HTC ThunderBolt

Last updated
HTC ThunderBolt
HTC Thunderbolt.jpg
HTC ThunderBolt (Verizon Wireless)
Brand HTC
Manufacturer HTC Corporation
Slogan "HTC Dream.”
Series Desire HD
Compatible networks Dual-band CDMA/EVDO Rev. A/EHRPD (800 1900 MHz)
LTE 700 MHz (band 13)
First releasedJan 2011 [1]
Availability by regionFebruary 2011
DiscontinuedJune 2012
Predecessor HTC Droid Incredible
Successor HTC Rezound
Related HTC Desire HD, HTC Inspire 4G, HTC Sensation 4G, HTC EVO 4G, HTC EVO 4G LTE
Type Smartphone
Form factor Slate
Dimensions4.85 in (123 mm) H
2.65 in (67 mm) W
0.54 in (14 mm) D [2]
Mass6.23 oz (177 g)
Operating system Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense 3.6 [3]
CPU 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon (MSM8655)
GPU Adreno 205
Memory768 MB RAM
Storage8 GB eMMC (2.58 GB available)
Removable storage 32 GB microSD card pre-installed
Battery1400 mAh
Display4.27 in (108 mm) diagonal [4]
1.67:1 aspect ratio widescreen
TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen
480x800 resolution at 215 ppi (0.38 Mpx)
Corning Gorilla Glass, crack and scratch resistant
Rear camera8.0 Mpx with autofocus, 2 LED flash, with 720p HD video capture
Front camera 1.3 Mpx front-facing, with video capture
Connectivity CDMA 800/1900 MHz EVDO Rev. A, 4G LTE 700 MHz, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n); Bluetooth 2.1 (upgradeable to 3.0) with A2DP stereo and EDR; A-GPS; FM tuner with RDS, 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, Micro-USB, Mobile Hotspot
Data inputsTouch or Swype
Hearing aid compatibility M4/T3 [5]

The HTC ThunderBolt (ADR6400L) was the first 4G LTE smartphone on the Verizon Wireless network. It is a CDMA/LTE variant of the HTC Desire HD. It was first announced at CES on January 6, 2011.

Contents

In addition to 4G service, the ThunderBolt is the first Verizon phone to support simultaneous voice/data over 3G without the help of Wi-Fi. [6]

Launch

The phone was launched January 17, 2011. Best Buy was the first retailer to offer a pre-order on February 6, 2011. Wirefly and Amazon both allowed pre-orders a few days before the device was officially launched. [7] This launch date, however, was much later than anticipated by consumers, frustrating many potential buyers. [8] [9] [10]

There was so much pent-up demand for the ThunderBolt that it broke pre-sale records for at least one online vendor. [11]

However, despite early demand for the phone, HTC has appeared to struggle in their attempts to address multiple complaints about the device. Some features were removed just prior to release, such as a built-in Skype app with video calling capability. Common reported issues include complaints of short battery life, frequent rebooting, and a much delayed and troubled rollout of an update to the Android Gingerbread platform. [12] [13]

Hardware

The ThunderBolt has a second generation 1GHz Snapdragon processor manufactured by Qualcomm, and runs on Verizon's 4G LTE Network. It has a 4.3-inch class (480×800) WVGA TFT capacitive touchscreen covered by Gorilla Glass, [14] a special crack and scratch resistant material made by Corning. Two cameras are included; an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, able to record 720p video, with a dual-LED flash, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone has 768 MB of RAM and 8 GB of eMMC of internal flash memory data storage ( available to user apps & user app data). An external microSDHC card slot supports up to 32 GB more storage memory, which comes preinstalled. The ThunderBolt also comes with a kickstand that works in landscape and portrait positions for photo or video viewing. A LED notification light is located near the earpiece.

Software

The ThunderBolt shipped with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and it was later updated in September 2011 to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). In early February 2013, the ThunderBolt was updated to Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and Sense 3.6.

The 4.0.4 update brought many new features to the Thunderbolt, including new camera filters and features, the ability to capture screenshots, and facial recognition to unlock the device. It also improved the device's stability and improved connectivity issues. Connectivity issues were the reason why HTC and Verizon Wireless did not immediately release the 4.0.4 update. The "Fit the puzzle piece" unlock screen prompt was replaced by “Drag down to unlock.”

Another new feature with the 4.0.4 update was the built-in data manager. This feature helps users manage and view their recent data usage. This feature would show a graph of data usage for the time period that the user had previously set. The feature would also keep track of the user's data usage, and would alert the user when they were close to their data limit, which the user would have previously set.

