Hands-On With The T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant


UPDATE: More Hands-On Videos added below!

After the Samsung Galaxy S event today in NYC, attendees were given time to play around with the newly announced devices. Lucky for us, a few of the attendees managed to shoot some hands-on videos of the upcoming T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant. So far, first impressions seem to be pretty postive. Mark your calendars for July 21st and remember you can pre-order too! We’ve queued up some quick hands-on reviews of the Vibrant below. Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Engadget:

PhoneScoop:

AndroidCentral:

PhoneDog:

PhoneArena:

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  • Behold2User

    Why are cellphones getting bigger when I thought they were suppose to be small and convenient??? There’s EVO that is a huge. This, although not as big as EVO, is still big. I like the SGS (vibrant) but sometimes, size can a be a factor when it comes to using the phone. I don’t quite get phone manufacturers these days…

    • nell_z

      I dont get it. Theres the MT3G, MT3G Slide, Cliq, Cliq XT, G1, Garminfone, Touch Pro 2, Motorola Basil, Blackberries, soon the MotoRoi, SGS Vibrant and HD2, a phone to fit all needs and desires, yet you complain about the size. If you dont like the size of this phone, all of the above below the SGS Vibrant is much smaller. Get one of those.

    • Macknifetx

      While phones will never take the place of a laptop, it is hard to read anything on the web on the smaller screes. That is why they are getting bigger. We are relying on our phones more and more as we go about our days. With my MT3G it is hard to see everything on the screen when I remote into my desktop or laptop. I applaud the bigger screen and faster processor. Once we get HSPA in the Phoenix area I will be using the web portion of my phone more than I do now.

    • J

      I found the 4 inch screen to be perfect. I’ve used the 4.3 inch screen on the HD2, and it was too big. With this 4 inch screen, I felt comfortable keeping the phone in my pocket. I’m anti-holster because they screem DB.

    • pimpstrong

      Behold2User FAILed

    • DannyAg

      Look at it from a different perspective. Cellphones are not getting bigger, TVs and Laptops are getting smaller into a cellphone sized device that can also make phone calls.

  • mailman13877

    Yup true that’s why Samsung can’t yet be trusted cuzz they should know not to rip the Iphone UI fir android devices. My contract ends the 28th n trust me when I say I’m making moves at midnight like its a free agency signing. I’m trying to have a plane a,b,c in place right now lol.

    • Dashi

      YAY Your Gone The 28th??? SWEET!

    • ItsMichaelNotMike

      “Plane a, b, c?”

      What, you planning on flying somewhere? Do tell, please. Is ICE on your tail?

  • Macknifetx

    I was just looking at some more reviews of the Vibrant, and even though it does not have a flash (as so many people are complaining about), it does have night mode and should have a F2.8 aperture. This means that you can still get a decent picture in low light. Besides, even if it had the LED flash, people fail to realize that the flash is practically worthless past 10 feet. That is why on a DSLR, you have additional flash unit you can buy to get a decent picture past the 10 feet with the built in flash.

    • SEFan

      I hope you’re right, but I wouldn’t dismiss the effect of even a small flash. A lot of phone pics are shot at 10′ or less..

  • Alex

    Great phone, love the screen but keep in mind, by the time you recieve the froyo update, Nexus one owners will be getting Gingerbread…Oh, atleast the Vibrant has been rooted…So Samsung is being a lil’ more open this time…

  • Barry

    Exactly why I wont hesitate to buy this phone gotta love root. Also fascinate doesn’t have ffc either…its not that serious

  • mailman13877

    @ Alex
    Where did you see that the vibrant has already been rooted. If that’s true then it doesnt need to wait for Froyo also.

  • mailman13877

    Forget the FFC. TMO has been a success so far in one thing n now I can wait em out. The phone is only $330 without contract n if that’s true then I’m gonna get it n have the best of both worlds as I’m out of contract in 29 days.I hate being in contracts.

    • http://exohxomusic.com dannyo

      Whoa… 330 without a contract? Link!

