Latest Samsung Instinct firmware update looks promising
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Nov 23rd 2008 10:38PM
posted Nov 23rd 2008 10:38PM
They may not have come as quickly as anyone would've liked, but hey -- let's give Samsung and Sprint some credit here for keeping their noses to the grindstone, listening to customer complaints, and making the Instinct the device it probably should've been at launch with a series of major firmware updates. The latest update could very well be the most important to date, making text input possible from Opera Mini and other Java apps (we can hear the cries of joy all the way from here) and promising viewing capability for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and PDF files once a Sprint Mobile Email Work update hits early next month. Instinct owners, care to chime in with your experiences?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Lovin' the update. Opera Mini 4.2 Beta works like a CHARM. If native exchange support and a half qwerty on screen keyboard ever hits this phone I'll be in heaven.
It looked promising... but looks are deceiving... I have stuck it out with this phone since it came out... it is definitely inferior to the competition out there. Yes the phone looks amaizing and it has features that the iPhone doesn't have... but this iPhone "killer" is falling behind... This update was just a tiny band-aid to a big wound that needs stiches...
I'm just waiting until I can get out of this phone and go back to a blackberry...
Tell us again what features this has the iphone doesn't?
Well I was going to mention the features, but I see that JHodgeCMI already did.... just scroll down a bit...
I was an early adopter of the Instinct...I have felt the pain...through 2 units at that. I eventually moved on to the Mogul and now I'm on the TouchPro. I still, however, have a practically brand new Instinct that will end up being the wife's phone now that Sprint and Samsung have made some major improvement on the firmware. I've waited thru 2 such updates before even thinking of reviving the Instinct. Even though they are trying to make the Instinct "smarter." I don't think anyone will ever make the association of smart phone with the Instinct. For those that are still trying to hang the whole "iPhone killer" tag on the Instinct it really isn't fair. Since, whether we like it or not, we all know and can agree that the iPhone is really in a class of its own. Not exactly a smart phone, but not exactly just a multimedia device. I think people should finally appreciate the Instinct for what it is...a very good multimedia device with an OUTSTANDING Voice Command-Turn-by-turn navigation-windows live search integration.
I had this phone for 48 hours and was pretty disappointed. Hearing that it now has Opera Mini is nice and all, but I jumped on the Touch Pro and have never been happier.
The updates may make this a viable handset for my mother, who needs a phone and wants GPS. Now if the Instink could get her texting instead of leaving 3min voicemails, it'd truly be the "must own handset for mothers."
What features does the Instinct have that the iPhone doesn't?
Built in Camcorder (shoot or send video).
4 times larger 3G network.
Unlimited Talking($99/mo)
Unlimited Texting
Unlimited Video Messaging
Voice Guided GPS Navigation
Live TV (Fox News,etc., over 35 channels).
NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile
NFL Mobile Live
Replacement Insurance
$79 vs $199(Bestbuy)
Now regarding the update. This phone rocks! I've had it since June 19th and liked it since day one. I never was a 'power user' and didn't need the LCDUI fix but Opera Mini 4.2 is a nice browser. The overall funtionality, speed. touch screen and crystal clear TV make this a great 'almost-smartphone'.
Main reason I would always choose the iPhone over the Instinct is that even though the Instinct has more features, the iPhone does what it's suppose to do MUCH better than the Instinct. The UI is much smoother and intuitive, the web browser is in a another league, the MP3/Video playback capabilities are superior (primarily due to iPod integration, higher resolution screen, and the iPhone can display MUCH more colors), and it looks a lot nicer too.
Don't get me wrong, the Instinct is a nice phone, but I would never pick it up myself. Had the iPhone and loved it; however, had to get rid of it due to AT&T being absolute **** in my area and ended up picking up an iTouch to replace it.
Iphone killer? umm no and never will. the instinct owners who believe this is already stupid for being a sprint customer. instinct? its not even talked about so its probably not important. um if this so called iphone killer is an iphone killer it needs to pass the blackberry's sales first um let me rephrase that to the razr. sell more than the razr first ok instinct? sprint? they still have customers? haha
The main reason the iPhone is superior to this phone, despite the Instinct's extra abilities, is the iPhone's ability to grow via the app store. With some minor exceptions, the Instinct will only be able to do what it does now.
