Finally! The phone it thought I was getting...

**gibraltar** · 12-01-2011, 01:15 PM

With the latest update and the Rezound battery, my Thunderbolt is finally the phone I thuoght I was getting!

It's stock and non-rooted (in a corporate enviornment) and it finally "just works".

I am using Go Launcher and Better Widgets to get it to look just the way I want.

With the Rezound battery, I can get through a typical day (for me) on a single charge without the added bulk of the extended battery. I can choose any case I want (or none), and it will fit in my pocket, so I can dump the belt holster.

I'm finally actually happy with this phone. I got it on release day, so this has been a long time comming.

The Razr and Rezound don't make me want to change and the Nexus might not either. I'd like ICS and a camera without the "shutter lag"; but at the moment, I think I can wait for quad-core...

Just thought I'd share my thoughts.

**zog1977** · 12-01-2011, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by gibraltar

With the latest update and the Rezound battery, my Thunderbolt is finally the phone I thuoght I was getting!

It's stock and non-rooted (in a corporate enviornment) and it finally "just works".

I am using Go Launcher and Better Widgets to get it to look just the way I want.

With the Rezound battery, I can get through a typical day (for me) on a single charge without the added bulk of the extended battery. I can choose any case I want (or none), and it will fit in my pocket, so I can dump the belt holster.

I'm finally actually happy with this phone. I got it on release day, so this has been a long time comming.

The Razr and Rezound don't make me want to change and the Nexus might not either. I'd like ICS and a camera without the "shutter lag"; but at the moment, I think I can wait for quad-core...

Just thought I'd share my thoughts.

i totally agree with you, with the new rezound battery it once again becomes the best phone on verizon

**FrankXS** · 12-01-2011, 02:43 PM

For those of us who don't mind the HTC Extended Battery it has been the phone I wanted from the first, since the first.

I bought the Rezound battery anyway and have it in now just testing. Couldn't resist.

I'll see how it holds up to a couple of hours of Mobile Hotspot (typical for me during my workday).

-Frank

**Slapnpop826** · 12-01-2011, 03:19 PM

I completely agree. I'm rooted running Forever 1.10 so the only issue I really had was battery life because I did not want the extended battery. The rezound battery has solved that issue for me.

**bokeh** · 12-01-2011, 03:20 PM

I actually find the extended battery makes the phone more ergonomic for me with some nice ridges to hold on to. The extra weight is barely noticeable and gives it a nice solid heft IMO.

Im glad the phone is finally working for you. I just picked it up on a Black Friday special and for the most part Im very happy with mine. Very solid phone on the best network around.

**gibraltar** · 12-01-2011, 04:27 PM

I used the extended battery for months. For me, it made the phone feel huge.

I had only a few random reboots early on, but suffered miserably with text messages going to the wrong person. I really wanted Skype, which ironically I never use.

I also want more customization than Sense allows, but rooting isn't ideal in this situation (IT department won't support). So Go launcher and Better Widgets work well for me.

This is also why naked ICS is appealing...

**brett328** · 12-01-2011, 04:55 PM

You are sooo right, and it is sooo true! The phone is rocking, and there's really nothing so amazing on the horizon to make me want more. Said it before and I'll say it again, Rezound battery is A Game Changer!

I use my phone in the car dock twice a day on a long commute, and the extended battery was just never an option for me. Suffered thru that crap battery for near 8 months, happier than a pig in s*** right now!

**Edwill86** · 12-01-2011, 06:29 PM

I never really had battery issues or any issues..but lately iv been getting more keyboard lag then normal (always had a little) and lots of wifi and some data connectivity issues. im getting kind of fustrated..to the point i have contemplated getting a galaxy nexus off contract

**turbofan** · 12-01-2011, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by zog1977

i totally agree with you, with the new rezound battery it once again becomes the best phone on verizon

"I didn't like bleu cheese, but then I tried it with a cracker and it was pretty good. I'm happy with that."
"Yeah man I totally agree, blue cheese is the best, most nutritious substance on the planet."

Whaa?? *ahem* he didn't say THAT. Just that the new phones aren't worth what it would cost to upgrade...

