Day 1 Thunderbolt Owner Farewell

[chuckawd]

I liked my Thunderbolt from day 1. It's had a few problems and the rebooting thing was a real pain in the arse, but what can you do? We were basically a test group for LTE.

I bought a GS3 off contract last month because I am impatient and I haven't regretted it yet. Man this phone is amazing. Battery life, screen, speed of ICS, thinness, camera, all awesome. Jellybean should make it even better.

Now I know I love the GS3, but the Note 2 has me very curious. It's a jumbo GS3 with upgraded screen and processor. How could that be wrong? I might sell my GS3 and use my Nov 17th upgrade for a Note 2. I am a little weary of the overall size of the device but the people who bought the Note 1 say they got used to the size quickly and now they love it. Being a big guy, 6'8'', the Note looks normal in my hand. Anyway, any advice?

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I am 6'3" and have proportionate hands and after playing with the Note 2 at T Mobile it fits very well man so don't worry about the size at all.

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

 

[hannsoft]

The Note 2 has really good battery life too, doesn't it?

Well the battery capacity is almost the same, but I don't know that we've heard definitive reports on how well it lasts. It SHOULD be good though, in theory....

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

 

[MittenSportsFan]

My T-Bolt works fairly well with the extended battery I got at initial purchase. All day use without turning any features down.
My upgrade is around the corner and I HAD narrowed it down to the HTC DNA, the RAZR Maxx HD, and Galaxy Note 2. The small non-replacable/expandable battery eliminated the DNA.
The GN2 leads the Maxx HD because of features and camera.
The Maxx HD is still acceptable because its camera is much better than the T-bolt camera I am used to.
The no Simultaneous Voice and Data Over 3g is a big turn off of the GN2. I live in a 4g area so it is not a complete deal breaker but I am stuck with a 3g connection too often for it not to be a concern.
Also, I don't want to give up that ability after having it with my T-Bolt.

I was ready to commit once I saw the battery life with the Verizon GN2 on full time LTE. The GN2's launched so far are mostly 3g or H+ with a little LTE sprinkled in. LTE can be a big battery hog so we won't no the true battery life of the GN2 until a couple of weeks into the Vzw launch.

Now I've seen the rumor of the Galaxy S4 specs and I may wait since my T-bolt is still performing well. These specs are a game changer for smartphones and are worth waiting for "IF TRUE".
This is the Dream Machine.
13 Megapixel primary camera and 1.9 megapixel of Skype certified HD front-facing camera
4.8-inch OLED display with screen resolution of 1366-by-768 pixels
32GB, 64GB and 128 GB memory variants
2.0 GHz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM
3200 mAh massive battery
Android 4.2 Key Lime Pie
Samsung is going to use more hard and durable material to make Galaxy S4 housing body as compared to Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2

This is appears to be to good to be true. This is the full article.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date will feature 13 MP camera, OLED display and Android 4.2 Key Lime Pie

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[orgelbau]

Day 1 TB owner, gave it to my wife and got a Rezound. The Bolt is still going strong, and thanks to the development community it is still a relevant option. I know everyone is excited for the G Note 2, but what about the HTC DNA? I'm inclined to hold out for that one. I have another upgrade available November 17. The DNA is supposed to be announced on the 13th. I just don't trust Samsung's radios.

 

[anon(394005)]

Day 1 TB owner, gave it to my wife and got a Rezound. The Bolt is still going strong, and thanks to the development community it is still a relevant option. I know everyone is excited for the G Note 2, but what about the HTC DNA? I'm inclined to hold out for that one. I have another upgrade available November 17. The DNA is supposed to be announced on the 13th. I just don't trust Samsung's radios.

The HTC DNA looks like it's going to have a non-removable battery. Some may be ok with that, but for many such as myself, it's a deal breaker. I simply want the CHOICE of being able to swap out for a fresh battery on the fly and tether to a charge only as a last resort. Thus, why I'm going with the Note 2; well the 5.5" screen is killer as well! As to Samsung radios, I too had that concern, but it would appear by all accounts the issue has been addressed with the SGS3 and the Note 2 as their radios work fine.

 

[mightyfacundo]

The HTC DNA looks like it's going to have a non-removable battery. Some may be ok with that, but for many such as myself, it's a deal breaker. I simply want the CHOICE of being able to swap out for a fresh battery on the fly and tether to a charge only as a last resort. Thus, why I'm going with the Note 2; well the 5.5" screen is killer as well! As to Samsung radios, I too had that concern, but it would appear by all accounts the issue has been addressed with the SGS3 and the Note 2 as their radios work fine.

