HTC Thunderbolt Release Date

[Jas O]

I don't think its Apple at all. I think its Verizon not wanting to release two competing devices within 2 weeks of each other.

They won't put out anything that competes with TB for atleast 2 weeks either...

100% agree. It's in the best interest of ALL parties (except maybe the consumer, haha). Just basic business sense, nothing sinister or evil going on here.

I was really surprised to hear that it would be before 3/10. I thought that they would have had a month between launches.

 

[Blackhawk55]

just come from verizon i ask you know when the thunderbolt comming he said no idea

try to resist posting worthless info, if everyone in this thread called VZN and reported back they got no new info this thread would be a cluster f*ck
...

would be?

 

[guitarchris123]

I walked into a local VZW store with the following question, "can you share anything about the TB, or have Apple's lawers tied everyone's tongue until 14-days post iphone day?" the rep just about busted out laughing

just come from verizon i ask you know when the thunderbolt comming he said no idea

try to resist posting worthless info, if everyone in this thread called VZN and reported back they got no new info this thread would be a cluster f*ck

not trying to be rude but we already know that half of VZN doesnt know **** and the other half thinks they know **** but they still dont.

Whether it is Apple call, or Verizon's choice, is irrelevant if you ask me. The fact remains that VZW employees are not talking about it yet, either because they don't know enough correct info, or because they were told to pump the iPhone hard and not mention the TB at all yet. I'm not believing anything until I see Verizon's actual webpage change, or an "official" press release from them, nothing else. Screen shots with vague and possibly inaccurate dates, "well, the manager said...," "I heard from my employee friend," "this seems to make sense to me," "some facebook page says," etc. is not doing it for us. I'm still liking the 24th, but it could still be a few days later (eg. the 28th like Kodiak explained, and Miami has mentioned in the past), or maybe even a couple days earlier (slim chance, but possible?).

As for the cause of the holdup, was it software, was it Apple's lawyers, or was it Verizon not wanting sales to eat at each other if the 2 phones were released too close? Who knows? Maybe it was all three. But who cares? I just know I want it soon, and hopefully this will all just be a memory next week!

 

[wallstreet123456]

i don't necessarily agree with that assessment. The Bionic is expected sometime in Q2 (although there is inconsistent info as to whether it will be early or late Q2), and there is considerable (and deserved) buzz about that monster. But, there is also the DX2 coming in May/June (if not earlier), and it will have some nice upgrades - T2 dual core, qHD screen, 1 gb ram (but not lte capable). On top of this, the Inc2 is supposedly coming out around the same time, and it is speculated that this might be the IncHD that has been "spotted in the wild".

The release i'm really keeping an eye on is the D3. the early specs are similar to the Bionic - 4" screen (altho Bionic is 4.3"), dual core, increased ram, and a better keyboard (with a bigger screen, there would be more kb room). no word on whether it will be lte. but, because there has been an indication that Moto has been tabbed to put out the next Nexus/pure Google phone, there has been speculation that the D3 might be it, and could have an unlocked bootloader (again, pure speculation at this point). it is thought that this phone might be released in the summer to compete with the iP5.

i haven't heard whether the LG 3D is going to be on vzw or not. but, the Atrix will be coming to vzw at the end of the year.

in my view, even with the iP on vzw, this is still going to be a pretty big year for android devices on vzw.

2 concerns:
1) Isn't what we thought to be the Inc2/IncHD (or whatever) that we recently saw pictures of "in the wild" actually the Incredible S that was revealed at MWC? It is going to Europe first, so I'm not sure when or if it will make it's way into the states. Is there a chance that they are 2 separate devices that just look the same?
2) Do you have a link or anything to the rumor about the Moto D3 being the next pure Google phone? Motorola has quite publicly expressed its disdain for unlocked bootloaders recently. Or is that just forum and blog talk/speculation?

Also, I think the Atrix coming to VZW at the end of the year will be a fail. There will be much better devices right around the corner then, and the Bionic is a better device in just about every way (excluding RAM?) and will be out many months before it. Plus, AT&T will have already had it since March.

I saw a review of Bionic on youtube and it seemed very slow to respond to selections.

 

[jbg25]

Guy I spoke with at VZW today said the 24th is set for both VZW stores and BB.

subsidized price as we all know is $350....he said there will be a $140 rebate for a 2 year contract and a $70 rebate for 1 year.

also he confirmed that the unlimited 4G pricing will be the same as the 3G pricing for the time being...but said that he would not be surprised if by the end of the year they went to tiered....and eliminated the unlimited all together.

he also hinted to get used to having the "big phone" release staggered like they have been from now on. Saying TB will be this month...DX2 should be next month...did not know what would be after that...but said Bionic would be May the earliest.

 

[P7M8]

subsidized price as we all know is $350....

????????????????