    • sorry dude

      Phone is going to be 450 without a contract I saw the 4 payments of 82.50 too and was happy but they updated the site :(

  • Barry

    I think he means the unlocked version sgs

  • Barry

    wow I guess people can change…lmao yea can’t beat that price

  • mailman13877

    Lol Barry
    I didn’t chNge for the most part I will bash TMO especially if they screw up that dual core vision but I just hate contracts so much I’d take the no ffc n flash trade of for no contract with up to date software n night vision plus rooted with my nexus one UI n overclocked qwerks lol. TMO I applaud you for now so don’t screw it up n change that $330 to a higher price. Plus I have my student advantage discount of 12% off purchases YAYYYY…(in Usher voice) oh my goshhhhh

  • http://out ov1

    I am nothing like a Tmo hater but come Oct I will be leaving them after 10 years for sprints version of the galaxy pro. It has everthing I want keyboard 2 cameras flash android strong processor and a 4 inch screen. I hate to leave but I gotta get what want not what they have to offer. The slide is tempting, but its not my total package

    • Ktwist

      @ov1

      Sprints version DOES NOT have a faster Processor than T-mobiles. They are exactly the same and the Sprint version will have less internal memory, like 2gb while Tmobile will have 16gb of internal storage. The tmobile version has night mode so you dont need a flash so the real only reason to go to Sprint is for the front facing camera and keyboard. To each his own I guess but Sprint version is ugly and bulky, I would take the slimmest version any day and swype make all the difference.

      http://phandroid.com/2010/06/30/galaxy-s-samsung-captivate-vs-fascinate-vs-epic-4g-vs-vibrant-video/

  • mailman13877

    I will still wait till my contract is over before I get it or till the official phonedog unboxing is in plus the official review from engadget is in. No contract is perfect bit not gonna waste my money n get it to early n then Sammy kicks in n there’s all types of issues or the phone just sucks..

  • http://www.suffolk757.com Hilton

    Why do people only come to a t-mobile fan site to complain? T-mo plus Nexus one still for the win!!!

    • mailman13877

      That’s easy..you complain on a TMO site in hopes TMO will hear the customers voice for future positives. You don’t call BMW n complain bout Benz do you or they’d never hear the voice. Believe me TMO hears our voices thru these blog sites as it even here’s its own employees voicing their complaints on here.

  • mailman13877

    I don’t know why people like keyboard n bulk over Swype n super slim. Swype is fast enuff to take the slim advantage. And the phones are all starting to come with multi touch keyboards. I really hope the vision doesn’t have keyboard as rumored or I’m gonna have a bash party lol

    • Dissapointed

      You would be surprised, MY IDEAL PHONE: would be made of metal, with a 4.3 inch screen, a slide out keyboard, 12mp camera, and android…

      i dont care about FFCs or lightweight, i want a SOLID phone, with a super nice screen, a nice camera, and about 16GBs of memory….im all set with that.

      everyone has their tastes, some like keyboards, others like swype…i use both, but i stress BOTH, sometimes the keyboard is better.

  • ItsMichaelNotMike

    Just In: Don’t want the SGS? Love the iPhone?

    Said on the news that Verizon will be getting the iPhone in January 2011, ending AT&T’s exclusive. Verizon estimated that it will sell 3 million iPhones in the first quarter.

    So those of you wanting the iPhone at T-Mobile may want to wait since I suspect T-Mobile too will be getting the iPhone.

    It’s a POS compared to other phones, but if that’s what you like, go for it. (And now you have the option of switching to Verizon.)

    • MxPxFan

      are you calling the iphone a POS or the SGS? Either way your post looks like trolling.

  • Wilma Flintstone

    Somebody please tell me this thing has an expandable memory card slot somewhere…

    • TranquilNight

      Yes. It comes with a 2gb card.

  • raymond

    woot woot for t mobile >.>

  • Phamine

    Ok. All of you on T-mobile must have signed with T-mobile since their service plans w/ data are cheaper than AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. Why are you complaining about the phones on T-Mobile. Would you rather see T-mobile increase their rates to get a better phone?

    If that’s the case, just switch and stop whining.

    It’s like your driving an economy car wishing it had features of a luxury car.

    • rushmore

      Yes, if that results in better 3G and call coverage :) I left Tmo to Verizon because of weak 3G coverage and no call signal in a lot fo areas.

      You get what you pay for :)

      • Cesar Trevino

        It depends where you live.

        I live in Houston so I have 3G absolutely everywhere I go.

        I’m getting 5Mbps too, so that’s NOTHING to complain about. Pretty good for being the cheapest carrier :)

  • straightballer

    This device looks awesome, when can we pre order directly through tmobile_usa?

