[Closed] Win a free Thunderbolt Innocase II Surface Case!

[ChauncNJ]

Why I want the TBolt

Hi, I'm still using a Storm 1, have been eligible to upgrade for eons. Was pretty much settled on the Droid X at release time, but dragged my feet, sometime around Sept saw a spy photo of the Tbolt and that's all she wrote.

Of course as we approached rumored release dates, my Storm started to die ever so slowly. I am beyond ready for this phone to be here, and I would greatly appreciate having a nice case to protect it. BTW this will be my first HTC product along w/ android product. I'm very excited.

 

[Captcha Your Soul]

Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
My contract on Verizon was up in early Feb, so the months before, I started researching phones to see what the rumor landscape looked like and I stumbled upon the Thunderbolt, apparently the first phone coming with 4gLTE. All the other phones on VZW were pretty much outdated, so this was pretty much the only phone I could be excited about!

What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?
Honestly nothing about the Thundebolt is new or interesting in any way but it was the whole package that impressed me. It has pretty much the whole featureset that you come to expect in phones. Sometimes phones will have a really good camera but a ****ty processors, or a good processor but a bad screen. However on the thunderbolt, the featureset just comes together to create something that is good in all departments.

How crazy you've gone through all these delays?
I checked the forums every second of every day and it was just a terrible terrible experience.
These forums are so addicting, but I really liked the sense of community that we have here !


What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?
Order it online and have it shipped to my doorstep! What could be easier?

And anything else that you think we'd find humorous or interesting.

I'm stuck on an old unrooted moto droid

 

[kjk522]

1. Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
When I stumbled upon the CES Verizon presentation, my interest peaked. Then I googled and found AC. I'm an avid lurker.
2. What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)? I'm excited for the front-facing camera. I'm coming from a BB Storm, so I'm excited for the new-to-me platform (HTC Sense).
3. How crazy you've gone through all these delays?Ridiculous crazy, though my husband has been greatly amused at my obsession of this phone.
4. What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night? Brick and Mortar probably as I want to really get a look at this phone before purchasing to make sure it's actually what I'm looking for. I'm not sure I want a larger phone so I've gotta check it out.

 

[Jaymil]

My interest in the TB started back around...well whenever those first leaked pics were posted on BGR I think it was. Back when it was just a rumored VZW device. I thought it looked like the love child of an evo and a nexus 1. The fact that it had a kickstand, 4.3 inch screen and ffc are what got me, aside from the looks.

Pretty much everyone I work with as well as my gf are sick of hearing about the TB at this point. I would probably be going alot crazier if I didn't have my Xoom to keep me occupied. Now I just need my TB so I can get some supersweet 4g tethering going on.

I have a pre-order from Best Buy that I placed back on like the 6th of Feb. I have an appointment to go in Thursday morning at 10:30 (leaving work early) but if I hear that Costco has it cheaper than $250 I'll be going there instead. Starting up a third line to get this as I really can't afford $750 for off contract pricing. I have a standing offer from Verizon's win back office to reactivate my third line and get a few free months of service or a phone discount but I really really really don't want to wait any longer than I need to and I can't bring myself to have it shipped and not have it Thursday morning. I previously cancelled my third line because it was cheaper to pay the ETF and then reopen it than to pay full retail.

Finally I'm glad this phone is finally releasing. I would seriously have withdrawals if I went too long without checking for new TB news. I'm pretty sure my 2 week old Xoom has the android central logo burnt into the screen by now. Also I've always wanted to try the Seidio cases as I hear they are good but I'm really really picky about phone cases. I always end up buying them, using them for a few days and then going naked but as I'm a mechanic in the air force I really should have some kind of protection on the phone. Especially one as sexy as the TB.

 

[Jodiuh]

Too much work!

 

[AllanManangan]

First of all, I want to thank Cory Streater ...

First of all, I want to thank Cory Streater for putting together this give-away. You work hard enough as it is. This is over and above. Thank you, Cory.

Introduce yourself to the AC forums

If you really want to, read my introduction.

Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.

