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Verizon iPhone4 vs.. Thunderbolt

Currently I have the Thunderbolt, but I am within my 15 day trial period, can someone tell me why the iPhone is better than the Thunderbolt? Currently the TB is working just fine, battery is a little weak, it gets warm at times but overall it is great. I just want to make sure I am getting the best phone available with Verizon.

Thanks

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droid-geek

whit66 wrote:
Currently I have the Thunderbolt, but I am within my 15 day trial period, can someone tell me why the iPhone is better than the Thunderbolt? Currently the TB is working just fine, battery is a little weak, it gets warm at times but overall it is great. I just want to make sure I am getting the best phone available with Verizon.

Thanks

The "best phone available" will be subjective in choice. The Thunderbolt has LTE, the iPhone does not. The iPhone has a longer lasting battery than the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt battery is user replaceable, the iPhone is not. The Thunderbolt is more configurable (interface wise) than the iPhone by default. The iPhone has a fantastic looking screen. The Thunderbolt has a larger screen. The Apple Store has lots of applications - several which are copies of each other and are about as usefull as the fart sound ones. Google Market does not have as many applications, but they DO have a lot more quality ones that I found useful at much lower prices (or some even free - CalWidget was fantastic).

I am not WOW'd by the iPhone like a lot of people are. I got it because I had to (several clients use it that I support). If you JUST have to have a phone now and you are not getting LTE anytime in the near future to your area, the Thunderbolt is not as useful unless you regularly go to LTE areas. Everyone that I know that has the Thunderbolt has commented that once they are in an LTE area, the have to start hunting for places to plug it in as the LTE really sucks the battery.

Once you get into an area that the iPhone can't get a signal (which are a lot more than almost any other phone I've had - with the exception of the Samsung Fascinate) it's battery is impacted also, but not as severly.

whit66

dbbrass

The Apple Store has lots of applications - several which are copies of each other and are about as usefull as the fart sound ones. Google Market does not have as many applications, but they DO have a lot more quality ones that I found useful at much lower prices (or some even free - CalWidget was fantastic).
I am not WOW'd by the iPhone like a lot of people are. I got it because I had to (several clients use it that I support). If you JUST have to have a phone now and you are not getting LTE anytime in the near future to your area, the Thunderbolt is not as useful unless you regularly go to LTE areas. Everyone that I know that has the Thunderbolt has commented that once they are in an LTE area, the have to start hunting for places to plug it in as the LTE really sucks the battery.
Once you get into an area that the iPhone can't get a signal (which are a lot more than almost any other phone I've had - with the exception of the Samsung Fascinate) it's battery is impacted also, but not as severly.

I was with you until you hit the point above...

I disagree with your assessment on the App Store vs. the Market Place. From my experience I find things exactly the opposite of what you've described. I've found apps from the App Store to be of better quality and contain far less 'junk' than the Market Place. But one thing to consider is that Apple's App Store is safer for the average user. Malware CAN find it's way into the Android Market place and there has been several noted 'incidents' of which spoofed apps disguised as legitimate ones have gotten through. That's the downside of being 'Open'. Apple holds an iron fist over what goes on their App Store, so even though that may frustrate some, ultimately it provides for a better user experience IMO.

I haven't had any problems with reception with my iPhone and in fact it has the best reception of any phone I have ever owned. So this too depends on the user, the tower, the phone, the time of day, the solar activity, and who knows what else!

So I suppose as you stated, it's all a matter of opinion. Bottom line is find one that works for you. Whether it be an iPhone, Thunderbolt, or whatever is around the corner. As a consumer it's pretty much hit or miss!

Maybe one of these days somebody will invent the 'perfect' smartphone! :smileywink:

whit66

droidsw

dbbrass, I didn't think the first opinion given of the android market would go without refute.

I'm an android user and admit my only iphone experience involves looking over friends' shoulders, listening to their experiences and reading tech sites.

The market does seem to have a lot of junk apps, but I hear the same is true in the store. The last data I read said 57% of android apps are free, compared to 27% of iphone apps. A stat that's worthless if the opinion is that most android apps aren't worth paying for, anyway. I don't agree with that sentiment and actually most android apps are just "copies" of apps written for iOS.

Security is a concern. Fact conceded. So, I Googled the subject. The store is safer, (now). No debate.

