Unibody

[Droid800]

I don't understand how that was a reply to my post.

You claimed that its not true unibody based on what you see with the battery cover removed. Based on your standards, the iPhone wouldn't be unibody either.

The TB is a unibody device, just like the Nexus One. It is a different TYPE of unibody compared to the Inspire, but it is unibody nonetheless.

 

[Air Force One]

Well I did say "it appear" (meant to type appears...). So you can't really say it is false that it does not appear to me to be a unibody!



I still disagree. Without a tear down I just do not think you can be so 100% positive. What I agree with you on I have bolded above. The essense of a unibody is that there is a structural frame. So that being said I also disagree with you that it must have some exterior aluminum to be a unibody. That is absolutely false. Technically it does not even have to be one continuous piece. Sure that's nice and makes for a better product, but it is also something you are just making up for your own little personal definition.

You may know this but some won't: The term unibody comes from the automotive world. It contrasts the modern construction of most cars bodies in that the body and frame are integrated as one cosmetic and structural component. It is never a single continuous piece - it is welded, riveted, bolted, etc. Old school cars had frames and bodies totally separate and thus they were not unibodies.

The alumimum we can see in images and videos for the TB looks like it might be nothing more than a cosmetic cover. From a tear down you could discern whether or not this aluminum is is fact structural as opposed to cosmetic. This is what I hoped to see more of with the battery cover off.

Look, I am not saying IT IS NOT UNIBODY. I just marvel at your certainty without a tear down. I think it is also fairly clear it is not quite a unibody in the sense of the HTC Legend. That sucker is a unibody for sure. See pic below.

Hey man we can argue all day long as to what the true definition of unibody is As far as HTC goes(which is all that matters), it's obvious from the devices they've built in the past that unibody means it's one continuous piece of aluminum forming a structural frame. I agree that the Thunderbolt will most likely not have as much aluminum as the legend which you gave a pic of, BUT the Thunderbolt will be unibody design nonetheless. We're not talking about a multi thousand dollar car here so trying to keep to that standard makes no sense in the context of a phone

 

[Droid800]

Hey man we can argue all day long as to what the true definition of unibody is and Googling the definition as you appear to have done does us no good. As far as HTC goes(which is all that matters), it's obvious from the devices they've built in the past that unibody means it's one continuous piece of aluminum forming a structural frame. I agree that the Thunderbolt will most likely not have as much aluminum as the legend which you gave a pic of, BUT the Thunderbolt will be unibody design nonetheless. We're not talking about a multi thousand dollar car here so trying to keep to that standard makes no sense in the context of a phone

Like the iPhone, the Bolt has a frame off of which components 'hang'. Think of a car frame, onto which the outer skin and components are attached. It is a different type of unibody compared to, say, the Legend or the Desire HD, which are milled from aluminum and have the frame on the outside. They're all unibody, but with different configurations. (the latter two undoubtedly built the way they are for design reasons as well)

It's like the difference between a Smart ForTwo and a Ford Fusion; One has its frame on the outside, clearly visible (Smart), and the other has a frame concealed by body panels and glass. They're both unibody though.

 

[Air Force One]

Like the iPhone, the Bolt has a frame off of which components 'hang'. Think of a car frame, onto which the outer skin and components are attached. It is a different type of unibody compared to, say, the Legend or the Desire HD, which are milled from aluminum and have the frame on the outside. They're all unibody, but with different configurations. (the latter two undoubtedly built the way they are for design reasons as well)

It's like the difference between a Smart ForTwo and a Ford Fusion; One has its frame on the outside, clearly visible (Smart), and the other has a frame concealed by body panels and glass. They're both unibody though.

Right I understand that...all I'm saying tho is that the Thunderbolt(IMO) only has the aluminum unibody on the outside of the device, not the inside.

That's how I got into this whole discussion. Now I'm starting to wish I had just left it at sub'dawg's answer.

But still, I do not believe the battery tray will be made of aluminum so I felt the need to say something.

 

[INK]

One of the main things I love about the Thunderbolt is the unibody will make it feel like the best thing I've ever held.

Bionic? that plastic piece of crap.

 

[Droid800]

Right I understand that...all I'm saying tho is that the Thunderbolt(IMO) only has the aluminum unibody on the outside of the device, not the inside.

That's how I got into this whole discussion. Now I'm starting to wish I had just left it at sub'dawg's answer.

But still, I do not believe the battery tray will be made of aluminum so I felt the need to say something.

I'm not so sure. Remember the early prototypes? They had a unibody design much like that of the Desire. At this point, without the phone being examined by a large number of people, we just don't know how far the aluminum extends into it.

 

[Psosmith82]

Why doesnt HTC mention anything about aluminum unibody for the thunderbolt? They list it for the inspire and other unibodys.

I am excited for this phone though, actually just returned my inspire (1 day left of my 30 days) and rejoined verizon to get this. My local verizon store said they had 100 units, so i dont think anybody will have a problem getting one =) Im in a city with 4G too

 

[Rich Rasp]

Ok, just played with the working demo model of the TB at my local bestbuy... Being an inspire owner, the TB is definitely NOT a unibody metal design... Or atleast nothing on the outside parts that are metal like the inspire. It is built well but most definitely not built like the inspire. The intire TB on tje outside is plastic with the exception of the kick stand. Sorry, no pics but you all will know what I'm talking about tomorrow. Btw... 2.4gb for internal app install.. That's it from that 8gb internal?! Damn!

 

[Air Force One]

I can confirm. NO aluminum whatsoever..all plastic. I almost didn't buy it because of this. I ended up liking it anyway so I purchased. Would have MUCH preferred aluminum.

 

[levels3]

Does anybody know why HTC decided to make this thing all plastic? Would have loved to see an aluminum body like the inspire... Just trying to figure out what happened that this version got left out after all the rumors...

 

[swamp]

Indeed it is all plastic. You could, of course, have a plastic unibody but this is not one of those either. You can see the molding lines on the dark grey plastic frame (that we thought may be the unibody). You can also tell it is not metal as it is does not feel cool to the touch (i.e. it does not have the high thermal conductivity of metal).

It is a bummer. I was hoping for a unibody or at least metal bezel and it has neither. I refer back to my earlier points about reviewers/"experts" and their understanding of such details...

 

[swamp]

Photos of cracked plastic trim rings already on another forum (claims no drop). Not only no aluminum, no unibody but cheap crap plastic trim...