I first heard of the ThunderBolt? from my brother JManangan. He was looking to move on from his AT&T iPhone4 and I was looking to move on from my jailbroken-to-work-on-T-Mobile iPhone?the original one.

I immediately became interested and began searching for info on the Internet. After running into news stories that were blatantly copied from more reputable sources, I stumbled upon Android Central. The posts I read here were far more informative and insightful compared to other forums, so I decided to join and stay.

What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?

Considering I had an original iPhone for years, I never decided to begin programming on it because Apple's system was too restrictive. Moreover, the device only supported EDGE, so browsing was very, very slow. Anything would be better than that, but I wanted to make an informed decision, so I chose the ThunderBolt. Major points:

• Faster Internet via LTE or 3G
• Being able to more freely program my device via Android
• Good hardware overall

The ThunderBolt is a great single-core device. This will definitely be more than enough for now.

How crazy you've gone through all these delays?

The delays have been frustrating to say the least.

JManangan and I were the second and third at our local Best Buy to pre-order in the hopes that the rumored February 14th date was correct. From then the "obsession" began?tweeting about it whenever I heard news, linking to relevant Android Central tweets, and "constantly checking in" with HTC, Verizon Wireless, and Best Buy Mobile Twitter accounts for updates.

Things got bad on February 23rd and I tweeted to Android Central:
"@AndroidCentral @VerizonWireless shares our excitement about the @HTC ThunderBolt?, but not our frustration! We want news! Release date now!"

After the rumored February 24th date passed, I gave in and bought a DROID? X to keep me sane. My hope was that the ThunderBolt would release before our Best Buy 30-day exchange deadline. Fortunately, it will.

What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?

I will pick up my Best Buy Mobile pre-order, ask to have the Buy Back program put on the ThunderBolt, and go to work late on Thursday. It will be so worth it.

And anything else that you think we'd find humorous or interesting.

I do not think I have ever gone this overboard for a single mobile device. I would not have survived without knowing that the Android Central community was suffering together. Thanks everyone!

 

[canesfan44]

Like ChauncNJ above, I'm also a Storm 1 owner and have been able to upgrade since June or July of last year. I found out about the Thunderbolt while following the developments in the, now called, Moto Bionic. I was under the impression that that phone was supposed to come out around Thanksgiving last year. At least that's what Jha said. After constantly following the Bionic's development, I heard about the HTC Thunderbolt. I have a few friends with Evo's, so I played around with their phones to see how I like Sense and the overall HTC experience. I liked it a lot, more so than the Droid X and other Moto Droid phones. The more a read up on the Thunderbolt, the more I liked it, and in a very short amount of time, I forgot about the Bionic and focused on the Thunderbolt. I found AC through a post with a link on another forum. The difference between AC and the other phone was pretty drastic. I love this forum and the moderators. The "There's a storm brewing..." thread is the perfect example of why I love this forum. That thread is, somewhat, a general discussion thread pertaining to the Thunderbolt, and in any general discussion, the topic of discussion will stray a little, but almost always comes back to the main idea. The moderators seemed to have the same opinion and didn't get upset when a few of us would go on a small tangent, discussing something completely unrelated to the phone, like college basketball. That is what made that thread so great. We pretty much waited for updates from Bennnnn and BMX while discussing anything and everything, but the discussion always returned to the Thunderbolt, with some good laughs in between.

Anyway, I'll be buying the TB through a local Verizon store in Miami, Coral Gables actually. Yesterday, I called and scheduled an appointment there for 9am. That was such a simple, intelligent idea, and if I didn't read a post by Drew66 (I think that was his name) that said that he scheduled an appointment for first thing Thursday morning, I wouldn't have even thought about doing that, so thanks. The screen on my Storm cracked two weeks ago (that was the only good thing about that phone, it could take a lot of abuse. I can't even fathom the amount of times I dropped that phone. I mean, the 5 that I've had) so I'm really looking forward to Thursday to step up to an actual "smart" phone.