But, any device is susceptible. I can't speak to the technical validity of these two links and no doubt links could be found to substantiate almost any point.

http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2011/02/10/iphone-security-breach-gives-hackers-access-to-your-private-data/

http://www.iphonessuck.com/153/the-iphone-has-security-holes-you-could-drive-a-truck-through

Tidbits

droidsw wrote:
dbbrass, I didn't think the first opinion given of the android market would go without refute.

I'm an android user and admit my only iphone experience involves looking over friends' shoulders, listening to their experiences and reading tech sites.

The market does seem to have a lot of junk apps, but I hear the same is true in the store. The last data I read said 57% of android apps are free, compared to 27% of iphone apps. A stat that's worthless if the opinion is that most android apps aren't worth paying for, anyway. I don't agree with that sentiment and actually most android apps are just "copies" of apps written for iOS.

Security is a concern. Fact conceded. So, I Googled the subject. The store is safer, (now). No debate.

But, any device is susceptible. I can't speak to the technical validity of these two links and no doubt links could be found to substantiate almost any point.

http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2011/02/10/iphone-security-breach-gives-hackers-access-to-your-private-data/

http://www.iphonessuck.com/153/the-iphone-has-security-holes-you-could-drive-a-truck-through

The second link I had a huge chuckle. They have never submitted an app before. I have and there's a lot involved with the review process. They take your app apart and check the code. If they see something well it gets sent back to you. Also 3GS is outdated and will be replaced with the next generation of iPhone, and it not having on board encryption is no different than ANY android device.

Aside from that... I have owned both the iPhone 4 and the Thunderbolt, and have a D2 as backup. Hands down battery life on the iPhone is better than the Androids I have ever owned. iPhone has tons of useless apps, but it also has a lot more apps altogether. I say depending on what you are looking for you may see 2-3 useless apps to each useful app. On Android it's more like 10 useless apps to each useful app.

What won me over was the battery life, there's only a handful of apps I use and well iPhone has them, and the UI's are nicer and easier to deal with. I have spent $15 on both markets for an app before though. Just the Market it's like trying to find a diamond in the rough compared to the App Store.

droidsw

This is from someone that has a Thunderbolt and used to have an iphone:

Re: Should I Make The Switch?

04-21-2011 10:03 PM

I have had both types. I will never go back to an iPhone. I know you will do what you want in the end. I'm sure that people won't be able to change your opinion on the iPhone either. However, I do want to give my two cents just to say that I did. Since I have had both, I think I am a more reliable source than people who have only read about them. Also... I have played with almost every single Android phone that is out. Only a few have gotten past me! That being said, Let's roll! When I first got the iPhone, I thought it was an amazing little machine. (Not to mention, I finally felt that feeling of Accepted by the rest of the world. Since having an iPhone means you are "cool" and having an Android means you are a "wanna be") I played with that phone for hours on the first day. I took those hours learning the tricks and shortcuts that were possible. And after I had them all down, I felt complete. Then it was time to start getting apps. (Yay!) I looked up the most popular ones first. Then after seeing the price on some of them, I looked at the ones that weren't so popular. I started selecting which ones to get. Here it came! The big moment of downloading my first app on my new iPhone. WOW!!! Ten minutes later.... I had Google Earth. (I was not on WIFI) Okay.. ten minutes isn't terrible, is it? YES! The next one, some stupid game that I ended up having to go through iTunes on my PC to get it on my phone. I didn't want iTunes on my computer. Had to happen though.Then I wanted to make a ringtone that was specifically for my wife. Guess what... after spending the time to download the app that would allow me to make Custom Ringtones, (You guessed it..) I had to go through iTunes. After a few more shocking discoveries about needing iTunes for EVERYTHING but making a call, I broke out of the "My phone and I care cool" stage. I realized that compared to my G1 (The FIRST Android phone) this phone wasn't for me. I went back to the Android phone for a couple weeks before my wife wanted my G1. I took the iPhone back, but I didn't want to. I grew more and more unhappy with it until I had it Jailbroken. Now it was a decent phone. Except... I could now download apps that would harm my phone. I didn''t like that, so I hardly used the Cydia market place to get things. Now, my story is over because I got sick of the iPhone. I hated being under Steve Job's rules. I want Flash on my phone! I want to download an app in under a minute without being on WIFI since I am not always around a WIFI connection.( I work in substations, not an office where I can link up to a connection all day). I want to use the phone I paid for to do things, not have to sync up to "Big Brother" iTunes for every little thing. By the way, Making a ringtone with an Android phone on requires music on your phone, and ONE APP called Ringdroid. (Or the countless others like it!) I want to have shortcuts to calling people I call regularly. Direct Dials are a blessing! And I DO NOT... I repeat DO NOT want to have to HACK into (Jailbreak) my phone to make it do what I want it to do. When you buy an iPhone.... you are paying a good deal of money for it. You shouldn't though. You want to know why? I'm gonna tell you regardless! When you buy it, you can only do what they let you do. Apple made a phone and said "Here you go! Please use OUR PHONE all you want." When Google took that incredible concept that Apple created, but opened it up for other folks to use, here is what they said...." Here you go! Please use YOUR PHONE all you want." Android has more freedom. iPhones only let you do what Apple says you can do. Yes... the Android market has some issues. It isn't any different than Apple's Store! Android doesn't have as many apps... here is why. iPhone app makers make an app for one PHONE. Android makers have to try to make them work for hundreds of different models. Way harder than making an app that works on one kind of phone. In my opinion... and that is all it is, Android wins HANDS DOWN. Apple created this Monster and I am thankful for that. However, I am even more thankful that Google perfected it. Slowly, the iPhone will lose its luster to so many more. Due to prices... and other Rules they tack on. You probably wanted something short and sweet. I'm sorry I got off on a big old rant. I wanted to say that to everyone... not just you. Thanks for reading... if you made it this far.

