Who is ditching the thunderbolt and who's keeping it?

dpham00

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My Verizon contract is up in 2 weeks. In the next month or two I will be switching to Sprint for a HTC One or S4 and unlimited data. I talked to a Verizon rep and they said I would "keep my unlimited data FOR NOW, if I paid full price for a new phone" but they could not guarantee that it would stay that way. I'm not dropping $700 on a new device only to lose my unlimited data halfway through my contract.

I paid $37 for my note 2 on contract, if I wanted a no contract price, i can start a new line of service, buy it at subsidized price, then etf the line of $350 . My price was a fluke due to Best buy price match error, but I have heard of others getting it for 50...

$400 while still expensive, is cheaper than full retail
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II
 

808TBolt

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ended up signing a new contract with Verizon. going with the 8GB plan for my 2 lines. pretty much the same monthly price. we average around 5GB/month

they didn't have the white Note 2 in stock when i went in on Saturday so they're FedExing one to me. can't freakin wait! :cool:

i loved my Thunderbolt till i dropped it a few weeks ago. i will definitely miss the kickstand. its been a good ride
 

t0ked

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My Tbolt is now serving as my Pandora streamer in the kitchen while I cook. Went with the MAXX HD. I had the extended battery on the Tbolt and wanted a phone that could last as long without that huge bump. Actually would have kept the Tbolt if it hadn't gotten thrown in the washing machine. SD card slot doesn't work and the camera is wonky, but streams wonderfully.
 

chuckh0308

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ended up signing a new contract with Verizon. going with the 8GB plan for my 2 lines. pretty much the same monthly price. we average around 5GB/month

they didn't have the white Note 2 in stock when i went in on Saturday so they're FedExing one to me. can't freakin wait! :cool:

i loved my Thunderbolt till i dropped it a few weeks ago. i will definitely miss the kickstand. its been a good ride

I got the Seidio Active case with kickstand for my Note 2 and it's great! I've already dropped the device twice, so it's been worth it in that department too...lol!

I'm doing something similar to tOked. I have a stereo receiver and speakers above the work bench in my garage and I've decided that the T-Bolt will just become a dedicated music source that will stay connected to that receiver. Can also be used as a clock, so that will be helpful too! :)

I forgot to mention that I'm quite confident you will love the Note 2. I never had any major complaints about my Bolt, but after using the Note 2, the T-Bolt seems old, slow, and clunky. Plus, the battery in the Note 2 lasts for what seems like forever!
 

berdinkerdickle

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I lost my unlimited in December when I got my wife her first smartphone - Razr-M.
I don't think we ever used more than 7gb.
We went with Share Everything 8gb and my bill is the same. - So no biggy here.
.
My Thunderbolt has served me well.
I want to upgrade, but I'm just not that excited about anything.
 

808TBolt

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I got the Seidio Active case with kickstand for my Note 2 and it's great! I've already dropped the device twice, so it's been worth it in that department too...lol!

I'm doing something similar to tOked. I have a stereo receiver and speakers above the work bench in my garage and I've decided that the T-Bolt will just become a dedicated music source that will stay connected to that receiver. Can also be used as a clock, so that will be helpful too! :)

I forgot to mention that I'm quite confident you will love the Note 2. I never had any major complaints about my Bolt, but after using the Note 2, the T-Bolt seems old, slow, and clunky. Plus, the battery in the Note 2 lasts for what seems like forever!

thanks chuck

i have the Seido Active case for my Bolt

my Note 2 just arrived via FedEx today so i'm off to the Verizon store after work in about an hour now to get everything set up. i'll eventually order the Seido Active for my Note 2 :cool:

for now i got the Verizon shell thing with kickstand

- - - Updated - - -

I lost my unlimited in December when I got my wife her first smartphone - Razr-M.
I don't think we ever used more than 7gb.
We went with Share Everything 8gb and my bill is the same. - So no biggy here.
.
My Thunderbolt has served me well.
I want to upgrade, but I'm just not that excited about anything.