 

[somnambulator]

When: I've been following it since AC's demoing @ CES
Why: latest hardware, 4.3 screen, 4G LTE, and equally importantly- HTC
How crazy????? i've been up for a new phone since november. i thought tegra 2 and other goodies were coming Q1 11. i decided to wait until the 1st big Verizon release of the year. obviously iphone was never as option. how crazy? i've been on a droid eris. enough said.
i have a major fear of buying in B&M b/c i'm still running a 20% employee discount from a retailer that went out of business 2 years ago. also, i highly prefer 1 year contracts which arent commonly found in non-Verizon stores.

 

[matt0715]

i started showing interest when the first pictures came out! it looks like a beauty! the fact that it will probably be the most powerful single core phone gave a lot of interest in me. i dont really want a dual core untill its flaws are all worked out and when it is proven to be better than a single core by a lot. i have gone sooo crazy! i pre ordered at best buy which was a big mess! one date after another, everytime being very sad and angry. soo happy all of the mess is over! i will be buying this at best buy right when it opens. HTC thunderbolt here i come

 

[bstmstrxellos]

Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB
I started to show some interest in the phone back when it was know as the Mecha. I was always interested in the EVO 4G, something about a big phone with a kickstand always seemed like a great idea to me. When CES came around I was interest in the Thunderbolt, but at the time was actually more interested in the Droid Bionic. I was using an original Droid at the time, thinking that phone would last me into the summer. At a week after CES the unthinkable happened, the touch screen on my original Droid stopped working the day before the iPhone came out. The one year warranty was up and I didn't have insurance on the phone, so there was getting no replacement Droid. Verizon tried suggesting that I use my upgrade to get an iPhone, but once you go Google you never can go back. I knew that day I was going to get the Thunderbolt.


What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?
I love the idea of a 4.3" touch screen and a kickstand. Also after using only stock Android I am looking forward to using Sense and see how they improved on stock Android.

How crazy you've gone through all these delays?
I gone through Android withdrawal since my Droid died. I had to use a dumb phone for 2 weeks. After that was I able to get my hands on a Palm Pre Plus (due to it being on eBay cheaper than any Verizon android phone). I heard reviews that stated webOS was a great operating system, but after using it, it may be great compared to iOS, but it can't hold a candle to Android. The worst thing that happened me during this waiting period was about 3 weeks ago my Pre showed that I received an e-mail for Verizon and since the screen is so small all I could read was "The wait is finally over the Verizon..." I really though that was an e-mail about the Thunderbolt, turns out it was an e-mail about my FiOS dvr.

I've been going so crazy waiting for this phone that I even read the entire Inspire 4G manual so I would have an idea of what the Thunderbolt would be like.

What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?
I was the first pre-order at my Best Buy and I am planning on going after work on Thrusday.

And anything else that you think we'd find humorous or interesting.
At first I was questioning my decision to get the Thunderbolt. After CES I thought I wanted be the Droid Bionic cause of the Dual-core. At first it felt like I only wanted it because it was the first new Android phone to be released on Verizon after my phone died. I started to feel better about the decision when I heard on an Engadget podcast that there were some problems with the LG Opitmus 2X and that the Dual-core doesn't add much value. From there it was 2 AT&T phones that cemented my decision, the Atrix and and the Inspire 4G. Between read nothing but complaints about the MotoBlur on the Atrix to Phil stating on the podcast (after using the Inspire) that Sense is the best skin for Android. I am confident that if the Bionic was also being release this Thursday I would still buy the Thunderbolt.

 

[xploren]

Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
I fell in love with the Thunderbolt as soon as it was announced. I've always been around HTC products since Android began to soar up in popularity, and I've always loved them. HTC always seemed to get better and better all the time, instead of dwelling in one area. So it was a no-brainer that the Thunderbolt was the next phone for me.

What interested you the most (features/aesthetics, etc.)?
My interest holds in more of a combination of various features inside the Thunderbolt, but if I had to choose one part of the phone I most liked, it'd be the design. It looked big yet comfortable to hold, and that kickstand looks amazingly sexy. That little gap between the glass of the screen and the actual bottom of the phone looks great too. All about the little things, I suppose.

