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my opinion....it's a keeper!

i've seen mixed reviews so i thought i'd throw in my 2 cents.

battery: i was ready to return this thing the second day (and save the $35 restock fee)! the first day i was in a strong signal area and was running the 4g radio and i got about 1.5-2 hours of actual use and about 8 hours of standby. i wasn't thrilled, but could live with it and figured i would end up getting the extended battery (which, at the time, they were sold out of). however, on day two i went to a friends with poor coverage. it was literally dead from a full charge in less than 5 hours. i was going to return it but figured i would see what happened when i turn off the 4g radio. the next day i got 3+ hours of actual use and over 15 hours of standby time. i was thrilled with that (stock battery, no task killing nonsense, pull emails automatically every 15 minutes, and a very bright screen setting). so now i'll just keep it on 3g and activate 4g when i want to stream or download something large. i'm using the "LTE on/off" app (thanks pjnc).

new sense ui: great! my favorite android UI is now even better!!!

size: a BEAST! i got the incredible last summer instead of waiting on the moto X because i didn't think i'd like the large size. i was wrong. i'm blown away by the tiny difference in screen size. it is so much easier to touch the correct icon, link, etc when i'm browsing. also easier to type. there are very minor differences that i'm noticing and i really like them so far (email messages scroll in from the side when you advance to the next one. silly little things like that.)

speed: maybe it's just because my Inc was nearly a year old, but the new snapdragon processor appears to dust my Inc's processor. i have my email set to download the full message (text and images) in the body when i open it and it IMMEDIATELY appears with the full blown email (just like on my pc). blazing fast. i have loaded this up with all of the same apps and widgets i had on my inc so i believe it's a fair comparison.

also lovin the silly little kickstand.

overall, i think htc has done another great job. i still think these need to come with larger batteries (there just HAS TO be a way to get at least an 1800 mah in these, stock). i'm also still a bit disappointed that skype wasn't integrated. and finally, some apps that worked on my inc, do not work (or at least as well or smooth) on this, but i suspect most of the developers are on it.

Comments

budone

We all know WHY the battery is not larger, it sells extended batteries.

AZSALUKI

yeah....but i will gripe about forever....lol

Ann154

ah, shucks! you are making it harder for me to not give in and get the thunderbolt in less than week! (That my deadline for deciding about the AT&T network)

AZSALUKI

Ann154 wrote:
ah, shucks! you are making it harder for me to not give in and get the thunderbolt in less than week! (That my deadline for deciding about the AT&T network)

it's a pretty sweet phone, but is not "that" much different than my Inc. just a bit bigger and better (with the front facing cam i've wanted for a year!)

Ann154

Now if only I can hold out until Wednesday or Thursday. That way if VZ announces any other news, I could add those to the choices. I would be fine with a 3G phone, but the thought of a 4G LTE smartphone, Hmmm.

budone

Ann154 wrote:
Now if only I can hold out until Wednesday or Thursday. That way if VZ announces any other news, I could add those to the choices. I would be fine with a 3G phone, but the thought of a 4G LTE smartphone, Hmmm.

You cant get one before me!!! Although Omaha will be live this year! :smileyvery-happy:

Ann154

I guess that we could trade. I was thinking to get the Dinc, but it went bye-bye. Hum, no. If I do get the Tbolt, I am keeping it.

dervin3

AZSALUKI, your posts about the Thunderbolt have really swayed me away from the Droid X. I was really concerned about that darn battery life. I do need it to last 13-15 hours with me but I believe with turning the 4g off while not in a 4g area and adjusting the brightness should pretty easily get me my 15 hours.

