool lil feature but not a deal breaker, can you turn it off?

I'm not here to bash the Instinct but clearly its not on the level as the iPhone. I just see it odd when people try to compare to the iPhone in any kind of way.

Just ask yourself if the iPhone was available on every carrier in America, how many people would switch their phone for an iPhone? The iPhone would crush any other competition out there hands down. Please no more comparisons to the iPhone there is no other phone out on the market that comes close.

pdditty

@yoshi: Everything you wanted to know, and probably more, is here.

matt buchanan

I am an Apple devotee to the core (no pun intended), but I must say I am VERY happy with my decision to go with the Samsung Instinct on Sprint. A phone can be awesome, but on a shitty network, it's useless. ATT genuinely sucks in terms of coverage, speed, and value. VERY FEW people who have done any research into this disagree.

Now, in terms of the phone, the Instinct has great battery life, is incredibly intuitive, slimmer than the iPhone, has GPS you can use while driving, replaceable battery, EXTRA battery, USB and stand-alone chargers in the box, and this is the one that ultimately tipped the scale for me and the one that iPhone fanboys neglect to touch on: insurability, people. $7/month and you're golden no matter what happens. Worst case is you lose it and have to pay a $50 deductible.

The Instinct is in its infancy and will only get better. In October the results of the Sprint Instinct developer contest will be announced and there will no doubt be some great apps available from 3rd party developers. And speaking of developers, the platform is much more open than iPhone and requires less sacrifice on the developers part.

Other things to keep in mind:

-Apple settled out of court for stealing visual voicemail while sprint licensed it fairly from the start.

-Instinct has a freaking VIDEO CAM for god's sake.
-ditto for MMS!
-Instinct has voice recognition (that works freakishly well)
-Instinct has Live Search which also works freakishly well. push a button and say "Mexican Food" and you get dead accurate listings based on your location, including, you guessed it: turn-by-turn GPS directions.

People, the iPhone was the best for a while but others have caught up. Please don't say there's "no comparison" because many people including myself spent a great deal of time agonizing over the decision to go iPhone or Instinct. I for one am very happy with my decision.

Now, if you want your phone to act as a torpedo level or other gimmicky device, the iPhone/app store might be for you.

oldsmobuick

@matt buchanan:

Appreciate Matt!

Thanks!

yoshi

I finally got to mess with one in-depth when a co-worker picked one up last week. It's actually pretty slick and will probably satisfy most people's needs just fine. But as far as non-smart/feature phones go, I still think the LG Dare's the best one I've seen so far by a good margin.

Ron-Mexico

@TonyBravo:
Does the battery indicator give tell you how much battery you have all the way down to 0%? I really hated that once the battery icon was red, it just said "Low Battery". Are the: Back, Home, Phone; buttons more responsive?

@pdditty: You ca compare 2 things based on: features, cost, appearance? Is the iPhone that "up there", that it cannot be compared? My Pocket PC can copy, and paste. Tsssssss!

The Instinct was a nice phone for the first 3 days I had it. I didn't realize how much functionality, and flexibility I needed from the start; something the Instinct didn't offer. I can vouch for the phone's GPS capabilities. It definitely made my trip to Sacramento and LA much more pleasant. The only gripe I had, was that I needed to use the earphone, because the speaker volume wasn't loud enough. I'll be waiting until the Instinct 2. : )

logikgr

Oh and btw, back OT. My instinct does really seem snappier as reported earlier. Hooray!

m4ximusprim3

My decision making process was this:

Put the iphone in my jeans pocket. Put the instinct in my jeans pocket.

Try to get them out. Instinct = smaller and thinner = easier to get out. Done!

Seriously, with the features on both of them, it really became a form factor battle for me, and the instinct is smaller and fits in my hand better.

YMMV

m4ximusprim3

@mr30gZune:

Nah, it will always be Giz to be the first, anything that isn't an iPhone they call pretty much talk about with sarcasm and "but it's no iphone" tone behind it. I'm still shocked Gizmodo looked at other technology this week

PilotHead

They can tweak the Instink until they are blue in the face. Bottom line is this. Sprint has ranked in the top 3 for Money Magazine's Customer Service Hall of Shame for quite some time. No gadget out there is worth enduring the crappy service that Sprint delivers. I tried them once. Never again!

Thrillcekr

@justinpe:
Are you mental?

Not having a swappable battery is better? You prefer a shitty battery that won't last a day? Having to send the phone and pay $80 to Apple to replace it? Sure there are plenty of solutions to charge, but the problem shouldn't even be there in the first place, Instincts batter last MUCH longer, and they give you 2 of them, which anyone who actually needs a a phone to last (god forbid) more than 2 hours will love.