we switched to the 8GB plan too. basically the same price we pay now
 

dossamosas

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Upgrade to ICS seemed to make everything on my (launch) TB just insufferably slow. Contract just ended and I am trying out the N4 with $30/mo T-Mobile plan and GrooveIP, finding the learning curve a little steep at the moment and not satisfied with the call quality. Love the new phone though.
Not sure what to do with the good old TB. I miss the kickstand for sure. My son thinks he can get it unlocked, stick in a new SIM, and use it prepaid on another network, but I don't know if this is possible. Even Verizon has given me conflicting answers about this. Advice?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
 

chuckh0308

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thanks chuck

i have the Seido Active case for my Bolt

my Note 2 just arrived via FedEx today so i'm off to the Verizon store after work in about an hour now to get everything set up. i'll eventually order the Seido Active for my Note 2 :cool:

for now i got the Verizon shell thing with kickstand

- - - Updated - - -



we switched to the 8GB plan too. basically the same price we pay now

No problem. I know I've mentioned it before somewhere else, but I didn't know if you were aware of that feature on the Active cases, so i figured I'd throw that out there. I did forget to mention that the kickstand for the Note 2 case only works in landscape mode, but it's a MUCH nicer kickstand than the one that Seidio put in the T-Bolt cases. It's spring loaded with a magnetic catch, so it's easier to use and has a much higher quality feel and look. :) I also loved the T-bolt case, but the kickstand was a bit clunky, IMO. Not the case for the Note 2!
 

oberkc

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My son thinks he can get it unlocked, stick in a new SIM, and use it prepaid on another network, but I don't know if this is possible. Even Verizon has given me conflicting answers about this. Advice?

The SIM card, I understand, applies only to the LTE part of the network. Even if you can get the phone unlocked, I suspect you will find that the frequency bands on which the thunderbolt operates to be mostly incompatible with other carriers (sprint? ATT?) LTE networks. The phone is also compatible with CDMA network, but I expect that will limit you to sprint. For this, I understand you will need more than a sim card.

Upgrade to ICS seemed to make everything on my (launch) TB just insufferably slow.

Did you perform a factory reset after loading ICS? Mine, too, was painfully slow, but the factory reset turned it into the best that it has ever been. Yes, one must reload apps after a factory reset. Others have mentioned backing everything up beforehand, but I simply took the opportunity to expunge unneeded apps from my phone, loading back only those I used regularly. I cannot state strongly enough how much improved the phone was after the factory reset!

Like you, I am in the process of moving over to the nexus 4 and t-mobile. I like the nexus just fine, but I don't find it to be a huge improvement over the thunderbolt. I also am missing the broad, stable, verizon coverage, but am finding that the HSPA+ (when I have it) to be pretty good. I am not missing the high monthly bills.
 

dossamosas

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You are sooooo right about the reset. I pulled the trigger on switching phones, ditching my unlimited data and LTE, and trying out this GrooveIP mess BEFORE I factory reset, and the difference was so significant that I wish I had a do-over. The Thunderbolt after upgrade and factory reset is not slow anymore, which is why it's a shame not to be using it to its full potential. I guess I'll explore getting back on Verizon for my wife or son, but I'm afraid I've lost our unlimited data in the process.

About GrooveIP - I am having a problem receiving calls. Groove logs out as soon as I try to answer a ringing incoming call, then logs right back in after dumping it. Any ideas on this problem (besides going back to the Thunderbolt)?
 

dpham00

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Upgrade to ICS seemed to make everything on my (launch) TB just insufferably slow. Contract just ended and I am trying out the N4 with $30/mo T-Mobile plan and GrooveIP, finding the learning curve a little steep at the moment and not satisfied with the call quality. Love the new phone though.
Not sure what to do with the good old TB. I miss the kickstand for sure. My son thinks he can get it unlocked, stick in a new SIM, and use it prepaid on another network, but I don't know if this is possible. Even Verizon has given me conflicting answers about this. Advice?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Not the thunderbolt, it didn't have gsm capabilites, so won't work on gsm carriers

Some other phones do have gsm capabilites though, if you plan to use it on a gsm carrier, you can do your research first

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II
 

JVH1982

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I currently still have my TBolt, and am quite happy with it. Honestly, there hasn't been a new phone with a combination of features that I liked enough to part with the TBolt. My next phone has to have at least a Quad-core processor, memory card slot, and at least 16GB of internal memory. The Note 2 is just too big for my comfort level (wife has one, and it stores nicely in her purse, there is no way I'm walking around with that thing in my pocket). The DNA doesn't have expandable memory, and the SGS3 is on its way out.