  • Barry

    A little discouraging, especially for mailman

    T-Mobile’s Samsung Vibrant Actually $449.99 When Buying With Even More Plus http://phandroid.com/2010/06/30/t-mobiles-samsung-vibrant-actually-449-99-when-buying-with-even-more-plus/

    • mailman13877

      @Barry
      That’s with a plan so I guess that means without a contract its still $330. If not then no where in hell am I gonna easily stay with TMO. They better gimme something good proving it’ll remain $330. Imma call em tonight seeing pre oder starts tomorrow the pricing should be available to the reps.

      • soon2TMO

        what do you mean “that’s with a plan”?? the retail price of the vibrant is 449.00$, and 199$ for 2 year contract..

        the 330 retail price was a mistake.. ya it would’ve been sweet if the phone will be retailed at 330$, but then again , this is a high-end phone after all. so 449$ it is..

      • ItsMichaelNotMike

        Mailman… “with a plan?” No, the site corrected it to mean that the Even More Plus price is $449.

        Perhaps you are confused that “EMP” is a plan. It’s not. We who are Even More Plus are not really on a plan, we are on a month to month relationship that T-Mobile calls “no contract.”

        I guess technically EMP is a “plan,” but it’s a month to month one.

        Perhaps a better description of these plans and phones is to categorize them as “on contract” and “no contract.”

        In that case, T-Mobile has clarified that the $449 price is the “without contract” price.

        Sidenote: The SGS $450 price is in line what what we discussed before, that in this tanked economy the “default” retail price of phones probably won’t exceed $500, with $450 being the typical average for a superphone.

        I suspect T-Mobile learned its lesson when it launched the Touch Pro2 last August. It had a debut price of $550 retail/$350 on a two year contract, while competitors sold theirs for $450/$200 on a two year.

        Touch Pro2 sales suffered and after that T-Mobile lost subscribers for the next two quarters. End result: in March T-Mobile launched the HD2 for $200. Lesson learned.

        It will be interesting to see how T-Mobile prices its superphones coming out in Sept.-Nov.

        Since I have to pay retail via T-Mobile or eBay, I remain hopeful that T-Mobile sticks to pricing any and all superphones under $500, and preferably $450.

    • darkknight49

      D’oh! oh well, that was about what I expect anyway. Probably Save my upgrade for the gingerbread phones next year tho.

      • ItsMichaelNotMike

        Yes, the $330 price was fun while it lasted. I didn’t believe it simply because all the other phones, including the Slide I just bought, were priced way above that, so it did not make sense.

        I was kind of half hoping Samsung was going to do some kind of radical promotion. Oh well.

    • JaylanPHNX

      $449 still kicks ass for a phone of this caliber. The EVO is $50 more, the N1 is $100 more, and the iPhone4 is way more than that. I can actually afford this phone at $449 (maybe for Christmas, sweetheart? Please?)!

  • Icemike

    WTF is up with the dumb negro comment from Mohammed khan?? That was unnecessary and I doubt he would say that to his face. Anyway, has anyone confirmed that the phone will be $330 off contract? Phandroid.com has a screen shot showing EM+ pricing at $329.99 but I can’t see it on tmo’s site

    • pimpstrong

      Good ?

  • rushmore

    Why no flash? Verizon’s has one, but only 2gb of built in memory. Seems all of the device versions are spread all over the place. None have everything and all are missing something.

  • Icemike

    Well Barry just answered my question…damn

  • ikeweezy

    I was excited about this phone when it first leaked…But now that Tmo has it and stripped away all of the goodies (front face camera, dnla, no flash)…whats the point??? It looks like a generic iPhone! I love Android and in my opinion HTC and Motorola makes superior devices for the platform…

    • pimpstrong

      The only thing taken away is the FFC…

  • Chris
    • Kickstar13

      The T-Mobile Vibrant will come with two battery cover options, the dark blue and lavender which will come packaged exclusively with the Samsung Vibrant.

      • Chris

        They looked the same in color to me.

        I just sent you guys a link about the Radio Shack pre-order site going live.

  • Barry

    Yea a little discouraging but I’ll still grab it until that vision comes

  • SEFan

    Potential, but I’ll wait for some actual reviews.