App. Store quantity over quality?
First, fuck the app. store, they are the very definition of "quantity over quality". Half of that stuff has been around for years, a lot cause the phone to crash, on top of that there is 1001 applications right now, yet there is still no:
-MMS
-Turn-by-Turn Navigation
-Video Record
-Functional Copy/Paste
-Adobe Flash
I'm not going to pay for an application that was made from some schmuck in his parent's basement, and hope that it won't taste a shit on my phone. It's been a year now, if the items above haven't been made, it's cause Apple isn't going to make it. Quit making promises for a company that never made it in the first place.

PilotHead

@logikgr:
i'll have to get back to you on that one,my battery is still at 70% from switching it this morning. lol The response on those buttons have always been good to me.Well after i calibrated and raised the touch sensitivity. :)

TonyBravo

@justinpe:
Thanks for your reply first of all. :)
Ok,as far as touch screens go i think they're both about the same,once you've calibrated your screen to your particular needs/taste it works great.Haptic feedback just adds to that.I'll give you this though,the iphone has it's multi touch.Which is nice and all but i personally enjoy the feedback more,and don't mind a zoom bar or button.The app store for the iphone is good too but don't confuse it for being a goldmine.Most of those apps are duplicates of other apps and some truly aren't useful at all.So all in all i'd say iphone apps have great potential,but most are just garbage.

I have to disagree with you fully and say there is no way the battery on the instinct can be compared to iphones.first of all the battery lasts me the entire day without needing to connect it to anything.If somehow i manage to drain the thing in the course of the day i carry the spare in my backpack.No need to carry the charger or look around for somewhere to plug in.1 minute battery switching rocks.Trust me,once you've experienced the simple joy of going from 0% to 100% in the matter of a minute feels good.You can use whatever and how much ever functions you want without the worry of your phone not powering on.You always have that extra 100% close by. :)
Now on the GPS issue sure theres going to be an app made for it,but will it be free? From what i have seen the one coming up soon will be around $25 maybe even a monthly charge? No need to worry bout that with the instinct,it's included in the $99.Just like the radio,live tv and on demand.As someone previously stated,the iphone was cutting edge but now other companies have caught up and the instinct is the best alternative out there.I give credit where credit is due and thanks to apple we are going to have some amazing devices coming out,all in the name of competition.

TonyBravo

@oldsmobuick:

I will concede that Sprint's 3G network is more ubiquitous, however, the speeds of the network are relatively the same according to both their web sites and real world tests. If you live in an area without ATT coverage, obviously the Instinct would be the better choice for you. If we were comparing the networks alone, I would say that, overall, Sprint's is better (minus customer service), but I was just comparing the actual phones to one another. And even when considering the carrier, the iPhone STILL wins for me (and most other consumers, sales numbers are a testament to this).

From reviews I have read, and even Sprint's web site, it is clear that the battery in the iPhone, although not removable, has superior performance. The iPhone is also thinner than the Instinct with a much larger and higher resolution screen.

To say the iPhone is not insurable is absolutely wrong. I currently have mine covered against damage, loss, or theft for $60 per year through my home owners policy. The deductible is only $50. It may not be insurable through my carrier, but it is most definitely insurable.

@PilotHead:

According to PC World the iPhone's battery is superior to other 3G phones with the exception of Blackberries running on EVDO. The Instinct did well in the test, but was beaten by the iPhone. Even the battery ratings released by the respective manufacturers shows that the iPhone has longer battery life. Good thing you get an extra with the Instinct I guess. Seriously though, a replaceable battery is not that important to most consumers (sales numbers don't lie). If it really is that important to you, the Instinct is your device. I prefer to to have a non-swappable battery, but even many of those who would like an extra battery still choose the iPhone because of its far superior UI and its ease of use among other advantages.

The app store has been out for only a few weeks, and already offers more than the Instinct ever will. If you truly believe that the Instinct will have better quality apps, you are only kidding yourself. The iPhone's development community is already much more robust and will continue to be that way because the iPhone is more profitable for developers because their apps are easily accessible through the app store on millions of iPhones around the world. Also, the iPhone's multi-touch, higher resolution screen, and accelerometers make the platform much more attractive to developers and make for more intuitive applications.

@TonyBravo:

I agree that most of the apps in the app store are crap, but there are a good handful that are really useful, even some of the free ones. For example, Shazam, Guitar toolkit, Palringo, Band, Bomberman, Remote, Pandora, and many others are used on my phone daily. And the quality of these apps are unlike any Ive ever seen on any mobile device in terms of both aesthetics and usability. We'll see what kind of Apps come for the Instinct, but it is hard to believe that the development community will be as robust as the iPhone's.

