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Thunderbolt delays...anyone starting to consider other options?

Went ahead and picked up a Droid X. LTE and the dual/quad cores will be ready for primetime next year. That's when I'll make the jump.
 
Yeah I had a storm1 with dust under the screen and broken end button. I got real tired of waiting. Picked up a fascinate this weekend and I love it. My wife has an early upgrade available, so if I really want a TB I can get. Most likely I'll wait and see what their 4g lineup is in a few months.

I don't understand why people complain about the stock interfaces. The samsung was ugly and dumb but it took about 2 minutes to get Launcherpro installed and tweak and now there is no touchwiz on the phone (well, at least its hidden.) I mean, I don't plan on rooting it so I don't really care about that. Waiting for the bionic sounds better everyday now that I have a very nice phone to use while I wait.
 
dm33 said:
I thought the Thunderbolt would be out months before the others. But I see rumors about the LG and Motorola possibly coming out in March or April. If its just a couple of weeks later than the Thunderbolt, seems most prudent to wait and see what they offer before pulling the trigger.
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Yeah, this is exactly how I felt after I bought my G1 the day it came out. I kept waiting and waiting for something better and kept pushing upgrading or switching carriers off. So right now I am still using my G1.

I should've realized sooner that by the time something is about to come out, there is usually something better on the horizon, it gets delayed, or there is some major tradeshow coming up (hello new rumors!).

If you do keep waiting, good luck on finally pulling the trigger. With the speed technology moves these days, it is becoming harder and harder to do this. Also, who's to say that these other "new" devices don't have their own launch problems?
 
Steel36 said:
Yeah, I think of of the thing the TB had going for it was an earlier release, considering that it doesn't have hdmi, and isn't dual-core. If releasing more alongside the later ones, it's less interesting.

Then again, where are all of Verizon's newer phones these days? They were on a tear last Fall, but now nothing. And I think they saw that the iPhone release was largely a waste of time. Few were going to buy before the June refresh, esp. after tasting Android.
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Your point is extremely valid! The one thing the TB had in its corner was the timeframe for which it was supposedly being pushed out on. However, with all the set backs, and no word from vzw, I think a lot of people will pass on it if a slew of other phones are right around the corner.
 
Tech Addiction said:
As much as I want this phone, my extra line annual upgrade is goos on 14 March. The closer we get to that date, the easier it will be to get them to waive it. I have an annual on my main line but it gets a renew every 2 on 15 May. I don't want to waiste it on an annual. I'm still good on waiting as much as it is frustrating.
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secondary lines don't get annual upgrades. only the primary lines do. Unless of course you have mutliple familyshare/single line plans on one bill.
 
Hello everyone! I have been a frequent reader of posts on this site, but this is my first time posting. I have never owned an Android phone and have been waiting for the Thunderbolt to be released before using my upgrade. I currently have a Blackberry Storm 2 which I have grown to hate and the Thunderbolt delays have made me come close to purchasing an iPhone 4, but I really want to try an Android phone. So, I have a couple of questions...If I want to go ahead and get a phone today, which phone do you recommend? Also, I have seen people post about returning a phone in 14 days, so if I get a phone today, will I be able to return it when the Thunderbolt releases provided it is within the 14 day time frame? What would the consequences be? Thank you so much for your help!
 
The only reason I'm considering other options is due to the lack of communication from Verizon and HTC. I can understand not wanting to give information to your competitors, but keeping your consumers in the dark isn't a good move on either's part. All it does is leads to speculation as to why your product is delayed and once you plant that seed of doubt in your customers' minds, it's hard to gain that trust again.
 
dm33 said:
Yes I am starting to consider other options. Reading up about other LTE phones coming out.

Motorola Bionic
LG Revolution
HTC Thunderbolt
Samsung 4G

Out of the set, the Thunderbolt has the smallest battery, and the only one without an HDMI output.

Otherwise they all have about the same size screen. Lots of the other specs sound pretty close.

I thought the Thunderbolt would be out months before the others. But I see rumors about the LG and Motorola possibly coming out in March or April. If its just a couple of weeks later than the Thunderbolt, seems most prudent to wait and see what they offer before pulling the trigger.
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The Rev and the TB are more or less the same phone. There are slight differences, but they're really slight. The Bionic seems nice, but I'm not hot for Tegra2 and I think dual core in general won't be useful for at least a little while. I wouldn't trust anything Samsung makes. Just don't even consider it.

What exactly do you think you're going to do with HDMI out on your phone? Watch that 2 minute shakeycam video you shot at a concert where the audio is all blown out and distorted? Use it as a Netflix player ... when everything else in your entertainment center is already equipped as a Netflix player? It's a feature that seems neat, but consider the practicality of it for a bit.