How crazy have you gone through all these delays?
Amazingly crazy. I planned to immediately get it when I heard of the Valentine's Day date, but every week until now, it was delayed and delayed. I'd just surf through all the Android sites on Tuesdays looking for any kind of announcements. I almost gave up and got an old Droid 2 Global as a result (more on that later).

What's your purchasing plan: online, brick and mortar, waiting outside Verizon's store all night, etc?
It's a Thursday and I have to work, so I don't know how it'll turn out. I'd probably try to go pick one up at a Verizon store though.

And anything interesting...
I recently decided I just couldn't wait anymore. This was only Saturday night. I decided it just wouldn't be worth it waiting for the phone, especially if it was $249.99. Obviously something finally snapped in my head, and I went on Wirefly to order a Droid 2 Global. I'm not at the point where I can actually officially upgrade, but I found on Verizon's site that I was up for an early upgrade. So I figured Wirefly would let me buy a phone from them too. The next day though (my birthday, as it happens), I got an e-mail saying my order had been canceled, as Verizon wouldn't allow me to have an early upgrade from a third-party vendor. This had kinda pissed me off; at the end of the day though, I realized that I had been seeing way too many confirmations of the March 17th date for the Thunderbolt. Maybe it was real this time... and sure enough, March 17th was announced today. So I guess everything worked out for the best! HTC and Verizon gave me a nice little belated birthday gift.

 

[realitydigg]

My 2 cents

Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
CES was the show i thought would launch the most exciting devices. I sifted through the announcements and Thuderbolt came out on top for me

What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?
HTC has a nice look to their handsets. Sense seems to win out over other overlays, but hotspot is a feature i need to demo my product, so Hotspot is pushing me off of my current phone

How crazy you've gone through all these delays?
So crazy it hurts

What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?
The plan is ... secret so no one copies me.

 

[acmorris]

Well let's begin how well this forum has treated me, nothing but good things say. I regestried last June and was like some along time follower, but never commented. Got my interest going with the Thunderbolt from the official announcement @ CES due to having experience with the Evo while waiting for Verizon to come out with a device near the specs. Got to reading thru the posts from the Thunderbolt forum and realized how organized and friendly some people could be here. What really caught my eye and curiousity is how Cory, Phil, Jerry and other faculty would give responses like they were just like a new fellow board member. Cory just want to a special Thank You to hou and your staff here @ AC!!!

The Thunderbolt peaked my interest a how much more it could offer me than my Evo does, mainly they are being able to surf and talk at the say time and like on AT&T and of course the 4G network that where Sprint lacks big time! The additional ram it comes with be a nice offset as well due to the ongoing changes to the software and android apps ever evolving, since it takes more memory to run these multiple apps and hogging software that engulfs the ram!

My plan of action is go to my corporate store and tell them give me my just due a new Thunderbolt. Then come back here and join the in board members with new experiences and congretate some more on the phone with its overall performance and how excited I am.

As far as the waiting has gone it felt like needing a hit of a drug, then notice ever break let do be a downer. I have waited since the one event was first announced and the media hype from CES. The urge arose closer from the middle of February due the iPhone launch. Just have remain into peices and jacked up till the annoucement from here last night saying looky what's coming on Thursday St. Patrick's Day.

Now for something funny that will happen to me is that I will eat me a bowl of Lucky Charms and at near the end of the box and I notice there's a suprise @ the bottom. Wandering like the little kid inside of me reach down pull it out and guess what it is? A new ...?

 

[thaphoenix2]

All these delays are killing a married man. Lol. I was going to get this for my wife for a surprise for valentines day. I've just been telling her there are all kinds of delays with shipping, I say her present is on back order. I'm running out of excuses. A new phone and new case would help out greatly.

 

[lovy]

1. Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
I first showed interest in the TB when my son showed me what his Evo could do. At the time I was an iPhone4 user and there was nothing anyone could say wrong about that phone, but when I saw that Evo I just had to have one, but because of past experiences with the carrier of Evo*cough* I chose to take the Verizon route. When my son told me about the upcoming TB on Verizon that’s when the craziness started.
2. What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?
What interested me most was the freedom I would have with the phone. Coming from iPhone4 (which is still a good phone) I felt as if I was released from prison when my son showed me what his Evo could do. I am an electronic geek so the iphone wasn’t for me. I like to tweet, Skype, blog, etc and to be locked into mobile websites is torture for me. I can’t wait to get this phone so that I can learn about rooting etc.