This thing will never be an iPhone killer as far as aesthetics and userability. But the phone is OKAY now with the update. It's still a pain. I would much rather have a G1. I would get the Touch Pro but all Sprint can give me is a 100$ discount off of a fully priced phone (which is still 400$) so screw it. I guess I'm going to hold out until there's an Android phone that resembles the HTC Touch HD (and maybe run on 4G - like the russian one, hell, I would take that phone even if it is WinMo.)
Hey Chris, my name is BJ DeHut and I am a representative for Sprint. Thanks for posting this article. Our team spent a lot of time and hard work to get this latest update together. We have been hearing a lot of thanks from our customers so it is nice to read this article and the positive comments below. Thanks!
It is kind of a sophisticated phone that know one wants. I read a lot of the comments about the Instinct. If you play with the features and functions - It gets the job done. I like that you can switch between four different screens to get what you need done at the press of a finger. With a handheld you have to do this manually and go to through several screens. Press the phone icon and Speed dial is in the beginning - no need to dial anything. Phone history is right there too - at a press of the button. Live search is an excellent feature along with voice cued GPS. Type in your city zipcode or name - say pizza - get locations dial and pickup in 20 minutes. Now thats what I call Sprint speed. It can alert you that you have new e-mail. It tells who is calling by name if it is one of your contacts. Plus you can press the button on the side and say a command to the the lady. She will dial the contact or you can tell her to dial a seven digit number for you. When you call customer service your customer information shows up so you don't have to grab your bill.The camera could use an update. But the big surprise is how you can increase the size of the photo, rotate or hit share and send it to one of your contacts with ease and precision. It also has a nice music player. Some people ask if my phone is an IPod. I tell them no. Don't be fooled by the size of this phone. Sprint and Samsung won an award for this phone. Did Steve Jobs phone win an award? NOT THAT I KNOW OF....
It's amazing how many iphone fanboys come on all these instinct forums to bash the tar out of a phone many of them know nothing about. They remind me of the ps2 fanboys that used to trash the xbox, when on paper, the xbox killed the ps2 in pretty much every category. Even though I own an Instinct and i just recently got mine, and i didn't have to deal with the pre update bugs, it is expected for a first gen device to be buggy as hell. iphone had its problems too. Personally, I think they are both great phones, that excel in different areas. I actually was going to get an iphone 3g, until i played around with the instinct for a few minutes. It suited me more, but did lack some things the iphone had. Fortunately, tho, the things the instinct does well, or simply the features it has, have proven more useful in everyday life. That said, here is my comparison, with only the things that they trump each other on.
-iphone. Much better screen
sleeker look
browser better designed, by far
wifi
better media player, especially video
AT&T reps actually give a turd
apps better supported
games are more entertaining
trendy
visual voicemail slightly better
instinct- works as a phone great, calls are clear
NFL mobile live is a must for football fans
texting, email, sms, mms, simply a breeze
interface not as attractive, yet easy to nav, which i prefer
Speech to action is an indispensible tool you will get addicted to
voice guided gps is flawless, absent on iphone
you can replace your own battery!
essentially a cable tv/radio in your pocket
you can shoot video
contacts easier to manage, tag, you can even get directions or voice guided gps to a contact's location.
I hate to say it, but sprint's network crushes at&ts by leaps and bounds in the speed department. you can go to www.dslreports.com and use the mobile speed test with your iphone and compare it to anyone with an instinct, and you will be ashamed. In respect to the iphone, however, due to its superior browser, the parts of the sites that have downloaded are displayed faster and without bugs, something that happens from time to time with the instinct, but instinct will download files with an effortless swiftness.
Besides being prettier and boasting the features i listed above, the iphone is not really an instinct killer either. Neither phone is overall superior. It boils down to what works for you or if you feel the need to fit in and have what all the cool kids have. There is ample market space for both phones.
Jack W is right on the ball. TO MUCH FANBOYS. What would happing if everyone had the same phone. Boring as heck. And one other thing, I prefer sprint over at&t any day. Faster!
lol@Michael Lina
Sprint >>> AT&T and that's real.
I've had sprint, Cingular/AT&T, Shit-T-Mobile, Verizon, and MetroPCS and by far sprint is the best out of all of em.
AT&T doesn't even get reception in train tunnels and elevators - sprint does.