Last year we saw the Samsung Captivate, a great device which was quite popular, and this year we have the Samsung Captivate Glide. Unlike the original Captivate, the Captivate Glide has a slide out keyboard -- as if you couldn't tell by the name of the device. QWERTY sliders are usually written off by many as they would rather have a thinner device with a large display and just type on that, but Samsung has done a great job with this device keeping it relatively thin and rather light while including the physical keyboard.
The Captivate Glider has a 4-inch display and is powered by a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, and has a great feel in the hand. The camera has also been upgraded on the device, now including an 8MP shooter with a flash on the back, as well as your standard VGA camera on the front. As you would imagine the device does run Android 2.3.4 with TouchWiz over it, but the device is extremely responsive, and the interface is very user friendly. If you are looking for a mid to high range device with a physical QWERTY, the Samsung Captivate Slider is definitely something you will want to give a go. For a quick hands on and some more images be sure to hit the break!
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WAIT why is this phone not on sprint and why not a 4.3 inch screen. Should be on sprint as the epic2! i had the epic now i just got the epic 4g touch cause i wanted dual core phone but i miss the keyboard...come on samsung.
So if I want a decent sized screen yet have dual core I have to get a phone with a physical keyboard. Yay.
Anyone else think they should've just named this the Samsung Glide and left the Craptivate part out?
A year or so ago, this was the phone I was looking for--now..not so much.
I've been waiting for a slide out keyboard tegra 2 phone for the mother-figure to replace her epic 4g and this looked great, right up until I saw the ATT logo on it. So disappointing. I will never do the Big Blue again. . . I agree with uranidiot, this phone should be on Sprint.
Not sure why manufacturers and carriers opt for the obvious phones that branch between releases. they seem halfway thoughout. At least change the name...
I've been waiting for an android phone like this to hit AT&T. I don't get why everyone hates on physical keyboards so much. I've had an iPhone and currently have an HTC Inspire and I can say no matter what size the screen is, or what the keys are like I absolutely HATE virtual keyboards unless i'm typing something quick.
Also a 4.3" screen for me is beautiful when browsing, watching movies, looking at pictures etc. but its not very convenient for 1 hand typing or usage for that matter and I don't have small hand.
Also this phone is HEAVY so i'm definitely looking forward to a lighter 4" screen device with a full keyboard!
I agree with you. Why the hell do so many users hate physical keyboards?! If you prefer a virtual keyboard, fine. You have hundreds to choose from. While those of us who NEED a physical keyboard, for whatever reason, have less than a dozen (fewer if you want "advanced" features). Devices with physical keyboards are the "red-headed step-children" for manufacturers. They use the reasoning that they're in such low demand that it's not feasible (profitable) to produce them. Instead, they fight to produce the latest/greatest, with screens that almost defeat the reason behind tablets. (With batteries that only allow a couple of hours use.) How about this: If you build it, they will come. I know that top-of-the-line sliders would be much higher demand than might be thought. Sliders with 4"-4.3" screens, 1.2GB memory, 1-1.5 GHz processors, dual cameras, etc., would definitely sell. But you can't sell what you don't make. I'm not saying every device should offer a choice; physical v. virtual. But offering that choice with several of your top/newest devices would be a boon. There are quite a few folks who NEED/PREFER sliders ("gliders") who are stuck with manufacturers' after-thoughts. So, if you don't like sliders, don't hate. It's not a competition.
In 100% agreement, I've been waiting for a high end QWERTY like this one and didn't switch from Nokia E71 exactly for this reason.
Sure its a cut throat market in the Android space, but at least two physical QWERTY keyboard models should be an advantage. Have at least one high end flagship QWERTY slider and one BlackBerry/E71 type high end QWERTY model.
Two high end QWERTY models should be enough if they're really well made models and if they truly think the market is so small.
Typing on glass actually makes me physically ill.
I agree completely.
I would seriously consider the Captivate Glide, if I didn't know that the Droid 4 was just around the corner.
I'll probably still take a trip to the AT&T store to check out the Glide. But the combination of LTE, a five-row keyboard, a dual core 1.2 GHz OMAP 4, and grandfathered unlimited data on Verizon has me strongly leaning toward the Droid 4.
OMAP based means no Tegra Zone, shouldn't be an issue if gaming doesn't matter.
Do we know why it's go Tegra 2 (not that its bad, quite opposte) as opposed to exynos like GS2?
Price
You offset the cost of a hardware keyboard by using a cheaper (but still good) processor.
Wait a second. The Captivate is a Galaxy S phone. If this is just a Captivate with a slider keyboard, wouldn't that make the Captivate Glide a Galaxy S phone too? But, it's not marketed as such, correct?
It's not just a Captivate with a keyboard. The Galaxy S phones just had a single-core Hummingbird CPU.
The Glide has a dual-core Tegra 2 CPU. It closer to a Galaxy S2 with a keyboard. If they were smart, they would market it as the Galaxy S2 Glide.
But they should have also kept the GS2 Exynos CPU rather than switching to the Tegra 2. Not that the Tegra 2 is a bad processor, but the Exynos is faster...
Sprint is lucky to still be in business....this phone is right where it belongs...FTW