**StuartV** · 12-01-2011, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by zog1977

i totally agree with you, with the new rezound battery it once again becomes the best phone on verizon

Well, ummmm.... seein' as how the Rezound is basically the same phone, but thinner and faster, I don't know if I'd go that far... But, now that I have the Rezound battery, I definitely would not spend ANY money to upgrade to the Rezound. Especially when there's no root available for it yet.

**StuartV** · 12-01-2011, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Edwill86

lately iv been getting more keyboard lag then normal

I downloaded the Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard from the Market and like it a LOT better than the stock keyboard.

I have tried both the VLLWP one and the JOHNTANMI one and I like the JOHNTANMI one just because it gives you easy emoticons with a long-press on the Return key.

**the Ramen Noodle** · 12-01-2011, 07:05 PM

So almost all of you have purchased the Rezound stock battery and put it into your ThunderBolts? How different are the specs? How measurably different is the battery life?

**bjboucher** · 12-01-2011, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by the Ramen Noodle

So almost all of you have purchased the Rezound stock battery and put it into your ThunderBolts? How different are the specs? How measurably different is the battery life?

There's a whole, humongous thread about it, check it out.

**bxrider117** · 12-01-2011, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by the Ramen Noodle

So almost all of you have purchased the Rezound stock battery and put it into your ThunderBolts? How different are the specs? How measurably different is the battery life?

The battery life is like night and day. Even though it is a little over 200mAh more in the rezound battery, it doesn't drain as fast as with the stock battery. When I am charged at 100% on my rooted phone, I can go almost two hours before it drops to 99%. On the stock battery, I couldn't even last more than 20 minutes from a full charge before the phone dropped to 99% and then it was a rapid decline.

VZW has the battery for $19.99 and it is well worth it. I can easily get through the day till I get home with this battery. And that is with the bad connections at work.

**Small_law** · 12-01-2011, 07:47 PM

You're right. This thing is a really great phone. The only problem I seem to keep running into is that the data connection will hang randomly for 30 seconds or so. It's probably an app causing it, not the OS or radios.

No one ever gives the TB much credit, but with the extended battery or the Rezound's battery, overall this phone is excellent. The screen is nice and bright and the performance is stunningly fast for a single core processor with less than 1 gb of memory. I never had the restart or handoff issues some have seen. Heck the TB can even do simultaneous voice and data over 3G. Not even the Galaxy Nexus will be able to do that.

I'm still getting a Galaxy Nexus when it comes out though. I'm not inclined to root and I want to go back to an AOSP phone. HTC unfortunately didn't bring newer Sense features to this phone and it's starting to feel a little stale. If the GN wasn't such a leap ahead, I'd hang on to this phone for at least another year.

**StuartV** · 12-01-2011, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by bxrider117

The battery life is like night and day. Even though it is a little over 200mAh more in the rezound battery, it doesn't drain as fast as with the stock battery. When I am charged at 100% on my rooted phone, I can go almost two hours before it drops to 99%. On the stock battery, I couldn't even last more than 20 minutes from a full charge before the phone dropped to 99% and then it was a rapid decline.

I don't think that is valid logic. Stock battery is 1400mAh. Rezound is 1620mAh.

When the stock battery drops to 99%, that means is has dropped down to 1386mAh left.

I think what you are seeing is that on your phone it takes a lot longer to say it's at 99% because the Rezound battery takes a lot longer than stock to drop down to where it only has 1386mAh left.

That said, the Rezound battery does last noticeably longer than my stock, 6-month old battery. I was NEVER able to go a whole day without charging my TB when I was using the stock battery. Now, I am going a whole day without charging better than 50% of the time.

**StuartV** · 12-01-2011, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Small_law

I'm still getting a Galaxy Nexus when it comes out though. I'm not inclined to root and I want to go back to an AOSP phone. HTC unfortunately didn't bring newer Sense features to this phone and it's starting to feel a little stale. If the GN wasn't such a leap ahead, I'd hang on to this phone for at least another year.

Root it, man! CM7 for the TB is working really well now. The only reason I'm not running it is there's no Verizon Visual Voice Mail that will work on it (that I know of).

