Thunderbolt General Discussion - This is Not A Release Date Discussion

[motty69]

I think it's very doubtful that the ram would be upgradable. I've never heard of a phone where that was possible.

Sent from my Eris

 

[Rotas]

Thats the first I've heard of upgradeable RAM.

I don't see it listed either.

Maybe its the browser?
I am on Chrome and can see it fine.

 

[guitarchris123]

How do people feel about the Smartbench results coming out? The productivity scores look solid and right in line with what we'd expect, only getting outperformed by a 1.2g standard clock device. The dedicated graphics processor puts the Samsungs ahead on gaming, but from what I see TB also loses 400 points of gaming rank to the OG Droid. This is the next phone after my dream phone? Shouldn't we at least be tagging a 2 year old device?

Next, do I understand what I've read correctly that the TB will have a removable RAM card of 768mb as well as the SD? References I've seen to the 768mb always use the term card. That tells me there would be a RAM upgrade. If that's so, would you expect that the memory controller is also on the card and the technology could shift from SDRAM to DDR2, or does my question make it obvious I don't understand processors? I don't, so I ask.

Last, does anyone know if the SIM card will also be used for 3G or any other "I'm operating normally" sort of mode? Or could 4G be toggled by SIM removal? I doubt we could, but I ask because the rest of you know better.

After last, anyone know how I can use a TB in the car for nav? I notice that the USB port is on what would usually be the top of a counterclockwise rotated phone, so what, we'd rotate clockwise to put it into some sort of car dock? And since I've been away, satisfied with my OG, I guess I can forget about magnet sensors? Guessing that since I don't see the TB going into a different mode when the kickstand is pulled and that would've been the logical way to trigger a microswitch.

Personally, I don't care that this phone will not be the best around for gaming and graphics. If you want the best graphics, get a PS3 or XBox360, this phone will be fine for most games on Android (except for the highest end ones). You will be stuck with 768 RAM, not upgradeable to more or DDR2. As to the sim card, I have heard that it must be inserted to be able to use this device as an actual phone. Now whether this applies to both 4G and 3G I am not 100% positive, but I think it needs to be inserted for 3G also. And finally, from what I can tell there will be some sort of "mount" that will be available. Whether this is for the car or desk is unclear yet. Hopefully they will have both a car dock and a desktop dock sooner rather than later.

 

[rogue123]

This is a recent best buy ad for the thunderbolt, it says priced at 300. While the inspire 4g is 100. Is the thunderbolt 200 better than the inspire?
http://m.engadget.com/default/artic...300-on/&category=mobile&icid=m_eng_latest_art
Sent from my DROIDX

 

[Raptor007]

I got an email today from BB touting their 4G line up which showed in the email the HTC TB. Of course when you click on it to shop its NOT in the lineup. Honestly at this point Best Buy could be accused of "bait and switch" since they continue to advertise a phone that has (as some have put it) announced "officially" from Verizon and their reps could easily be pushing people into other phones. Yes this is a real, valid and legal issue for Best Buy.

 

[Raptor007]

VZW website has been updated for TB. I signed up for updates. Again....

I am not seeing anything new on Verizon's site. What are they indicating now? While I signed up for info long ago, I neither expect Verizon to update me or send it at a reasonable time frame. In fact most of the "updates" I have ever signed up for on Verizon have never worked.

 

[kparks]

ima wait till the last second to pick up whatever phone i get ill prolly just get it right befor they start charging for 4g that is if they dont do it from the get go at this point i would take the TB stealth or LG so maybe 2 will be out and i can compare the 2

 

[Sentrix]

I got the same email, listing the Thunderbolt at $299.99 and claiming it as a "national retail exclusive"

Photo attached

 

[Sleeve]

I think it is really strange that HTC uses the term "card." This is how HTC describes the memory:

8GB emmc + 768 RAM Memory card, preinstalled 32 GB microSD™

This is at HTC ThunderBolt

Thanks for the info on the SIM, and it looks like I must have been sitting upside down when I thought the USB port was on the right side. I guess we'll be able to buy some sort of dock, but not be able to charge using just the kickstand in landscape mode.

 

[xXJakeXx]

I got an email today from BB touting their 4G line up which showed in the email the HTC TB. Of course when you click on it to shop its NOT in the lineup. Honestly at this point Best Buy could be accused of "bait and switch" since they continue to advertise a phone that has (as some have put it) announced "officially" from Verizon and their reps could easily be pushing people into other phones. Yes this is a real, valid and legal issue for Best Buy.

Class action lawsuit anyone? Just read up on it and it seems so.

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

 

[guitarchris123]

I think it is really strange that HTC uses the term "card." This is how HTC describes the memory:

8GB emmc + 768 RAM Memory card, preinstalled 32 GB microSD™

This is at HTC ThunderBolt

Thanks for the info on the SIM, and it looks like I must have been sitting upside down when I thought the USB port was on the right side. I guess we'll be able to buy some sort of dock, but not be able to charge using just the kickstand in landscape mode.

Well, graphics chip are also sometimes referred to as a card to. I think its just a term of art, don't put too much thought into it. It does not make it replaceable/upgradeable.

It probably would have been better to place the port on the left side instead of the right, so you could use the kickstand to watch video while charging on the top, and flip it over to use the dock, both in landscape mode. Oh well.

 

[Purgatoiry]

Has anyone asked bestbuy what price the people who pre-ordered are paying? If they try sell it to me for 299 i'll probably make a scene =)

 

[Kboss375]

At ~5:20 in this video the guy says that it needs a sim card to make 4g, he also says that you will have to sign up for 4g coverage when picking up the phone. I live in the woods of CT, great 3g but I dont think 4g is in the plans yet.
Has any one heard of HAVING to get 4g when getting the phone?

[video=youtube;Dp71b-vB7iU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp71b-vB7iU&feature=relmfu[/video]

 

[sidsixseven]

This is a recent best buy ad for the thunderbolt, it says priced at 300. While the inspire 4g is 100. Is the thunderbolt 200 better than the inspire?

I've been asking myself that exact same question. The short answer is: I think so.

Here are the differences:

• the Inspire has no front-facing camera
• the Inspire has a smaller battery (1230 mAh vs 1400 mAH)
• the Inspire has less internal storage (4GB vs 8GB)
• the Inspire has an older processor (QSD8255, 1GHz vs MSM8655, 1GHz)
• the Inspire uses HSPA+ for 4G instead of LTE
• the Inspire doesn't come with a pre-installed SD card (I think)

Here are the similarities:

• they both have 1GHz Snapdragon processors
• they both have 768mb of RAM
• they both have the same screen size (4.3")
• they both have Android 2.2 and Sense UI
• they both have can use simultaneous data/voice

The one thing we DON'T know that I'm waiting for is what the 4g data plan will cost for the Thunderbolt. If it's close to the existing plan, it wins big time because AT&T's 4GB plan is $45 / line.

All the industry commentary is that LTE 4G is much faster than HSPA+ 4G. I've even heard it argued that the HSPA+ is not really worth being called 4th generation. AT&T has also said they are deploying LTE and the Inspire (nor any of their existing phones) wouldn't be compatible with it.

 

[2001400ex]

I keep hoping like the i*hone they offer two models. One with the 32 gb card for $249 and one without for $199. That would be sweet especially since a lot of us already have a 16gb card from a previous phone.