Tidbits

droidsw wrote:
This is from someone that has a Thunderbolt and used to have an iphone:

Re: Should I Make The Switch?
04-21-2011 10:03 PM

I have had both types. I will never go back to an iPhone. I know you will do what you want in the end. I'm sure that people won't be able to change your opinion on the iPhone either. However, I do want to give my two cents just to say that I did. Since I have had both, I think I am a more reliable source than people who have only read about them. Also... I have played with almost every single Android phone that is out. Only a few have gotten past me! That being said, Let's roll! When I first got the iPhone, I thought it was an amazing little machine. (Not to mention, I finally felt that feeling of Accepted by the rest of the world. Since having an iPhone means you are "cool" and having an Android means you are a "wanna be") I played with that phone for hours on the first day. I took those hours learning the tricks and shortcuts that were possible. And after I had them all down, I felt complete. Then it was time to start getting apps. (Yay!) I looked up the most popular ones first. Then after seeing the price on some of them, I looked at the ones that weren't so popular. I started selecting which ones to get. Here it came! The big moment of downloading my first app on my new iPhone. WOW!!! Ten minutes later.... I had Google Earth. (I was not on WIFI) Okay.. ten minutes isn't terrible, is it? YES! The next one, some stupid game that I ended up having to go through iTunes on my PC to get it on my phone. I didn't want iTunes on my computer. Had to happen though.Then I wanted to make a ringtone that was specifically for my wife. Guess what... after spending the time to download the app that would allow me to make Custom Ringtones, (You guessed it..) I had to go through iTunes. After a few more shocking discoveries about needing iTunes for EVERYTHING but making a call, I broke out of the "My phone and I care cool" stage. I realized that compared to my G1 (The FIRST Android phone) this phone wasn't for me. I went back to the Android phone for a couple weeks before my wife wanted my G1. I took the iPhone back, but I didn't want to. I grew more and more unhappy with it until I had it Jailbroken. Now it was a decent phone. Except... I could now download apps that would harm my phone. I didn''t like that, so I hardly used the Cydia market place to get things. Now, my story is over because I got sick of the iPhone. I hated being under Steve Job's rules. I want Flash on my phone! I want to download an app in under a minute without being on WIFI since I am not always around a WIFI connection.( I work in substations, not an office where I can link up to a connection all day). I want to use the phone I paid for to do things, not have to sync up to "Big Brother" iTunes for every little thing. By the way, Making a ringtone with an Android phone on requires music on your phone, and ONE APP called Ringdroid. (Or the countless others like it!) I want to have shortcuts to calling people I call regularly. Direct Dials are a blessing! And I DO NOT... I repeat DO NOT want to have to HACK into (Jailbreak) my phone to make it do what I want it to do. When you buy an iPhone.... you are paying a good deal of money for it. You shouldn't though. You want to know why? I'm gonna tell you regardless! When you buy it, you can only do what they let you do. Apple made a phone and said "Here you go! Please use OUR PHONE all you want." When Google took that incredible concept that Apple created, but opened it up for other folks to use, here is what they said...." Here you go! Please use YOUR PHONE all you want." Android has more freedom. iPhones only let you do what Apple says you can do. Yes... the Android market has some issues. It isn't any different than Apple's Store! Android doesn't have as many apps... here is why. iPhone app makers make an app for one PHONE. Android makers have to try to make them work for hundreds of different models. Way harder than making an app that works on one kind of phone. In my opinion... and that is all it is, Android wins HANDS DOWN. Apple created this Monster and I am thankful for that. However, I am even more thankful that Google perfected it. Slowly, the iPhone will lose its luster to so many more. Due to prices... and other Rules they tack on. You probably wanted something short and sweet. I'm sorry I got off on a big old rant. I wanted to say that to everyone... not just you. Thanks for reading... if you made it this far.

