Should I bother getting a T-Bolt at this point?

[Spacemaker24]

I was planning on buying a Galaxy Nexus but there is just no way I am spending $250-300 on a phone.

My wife has a T-Bolt and it's a nice little phone. It's more than what she needs and I can't find any flaws in it.

My concern is that it will become completely obsolete in a year and I'll be stuck with something that is no longer updated and incapable of being updated with new software. (I am still in Droid Eris hell for another week or 2)

And just to give some info:

• I don't plan on rooting
• I don't use ROMS of Hacks
• I don't play complex games
• I don't watch many videos
• I don't use phones for music

I am just a basic user that want a nice phone and doesn't want to pay over $150.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Jeenyus]

Based on your usage, TB will do all and then some. Cant go wrong getting 4G too

 

[Spacemaker24]

I am grandfathered in to unlimited data and 4G works great here.

Also I keep seeing these phones for $99 on VZW.com

 

[gutsploder]

Ha, I was in eris hell too. This phone rocks. You won't be dissapointed. It will not be obsolete. Get one and don't look back.

 

[Spacemaker24]

Will the T-Bolt likely ever be getting ICS?

 

[defcon999]

Will the T-Bolt likely ever be getting ICS?

That is the million dollar question. Some seem to think it will eventually. Other are not so eager to jump on that band wagon.

The one thing for sure is that a developer will come out with sooner than HTC/VZW. But, since you aren't planning on rooting your phone, that isn't an option.

But for the price of $100, you can't go wrong for sure. Nothing is wrong with the TBolt other than it is almost a year old. This will be the first phone I actually keep my whole 2 year contract.....that is a first for me.

 

[PJnc284]

Maybe not officially. You may need to break your first rule of no rooting. Granted if you're going with a nearly year old device, I'd definitely recommend rooting and unlocking the full potential at some point.

 

[Unobtanium]

Unless something dramatic happens, I will have my Thunderbolt until spring of 2013. I am on the 2-year contract, and got mine in early June for $150 with all my eligible discounts. I am on my original, unrooted phone, but with the extended battery.

Since you have one in the family already and know the device, I would go for it. I do use mine for some music, internet radio, and the FM tuner Is a nice bonus for me. I am not a big music person.

I don't see the phone becoming "completely obsolete." Will it get passed by several of the next several phones? Sure, but as long as it works and runs the apps I need, I will keep it.

The only thing I could see myself MAYBE going for early is a Casio ruggedized LTE phone.

 

[dpham00]

If you aren't in a hurry, wait and you may see promotions, i planned on keeping my tb for a while, but saw the rezound for $50 on upgrade back on bf, so I upgraded. The tb was free on bf as well from bb.

 

[jd07bos]

make sure you get an extended battery!! they are half off right now from verizon

 

[Spacemaker24]

Thanks for the responses.

And VZW shipped a free extended battery when my wife upgraded. Hopefully they are still doing that.

As far as rooting, I am not sure if I would benefit from it. Also it seems that I have read that rooting will void the warranty. Is there a compelling reason I should root my device? And If it do root the device will it lead me to start geeking out and customizing everything? I am not sure if I need that in my life. haha

 

[Spacemaker24]

How do T-Bolts compare to the Bionic or a Charge?

 

[dpham00]

Thanks for the responses.

And VZW shipped a free extended battery when my wife upgraded. Hopefully they are still doing that.

As far as rooting, I am not sure if I would benefit from it. Also it seems that I have read that rooting will void the warranty. Is there a compelling reason I should root my device? And If it do root the device will it lead me to start geeking out and customizing everything? I am not sure if I need that in my life. haha

Rooting may cause warranty to be denied, but it doesn't outright void warranty.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE HD smartphone.

 

[dpham00]

How do T-Bolts compare to the Bionic or a Charge?

The charge has a better screen, otherwise, similar phone to the tb. The Bionic has dual core cpu. I tested out a bionic in stores and wasn't impressed. Out of the 3 phones, especially for basic usage, I don't think that it would make much of a difference.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE HD smartphone.

 

[Spacemaker24]

What's the difference between a warranty being denied and being voided?

 

[dpham00]

What's the difference between a warranty being denied and being voided?

