Waiting for Bionic after Thunderbolt reviews

[anicholas7]

Sounds like those early go getters, which I almost was, are having a lot of issues with the Thunderbolt. I love sense and have never considered the motorola phones given how many people disliked motorblur. But I will now definitely wait until the Bionic comes out and see how those reviews go. Its too bad that HTC and or Verizon keep putting too small of a battery in a phone that demands a lot of energy to run. Owning the DINC I have rooted and made certain settings to increase battery life including putting in a 1750mah battery to replace the 1300 mah battery that came with it. So i could imagine what needs to be done to the Thunderbolt which is much bigger and only a 1400mah battery in it. The Bionic is said to come with a 1930 mah battery which should be sufficient to get you through the day on moderate use. But as I have learned, let the early go getters do the homework for you and just be patient.

 

[DolfanCole]

Yeah, I was in the Thunderbolt forum for months with others waiting. I had actually strongly considered getting the Thunderbolt on a 1-yr while I waited for the Bionic. And then the 1-yr corporate discounted price pushed me even closer. But, with Panda's hints that the Bionic will fall next month, I figured I can wait another month or so. And if it does fall, I can compare them both firsthand to see which fits best for me. Of course, there will be even more pros/cons out about the Thunderbolt at that time too.

 

[DJBeanPole]

I'm waiting for Bionic now after being told I couldn't have a TBOLT due to my contract timetable... I said I can wait. And waiting I am. Lets hope Panda's fortune telling is top notch.

 

[Issemann]

Let the early go getters do the homework for you and just be patient.

+1 Well said... I am with you!

 

[French]

As someone who picked up the Thunderbolt, and coming from a Droid X (though I've only had the X for about 2 weeks)...I'm very disappointed. Pretty sure the Thunderbolt is going back. It started with the insanity of getting it activated. 4+ hours later over the course of 2 days, and 2 phones, I have a "working" phone. The 4G signal, I thought, would have better building penetration...that was my primary reason for going to a 4G phone. Well in my case work is where I was hoping to see an improvement and there is none. I get a low 3G signal and once in a while it goes into 4G...but not long.

I supposedly live in a 4G "outlying" area...but haven't seen 4G on the phone all night. So that's a bust.

The battery life is too soon to say for sure...but the bottom line is there is no way this thing is going to last longer than my X with its 1930 battery. And I actually prefer the X screen at the moment...but I think I'm just not picky. X just seems whiter and brighter at the same brightness setting.

Earlier today while in a restaurant I had the X and Thunderbolt in my purse. A friend I was eating with had his X and was trying to show me a video and he was having trouble getting it to buffer...said his signal was in and out. So I pulled my X out and it had a solid 3G signal, albeit only 2 bars. He had never done a *228 on his phone since buying it so while he did that I pulled the Thunderbolt out to see what it was doing and it was HOT to the touch. It was barely holding a 3G signal and I never saw 4G at all. Every time I've compared the 2 phones the X shows a better signal via bars. I know that the bars are subjective, but along with solid bars on the X, the X STAYS in 3G while the Thunderbolt drops to 1X quite a bit.

I'm loving the battery life of the X...this is what I've been looking for all along. I can use it at will all day and it almost always makes it as long as I do. Sometimes I have to throw it on the charger for just a little bit...but usually not. That's all I want from my phone...I want it to last from when I take it off the charger in the a.m. to when I put it back on in the p.m.

Now the Thunderbolt isn't ALL bad...it is definitely smooth and fast. It installs apps from memory card backup MUCH faster than any other phone I've used. But I'm not feeling warm and fuzzy. It isn't helping that SplashMoney, which I rely heavily on, is unable to sync with it. Database corruption issue. It's something about the phone, though, because I've deleted it, reinstalled it, etc., and imported the backup. The Droid X works fine...the Thunderbolt throws the corruption error.

I knew all along I was likely going to end up with the Bionic since I have an upgrade coming up in July. The fact that it has a larger battery...and I am hoping the dual core processors do use less juice as I've read, mean that the Bionic has a far better chance of lasting all day as a 4G phone. Hopefully they build in the widget (unlike Thunderbolt) so you can turn 4G on and off when you want to use it.

The front facing camera might be a bit of a disappointment to some, but frankly I don't care for how I look on "video chat" so if it's a low resolution, yucky picture, I'm fine with it. So long as I can see the person I'm talking to in half decent resolution I don't care.