TexasBadger said:
Me and my Eris have been waiting patiently since last August for the Thunderbolt. That abruptly ended on Saturday, when I read somewhere that testers were reporting actual-use battery life of only 2-3 hours. I will read all the reviews after the Thunderbolt is released. If battery life turns out to be okay, I'm still in. If not (I'm guessing less than 8 hours), then I will wait for the Bionic.
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I'm not sure about 2-3 hours, but it probably is a bit of a battery hog. Then again, so is the EVO and that isn't stopping anyone from buying that. When BMX posted on here, he didn't bitch about the battery life. In fact, it seemed as if he liked the phone, he just wished it had a bit nicer screen and dual core.
 
When you purchase a phone from vzw , you have 14 days to return it if you don't like it. If the Tbolt comes out during that 14 day period you just return the phone and buy the Tbolt.
 
jbh00jh said:
When you purchase a phone from vzw , you have 14 days to return it if you don't like it. I the Tbolt comes out during that 14 day period you just return the phone and buy the Tbolt.
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Someone else mentioned it, and my father upgraded his phone last year, they charge a restocking fee.
 
theacoustician said:
The Rev and the TB are more or less the same phone. There are slight differences, but they're really slight. The Bionic seems nice, but I'm not hot for Tegra2 and I think dual core in general won't be useful for at least a little while. I wouldn't trust anything Samsung makes. Just don't even consider it.

.
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I have a Tegra 2 device. Battery is fine and far more powerful than the Droid X and the 8255/8655 is not much of a jump from the 3630 in the Droid X. Tegra 2 is a beast, considering a passive cooled device.

Dual core like Tegra 2 and A5 do not operate powerwise as a dual core desktop cpu does. They work together to acheive tasks, rather than full on power suckers.

Look forward to seeing what the TB can do with high res Flash sites and PSX 3D games. THOSE will be the key tests on how well the updated Snapdragon performs. Tegra 2 has no problem (at least on the gTablet).

PSX is the perfect test for how powerful the cpu really is. If it plays Dead or Alive smooth like my Gtablet- cool :) Droid X plays it slow and we are only talking 33% increase over Droid X (at best).

3D games will be different though, since the 205 gpu in the TB is about three times better than the gpu in the Droid X.
 
I have waited since Halloween on this device so I think I can manage to wait another few weeks if necessary
 
rushmore said:
I have a Tegra 2 device. Battery is fine and far more powerful than the Droid X and the 8255/8655 is not much of a jump from the 3630 in the Droid X. Tegra 2 is a beast, considering a passive cooled device.

Dual core like Tegra 2 and A5 do not operate powerwise as a dual core desktop cpu does. They work together to acheive tasks, rather than full on power suckers.

Look forward to seeing what the TB can do with high res Flash sites and PSX 3D games. THOSE will be the key tests on how well the updated Snapdragon performs. Tegra 2 has no problem (at least on the gTablet).

PSX is the perfect test for how powerful the cpu really is. If it plays Dead or Alive smooth like my Gtablet- cool :) Droid X plays it slow and we are only talking 33% increase over Droid X (at best).

3D games will be different though, since the 205 gpu in the TB is about three times better than the gpu in the Droid X.
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If PSX is your bench, Sony picked the 8655 for the PlayStationPhone. Just sayin'.

Also, I'm not saying the Tegra2 isn't powerful, I've just lived through all the delays and missteps with it. It's a chip that was supposed to be out last year. It was promised to do a whole lot more than what it's doing now. There are a lot of vendors that have dropped it from their original plans. In fact, I can't recall another processor that's been dropped like the Tegra2 has been. The Flash support has been a huge deal in my neck of the woods as well. My problems with it all revolve around the fact nVidia just doesn't seem to know what it's doing, rather than it not being a processor with potential.
 
Please hold for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience.
You are now chatting with 'Sheneka'
Sheneka: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. May I help you with your order today?
Terri: I am having trouble deciding what phone I want.....I really am interested in the Thunderbolt, but cannot find it's release date...any idea when it will be released?
Sheneka: I do apologize for the inconvenience, but at this time we do not have an release data for the HTC Thunderbolt.
Terri: I am concerned with getting a phone today then the Thunderbolt gets released and I will be stuck with a phone I really do not want...
Sheneka: I recommend that you wait if that is the phone you want, because it is coming real soon that is all we know because I am waiting for it to come out myself.
Terri: Okay, I believe that is what I will do, thank you for your help!
Sheneka: My Pleasure. Be sure to click on end to close the chat properly, You've been excellent to chat with today. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Terri: No thank you!
 