 

[Madcatzfight]

Snip/
subsidized price as we all know is $350....he said there will be a $140 rebate for a 2 year contract and a $70 rebate for 1 year. /Snip

As in mail in rebate? I thought they were stopping those on devices over $150.

 

[motty69]

releasing the Atrix on vzw at the end of the year is a little puzzling to me, too. the only real difference between the Bionic and the Atrix is the lapdock. but, given the early pricing on that feature from at&t (about 500 bones), i don't see it as being a huge seller. i hope i'm wrong, but....

I agree that the Atrix at the end of the year doesn't make much sense right now, but if they get it running a version of Honeycomb and taking advantage of the power the device has in reserve it could be interesting. Especially in the price of the dock drops.

The Engadget review of the Atrix was general good with exception of their take on MotoBlur and the dock. They seemed to feel like the dock was slow and generally frustrating, especially when a netbook much cheaper than the dock add-on is so much more capable.

 

[matthewthegreat]

the dev support on this device is going to be ridiculous.

That is my #2 reason for getting this phone. 1st is my OG droid died :icon_wink:

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

releasing the Atrix on vzw at the end of the year is a little puzzling to me, too. the only real difference between the Bionic and the Atrix is the lapdock. but, given the early pricing on that feature from at&t (about 500 bones), i don't see it as being a huge seller. i hope i'm wrong, but....

I agree that the Atrix at the end of the year doesn't make much sense right now, but if they get it running a version of Honeycomb and taking advantage of the power the device has in reserve it could be interesting. Especially in the price of the dock drops.

The Engadget review of the Atrix was general good with exception of their take on MotoBlur and the dock. They seemed to feel like the dock was slow and generally frustrating, especially when a netbook much cheaper than the dock add-on is so much more capable.

The engadget review told me the deal breaker, which was that i couldnt install any third party apps... which is my oh no moment. I install at least 20 apps via sd card, i would not be very happy without them. lots of apps arnt even in the market... they are downloaded via web browser. plus my apps i made in my computer class cant work without installing third party apps. Id definetly go with the TB if my D1 broke.

 

[guitarchris123]

Snip/
subsidized price as we all know is $350....he said there will be a $140 rebate for a 2 year contract and a $70 rebate for 1 year. /Snip

As in mail in rebate? I thought they were stopping those on devices over $150.

I thought so too, but I was recently informed in another thread that they went back to mail-in rebates, the policy of instant rebates was temporary and has expired (on 2/14 I think). So if that person is to be believed, the price will be $210 on a 2-year contract, and $280 on a 1-year, not too shabby. I'll believe it when I see it for myself though.

releasing the Atrix on vzw at the end of the year is a little puzzling to me, too. the only real difference between the Bionic and the Atrix is the lapdock. but, given the early pricing on that feature from at&t (about 500 bones), i don't see it as being a huge seller. i hope i'm wrong, but....

I agree that the Atrix at the end of the year doesn't make much sense right now, but if they get it running a version of Honeycomb and taking advantage of the power the device has in reserve it could be interesting. Especially in the price of the dock drops.

The Engadget review of the Atrix was general good with exception of their take on MotoBlur and the dock. They seemed to feel like the dock was slow and generally frustrating, especially when a netbook much cheaper than the dock add-on is so much more capable.

Honestly, the laptop docking feature is nothing more than a poorly functioning, outrageously overpriced, cheesy marketing gimmick. Maybe it has potential for future development, but I don't really see the point or value of it. A smartphone is a smartphone, a laptop is a laptop. There is no reason to combine them besides to say "Hey, look what we can do!"

 

[Serbeus]

Honestly, the laptop docking feature is nothing more than a poorly functioning, outrageously overpriced, cheesy marketing gimmick. Maybe it has potential for future development, but I don't really see the point or value of it. A smartphone is a smartphone, a laptop is a laptop. There is no reason to combine them besides to say "Hey, look what we can do!"

agreed, its like that at&t phone that had the "surround sound" where the phone slid open 1/4 of an inch to reveal speakers.... LOLOLOL fail gimmick is FAIL

 

[motty69]

Honestly, the laptop docking feature is nothing more than a poorly functioning, outrageously overpriced, cheesy marketing gimmick. Maybe it has potential for future development, but I don't really see the point or value of it. A smartphone is a smartphone, a laptop is a laptop. There is no reason to combine them besides to say "Hey, look what we can do!"

Agreed. I understand why they want to do it ("look at what we can do, now gimme dat moneys!"), but looking at the end result, neither the hardware nor software is up to it at this point. A year from now, who knows, but I've been burned in the past buying hardware that was gonna be awesome when updated, but just died on the vine.

 

[P7M8]

agreed, its like that at&t phone that had the "surround sound" where the phone slid open 1/4 of an inch to reveal speakers.... LOLOLOL fail gimmick is FAIL

Speaking of...did anyone see the "Surround Sound" in the specs of the T-Bolt?

 

[dbgoolsby]

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