The Note 2 is growing on me, and no that's not a shot at its size. I was able to get some hands-on time with the Sprint version this morning, and I came away extremely impressed. I still think it's huge, but I think I'll get used to it like I got used to the Bolt when I moved on from my Blackberry. I doubt I'll pick it up Day 1, but if the guys and girls here on the forums give it promising reviews, I can now see this being my next phone.

Like Synycalwon, I'd be much more interested in the DNA if it had a removable battery, but that's also a deal breaker with me. Kind of a bummer cause I would have preferred to stay with HTC, but I just don't trust the reported 2020 MaH battery to power that 1080p screen for a full day's use, even with the better power management of the S4 pro. And I'm not always in a position to plug my phone in and would rather not carry a portable charging brick with me.

 

[hannsoft]

I'm pretty sure everything I've read about the DNA has it with a 2500 battery.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

 

[mightyfacundo]

I'm pretty sure everything I've read about the DNA has it with a 2500 battery.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

That's definitely better. Thanks for the clarification.



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[hannsoft]

That's definitely better. Thanks for the clarification.



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My pleasure. Happy its finally been officially announced. Looking forward to spending some time in a Verizon store soon with the DNA, the Note 2, and the Maxx HD for some serious side-by-side. I've been an HTC guy for a long time, so I want them to have a fair shake.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2

 

[anon(394005)]

The Note 2 is growing on me, and no that's not a shot at its size. I was able to get some hands-on time with the Sprint version this morning, and I came away extremely impressed. I still think it's huge, but I think I'll get used to it like I got used to the Bolt when I moved on from my Blackberry. I doubt I'll pick it up Day 1, but if the guys and girls here on the forums give it promising reviews, I can now see this being my next phone.

Like Synycalwon, I'd be much more interested in the DNA if it had a removable battery, but that's also a deal breaker with me. Kind of a bummer cause I would have preferred to stay with HTC, but I just don't trust the reported 2020 MaH battery to power that 1080p screen for a full day's use, even with the better power management of the S4 pro. And I'm not always in a position to plug my phone in and would rather not carry a portable charging brick with me.

Yah, regardless of the capacity, that non-removable battery just kills any interest for me. I just received my Note 2 spare battery charger and its 3100mAh battery from Samsung and wow is the battery huge. It's not very thick (about the same as the Thunderbolt standard battery), but it dwarfs either Thunderbolt battery (standard or extended). In fact it's almost as large as the Thunderbolt battery door itself.

Anyway, I don't expect to need the extra battery to make it through a day as there are many, many reports that the Note 2 gets very good battery life (even with heavy use), but it sure is nice to have that fully charged spare ready to go at a moments notice; just swap and go, then throw the depleted one in the charger and go about your business. No need to tether the phone to a cord or have to worry about trying to grab a charge here and there when you can. That's invaluable to me and something I consider a killer feature! What I really like too about the Samsung spare battery charger is that it's pretty slim and can be easily transported (with the battery safely stored inside), can also be charged with any standard micro-USB charging source (ex. car charger, computer USB, or its included wall charger), and functions as a stand for the phone (landscape or portrait) alleviating my fear of losing the Thunderbolt's native kickstand (no kickstand cases for me, hate cases). Previously I'd have to put a spare Thunderbolt battery in my wallet or somewhere in the car and would usually leave the Seidio Multi-function battery charger at home since it's not as portable.

 

[anon(531015)]

Launch bolt here too....my upgrade is only a couple days away but I'm not sure where I'm going to go next. My wife is really anxious to ditch her droid pro (coming from BB, she needed a physical keyboard) and will take just about anything else. Probably want to stick w/ VZ since they have probably the best network in our area and the LTE is everywhere I go. Between Nusense, Thundershed and Liquidsmooth & a spare battery, I can hang with this for a while longer. Coming from the iphone universe to the bolt, the OTA updates were beyond frustrating however the community has been nothing short of fantastic; providing some great ROMs to make this phone enjoyable and a better experience than HTC/VZ could provide. Thanks again for all those reboots and data drops guys, that was lots of fun!

 

[droser2000]

I was curious to know which ROM you feel has given you the best tbolt performance? I've held off rooting all this time and I'm finally considering it to see if will "extend" the life my of tbolt, which I've had since day one. Also my upgrade is coming up soon, so why not give rooting a shot.