3. How crazy you've gone through all these delays?
I began to read any and everything that pertained to the TB. It got so bad that I would actually shut off my computer so I could cook, that didn’t help at all, I was addicted, I would hide in the bathroom with my son Evo just so that I could log onto AC to check for updated info. I knew I needed help when my son caught me with a flashlight at about 2am sneaking on his phone seeking whatever info I could fine. I started calling different Best Buys acting like different people so that I could hear the info over and over. I harassed them so much that they knew my voice and would say miss nothing changed smh I kept saying to myself that I needed to stop, I cursed Verizon and swore up and down that I would not be a prisoner to their so called release dates, but as we all know that’s just talk. I know my children are happy that a date was issued they can finally eat a home cooked meal, no more take out!! They were excited and jumping up and down when I told them Thursday lmao.

4. What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?
I plan on going to Best Buy because I preordered it. I don’t have to go early because I harassed them so much a young lady called me today and told me that I can come in on Thursday my phone will be waiting.
5. And anything else that you think we'd find humorous or interesting. Well don’t know if this is funny or sick but I gave Verizon about 6 different email address and phone numbers so they will be contacting me too all 6 of me lmao. Oh even if I don’t win the case it felt good to share my crazy ordeal.

 

[menji]

Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
Realizing that my blackberry would no longer entertain me, I realized I had to make a choice between sticking with a boring OS, or moving on to something new and exciting. Enter android. This thought came around the holidays, and after trying out my gf's Incredible, I knew I would fine a nice home in android. Seeing as how CES was around the corner, I started reading on rumors about phones that might make an appearance. out of moto, lg, and samsung, I had a preference to HTC for their reputation of putting out great phones with OS updates. So enter the ThunderBolt. At first I was on the fence between a bionic and a ThunderBolt, mainly because of the dual-core addition. However I realized that the only thing stopping me was dual-core, and that as long as I could make calls, check my email, and msg people, I would be set. So I decided on the ThunderBolt, just on HTC's rep alone. And seeing that it would come out around the same time as my upgrade (my upgrade came March 14th, but I was under the impression that the phone would arrive much sooner, but still a month before my upgrade), I knew that it was fate to have this phone. (yes i know I sound like a total dork).
What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?
I'm venturing out of a physical keyboard for the first time in nearly 5 years. so going from physical to virtual will be the most im looking forward too. Also 4G, but most importantly, finally getting my hands on my very first Android device.
How crazy you've gone through all these delays?
I was actually taking the delays quite well. It wasn't until last week were I stopped visiting the forums as often as I did, not only because of school, but the speculation was getting to me. I took a bit of a break, read, but didn't post, and low and behold, a release date!
What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?
online. I prefer online for some reason. I waited this long, what's another 2 or three days?
And anything else that you think we'd find humorous or interesting.

I can't be humorous on command, so I will refrain from answering this question.

 

[sseymour]

I first hear about the T-Bolt when it was the Incredibe HD, then the mecha, then it was quiet and then BOOM, Thunderbolt; and from my first sighting I was in love! I mean, I risked my employment by being one of the leaks yesterday about its launch this week! YEAH!

I'm a screen Guy. Screen quality is huge, some guys like butts, some like boobs, I like a big, juicy, sensitive, high quality touch screen! I have the Fascinate right now and I went with it over the X because of the screen. Anyone on here listen to the Lonely Island? Well here's my verse: "looking on the net for the latest craze, gotta get a phone that'll but me in a daze, I browse android central and caught a glimpse of you (being the thunderbolt) and I JIZZED IN MY PANTS!"

So yeah I guess I'm pretty hardcore. And guess what, I'm Gunna sit glued to the VZW web site waiting for it to drop so I can order it ASAFP! On top of that, my manager is on her way from our corporate office (indirect retailer chain) with 2 t-bolts and guess who's Gunna play with one all day at work the day before launch, that's right, ME!