    I know a lot has been made – and dismissed – about the lack of LED flash and front-facing camera. I’m in the “should have done it” camp. Yes, LED flashes don’t generate THAT much light, and yes this phone (one of them anyway) seems to have a decent low-light mode. Still, a little extra light goes a long way. Recently saw sequential pics a friend shot w/ his iPhone 4. The flash makes a lot of difference. Different phone I know, but it does help at the ranges where most people are shooting phone pics.

    I can probably do OK w/o the flash, but I think the FFC has great potential, and will be missed more than we realize. If there isn’t already an Android Skype app with video Skype built in there soon will be. On my travels I’d actually use that a LOT as a way to keep in touch w/ family and friends. I do tend to keep my devices longer than many, so maybe I’m just looking ahead here.

    My one real wish is: please God, don’t let the Vibrant be all, you know, Samsungy when it gets here. Let them have learned something…

  • HaVoKTEK

    Ok look peeps this is the true deal………..

    No FFC? Who cares I’m not going to be using that feature anyways to show my ugly mug!

    Samsung = badmojo for me, and I’m not even speakin’ about the Behold2 screw that. Look at their other products. Their Hard-drives to their Sync Master monitors are pieces of junk to me! We get ‘em cause they’re cheap and look expensive!!

    A keyboard-less smart Phone……Not happening for me…
    Smooth, not what I am, Rough, cause I’m a man!!
    I want a phone like I want my watches and women, Solid, Curvy,
    and a lot of tactile physical feedback when I touch ‘em!!!
    Not a flat piece of plastic or a glass screen!
    I would dig this phone even though I dislike Samsung……
    IF IT ONLY HAD A BRAIN…oops………I mean KEYBOARD!!

    My $2 dollars and 49 cents (combo) input!

    • pimpstrong

      A solid AND curvy woman?… thats one muscle bound heffa!

      • HaVoKTEK

        Oh yeah, you know it! Watermelon woman like!!

  • HaVoKTEK

    Damn look at those pictures!!!
    Did Samsung just make a knockoff of the Iphone Ver3.???????
    Oh that’s sad people……I mean now really????

  • JH

    Does anyone know how much the Vibrant costs if you’re not on a contract plan…just paying month to month?

    • pimpstrong

      phandroid.com confirmed a $449.99 price from T-mobile

  • xitaxuta

    @HaVoKTEK

    dude so you wanna a solid, curvy with a tactical feedback when you touch and you like it rough??

    u sure you are a MAN?

    lmao

    • HaVoKTEK

      Ha ,Ha, don’t get it twisted holmes, just because I’m a geek with a some taste. Don’t think I won’t call an Airstrike on dat A$$.

  • sdfas
    • J-Hop2o6

      nope

  • atljogger

    Will the Vibrant/T-Mobile support tethering? I read that the Verizon version will be able to do 3G Hotspot.
    Also, if the Vibrant is rooted, how easy is it to install Android 2.2? Does a self-install of the OS work without problems or can there potentially be hardware compatibility issues by not waiting for Samsung’s official 2.2 release?

  • Barry

    *off topic* How is Verizon getting the iPhone when there’s this?

    Droid X Ad Tears Into iPhone 4’s ‘Grip of Death’ Signal Issues http://phandroid.com/2010/06/30/droid-x-ad-tears-into-iphone-4s-grip-of-death-signal-issues/

  • Keith

    Samsung Vibrant: 2gb SD card, but 16gb onboard. No flash on the camera

  • Melvin

    Samsung Vibrant: 2gb SD card, but 16gb onboard. No flash on the camera

  • HEMI 922

    You feeling doubt if SG Vibrant has the front facing camera? My answer is, YES IT’S! ;)

    http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/4183/vibranthasvideocameraq.jpg
    take a look at “VIDEO CALL” aka Video Chat

    http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9700/vibranthasvideocameraq2.jpg
    Video Camera appear on it, right there!

    • Spac3Invad3r

      That’s not the vibrant

  • Macknifetx

    Well, since we are on a wish list for a phone: Give me a phone that will go to work for me, cook my breakfast, will totally replace my laptop without being too heavy, has a screen that will shrink when I carry it, but expand when it is sitting somewhere.

    I mean come one people. There are benefits to this phone but it will not be the perfect fit for everyone. If you are a fan of the Iphone 4, you could get one of those, just do not expect to be able to hold it and make a call. If this phone is not the one for you, that’s fine…get something else. Whether that is with Tmo or not is your choice. Last time I checked we live in a free enterprise system which allows us the freedom to choose. I already have Swype on my current phone and love it, so do not need the keyboard. As I have mentioned in a previous post, do not care about the FFC or the flash. I like this phone and what it has. Will I upgrade? Possibly . Just depends on the price it comes in at without an extension or with my partial upgrade credit.