 

[obidos]

I too am a launch day Thunderbolt owner - this was my first Android device/smartphone. I guess I was lucky in that my Tbolt never gave me problems. It remains stock and I'll keep it till it dies. I do have my eye on the new DNA and am patiently waiting for reviews on the battery life.

 

[mightyfacundo]

I was curious to know which ROM you feel has given you the best tbolt performance? I've held off rooting all this time and I'm finally considering it to see if will "extend" the life my of tbolt, which I've had since day one. Also my upgrade is coming up soon, so why not give rooting a shot.

I've tried pretty much every ROM available, and I finally settled on Thundershed 1.6 with ADW Launcher EX instead of Go Launcher. I easily make it all day and then some with moderate to heavy use on the extended battery. And more importantly, I've overclocked slightly and changed the governor to "performance" which makes my bolt run very smooth.

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[anon(531015)]

I was curious to know which ROM you feel has given you the best tbolt performance? I've held off rooting all this time and I'm finally considering it to see if will "extend" the life my of tbolt, which I've had since day one. Also my upgrade is coming up soon, so why not give rooting a shot.

Yeah, Tshed 1.6 w/ Zoom kernel is pretty fast and stable w/ good battery life. Sure, it's GB and not ICS but it's mighty quick. I find myself missing the speed and going back after playing around w/ the various ICS ROMs for a while.

 

[Bobman]

I agree. I've been on Thundershed for some time now. It is a winner in my book.

 

[anon(394005)]

These forums have been great for me as well (and continue to be, best Android site IMO!). I also have a launch day Thunderbolt that is still working well and was in no hurry to replace it even though I?ve had an upgrade available for about a year now. But recently it just feels a bit long in the tooth and I'm ready to move on. After looking at the Note 2 extensively, decided to go for it and pre-ordered it last Friday from Verizon (best network coverage where I live and still have unlimited data, so not giving those up!). It's not scheduled to ship until Nov. 27, but as the ol' expession goes: Good things come to those who wait!

Well, it's official, have the Note 2 in hand (since early yesterday) and the Thunderbolt has been retired to the night stand drawer as a back up (happy and sad at the same time :-\). After 24 hours with the Note 2, I have to say "WOW", what a night and day difference. So far, the Note 2 data connection is solid as a rock, only dropped to 3G once for a couple minutes, but immediately picked back up to LTE. And just wow, battery life is phenomenal; currently at 3 hours of screen on time with 60% battery left! And have a fully charged spare waiting in the wings to swap and go. It hasn't had the slightest hiccup at anything I've thrown at it either. It's buttery smooth and FAST! The 5.5" screen is beautiful, bright and crisp; everything looks great on it! Size wise, the phone is easy to hold in portrait mode and for me in landscape as well (that may be hard for those with smaller hands though). The phone feels slightly lighter than the Thunderbolt with the standard battery, but at the same time the build quality feels very good; doesn't feel cheap at all. I'm really loving the stock browser it comes with, seems to be very similar to the AOSP browser that I find runs circles around Chrome on my Nexus 7 (which is why it's disabled and has the AOSP browser instead). The Note 2 stock browser is fast and smooth, has text overflow (double click, it zooms in to fit text on the screen) like the Thunderbolt's browser and supports the same bookmarks I had on the Thunderbolt, so was able to bring them over without a problem. The Note 2 also has a built-in file manager (called My Files), so no need to download one anymore. It allows you to browse and manipulate any files/folders on the internal storage and the SD card. Sweet! Need more time with the S-Pen (never used one before), but it has some very cool functions, look forward to learn all its tricks.

Anyway, sorry didn't mean to get too much into the Note 2 stuff, but wanted to share a bit for those who may still be on the fence with it. I'm going to miss hanging around the Thunderbolt forums. I still find myself checking in on them though, but will be primarily over in the Note 2 forums. Thank you to all who have helped me with the Thunderbolt. I can't say how much I've enjoyed sharing the ride with all of you. It's been fun, look forward to seeing you around the forums. This place (AC) is awesome!