I am fairly certain the Thunderbolt is going back...I'm going to give it a couple of days but it's going to have to do some pretty amazing things between now and then to convince me to keep it. I am very optimistic about the Bionic at this point. I can't root my phones due to work email issues, and Blur doesn't bother me as I use LauncherPro over it. In fact, I'm using LauncherPro over Sense as well. I really don't get the hype for sense.

Wow...got a bit carried away...but really just wanted to confirm that I think you are making the right decision by waiting this out. Heck...if the Bionic gets here and you hate it, the Thunderbolt will still be around to be had.

P.S. The Droid X really is an amazing and capable phone. With this "success" under their (Motorola's) belt, I'm going into this thinking they are going to duplicate their success with the Bionic.

 

[DJBeanPole]

...but really just wanted to confirm that I think you are making the right decision by waiting this out. Heck...if the Bionic gets here and you hate it, the Thunderbolt will still be around to be had.

P.S. The Droid X really is an amazing and capable phone. With this "success" under their (Motorola's) belt, I'm going into this thinking they are going to duplicate their success with the Bionic.

What the FFFF...rench toast! Haha anyway... Awesome post French. Very informative. Thanks for taking the time to write all that up. Makes me feel good about Big Red saying no to my 1 year upgrade and having to wait it out until the 24th of April

 

[anicholas7]

Thanks for the review French. I keep going back to the Thunderbolt forum to read updated posts and every time I do I feel better about not getting that phone. I just really hope that if the Bionic is the phone I choose that it will be able to be rooted.

 

[DolfanCole]

Thanks for the review French. I keep going back to the Thunderbolt forum to read updated posts and every time I do I feel better about not getting that phone. I just really hope that if the Bionic is the phone I choose that it will be able to be rooted.

Shouldn't be a problem. Every phone, even Motorola's locked boot loader phones, have been rooted.

 

[anicholas7]

Well thats good to hear. Now the only question is whether it will be out before Verizon goes to tiered pricing. I am hearing conflicting stories on this but I am not going to pay extra for a service (4g) that I will not be able to use full time. In my area I have problems getting 3g so I do not see 4g coming anytime soon.

 

[DolfanCole]

Well thats good to hear. Now the only question is whether it will be out before Verizon goes to tiered pricing. I am hearing conflicting stories on this but I am not going to pay extra for a service (4g) that I will not be able to use full time. In my area I have problems getting 3g so I do not see 4g coming anytime soon.

I think the news from Verizon has tiered pricing coming over the summer. Obviously if the Bionic falls next month, it'll be before. The issue then is whether people are grandfathered in or prices will change regardless.

You can also go to Verizon's website and see whether you already have 4G coverage or will have in the coming year. I happen to be in an area that doesn't haven't it or planned to have it this year. But I like the Bionic anyway for other hardware reasons.

 

[dkear]

+1 Well said... I am with you!

Good call

 

[DC Damien]

From GizmoCrunch (but can't find this on the AC site):

"Android Central reports that "the folks at Verizon were more than willing to hand us over a bit of info on this phone, most of it we already knew, but let slip a rather important point of interest: the release date."

According to AC, Verizon told them the Motorola Droid Bionic would release around mid-April, which is less than a month away. To recap, the Motorola Droid Bionic is also an LTE smartphone like the HTC Thunderbolt but packs a dual-core processor and 4.3-inch qHD display. With an 8-megapixel camera and some stellar specs, this Android certainly has the chops to take on, if not trump, the HTC Thunderbolt."

 

[xTommyx]

From GizmoCrunch (but can't find this on the AC site):

"Android Central reports that "the folks at Verizon were more than willing to hand us over a bit of info on this phone, most of it we already knew, but let slip a rather important point of interest: the release date."

According to AC, Verizon told them the Motorola Droid Bionic would release around mid-April, which is less than a month away. To recap, the Motorola Droid Bionic is also an LTE smartphone like the HTC Thunderbolt but packs a dual-core processor and 4.3-inch qHD display. With an 8-megapixel camera and some stellar specs, this Android certainly has the chops to take on, if not trump, the HTC Thunderbolt."

Clicking the source link directs to androidcommunity, which i believe was being referred to in the post, and made a typo by saying android central.

 

[Preach2k]

As someone who picked up the Thunderbolt, and coming from a Droid X (though I've only had the X for about 2 weeks)...I'm very disappointed. Pretty sure the Thunderbolt is going back. It started with the insanity of getting it activated. 4+ hours later over the course of 2 days, and 2 phones, I have a "working" phone. The 4G signal, I thought, would have better building penetration...that was my primary reason for going to a 4G phone. Well in my case work is where I was hoping to see an improvement and there is none. I get a low 3G signal and once in a while it goes into 4G...but not long.

