Some bloggers hated the fact that the new Samsung Galaxy S phone from Verizon, the Samsung Fascinate, does not allow users to switch the default search engine from Bing to Google search. Although the Samsung Fascinate received excellent reviews, the lack of Google search has appeared to taint opinions negatively. The outcry from Google fans has been leading to inaccurate rumors, suggesting that Verizon would "Bing" every Android and mulit-media phone into eternity, forever.
"We have a relationship with Microsoft and Bing is the search engine on our multi-media phones, but we have never said it would be exclusive on all of our devices," is a quote attributed to Verizon, as reported by Engadget.
Bonnie Cha at CNET reported that Brenda Raney, spokeswoman for Verizon, said, "It is not true that we
will put Bing on all of our devices. As you are aware, we have a
relationship with Microsoft, and Bing is one search option we offer
customers on some of our phones."
Raney suggested that users can set Google as their default home page in
their Samsung Fascinate's browser at Phone Scoop. "You can go to
Google's home page and download an icon from that page
and use Google as an alternative search option....Alternately, Fascinate
users can download Voice Search from the Marketplace. When you use Voice Search, it searches in Google."
Phone
Scoop also reported that Samsung Fascinate users will be able to
download the official Android Google Search application once the
Fascinate is updated to Android 2.2.
Many reporters have noted that, when the Samsung Fascinate
receives an upgrade to Android 2.2 and the Google Search app is installed, that Bing will continue to be activated with the search button on the Samsung Fascinate.
We've got a call out to two Verizon spokespeople on this issue and will report back as soon as we hear from them.
Bing has an agreement with Verizon and the rumors that Bing would
replace Google on all of Verizon's Android Smartphones is not true.
Verizon is heavily promoting the Samsung Fascinate with a Buy One Get One Free Deal. The best aspects of the Samsung Fascinate, like other Samsung
Galaxy S phones, are the super fast 1 GHz hummingbird processor,
especially when processing graphics, and the Super AMOLED 4 inch
touchsreen. It is very close in specifications to the sold-out Droid X which is back-ordered, with a wait for shipping.
Samsung reported that they had shipped over 1 million Samsung Galaxy S phones
to the United States.
Besides the Samsung Fascinate at Verizon, the Galaxy S series is currently available as the Samsung Captivate (read review) at AT&T, the Samsung Epic 4G (read review) at Sprint, and the Samsung Vibrant at T-Mobile. Next week we expect an announcement for the Samsung Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch tablet.
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Samsung Galaxy S: Samsung Epic 4G has ANADIGIC AWT6264.