There's so many things false in this post. Android isn't as "open" as you think it is. If you ever developed for anything Android you'd be surprised. Cyanogen and his team found OAA because of legal troubles he ran into with Google themselves. How easily people have forgotten. Also there's other ways and better ways on doing things with the iPhone. The only time you have to use wifi on the iPhone is for apps larger than 10MB... There's a reason for it, and Android tends to suffer from it all too often.

The only real big difference between the two is "theming" and syncing. Everything else one can do and the other can do too. At some point to truly unlock both requires voiding your warranty.

ArchAngel_32

You can't tell me so much is false in this post.... it is from my experience! I know what happened. And I know why I don't like iPhone. Do note that I said it was all my opinion. Is My opinion wrong??? I said that the iPhone needed to be jailbroken for me to like it... FACT. I said that things took too long for me... FACT. I could go on, but I'm tired of writing things I have already written. All of my post was a story of my iPhone use, and what I think made it Inferior to the Android phones. Even my G1... The first ever Android. I liked that better than the iPhone.

You said " so many things" were wrong. My opinion.... It's True. I didn't lie about what I thought.

Tidbits

Was I responding to you? I am merely pointing out there's a lot more options people never bothered with and doesn't require iTunes or jailbreaking.

droidsw

While having the android vs. iphone conversation with a co-worker/friend today, I paid him what I thought was a compliment.

I told him he was one of the few iphone users (you don't own your phones, you are told you can USE them as Apple dictates) that I know that isn't a real {word filter avoidance}
about his phone.

He didn't take it as a compliment and tried to "defend" his phone. "Why is it the best", I inquired?

ALL he could come up with is "they are the best selling".

Of course, not true. Even the Windows phones are about to pass iphones in market share.

Is that all he had? Yes.

My point? Precisely the reason Android owners seem passionate, to the point of rabid, at times.

Iphones are "popular" (my opinion) due to 75% reputation (perception is a better word) and 25% knowledge and experience.

They are good phones, I'm sure. Otherwise, they would have a bad reputation. But, Android owners are really into their phones and the technology, in general.

We are proud of how Google took a good idea and made it even better. We like the choices and freedoms Android phones offer.

When someone (not in this thread) is more concerned about how many Lady GaGa songs they can fit on their "smartphone", or whether they have an app (they paid for, no doubt) to buy their coffee at Starbucks, or only answers simply "because they're the best", I throw them into the brainwashed-mindless-fanboy category.

Use your phones. Keep your phones. I'm not trying to "win" anybody over. I don't own stock in Google, Moto, HTC, etc. I could care less if you have an iphone, ipad, itoothbrush and iunderwear.

We can agree to disagree.

Zrock02

The main thing I see on my iPhone compared to my old droid (dX) is my apps don't force close like they did all the time. That and the battery outperforms it. I hate not having it rooted like my old DX with the unlimited wireless tether but that's something I can deal with.

There is a few options missing like themes and different bootloaders and such but with each its own.

Be happy with what you got its not a race for the phones just choose what you prefer and say eff em to the rest lol

Jax_Omen

droidsw, from your post I discerned one thing that's very telling. You said you had a G1. That tells me you're on T-Mobile. The reason you had such a bad iPhone experience is because AT&T and T-Mobile use different UMTS/HSPA frequencies and your (unlocked) iphone was unable to connect to T-Mobile's 3g network, so you were using it on 2g, compared to 3g on your Android phone (which was native to T-Mobile, and thus capable of T-Mobile 3g frequencies). I say this as a stalwart Android fan: please do not let a bad experience that is NOT the fault of the iPhone in any way shape or form cloud your judgement of the iPhone platform as a whole. iPhone on T-Mobile is a whole different critter than iPhone on a carrier that actually offers it.

21stNow

droidsw was quoting someone else for that entire post. His/her earlier post said that the only experience s/he had with an iPhone was looking over someone else's shoulder.

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