I supposedly live in a 4G "outlying" area...but haven't seen 4G on the phone all night. So that's a bust.

The battery life is too soon to say for sure...but the bottom line is there is no way this thing is going to last longer than my X with its 1930 battery. And I actually prefer the X screen at the moment...but I think I'm just not picky. X just seems whiter and brighter at the same brightness setting.

Earlier today while in a restaurant I had the X and Thunderbolt in my purse. A friend I was eating with had his X and was trying to show me a video and he was having trouble getting it to buffer...said his signal was in and out. So I pulled my X out and it had a solid 3G signal, albeit only 2 bars. He had never done a *228 on his phone since buying it so while he did that I pulled the Thunderbolt out to see what it was doing and it was HOT to the touch. It was barely holding a 3G signal and I never saw 4G at all. Every time I've compared the 2 phones the X shows a better signal via bars. I know that the bars are subjective, but along with solid bars on the X, the X STAYS in 3G while the Thunderbolt drops to 1X quite a bit.

I'm loving the battery life of the X...this is what I've been looking for all along. I can use it at will all day and it almost always makes it as long as I do. Sometimes I have to throw it on the charger for just a little bit...but usually not. That's all I want from my phone...I want it to last from when I take it off the charger in the a.m. to when I put it back on in the p.m.

Now the Thunderbolt isn't ALL bad...it is definitely smooth and fast. It installs apps from memory card backup MUCH faster than any other phone I've used. But I'm not feeling warm and fuzzy. It isn't helping that SplashMoney, which I rely heavily on, is unable to sync with it. Database corruption issue. It's something about the phone, though, because I've deleted it, reinstalled it, etc., and imported the backup. The Droid X works fine...the Thunderbolt throws the corruption error.

I knew all along I was likely going to end up with the Bionic since I have an upgrade coming up in July. The fact that it has a larger battery...and I am hoping the dual core processors do use less juice as I've read, mean that the Bionic has a far better chance of lasting all day as a 4G phone. Hopefully they build in the widget (unlike Thunderbolt) so you can turn 4G on and off when you want to use it.

The front facing camera might be a bit of a disappointment to some, but frankly I don't care for how I look on "video chat" so if it's a low resolution, yucky picture, I'm fine with it. So long as I can see the person I'm talking to in half decent resolution I don't care.

I am fairly certain the Thunderbolt is going back...I'm going to give it a couple of days but it's going to have to do some pretty amazing things between now and then to convince me to keep it. I am very optimistic about the Bionic at this point. I can't root my phones due to work email issues, and Blur doesn't bother me as I use LauncherPro over it. In fact, I'm using LauncherPro over Sense as well. I really don't get the hype for sense.

Wow...got a bit carried away...but really just wanted to confirm that I think you are making the right decision by waiting this out. Heck...if the Bionic gets here and you hate it, the Thunderbolt will still be around to be had.

P.S. The Droid X really is an amazing and capable phone. With this "success" under their (Motorola's) belt, I'm going into this thinking they are going to duplicate their success with the Bionic.

Thank You French. Now I know I made the right decision waiting for the Bionic!!!

 

[isdaako]

I knew all along I was likely going to end up with the Bionic since I have an upgrade coming up in July.

So, why did you get the Thunderbolt?

 

[French]

So, why did you get the Thunderbolt?

Two reasons...the main one being 4G...I was hopeful it would work where I work. I have a bad signal at work on 3G and I though with the 4G network being on a lower frequency it would have better building penetration and therefore I would have a "reliable" signal while at work. Unfortunately that's not the case.

I was also curious about all the hype about sense...which doesn't do anything for me. I'm happy with LauncherPro and the ability to hide the bloatware icons. And another bonus is that I can duplicate the look on any phone.

My thought was to get the Thunderbolt, which is a capable phone, and to "flip" it when the Bionic comes out. But I'm realizing I'm actually very happy with my Droid X and I think I'll continue to be so until the Bionic comes out.

I barely used the Thunderbolt yesterday and at the end of the day was down to 30% battery. I used the Droid X all day long...over 40 minutes of phone calls, internet surfing, email...listened to music, streamed a podcast via bluetooth...and it lasted til I went to bed.

Finger crossed we see this kind of longevity with the Bionic.

So...if the Bionic comes stock with a 1930, does that mean we won't see a slim "larger" battery for the Bionic? What I'm trying to figure out is if it's as packed full of juice as it can get, or if we might actually see a 2100 mah battery (or larger) that fits in the same space.

