Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum - Battle of the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S Smartphones!
The Smartphone War
The Samsung Galaxy S series of Android powered smartphones has dominated the U.S. market. Consumers have a wide array of Samsung Galaxy S smartphones to choose from, such as the Samsung Epic 4G on Sprint or the Samsung Captivate on AT&T. Verizon has taken quite a chance and has released 2 Samsung Galaxy S smartphones in a relatively short timeframe. The Samsung Fascinate and the Samsung Continuum are both Samsung Galaxy S branded smartphones, both running very similar specs and both aiming for relatively the same market.
Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum
So how do the two fare? When you pit the Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum, which one comes out ahead? The Samsung Fascinate was the earlier released of the two, coming out in the initial launch of the Samsung Galaxy S smartphones on all 4 major U.S. carriers. The Samsung Continuum was released not too long after. This isn’t like a Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Vibrant battle, where call quality and connectivity can play a major factor. No, in the Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum battle, it’s a true comparison of hardware, software, design, utility and features.
Introducing the Verizon Samsung Fascinate
Our First Competitor, The First Samsung Galaxy S Phone Released on Verizon - The Verizon Samsung Fascinate
The Samsung Fascinate was released with the original batch of Samsung Galaxy S phones, it was actually the last of the smartphones to land on the 4 major U.S. carriers. Released in September, the Samsung Fascinate was met with quite a lot of fanfare and is still available and popular 4 months later. Holding a powerful 1 GHz processor and Android 2.1, the Samsung Fascinate is a solid phone that can last quite a while. The major con for this contender is that there is no news on when Android 2.2 (Froyo) will be released for the Samsung Fascinate. Another worry is that Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) may not even be released for the Fascinate or any other Samsung Galaxy S phone for that matter.
Introducing the Verizon Samsung Continuum
Our Second Competitor, The Latest Samsung Galaxy S Phone Released on Verizon - The Verizon Samsung Continuum
The Samsung Continuum was more recently released in November, just 3 months after the Samsung Fascinate. Verizon seems to be on a binge when it comes to releasing smartphones for the same market. They did the same action with the Motorola Droid X and releasing the Motorola Droid 2 not too soon after, which, was followed by the Droid 2 Global and the Droid Pro. The Samsung Continuum is very similar to the Fascinate, featuring a 1 GHz process and Android 2.1, but its main selling point is the separate 1.8 inch Super AMOLED ticker screen. Similar to the Samsung Fascinate, there has been no news on whether the Samsung Continuum will be receiving Android 2.2 or if it’s even compatible to receive Android 2.3.
Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum
Now that the two competitors have gone through a general overview, it’s time to really pit the Samsung Fascinate vs. the Samsung Continuum. These two smartphones come from the same family, the Samsung Galaxy S series, and they’re both on the Verizon network, making this an all out, tooth and nail, tough battle.
Design
The design on the Samsung Fascinate and Samsung Continuum is really what sets the two smartphones apart. The Samsung Continuum is a smaller sized phone with rounded edges. It feels more like a phone than the Samsung Fascinate, which is bulkier and larger compared to the Continuum. The Samsung Fascinate does, however, have the advantage of being slimmer than the Samsung Continuum. The main selling point of the Continuum is the 1.8 inch Super AMOLED ticker screen below the main display. This screen is used to continuously update you without you having to turn on the main display or leave an application. This ingenious little addition makes the Continuum stand out above the Fascinate. In addition, the Continuum has a dedicated two level shutter key for the camera as well as an externally accessible microSD slot. These little nuances put the Continuum in the lead for design over the Samsung Fascinate.
Winner - Samsung Continuum
Hardware and Software
When it comes to hardware and software it almost ends up as a tie. In this heated Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum battle, one would think the hardware and software would be the same, but there is an ever so slight difference. When it comes to storage, the Samsung Continuum offers 2 GB of internal storage with another 8 GB of storage with the preloaded microSD. The Samsung Fascinate on the other hand comes preloaded with a 16 GB microSD. Though both can be expanded, straight out of the box, the Samsung Fascinate wins with the storage space.
Winner - Samsung Fascinate
Camera
Both the Samsung Fascinate and the Samsung Continuum come with the same 5 megapixel
camera with LED flash. Oddly enough though, the Samsung Continuum takes slightly better pictures. The Samsung Fascinate has a slight haziness to the pictures while the Samsung Continuum comes off more clear and crisp. The LED flash on the Samsung Continuum also performed better, lighting up more of the area than the Samsung Fascinate. On top of all this is the dedicated two level shutter button on the site that makes taking pictures easier. In the case of the camera, the Samsung Continuum wins hands down.
Winner - Samsung Continuum
Features
When it comes to features the Samsung Fascinate vs. Samsung Continuum battle almost comes to a stand still. Both sadly use Bing as the default engine rather than Google. They both also come preloaded with the Verizon suite of applications. However, the one small feature, the 1.8 inch feature on the Samsung Continuum is what trumps the Samsung Fascinate. The 1.8 inch ticker screen on the Samsung Continuum allows you to truly multitask on the Continuum. Playing a game and receiving a call? On the Fascinate you have to quit playing to either accept or deny the call while on the Continuum you can easily just use the ticker while keeping the game active. Do you want to know what time it is while reading an important e-mail? You have to exit to the home screen, losing your place in the e-mail on the Fascinate, while the Continuum allows you to do a cursory glance down. Thanks to this little 1.8 inch ticker, the Samsung Continuum comes out on top.
Winner - Samsung Continuum
The Verdict
The Samsung Continuum wins this heated Samsung Facinate vs. Samsung Continuum battle. The Samsung Continuum had the advantage of watching the Samsung Fascinate and seeing what parts it could make better. In addition, the unique 1.8 inch ticker really makes the Continuum stand out, not only against the Fascinate but against all other Android manufacturers. Priced in at the same, around $200, on a contract, the Samsung Continuum is a more worthy investment than the Samsung Fascinate. So while the Fascinate is a fantastic phone, the Verizon Samsung Continuum wins this battle.