I figure hey, I suffered through pushed launch after pushed launch, I deserve to treat myself BEFORE LAUNCH.

Thank you android central, I hope you see I'm nuts enough to NEED this case!

 

[Grif_69]

So Happy the HTC Thunderbolt is finally coming out. I've been following this from CES 11 through to today. I have an HTC Incredible that I will be upgrading from to the Thunderbolt on Thursday. I weighed the pro's and con' of the Bionic, Revolution and Thunderbolt, and decided the Thunderbolt was the one for me. :- )

 

[Nytfemale]

Me please! Three different phones later.. So excited!

1. Tell us when you first started showing interest in the TB.
Actually, my daughter first told me about the Thunderbolt. I was shopping around for my first smart phone. She told me she wanted the Thunderbolt when it came out. I started doing a lot of research on phones in general. I initially thought it would be months and months before the Thunderbolt came out, or that it was too much phone for me. Although there was this little itch I was having that really, really wanted a Thunderbolt.
I actually bought a Droid Incredible first. I like it partly because it was free. But after getting it, I didn't really like several aspects of it. I decided to take it back. I then got an iPhone 4 from Verizon on the day they came out. I didn't like it because of all of the restrictions Apple puts on their phone. It was not customizable. Very frustrating! I don't like being like everyone else! So, I took that one back. (Yes, I know I'm bad. ) So back to Best Buy I went and bought the Samsung Fascinate. I really like the Fascinate except for a few things. I did not like that they decided to "Bing" it. It does not have the Froyo 2.2, so no flash, and you can't save apps to the sd card. I had planned to root the Fascinate until I heard the Thunderbolt was actually going to make it out Thursday! So, I will be at Best Buy on Thursday to swap my Fascinate for a Thunderbolt. My 30 days on the Fascinate won't be up until Mar 22.

2. What interested you the most (features/aesthetics,etc.)?
I like the fact that is has Google, Froyo 2.2, a front facing camera, the speed of the device, the fact it is new technology for Verizon, and so much more! It going to be a fantastic phone!!

3. How crazy you've gone through all these delays?
Well, as you can see above, I went through several phones, while trying to wait for the Thunderbolt. I would convince myself each time the phone I bought would be just fine. It just never worked that way. I had bought the phone I have now, the Fascinate, at Best Buy, so I had 30 days to take it back. Well, I decided if the Thunderbolt did not come out by the time my 30 days were up, I would go head and keep my Fascinate. I extensively searched the internet on a daily basis for any new info on the Thunderbolt. I was even calling Best Buy and Verizon on almost a daily basis asking them for any new news on the Thunderbolt. Today I hit the jackpot!! Not only was it reported on Android Central, but both Best Buy and Verizon, (yes, I called them), said the Thunderbolt would be out Thursday!

4. What your purchasing plan is: online, brick and morter, waiting outside Verizon's store all night?
I went to Best Buy today (Tuesday) to pre-order the Thunderbolt so I'll be guaranteed a phone on Thursday! What a good feeling it will be to walk into Best Buy on Thursday and not have to worry about if they have one for me. I want them to ring it up without ever taking it out of the box. I'll bring it home and do the rest!!!

5. And anything else that you think we'd find humorous or interesting.
Well, I really do need this cover. I actually ordered and bought covers for all three phones I've have in the past month or so, the Incredible, iPhone 4 and the Samsung Fascinate. I even bought screen protectors. lol... I'm covers and protectors poor now! I can't help but wonder what Verizon and Best Buy think of me!! But that's ok, I'm getting a Thunderbolt!!! Finally!!!!!

 

[preemoney126]

when i seen pics of it as the incredible successor. back in q4 of 2010.

sense 2.0,LTE , video calling, 4.3 screen,Newest generation of the 1GHz Snapdragon processor,8- megapixel rear facing camera,pre-installed 32 GB microSD card.

did not really go crazy. i found out that the thunderbolt had some bugs. just wish they started work on the bugs befor ces.

online and outside verizon store.