Thunderbolt - Best Buy Availability/Pricing/Ordering Discussion

[htowngator]

Would be nice if VZW actually announced pricing and release dates. I think it's strange that they have been mum on those topics since CES while they've been blasting the iPhone for weeks.

 

[odiej34]

Wouldn't it have made sense for HTC to announce a definite release date yesterday or at least early today because of all the crazy people who pre-ordered an iPhone at 3am? I bet a lot of people would maybe have waited another week or two if they knew it was definitely coming out on the 14th. I've had a Blackberry Storm 1 for like 9 years it seems just DYING for an upgrade. Was going to wait for a Bionic, but I'm liking the Thunderbolt.

They (Verizon) want to lock in as many "Sheep" as they can to the Iphone, then announce the TB. HTC will have to deal with it and keep quiet for a few days. (Hopefully Sunday)

 

[66dude]

i agree with you prediction. and i def hope we are right lol

I hope so, too. I mean, consider the following:

1) The BB screenshot shows a 2/14 date for the TBolt inventory (confirmed by matching the UPC code of the screenshot with the video showing the unboxing of the TBolt).
2) The snapshot of a BB circular shows that pre-orders are coming soon.
3) Numerous online chats with VZW reps by others here point to a 2/14 date.
4) Yesterday's VZW tweet appears to imply that the widely rumored 2/24 date is incorrect, and that it will come sooner than 2/24, which may mean that the TBolt comes on on 2/14.

So many clues point to 2/14, but then again, all this could be incorrect. It is possible to have many clues and still be wrong about everything!

 

[thedeceiver]

I hope so, too. I mean, consider the following:

1) The BB screenshot shows a 2/14 date for the TBolt inventory (confirmed by matching the UPC code of the screenshot with the video showing the unboxing of the TBolt).
2) The snapshot of a BB circular shows that pre-orders are coming soon.
3) Numerous online chats with VZW reps by others here point to a 2/14 date.
4) Yesterday's VZW tweet appears to imply that the widely rumored 2/24 date is incorrect, and that it will come sooner than 2/24, which may mean that the TBolt comes on on 2/14.

So many clues point to 2/14, but then again, all this could be incorrect. It is possible to have many clues and still be wrong about everything!

I was thinking on this a little bit more last night... and that Best Buy screenshot may have been for the pre-orders. It may not have been for actual inventory.

They have to have some way of systematically tracking the pre-orders so the stores know how many they need to order/receive. My guess would be that the entry on that Best Buy screen is for Pre-Orders (which will be in stock on 2/14).

Unfortunately, we do not have a Mobile Pre-Order screenshot from the iPhone 3GS BB Pre-Orders to confirm.

 

[edoublediz]

Best buy 2/14 VZW 2/24 what's so hard to grasp about that? I don't get why people can't believe BB will have it first. Everything that has ever been leaked points towards this. The original leak of it being BB exclusive. The confirmation of BB screens for 14th. The 130 VZW employees that were just told the 24th. The VZW tweet that it will be available a little early? Duh, through best buy, 10 days early.

 

[edoublediz]

I was thinking on this a little bit more last night... and that Best Buy screenshot may have been for the pre-orders. It may not have been for actual inventory.

They have to have some way of systematically tracking the pre-orders so the stores know how many they need to order/receive. My guess would be that the entry on that Best Buy screen is for Pre-Orders (which will be in stock on 2/14).

Unfortunately, we do not have a Mobile Pre-Order screenshot from the iPhone 3GS BB Pre-Orders to confirm.

actually that makes a little sense, but I think people will have in there hands on 14th.

 

[I am Fake Jesus]

well just got off the phone with my friend at bby an he spoke with the head of there mobile dept. he said he has had the training and used the phone. he said consumers will see it as the evo for verizon :/ but this is way better. sooo snappy an quick, awsome features an jus blows the evo away. on the 14th, he said dont hold you breath. as he thinks verizon will announce something during superbowl with ad an pre order will start next week an 24th should be the date.

 

[paulmike3]

Best buy 2/14 VZW 2/24 what's so hard to grasp about that? I don't get why people can't believe BB will have it first. Everything that has ever been leaked points towards this. The original leak of it being BB exclusive. The confirmation of BB screens for 14th. The 130 VZW employees that were just told the 24th. The VZW tweet that it will be available a little early? Duh, through best buy, 10 days early.