bearx31

Upgraded from the Ally. Have not found anything that would make me return the Thunderbolt. I originally got the Ally as I did not know if I would use or need an Android phone or not. I choose the Thunderbolt over the iPhone as I think Android handles navigation better than the iPhone, however, the iPhone has some business apps that work better for me than anything Android has so I will continue to use the Touch for that purpose. Battery life has been on par with the Ally and maybe a little better as I have done a lot of fiddling with the TB. I learned how to shut off 4g this morning so will see if battery life improves. I am disappointed that I have to have an app to get my google/picasa pictures as opposed to them being in my gallery as on the Ally and the touch screen is to sensitive for my old/heavy hands but I am learning how to deal with it. I said I'd never have a phone w/o a keyboard but I am well satisfied with the TB so it is NOT going back. I forgot 1 thing on the web broweser I use a local phone book which is flash based and still have not figured out how to get it to work with the supposedly flash based broweser on the TB but that is not a deal breaker for me.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :smileyhappy:

bearx16

budone

Ann154 wrote:
I guess that we could trade. I was thinking to get the Dinc, but it went bye-bye. Hum, no. If I do get the Tbolt, I am keeping it.

tease....hahahahahaha

Ann154

Bearx16, thank you for telling us your experience with the HTC Thunderbolt.

Budone, I had a very childlike thought when I read your latest post to this thread. Think of a little girl in pigtails, sticking her tongue out and blowing a raspberry. :smileywink:

Of course I didn't really do that. It would look strange at work. :smileyvery-happy:

The anticipation is killing me.

Does anyone think I would have trouble if I don't port my number back right away? I can technically keep the at&t phone until May 1st. I still want to take it to my family gathering during Easter. If I do, I would have to get a temporary number on the Tbolt and port it in later after Easter. With the information on the SIM card now, I wonder how well that will work?

AZSALUKI

dervin3 wrote:
AZSALUKI, your posts about the Thunderbolt have really swayed me away from the Droid X. I was really concerned about that darn battery life. I do need it to last 13-15 hours with me but I believe with turning the 4g off while not in a 4g area and adjusting the brightness should pretty easily get me my 15 hours.

i would turn it off even when you're in a 4g network. i have GREAT 4g coverage here and it still kills the battery. i only turn it on to download large files or stream video (if wifi isn't available). to give you an idea, right now i'm at 22+hours of up time and 2 hours and 50 minutes of awake time. 6 of those hours of up time were in airplane mode though (i turn it to airplane mode when i sleep to make sure it doesn't die in my slepp and the alarm will go off). i still have 39% left, so i figure on a good day, you can get 4+ hours of actual use. if you utilize it properly, this battery is just fine.

AZSALUKI

bearx16 wrote:
Upgraded from the Ally. Have not found anything that would make me return the Thunderbolt. I originally got the Ally as I did not know if I would use or need an Android phone or not. I choose the Thunderbolt over the iPhone as I think Android handles navigation better than the iPhone, however, the iPhone has some business apps that work better for me than anything Android has so I will continue to use the Touch for that purpose. Battery life has been on par with the Ally and maybe a little better as I have done a lot of fiddling with the TB. I learned how to shut off 4g this morning so will see if battery life improves. I am disappointed that I have to have an app to get my google/picasa pictures as opposed to them being in my gallery as on the Ally and the touch screen is to sensitive for my old/heavy hands but I am learning how to deal with it. I said I'd never have a phone w/o a keyboard but I am well satisfied with the TB so it is NOT going back. I forgot 1 thing on the web broweser I use a local phone book which is flash based and still have not figured out how to get it to work with the supposedly flash based broweser on the TB but that is not a deal breaker for me.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

bearx16

what's the website and i'll play around with it and see if i can figure out why it's not loading properly. i have yet to visit a site that doesn't load just like it would load on my pc.

PJNC284

How do you make a great phone even better? You make it $49.99...oh wrong commercial...you just add skype. http://www.droid-life.com/2011/04/11/download-skype-with-video-on-android/

Ann154

Darn it. I just saw that post on Droid-Life! :smileyvery-happy:

AZSALUKI

and i just added skype!!!!!!!! it's now complete and is every bit what i had hoped for (i do miss my optical mouse though...lol).

silver6055

AZSALUKI wrote:

dervin3 wrote:
AZSALUKI, your posts about the Thunderbolt have really swayed me away from the Droid X. I was really concerned about that darn battery life. I do need it to last 13-15 hours with me but I believe with turning the 4g off while not in a 4g area and adjusting the brightness should pretty easily get me my 15 hours.
i would turn it off even when you're in a 4g network. i have GREAT 4g coverage here and it still kills the battery. i only turn it on to download large files or stream video (if wifi isn't available). to give you an idea, right now i'm at 22+hours of up time and 2 hours and 50 minutes of awake time. 6 of those hours of up time were in airplane mode though (i turn it to airplane mode when i sleep to make sure it doesn't die in my slepp and the alarm will go off). i still have 39% left, so i figure on a good day, you can get 4+ hours of actual use. if you utilize it properly, this battery is just fine.

