My take on why they might sneak the Thunderbolt out with little fanfare...

[Forgetful]

If none of those commercials or magazine ads say a date, then releasing it on the 24th without telling the general public would sorta qualify as a soft launch.

I'll be at Verizon Thursday morning ready to pick one up even if they don't say anything about it. I'm inclined to trust the date at this point.

Good luck. If you get one I'll eat my words.

 

[rigorx]

It's ironic, really: It's because of devices like the Thunderbolt that we as a generation no longer have any patience

We're so used to having everything at our fingertips at an instant - information, entertainment, mail, friendships... it's all right there whenever we want. Our grandparents used to have to wait a week for a response to a message through the mail. As for us, if someone doesn't respond to our latest Facebook post within 5 minutes we begin to question "Where the hell IS everybody??" And you can't look me in the face and tell me that the last time you were expecting a package to arrive didn't feel like an eternity, nomsayin'?

Our devices that enabled to no longer have to be patient have now virtually stripped us of the ability to be patient anymore at all!

Yet we wait...

I like and agree with this train of thought.

 

[ShaggyKids]

The hype is there. Just because we don't have a release date doesn't mean there's no hype or fanfare

Hmmm, if you think about this comment - what VZW and BB are getting is free advertising, hype and fanfare - from all of us. Think of the advertising costs they are saving.

 

[ShaggyKids]

I just wish people would have a bit more patience.

You can thank Best Buy and the general rumor mill for the lack of patience.

 

[Droid800]

Good luck. If you get one I'll eat my words.

Have your knife and fork ready?

 

[Forgetful]

Have your knife and fork ready?

I do, and some salt. Don't make me go hungry.

 

[ShaggyKids]

Might want to make that a spoon just in case you have to eat cold soup.

 

[jd10984]

You can thank Best Buy and the general rumor mill for the lack of patience.

It's not Best Buys fault imo.. They were obviously told the 14th by Verizon. I HIGHLY doubt they pulled it out of the sky or just made it up. Verizon had to have told them.. It's very unlikely they just came up with it on their own.. So I would say it is all on Verizon. Plus at one point Amazon also gave it a release date of the 14th, I doubt they would have done that had Verizon not told them.. So yaaaa...

 

[DJBeanPole]

It's not Best Buys fault imo.. They were obviously told the 14th by Verizon. I HIGHLY doubt they pulled it out of the sky or just made it up. Verizon had to have told them.. It's very unlikely they just came up with it on their own.. So I would say it is all on Verizon. Plus at one point Amazon also gave it a release date of the 14th, I doubt they would have done that had Verizon not told them.. So yaaaa...

Lies. Amazon and Best Buy are in cahoots. You'll see.

 

[am4966]

Verizon gave Best Buy the green light to do the Pre-Orders and talk about a date. Then the "can you hear me now guy" runs into the CEO's office and tells him that his network is screwed up...LTE Handoff issue's, then when you go and try and make a Data Call your phone's gonna reboot due to stress on the network. Since its not up to par.

Vzw, see $$$$ and wanted to get the phone out there sooner than what they said at CES and the networks not ready since they have been upgrading the 3G Network for the iPhone Launch! We will find out int 2 days