  • kevo

    looks like a decent phone finally from Tmobile, but 1st G1 with no headphone jack and now no flash on this phone. why cant they just add everything in one phone like iphone or most of the new verizon phones. redic!! i like tmobile but they need to catch up with others asap

  • NoName

    Anyone having trouble playing the phonedog video?

    • Kickstar13

      It’s working perfectly fine for me. Even tried it on a different computer.

    • Mike

      I had trouble at first playing the vid…..switch the res. to 480p and it finally worked…try that.

  • vrsixx

    Although it’s been said before, I just want to say it again cause I have no one else to say it to…WTF T-mobile? I wouldn’t be so mad about the flop of this phone if every other carrier got a watered down version. It was released today that Verizon is getting the SGS or the Fascinate, and it’s got ffc, & flash. The whole reason I was excited for this phone was due to the fact that T-Mobile has been releasing nothing but sub-par trash. I can’t get the nexus one via upgrade and lets face it I’m not dropping $500 on it. That’s the only phone worth buying on your network for those who don’t want a BB or WM phone. I’m just really let down by this, I’ve been on my G1 for three 2+ years, a customer since VoiceStream and I feel like this is the last time I’m going to be let down by you all. So to wrap it up, thanks for providing us with the most basic flavor of the SGS, only real feature is the super amoled screen and 720p video, which I’d trade for a flash any day of the week. I will most likely be switching to a carrier that actually caters to their customers needs as it appears to be too much to release a phone to compete with the masses.

    • eYe

      G1 hasn’t been out for that long!!! It was released in October 2008!

  • Negtne

    You know what bothers me is the games in android. Palm and apple have kicked ass in this, why hasn’t android stepped up yet?

  • Joe

    Why is Tmobile so cheap some times? all other carriers will offer a 16GB SD card, but yes Tmobile can only offer a 2GB card. Don’t get it…..

    • soon2TMO

      ok so , which will you choose?

      a 16gb internal storage with a 2gb expandable memory storage..
      or a 2gb internal storage with a 16gb expandable memory storage..

      i’d rather have the 16gb internal storage at least i can get an 32gb sdcard card , therefore i can have 48gb storage in total..

      that’s a lot..

    • ItsMichaelNotMike

      Joe, that makes no sense. The T-Mobile version is BETTER. How so?

      The T-Mobile SGS will have 16GB on board and 32GB external. That means the T-Mobile version will have 48GB capacity.

      The competitor versions will have only 34GB capacity.

      So having 16GB on the motherboard is actually a feature that people should not be forgetting when talking about the Vibrant’s supposed negatives.

  • soon2TMO
  • soon2TMO

    the retail price of the vibrant is 449.00$, and 199$ for 2 year contract..

    the 330$ retail price was a mistake.. ya it would’ve been sweet if the phone will be retailed at 330$, but then again , this is a high-end phone after all. so 449$ it is..

    • Macknifetx

      The 330.00 would have been sweet, but yes, this is a high end phone. If you want a fast processor, like the hummingbird in the phones, it is going to cost.

  • Barry

    for the millionth time only sprint has a ffc Verizon added a flash that’s it.

    • darkknight49

      people can’t read apparently.

  • ItsMichaelNotMike

    You know, I don’t mind if people call me a moron, stupid or other insults, but where do you think it acceptable to post racist comments such as calling Trendaholic a “dumb Negro?”

    You need to contact David and have him take down your comment.

    • Kickstar13

      No worries. I’ll take care of it.

  • Ricknexus

    Why are there so many dummies on this site?!? This phone will rock. Those bitching about no fcc and no flash should just be banned from this site. They know nothing, absolutly nothing. This will be tmo’s best phone for a while, and you’d be stupid not to give it a whirl.

  • Cat

    TMO, Where the hell is FFC? I am deaf person. TMO if you removed FFC and do not add FFC in the super phone then I strike you out one. I demand TMO

  • Domi

    This phone looks amazing… But I wish it had a keyboard that would make it amazing… But skeptical about it, because of the Samsung Behold 2… They put out the phone then left it for dead… Are they gonna do that to this phone too? I would like it, but I rather not…

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