I'm glad you like the phone now that you finally have it! But...., to the outsider, having a 4G phone where you have to turn off the 4G even in a 4G area still seems a little strange. Yes, you can turn it on if you have to, but not quite full functionality is it?

On the path to: my 2001 feature phone has [insert your large number] standby time (more if I turn it off when I'm not making a call) and my wireline phone never even needs charging and I can make and receive all the calls I want (providing I am near, which is a small price to pay for such great battery life!)

AZSALUKI

silver6055 wrote:

I'm glad you like the phone now that you finally have it! But...., to the outsider, having a 4G phone where you have to turn off the 4G even in a 4G area still seems a little strange. Yes, you can turn it on if you have to, but not quite full functionality is it?

On the path to: my 2001 feature phone has [insert your large number] standby time (more if I turn it off when I'm not making a call) and my wireline phone never even needs charging and I can make and receive all the calls I want (providing I am near, which is a small price to pay for such great battery life!)

yeah....it's not perfect, but there's an app that i can switch back and forth from 3g to 4g with 2 touches, so i can live with it. it's the first LTE device on verizon so i wasn't sure what to expect anyway. as much as i'd prefer to just stay on 4g all of the time, i'd rather get the battery life that i'm getting now. i get through the day easily with fairly heavy use now. i still may get the extended battery, as i could leave it on 4g then and easily get through the day. however, i just have a real issue with buying a battery that should have come in it to begin with. i'm also not a fan of the pregnant looking devices. the 4g is nice though when you want to download very large files. i'm getting 12mbps download speeds. the upload speeds are insane, but i don't know if i believe them (i just don't buy that it's uploading at 25-30mbps...and i've read that they are inaccurate).

tattooedchick

I think its a keeper too. I just moved to the Thunderbolt today and I've very happy with it. I went ahead and purchased the extended battery and I've been using it for hours. Its still not dead. I've very excited about this phone. I've had no issues with it so far. I'm going from a Samsung Fascinate, so this is a step up for me. I'm no longer excited about super AMOLED screens when the company that makes the phone doesn't support their software= Samsung. Thunderbolt forever.

21stNow

Awww, thanks Ann!

21stNow

I'm glad that you're enjoying your Thunderbolt now, AZSaluki.

AZSALUKI

21stNow wrote:
I'm glad that you're enjoying your Thunderbolt now, AZSaluki.

thanks!

Ann....you just couldn't help yourself huh? lol

Ann154

Nope, especially since they decided to EOL the phone I was leaning towards earlier this year. The HTC DROID Incredible looked so nice in specs and similarities to the DROID Eris.

Ann154

Well it is day 14 for me and even if I wanted to take the Thunderbolt back today, I couldn't. :smileysad:

I lost the part of the charger that plugs into the wall last night. Somewhere in the twenty feet from the car to the house. :smileysad:

Otherwise, I am quite happy with the phone.

Ann154

Ann154 wrote:
Well it is day 14 for me and even if I wanted to take the Thunderbolt back today, I couldn't. I lost the part of the charger that plugs into the wall last night. Somewhere in the twenty feet from the car to the house.

Otherwise, I am quite happy with the phone.

Remember this post? Well today I was digging to the absolute bottom of my purse and guess what I found? My original transformer/plug for my Tbolt's phone charger. Grrr. I have got to clean out my purse more often. The thing is I didn't even think about the possibility that I had stashed the transformer in the purse.

BTW, I got 19 hours out of my battery and it was still had approximately 47% left on the standard size battery.

PJNC284

hahaha. That's what you women get for having purses large enough that you could smuggle a midget in.

Ann154

Hey, my purse isn't THAT large!

But I do know what you mean. :smileywink:

My back & shoulders easily remind me to limit the size of what I carry.

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