"I have to disagree with you fully and say there is no way the battery on the instinct can be compared to iphones.first of all the battery lasts me the entire day without needing to connect it to anything."

I also run my iPhone all day without charging, and don't need an extra battery. If I ever do need portable power (which I won't) there are several third party options. All in all both the Instinct and iPhone's batteries have good life, but the iPhone's is slightly better. This is a fact, compare the specs on their web sites, or read any review that compares the two.

The navigation apps will surely cost money, but I don't need navigation, and if I do, the iPhone's turn by trun directions work well enough. Also, There are at least two or three free radio apps for the iPhone already that seem much better than the Instinct's. And live TV on a phone is pointless for most people. I prefer to watch what I want to watch when i want to watch it. If I want to catch last night's episode of American Gladiators, I Tivo it, and transfer to iTunes to watch it when I please. Or I could download a TV episode from iTunes or bittorrent etc and watch when I want to. The only useful implementation for live tv on a mobile would be for sports or or other live events that can't wait, and live sporting events are not available through Sprint's mobile live tv service because of contracts between the various professional sports organizations and networks.

Overall, both phones have their advantages, although the iPhone's far outweigh the Instinct's. If not having a removable battery is a deal breaker, then the Instinct is the phone for you. Either way, your personal preferences don't speak for the masses and just because you prefer a particular device does not make it better. Both companies are in the business of selling phones. You sell more phones by making the best device. I'll let you guess who has sold more.

justinpe

We have both the Instinct and the iPhone 3G. I got an Instinct for my wife. I have one of the new iPhone 3G's. To begin, I think the Instinct is a great SmartPhone. Nothing like it has ever been available for the price. We do not use the Sprint service that allows it to connect to Microsoft Exchange, so I cannot comment on how it would work in a corporate setting. My wife uses the Instinct for Yahoo email, GPS, web surfing, etc. and it works great for her for all of those things. If the next OS update makes the web browser better, that would be a real plus. The Instinct is definitely worth more than the price of admission. But it is no iPhone. To me, the iPhone's capacity to use new applications is the iPhone's real advantage. Particularly when you see applications like VNC, Citrix support in devleopment, Cisco VPN, WebEx PCNow, etc. These kinds of applications may not be important for some people, but they are for me. I doubt any applications like this will ever exist for the Instinct. So, when people ask me about what I see as the difference between the two devices - I generally come back with something like this: The Instinct is a great SmartPhone. The iPhone is a great computer in the palm of your hand - that you can also make phone calls with. Which is better? It depends what you ned your device to do. Just my 2 cents...

DBM123

I thought I would actuallyget the instinct, until my friends had firmware issues and I decided on the jesusphone 2.0

RalphMexico

I owned the 1st Gen iPhone for 6 months and it is a great device. After a few cracks at it, I was able to get plenty of free 3rd party apps on there. The apps I have put on there are great and the UI is just amazing. However, now my iPhone battery cannot hold a charge and it's on my 3 way charger (wall, usb, and vehicle) or on my Bose SoundDock Speaker System all the time. I need to pick up a replacement battery, but would rather not. Not having my iPhone for a few days would not be fun.

So, I just picked up the Instict and it is a great phone. This phone does have a few issues with it, but I don't get the hatred towards it. Everything works for me very well, but I will reiterate that the web browser is horrible. The extra features I use the most are the turn-by-turn navigation and TV. I just wish there were more 3rd party apps for it. Hopefully very soon.

Anyhow my unbiased opinion if you care is that both phones are great and both phones work very well, but I will admit, the Instinct is in my pocket all the time and my iPhone sits at home on my SoundDock. I mainly use the iPhone as a mini-computer to get onto the Internet through Wi-Fi(if I'm lazy to turn-on my home computer) or a music player. Either way enjoy which ever phone you have, or both like me.

jacal

Just wanted to say to anyone thinking that they will or can make the browser better...don't hold your breath. It took Mozilla/Firefox and Opera years and years of large scale browser development to support both W3C rendering standards AND non-standard IE web sites. That requires not only rendering HTML, but extensive Javascript and CSS. I doubt some browser nobody has ever heard of will have come close to handling what the big browsers do (iPhone was able to do it because KHTML was around for years). Throw in the fact that web developers (like me) are still forced to write a large amount of browser specific code (none of which is targeted at unknown browsers) and you can expect that lots of sites will never work. Conclusion: Just use Opera and blame Microsoft for your problems with non-standard compliant web sites.

LandonGodinka