ShoeGal said:
Please hold for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience.
You are now chatting with 'Sheneka'
Sheneka: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. May I help you with your order today?
Terri: I am having trouble deciding what phone I want.....I really am interested in the Thunderbolt, but cannot find it's release date...any idea when it will be released?
Sheneka: I do apologize for the inconvenience, but at this time we do not have an release data for the HTC Thunderbolt.
Terri: I am concerned with getting a phone today then the Thunderbolt gets released and I will be stuck with a phone I really do not want...
Sheneka: I recommend that you wait if that is the phone you want, because it is coming real soon that is all we know because I am waiting for it to come out myself.
Terri: Okay, I believe that is what I will do, thank you for your help!
Sheneka: My Pleasure. Be sure to click on end to close the chat properly, You've been excellent to chat with today. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Terri: No thank you!
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where is the part where you say "I have known for months it was 'coming real soon' captain obvious" ?
 
ShoeGal said:
Sheneka: I recommend that you wait if that is the phone you want, because it is coming real soon that is all we know because I am waiting for it to come out myself.
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I hope everyone realizes this is one of the oldest sales tactics out there, "I'm waiting for it to come out myself." At least when you can't sell something else to the consumer, because they have no interest...cough...i*hone...cough...

Try to keep them interested, validate their feelings...

Just bringing this up since this line seems to be used in nearly every chat conversation I come across in regards to the TB
 
theacoustician said:
If PSX is your bench, Sony picked the 8655 for the PlayStationPhone. Just sayin'.

Also, I'm not saying the Tegra2 isn't powerful, I've just lived through all the delays and missteps with it. It's a chip that was supposed to be out last year. It was promised to do a whole lot more than what it's doing now. There are a lot of vendors that have dropped it from their original plans. In fact, I can't recall another processor that's been dropped like the Tegra2 has been. The Flash support has been a huge deal in my neck of the woods as well. My problems with it all revolve around the fact nVidia just doesn't seem to know what it's doing, rather than it not being a processor with potential.
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Do you realize how much more advanced and difficult to manufacture the Tegra 2 is over the Snapdragon, Hummingbird, and Omap? Companies dropped it because Nvidia didn't have it ready in time, not because of any kind of performance reason. If it came out when originally slated, there would have been a performance gap between phones with it and phones without it that was larger than any performance gap seen in the short history of smartphones. As of now, even being late, it's significantly faster than the next fastest chipset.(The Atrix at stock scores about a thousand more points in Quadrant than the Thunderbolt to give people an idea)
 
dguy said:
Do you realize how much more advanced and difficult to manufacture the Tegra 2 is over the Snapdragon, Hummingbird, and Omap? Companies dropped it because Nvidia didn't have it ready in time, not because of any kind of performance reason. If it came out when originally slated, there would have been a performance gap between phones with it and phones without it that was larger than any performance gap seen in the short history of smartphones. As of now, even being late, it's significantly faster than the next fastest chipset.(The Atrix at stock scores about a thousand more points in Quadrant than the Thunderbolt to give people an idea)
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Um, yes, considering where I work we dev'ed with preproduction Xooms ... I probably know more about it than most. This is a brave new world for nVidia. I think they were very ambitious, but they over promised and didn't quite understand what they were getting themselves into. I think the future is bright for nVidia in the mobile field, I just don't know if I would jump on this 1st gen product knowing what I know.
 
theacoustician said:
Um, yes, considering where I work we dev'ed with preproduction Xooms ... I probably know more about it than most. This is a brave new world for nVidia. I think they were very ambitious, but they over promised and didn't quite understand what they were getting themselves into. I think the future is bright for nVidia in the mobile field, I just don't know if I would jump on this 1st gen product knowing what I know.
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Good summary. Just like Samsung and LG getting into Android phones and not appreciating the need for having a dedicated update team for all the phones firmware.

Some companies are used to fire and forget products and move to the next product with minimal support. At least Nvidia is used to the firmware update routine :)
 
theacoustician said:
If PSX is your bench, Sony picked the 8655 for the PlayStationPhone. Just sayin'.

Also, I'm not saying the Tegra2 isn't powerful, I've just lived through all the delays and missteps with it. It's a chip that was supposed to be out last year. It was promised to do a whole lot more than what it's doing now. There are a lot of vendors that have dropped it from their original plans. In fact, I can't recall another processor that's been dropped like the Tegra2 has been. The Flash support has been a huge deal in my neck of the woods as well. My problems with it all revolve around the fact nVidia just doesn't seem to know what it's doing, rather than it not being a processor with potential.
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Big difference with Sony dedicated code and resources and a reverse engineered PSX4Droid made by two people ;) You know that.

Yep, Tegra 2 was slooow out of the gate.

added: Tons of missed opportunity for Nvidia.
 
rushmore said:
Big difference with Sony dedicated code and resources and a reverse engineered PSX4Droid made by two people ;) You know that.

Yep, Tegra 2 was slooow out of the gate.

added: Tons of missed opportunity for Nvidia.
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Right, but I figure that once the official PS unit is out there, they dev's of PSX can crib some tricks from it and make their program even better.
 
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