Android-based handsets and Google have typically gone hand-in-hand and, for better or worse, this makes the Samsung Fascinate stick out from its competition. The Fascinate is the latest Galaxy S phone to hit store shelves and like its Galaxy-branded family members, we found a lot to like.

However, the fact that Verizon Wireless changed the phone’s default search engine from Google to Bing rankled us considerably. In the default browser, searches automatically go to Bing instead of Google. Additionally, Google Maps is replaced with VZW Navigator and Bing Maps, neither of which work as well as Google’s first-party solution.

According to The Droid Guy, this is going to be a feature of all future Verizon Android phones. And even more annoying: savvy users who attempt to restore the Google search bar on the Fascinate with the app’s APK will find that it simply won’t work. It looks like Verizon covered most of the angles when taking Google Search out of Google’s phone.

Verizon’s decision to switch over to Bing might be a deal breaker, depending on your search engine preferences, but check out our full review of the Samsung Fascinate here to see if it’s worth it to you.