Because VZW will not release their flagship LTE device and not have it available in their own store. That's marketing suicide.

And the 130 sales reps rumor was from me, and it was for 2/14 not 2/24. Way to skew the facts, champ.

 

[dxbrbnk]

well just got off the phone with my friend at bby an he spoke with the head of there mobile dept. he said he has had the training and used the phone. he said consumers will see it as the evo for verizon :/ but this is way better. sooo snappy an quick, awsome features an jus blows the evo away. on the 14th, he said dont hold you breath. as he thinks verizon will announce something during superbowl with ad an pre order will start next week an 24th should be the date.

Awesome. The Super Bowl ads kind of make sense, but they're trying to promote the XOOM (or at least Moto is trying to). I could see a couple of different VZW commercials though (like one for the iPhone, TB, XOOM, etc.)

 

[amotter]

I agree Fake Jesus....thanks for this thread Mike from Ohio! I am still real nervous about getting this right away...
This will be my first Android and as cool as it sounds, I will not have the expertise to root the phone. So I am stiil not sure if Android is the way to go...but the HTC sense experience sounds pretty awesome...also worried about battery life! Although it will be huge jump from my crappy blackberry Storm I....I think I should wait and see what you guys think about it for a couple of weeks. Thoughts?

 

[Bobman]

I"m with you amotter, do I go ahead and get this on launch day (my first android), or wait until reviews come out about battery life, etc.?

 

[htowngator]

If you wait you could also run into the situation where you are waiting a lot longer than expected b/c they are backordered for months. I remember Sprint had that problem with the EVO -- some were waiting 2-3 months for it.

 

[corn4ahead]

I just worry that i cannot get this phone with my early upgrade. Best Buy doesnt do early upgrades right?

 

[funguy123us]

The ad says you can pre-order, doesn't that mean it will be available for pre-order at BestBuy on Sunday? Since BestBuy Ads are Sunday to Saturday.

I have never seen an Ad at BB that says you will be able to pre-order at some future date, makes no sense to me.

 

[htowngator]

I just worry that i cannot get this phone with my early upgrade. Best Buy doesnt do early upgrades right?

I don't believe so, but clarify what you mean by early upgrade.

I think, as I said in another thread, you have to be 20+ months on a 2yr contract or 10 on a 1yr, something like that. The "standard" upgrade period, not the 13 month if you paid more kinda thing like Verizon did (before they took it away).

 

[sandoff]

I just worry that i cannot get this phone with my early upgrade. Best Buy doesnt do early upgrades right?

Easiest way to find out, go into the store and ask.

As i will be working this sunday (from open to close) at Best Buy. I plan on reserving the phone then, and as an employee i feel like i can get the actual release date then. They arent going to tell BB to start pre-orders and not tell them when the release date is.

 

[martin erwin]

Is the VZW store the same price as VZW online? I though the phones in store were always marked up 50/100 bucks vs online ordering?

The only phones cheaper online are the ones about to be discontinued that they don't have at store most times anyway. There used to be instant rebates online, but that's available in stores now as well.

 

[Forgetful]

From what people have pieced together it looks like it might be a 24th release at BB and VZW stores/online. The 14th starts the Pre order date at BB.

This conclusion was formed from the heavy 24th rumors of release. The Pre order on the 14th rumor from Best buy was formed from the video (un-boxing video by the excited guy) that leaked showing the bar code number matching the "in stock" date from the BB leaked photo.
BB has to have some method of tracking the now confirmed pre orders. So the "in stock" on the 14th picture at BB is just a place holder for the pre orders. FWIW


Still doesn't matter to me since I want a 1 year contract and BB cant provide that.

 

[martin erwin]

I"m with you amotter, do I go ahead and get this on launch day (my first android), or wait until reviews come out about battery life, etc.?

Go ahead and take the plunge. I think we can all tell you that the battery life will be "charge nightly"

 

[martin erwin]

Best Buy's Buy Back program

I saw a thread where someone was talking about places to sell their phones after getting the TBolt, but I can't find it again.

Here is a link for Verizon Trade In

My DInc is valued at $152. It's fun playing there. My OLD black Voyager is worth $29 while my newer silver one is worth $4.