 

[anicholas7]

So...if the Bionic comes stock with a 1930, does that mean we won't see a slim "larger" battery for the Bionic? What I'm trying to figure out is if it's as packed full of juice as it can get, or if we might actually see a 2100 mah battery (or larger) that fits in the same space.

One would assume that with the evolution of the smartphone would come the evolution of the battery that powers it. I do not think the batteries have kept paced with the smartphone and all it can do but hopefully that will change. It just pi$$es me off that HTC/Verizon would put such a weak battery in the Thunderbolt. There is no reason for that other then them wanting you to shell out another $50 for a bigger battery. They did this with the Incredible giving it a 1300mah battery and I had to upgrade to a 1750 mah battery which is still not enough for a full day with this phone. This is why I am waiting for the Bionic. I happen to like sense very much and don't really care for Blur but I guess I will just have to use ADW or LauncherPro over it.
My main concern is battery life and I do not want to pay extra for it after having to pay over $200.00 for the phone.

 

[steevereeno]

Two reasons...the main one being 4G...I was hopeful it would work where I work. I have a bad signal at work on 3G and I though with the 4G network being on a lower frequency it would have better building penetration and therefore I would have a "reliable" signal while at work. Unfortunately that's not the case.

I was also curious about all the hype about sense...which doesn't do anything for me. I'm happy with LauncherPro and the ability to hide the bloatware icons. And another bonus is that I can duplicate the look on any phone.

My thought was to get the Thunderbolt, which is a capable phone, and to "flip" it when the Bionic comes out. But I'm realizing I'm actually very happy with my Droid X and I think I'll continue to be so until the Bionic comes out.

I barely used the Thunderbolt yesterday and at the end of the day was down to 30% battery. I used the Droid X all day long...over 40 minutes of phone calls, internet surfing, email...listened to music, streamed a podcast via bluetooth...and it lasted til I went to bed.

Finger crossed we see this kind of longevity with the Bionic.

So...if the Bionic comes stock with a 1930, does that mean we won't see a slim "larger" battery for the Bionic? What I'm trying to figure out is if it's as packed full of juice as it can get, or if we might actually see a 2100 mah battery (or larger) that fits in the same space.

I agree completely with the points you made. I came close to shelling out full retail for the TB on launch day since my NE2 isn't until next year, but I was not impressed by the build quality, display or Sense. I am in a strong 4G area and that was really the only stellar quality of ththe TB in my opinion. My X has been a rock solid performer and the battery and screen are great. I am very happy I held off after reading some of the early TB reviews. I'm more than willing to wait a month or two for the Bionic to drop. I really wanted to give HTC a try but I'll likely stick with Moto unless there are major flaws in the Bionic.

 

[AZDROIDX]

Two reasons...the main one being 4G...I was hopeful it would work where I work. I have a bad signal at work on 3G and I though with the 4G network being on a lower frequency it would have better building penetration and therefore I would have a "reliable" signal while at work. Unfortunately that's not the case.

I was also curious about all the hype about sense...which doesn't do anything for me. I'm happy with LauncherPro and the ability to hide the bloatware icons. And another bonus is that I can duplicate the look on any phone.

My thought was to get the Thunderbolt, which is a capable phone, and to "flip" it when the Bionic comes out. But I'm realizing I'm actually very happy with my Droid X and I think I'll continue to be so until the Bionic comes out.

I barely used the Thunderbolt yesterday and at the end of the day was down to 30% battery. I used the Droid X all day long...over 40 minutes of phone calls, internet surfing, email...listened to music, streamed a podcast via bluetooth...and it lasted til I went to bed.

Finger crossed we see this kind of longevity with the Bionic.

So...if the Bionic comes stock with a 1930, does that mean we won't see a slim "larger" battery for the Bionic? What I'm trying to figure out is if it's as packed full of juice as it can get, or if we might actually see a 2100 mah battery (or larger) that fits in the same space.

+1, excactly why I got Tbolt. Difference is I'm getting great LTE in the Valley of the Sun (PHX) area. I had an upgrade since January so I used it, have had an X since day 1 and love it. Will get Bionic with selling my mint X and Tbolt to pay retail for Bionic or use one of 2 upgrades in June. I think I can handle the Tbolt for 3 months, it is a nice phone! Why wouldn't I want to use 4G for the price of 3G?

 

[terrain]

Lte on my TB rocks. I love my x but once you go lte its impossible to go back. If the bionic comes out before June or July as was forecast up until last week I will surely check it out. Once the TB gets a 1700 plus slim battery all will be good. I consider my liberty x to be super quick and the stock TB beats it by a bit.

Also read the ces reviews of the bionic both saying it was laggy pointing to blur or 512 ram.