And keep in mind, the GN is physically larger than the TB, though it *is* thinner. And it has a 4.65" screen, compared to the TB's 4.3". But, with the ICS button bar displayed across the bottom, the screen that's left to display stuff is ... 4.3", just the same as the TB. So, the GN screen size is only an advantage for apps that don't need to have the button bar - like playing videos. And what I've read is that, even then, the ICS button bar will display transparent dots, which I personally would find pretty irritating if I were trying to watch a video.

To sum up: The GN is larger, but the screen is the same size as the TB for most of things you'll probably use your phone for. And the GN doesn't do simultaneous voice and 3G data. And by the time the GN is out and ICS is stable on it, there will probably also be a stable build of ICS you can load on the TB.

**total_telecom** · 12-01-2011, 10:18 PM

I'm waiting for quad core, my droid x is just fine

**tcapote** · 12-01-2011, 11:09 PM

I just purchased the Rezound battery for my tbolt ($19.99), so far very happy. I have been using the Extended Battery since release day, I could get no where close to a day out of the stock battery. I really just got very tired of the bulk and weight. Very happy to get back to the original size!

I am really looking forward to the GN and will probably get it, but I love my TBOLT!

**izman12** · 12-02-2011, 12:51 AM

Rooted my phone to the Sky Raider and absolutely love my freakin Thunderbolt. It's the perfect storm. From the stock battery I finally get AT LEAST 12-18 hours a day.

**thunderstruck** · 12-02-2011, 12:55 AM

Yes, hoping some smart cookie can port ICS to the TBolt. I tried Miui 2.0 the other night, and battery life is really good. I don't remember which kernel is uses, but in spite of being on LTE my battery didn't drain near as quick as it does stock or with BAMF 1.10.

**CMYMUD** · 12-02-2011, 05:03 AM

Only problem left for me is the custom ring tones not working correctly.

**brumbake** · 12-02-2011, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by gibraltar

With the latest update and the Rezound battery, my Thunderbolt is finally the phone I thuoght I was getting!

It's stock and non-rooted (in a corporate enviornment) and it finally "just works".

I am using Go Launcher and Better Widgets to get it to look just the way I want.

With the Rezound battery, I can get through a typical day (for me) on a single charge without the added bulk of the extended battery. I can choose any case I want (or none), and it will fit in my pocket, so I can dump the belt holster.

I'm finally actually happy with this phone. I got it on release day, so this has been a long time comming.

The Razr and Rezound don't make me want to change and the Nexus might not either. I'd like ICS and a camera without the "shutter lag"; but at the moment, I think I can wait for quad-core...

Just thought I'd share my thoughts.

I agree. It now is what we thought we were getting. I am satisfied finally. Let's hope our satisfaction remains for another 15 months - until Verizon permits us to get another device. When will the 2-year contracts go away, or better stated - "When will we force the companies to stop this horrible practice?"

**tropper** · 12-02-2011, 07:34 AM

Not knocking anyone's opinion, but what is so wrong with the phone to begin with ?
I have had the phone since 4 days after launch. Most problems with the phone are USER error, whether people like to admit it.
Do you want better batter life ? Then : get rid of the garbage that you have on the home screens, Stop killing apps that are sleeping in the background, lower your brightness levels to the minimum level acceptable, Stop checking facebook every five minutes.
Sense is awesome, if you run another launcher over it you will use more battery life. If you let the phone do its job and acclimate to your using style you should be fine.
I upgraded to a higher cap battery, and give it a quick charge at the desk on heavier days.
Again this is not a Flame post, my intentions were to note that its not all the phone and it could be the users.

**MikeofNY** · 12-02-2011, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by bxrider117

The battery life is like night and day. Even though it is a little over 200mAh more in the rezound battery, it doesn't drain as fast as with the stock battery. When I am charged at 100% on my rooted phone, I can go almost two hours before it drops to 99%. On the stock battery, I couldn't even last more than 20 minutes from a full charge before the phone dropped to 99% and then it was a rapid decline.

VZW has the battery for $19.99 and it is well worth it. I can easily get through the day till I get home with this battery. And that is with the bad connections at work.

Where are you finding the battery for $19.99? I checked on VZW and its selling for $39.99. If I have to pay that price for better battery life, I will but I would like to save $$$ too.