Verizon can deny warranty, but you can still go to HTC to get the phone warrantied.

Denying warranty is like saying, we won't touch it because it is rooted. Voiding warranty is saying that you rooted the phone, and it has no warranty whatsoever.

For example, if the volume buttons stop working, Verizon can say, since you are rooted, we won't touch the phone, thereby denying warranty service. Verizon has that luxury because they are not the manufacturer. In this case, the manufacturer must fix the volume buttons under warranty.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE HD smartphone.

 

[808TBolt]

make sure you get an extended battery!! they are half off right now from verizon

hmm thats tempting

 

[MM48]

I've had my tbolt since launch day, the very first one sold at my local best buy, I was very proud.

I've had none of the problems that I've heard people complain about in the forums. Anyone complaining about the battery has either come from an iphone, or has never had a smartphone before. But between gingerbread and the rezound battery, that issue is entirely resolved.

My tbolt, this is the 5th smartphone I've had since my PPC-6700, is the best phone I've ever used, period. My wife's iphone is neat and pretty, and it does its thing well, but, I'd feel "constrained" with an iphone. I can do anything and everything well with this phone.

If you're going to buy android, HTC only, period. Build of product and the sense interface makes it a superior device.

Now here's what most people miss. The Tbolt does one specific thing that NO OTHER VZ, or cdma-data phone can do. It does simultaneous voice and data over 3G , as well as 4G. The other 4G phones do not. Until the day that 4G is everywhere, this feature is gold, especially for tethering, whether you are in a hotel room, or streaming in the car while using google maps and talking on the phone, on I-15 going to Las Vegas.

The Tbolt is good as gold.

mmarcz48

 

[_zion]

Will the T-Bolt likely ever be getting ICS?

Absolutely not. (in my opinion, of course)

You say it is not worth the $250-$300 to get an excellent phone, and I would really encourage you to rethink that.

Let's break down price comparisons on a 2 year contract...

For these comparison purposes we will assume you are a single individual on a single line plan. The same principal applies for every account, though.

$90 monthly * 24 months + $240 (Amazon Galaxy Nexus price) single time = $2400
$90 monthly * 24 months + $50 (Amazon Thunderbolt price) single time = $2210

This is a 8% higher price for a MUCH better phone. With the Galaxy Nexus, you have the latest and greatest Android has to offer. You will always be the first to receive updates. Not to mention it is at least twice as fast as the Thunderbolt and better in every aspect. Worth it? Sure is in my opinion, but the decision is yours.

Hopefully this is at least of some help to you.

 

[anonymous9458679834576]

Absolutely not. (in my opinion, of course)

You say it is not worth the $250-$300 to get an excellent phone, and I would really encourage you to rethink that.

Let's break down price comparisons on a 2 year contract...

For these comparison purposes we will assume you are a single individual on a single line plan. The same principal applies for every account, though.

$90 monthly * 24 months + $240 (Amazon Galaxy Nexus price) single time = $2400
$90 monthly * 24 months + $50 (Amazon Thunderbolt price) single time = $2210

This is a 8% higher price for a MUCH better phone. With the Galaxy Nexus, you have the latest and greatest Android has to offer. You will always be the first to receive updates. Not to mention it is at least twice as fast as the Thunderbolt and better in every aspect. Worth it? Sure is in my opinion, but the decision is yours.

Hopefully this is at least of some help to you.

+1 to this - I can't tell you the number of times as a consultant I hear "I don't want to spend X for a phone when this over one is so much less"

I weigh this against the fact I had the TB and upgraded to the Nexus. I LOVED my TB - got it late enough to avoid most issues and it had Gingerbread in the first week of ownership. Now whether or not you get the Nexus is up to you; as previously mentioned it WILL see updates for some time to come. I doubt the TB will see ICS as an official OTA (in my opinion). If you like HTC's Sense UI, pick up the Rezound. Those I know who were up for a new phone and didn't pick the Nexus chose the Rezound. Notwithstanding AC's pick of the Razr as top phone for 2011, I put it at 3 of 3 when compared to the Nexus and Rezound.

Anyway just my two cents. Having owned nearly everything available on VZW today, I'd be happy to answer any other Q's you have. Just msg me

-T