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Experience HTC Thunderbolt, the First 4G LTE Smartphone
The HTC Thunderbolt is the ultimate smartphone which packs best of both business and entertainment features.
by Mark Brown - April 5, 2011 - comments
Android has revolutionized the smartphone market for past few years. We saw many great devices being introduced by various handset manufactures. But HTC Thunderbolt is not just a member of that crowd; rather it’s the flag bearer of the smartphone segment.
HTC Thunderbolt is the first Verizon 4G LTE smartphone. Apart from an awesome design, the 4G data speed is simply jaw dropping in this phone.
To be truthful, there is no other mobile in the market that can compete with Thunderbolt when it comes to mobile computing and data processing.
Design and Hardware
Even if you are aware of HTC’s design expertise, once you see Thunderbolt it will completely blow your mind.
At 4.75 inches tall by 2.44 inches wide by 0.56 inch thick and 6.23 ounces, the Thunderbolt isn't for those who prefer petite devices. It’s heavy and rock solid.
The heaviness of this phone actually assures the user that there are some serious engineering beneath the covers.
The edges of the Thunderbolt are clean and simple. The tapered back and soft-touch finish make it comfortable to hold in the hand and gives an overall elegant look.
The Thunderbolt has a large 4.3 inch WVGA (800x480 pixels) touchscreen. The display is a delight for your eyes. It offers a long viewing angle and the videos look crisp and vivid.
The touchscreen is well responsive and it features a proximity sensor and built-in accelerometer, which quickly change screen orientation when you rotate the phone.
The device sports a single core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The 1.3MP front facing camera does a decent job for video calling. But the real monster lies at the back cover, an 8MP cam with dual LED flash.
The camera performs perfectly inside and outdoor, especially the flash increases the crispness of the indoor snaps. The touch-to-focus works quickly and consistently.
The Thunderbolt records video at 720p HD and the sound recoding during the shoot is also surprisingly good.
It also has a sturdy kickstand so you can prop the phone on a desk to watch videos. There's a micro-USB port on the left side, and a perfectly positioned volume rocker on the right side.
On top of the device, you'll find a power/lock button and 3.5mm headphone jack. The HTC Thunderbolt comes packaged with an AC adapter, a USB cable and a pre-installed 32GB microSD card.
Software
The Thunderbolt runs on Android 2.2 OS and the latest version of HTC Sense.
Apart from the standard Google services and support for Microsoft Exchange, POP3 and IMAP accounts, and social network integration, the Thunderbolt comes preinstalled with a number of extra apps from HTC and Verizon, such as HTC's Peep Twitter client, Footprints, the Bitbop video streaming service, Rock Band, Let's Golf, and TuneWiki.
The device offers HTC's 'Fast Boot' option. The feature puts the phone into an ultra-low power mode. If you are a business traveler and frequently turn your phone off during long flights then it’s a very useful feature for you.
Performance
The HTC Thunderbolt reigns supreme in this segment. It’s the fastest mobile phone.
The 4G LTE network gives this beast full freedom to flex its muscles. In downtown Chicago, you will get downlink speeds ranging from 5Mbps to roughly 20Mbps.
If you can’t understand how fast it is, then for a small example, you can download a 5.1MB MP3 file in 20 seconds and upload a 16.4MB photo album in just 47 seconds.
YouTube videos get loaded within a couple of seconds and plays back without interruption. It may not outperform the dual core Tegra 2 processor phones such as Optimus 2X, but the 4G LTE network of Verizon is so fast that it can handle larger data at a better speed than those phones.
You never need to worry for the networks as the Thunderbolt does a good job of switching between 3G and 4G, in case 4G is not available in your area.
Currently, Verizon's 4G LTE unlimited data plan costs $29.99 per month and the mobile hotspot feature comes for free.
The audio quality and signal reception both are great. The speakers offer a loud and clear sound while the calls never drop during any long conversation in a fast car.
The Thunderbolt packs a 1400mAh battery and you will get approximately 6 hours of battery life.
Final Verdict
The HTC Thunderbolt comes at $250. The smartphone is certainly costly but as you have read its specs and performance, you can understand that the pricing is justified.
If you want a powerhouse performer then this phone is surely for you. No matter how big you business PPT is or how much you love to watch HD Youtube video during a long journey, it can handle both of your needs.
The Thunderbolt is true to its name. It really performs just like thunder.