Enter the SGS4. If fits my requirements above, will be available on my carrier, and since I don't use tons of data, giving up unlimited data for a subsidized price isn't a big deal. So, when the SGS4 comes out (May-ish, I hear) I will likely do as others have stated and use my Bolt for a media player in my car.
 

oberkc

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The Note 2 is just too big for my comfort level (wife has one, and it stores nicely in her purse, there is no way I'm walking around with that thing in my pocket).

It sounds like you, too, might be ready for one of those so-called "man purses". (Yes, I have one, I say with some amount of embarassment).

I must be weird, but I would highly favor the Note II because of the stylus. I really miss being able to quickly jot down a note using a pen-like device. I don't believe the SGS4 has it.

and the SGS3 is on its way out.

Maybe, but this also represents an opportunity to save a few hundred dollars on initial purchase. Unless you are looking for a specific feature on the -4, I would not hesitate to get the older version. Of course, the screen is a little larger while, simultaneously, the 4 is overall a bit smaller. This may be enough benefit to justify the full price.
 

JVH1982

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It sounds like you, too, might be ready for one of those so-called "man purses". (Yes, I have one, I say with some amount of embarassment).

I must be weird, but I would highly favor the Note II because of the stylus. I really miss being able to quickly jot down a note using a pen-like device. I don't believe the SGS4 has it.

Maybe, but this also represents an opportunity to save a few hundred dollars on initial purchase. Unless you are looking for a specific feature on the -4, I would not hesitate to get the older version. Of course, the screen is a little larger while, simultaneously, the 4 is overall a bit smaller. This may be enough benefit to justify the full price.
You are not the first to make that suggestion. It is for that cited reason (embarassment) that I do not have one. I'm old-school. If I ever find that I need a carry-solution, I will look at briefcases or backpacks. The most outlandish item I'd consider is a messenger bag.

I, too, considered that the SGS3 would be a discounted item but, the technophile that I am, has to have something close to (if not altogether) the latest and greatest available. I don't like compromises on tech purchases.
 

dpham00

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It sounds like you, too, might be ready for one of those so-called "man purses". (Yes, I have one, I say with some amount of embarassment).

I must be weird, but I would highly favor the Note II because of the stylus. I really miss being able to quickly jot down a note using a pen-like device. I don't believe the SGS4 has it.



Maybe, but this also represents an opportunity to save a few hundred dollars on initial purchase. Unless you are looking for a specific feature on the -4, I would not hesitate to get the older version. Of course, the screen is a little larger while, simultaneously, the 4 is overall a bit smaller. This may be enough benefit to justify the full price.

I picked up my note 2 for $37 from best buy through price match, and a bit of error on their part, but it was possible to get the note 2 for $100 with $50gc a few weeks ago. I haven't been following recent deals, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you may be able to get a high end phone for a good price

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II
 

808TBolt

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No problem. I know I've mentioned it before somewhere else, but I didn't know if you were aware of that feature on the Active cases, so i figured I'd throw that out there. I did forget to mention that the kickstand for the Note 2 case only works in landscape mode, but it's a MUCH nicer kickstand than the one that Seidio put in the T-Bolt cases. It's spring loaded with a magnetic catch, so it's easier to use and has a much higher quality feel and look. :) I also loved the T-bolt case, but the kickstand was a bit clunky, IMO. Not the case for the Note 2!

good to know about the kickstand!

for now i have the black shell case thing from Verizon with the kickstand.

i also went back to the Verizon store last night & used my credit and returned my GPS mount for the grey & white Otterbox Defender case. haven't opened it yet & debating on whether or not to even keep it.

only reason why i decided to get it is because i get 25% discount at Verizon on accessories since i work for the government...

now i'm thinking about either getting a pouch that can hold my Note 2 in the shell case or getting the Seido Active case
 

JVH1982

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now i'm thinking about either getting a pouch that can hold my Note 2 in the shell case or getting the Seido Active case
My wife used to keep her Note 2 in a velvet pouch that came with a GPS unit I have until she got a wallet case from Abacus. I called it her cell phone mojo.
 

BigJoe_Detroit

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my thunderbolt is the worst phone I have ever had it restarts all the time during calls is the worst.. Waiting for the samsung galaxy s4.. I will never buy a htc product again no updates no fixes.. 2 years with this piece of.. U know
 

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