 

[hannsoft]

Well, it's official, have the Note 2 in hand (since early yesterday) and the Thunderbolt has been retired to the night stand drawer as a back up (happy and sad at the same time :-\). After 24 hours with the Note 2, I have to say "WOW", what a night and day difference. So far, the Note 2 data connection is solid as a rock, only dropped to 3G once for a couple minutes, but immediately picked back up to LTE. And just wow, battery life is phenomenal; currently at 3 hours of screen on time with 60% battery left! And have a fully charged spare waiting in the wings to swap and go. It hasn't had the slightest hiccup at anything I've thrown at it either. It's buttery smooth and FAST! The 5.5" screen is beautiful, bright and crisp; everything looks great on it! Size wise, the phone is easy to hold in portrait mode and for me in landscape as well (that may be hard for those with smaller hands though). The phone feels slightly lighter than the Thunderbolt with the standard battery, but at the same time the build quality feels very good; doesn't feel cheap at all. I'm really loving the stock browser it comes with, seems to be very similar to the AOSP browser that I find runs circles around Chrome on my Nexus 7 (which is why it's disabled and has the AOSP browser instead). The Note 2 stock browser is fast and smooth, has text overflow (double click, it zooms in to fit text on the screen) like the Thunderbolt's browser and supports the same bookmarks I had on the Thunderbolt, so was able to bring them over without a problem. The Note 2 also has a built-in file manager (called My Files), so no need to download one anymore. It allows you to browse and manipulate any files/folders on the internal storage and the SD card. Sweet! Need more time with the S-Pen (never used one before), but it has some very cool functions, look forward to learn all its tricks.

Anyway, sorry didn't mean to get too much into the Note 2 stuff, but wanted to share a bit for those who may still be on the fence with it. I'm going to miss hanging around the Thunderbolt forums. I still find myself checking in on them though, but will be primarily over in the Note 2 forums. Thank you to all who have helped me with the Thunderbolt. I can't say how much I've enjoyed sharing the ride with all of you. It's been fun, look forward to seeing you around the forums. This place (AC) is awesome!

Enjoy the new phone! Great to hear it's starting out so well!

Sent from my HTC Droid DNA via Tapatalk 2

 

[anon(531015)]

Yeah, enjoy the Note2. I had a consultant stop by the other day and he had one....needless to say, I was pestering him to check it out as soon as I saw it. I'm a little conflicted on the size though. Granted, it's proportions are such that it's not to bad pocket but I think I want to stick with something just a little smaller. Right now it looks like the S3 for me and the Razr Max for my wife are the top contenders.

 

[Bobman]

Well, it's official, have the Note 2 in hand (since early yesterday) and the Thunderbolt has been retired to the night stand drawer as a back up (happy and sad at the same time :-\). After 24 hours with the Note 2, I have to say "WOW", what a night and day difference. So far, the Note 2 data connection is solid as a rock, only dropped to 3G once for a couple minutes, but immediately picked back up to LTE. And just wow, battery life is phenomenal; currently at 3 hours of screen on time with 60% battery left! And have a fully charged spare waiting in the wings to swap and go. It hasn't had the slightest hiccup at anything I've thrown at it either. It's buttery smooth and FAST! The 5.5" screen is beautiful, bright and crisp; everything looks great on it! Size wise, the phone is easy to hold in portrait mode and for me in landscape as well (that may be hard for those with smaller hands though). The phone feels slightly lighter than the Thunderbolt with the standard battery, but at the same time the build quality feels very good; doesn't feel cheap at all. I'm really loving the stock browser it comes with, seems to be very similar to the AOSP browser that I find runs circles around Chrome on my Nexus 7 (which is why it's disabled and has the AOSP browser instead). The Note 2 stock browser is fast and smooth, has text overflow (double click, it zooms in to fit text on the screen) like the Thunderbolt's browser and supports the same bookmarks I had on the Thunderbolt, so was able to bring them over without a problem. The Note 2 also has a built-in file manager (called My Files), so no need to download one anymore. It allows you to browse and manipulate any files/folders on the internal storage and the SD card. Sweet! Need more time with the S-Pen (never used one before), but it has some very cool functions, look forward to learn all its tricks.

Anyway, sorry didn't mean to get too much into the Note 2 stuff, but wanted to share a bit for those who may still be on the fence with it. I'm going to miss hanging around the Thunderbolt forums. I still find myself checking in on them though, but will be primarily over in the Note 2 forums. Thank you to all who have helped me with the Thunderbolt. I can't say how much I've enjoyed sharing the ride with all of you. It's been fun, look forward to seeing you around the forums. This place (AC) is awesome!

Thanks for sharing. I am in 100% agreement! You will find me in the Note 2 forums as well. Love tgis phone so far! I haven't tried the stock browser. I installed Chrome right off, but maybe I should check out the stock browser.

Ok, see you on the other side (aka Note 2 forums)!

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