See also

Related Research Articles

Pantech Inc. is a South Korean company that manufactures mobile phones. Established in 1991, its market is mainly domestic with partners in the United States, Japan, China, Europe and finally Vietnam. In 2012 Pantech was the second best-selling handset maker in South Korea, according to Gartner. In 2013 Samsung Electronics bought a 10% stake in Pantech. Pantech also partners with PCD for specialized phones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorola Droid</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

The Motorola Droid is an Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphone designed by Motorola, which runs Google's Android operating system. The Droid had been publicized under the codenames Sholes and Tao and the model number A855. In Latin America and Europe, the model number is A853 (Milestone), and in Mexico, the model number is A854 (Motoroi). Due to the ambiguity with newer phones with similar names, it is also commonly known as the DROID 1. The brand name Droid is a trademark of Lucasfilm licensed to Verizon Wireless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC Evo 4G</span> Android smartphone developed by HTC Corporation

The HTC Evo 4G is a smartphone developed by HTC Corporation and marketed as Sprint's flagship Android smartphone, running on its WiMAX network. The smartphone was launched on June 4, 2010. It was the first 4G enabled smartphone released in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S (2010 smartphone)</span> Android smartphone developed by Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S was a touchscreen-enabled, slate-format Android smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Samsung Electronics; it is the first smartphone of the Samsung Galaxy S series. It is the first device of the third Android smartphone series produced by Samsung. It was announced to the press in March 2010 and released for sale in June 2010. Due to shortage of Super AMOLED displays, Samsung released a successor to the device called S scLCD or SL and ceased production of the original I9000 model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Droid Incredible</span> Android-based smartphone

The HTC Droid Incredible (ADR6300) is a smartphone manufactured by HTC Corporation using the Android operating system. It was released on April 29, 2010, and is available through Verizon Wireless only. The device is similar to the Sprint HTC Evo 4G. The device has been succeeded by the HTC Incredible S and the HTC ThunderBolt. The device's "end of life" was March 30, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG VS740</span>

The LG VS740 is a mid-range smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Droid X</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

The Droid X is a smartphone released by Motorola on July 15, 2010. The smartphone was renamed Motoroi X for its release in Mexico on November 9, 2010. The Droid X runs on the Android operating system, and the latest version supported was 2.3 Gingerbread. It was distributed by Verizon Wireless in the United States and Iusacell in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC Desire HD</span> Android-based smartphone

The HTC Desire HD is an Android smartphone by HTC Corporation. It was unveiled at a press event in London hosted by HTC on September 15, 2010, and was made available for sale in October in Europe and in January 2011 in Canada. The Desire was HTC's fourth flagship Android device until the release of their new line of flagship model, the HTC Sensation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Droid Bionic</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

The Motorola Droid Bionic is an Android-based, 4G LTE-capable smartphone designed by Motorola. It was originally scheduled for release in Q2 2011 but was delayed, eventually being released on 8 September 2011.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4G LTE also known as the Droid Charge (Verizon), Galaxy S Aviator and Galaxy S Lightray 4G, it was an Android smartphone manufactured by Samsung. It has a 1 GHz "Hummingbird" processor, front and rear cameras, and CDMA and 4G LTE radios. It was announced at CES 2011 under the name Samsung Galaxy S 4G LTE device. It is available from Verizon Wireless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG Optimus 3D</span> Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics

The LG Optimus 3D is a 3D-enabled Android 2.2 Froyo 3D mobile device released on 7 July 2011 in the UK and advertised as the world's first full 3D mobile phone. It has 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded by up to 32 GB using a micro SDHC card. The phone features two 5 MP back-facing cameras that are capable of filming 720p 3D and Full HD 1080p in 2D, while pictures taken in 2D mode are 5 MP and 3 MP when taking a 3D picture. It also includes a VGA front-facing camera for video-calling. The phone features a 3D user interface which allows the users to access 3D content, such as YouTube in 3D, 3D games and apps, or 3D gallery with a push of a button.

The HTC Rezound is a smartphone by HTC and sold through Verizon. Along with the Galaxy Nexus and Droid RAZR, it was expected to be a major competitor to the iPhone 4S. It was released on November 14, 2011. It is also the first phone to use Beats Audio technology, and comes with a special pair of the Beats by Dr. Dre's iBeats earphones with black earpieces and red wiring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC One X</span> Android smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC

The HTC One X is a touchscreen-based, slate-sized smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC. It was released running Android 4.0.3, with the HTC Sense 4.0 skin. The One X is powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 3 for most international GSM carriers, making this the first HTC phone to be equipped with a quad-core processor, while a variant which is LTE capable is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor. The One X was announced on February 26, 2012 at the Mobile World Congress and was HTC's sixth flagship product, leading the HTC One series from the time of its release through April 2013, when its successor the HTC One (M7) was announced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC Evo 4G LTE</span> Smartphone

The HTC Evo 4G LTE is an Android smartphone developed by HTC Corporation to be released exclusively by Sprint. A successor to the previous HTC Evo 4G and 3D models, the Evo 4G LTE supports Sprint's LTE cellular network and its current-generation EV-DO network. The Evo 4G LTE shares features with its GSM counterpart, the HTC One X—such as the same dual-core 1.5 GHz processor used by the One X's LTE variant, a 4.7-inch screen, and Android 4.1 with HTC's Sense 4.0 interface. The Evo 4G LTE was also the first phone built with an all aluminum frame, leaving only a small plastic piece to allow the Sim and micro sd cards to be installed.

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE, also known as the HTC Incredible 4G or Incredible 3, is a smartphone designed and manufactured by Taiwan's HTC Corporation that runs the Android 4.0 operating system (ICS). Officially announced by Verizon on May 7, 2012, for CTIA, and released on July 5, 2012, through Verizon Wireless for $149.99 with a new two-year contract. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE is the successor to the HTC Incredible S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nokia Lumia 820</span> 2012 Nokia smartphone

The Nokia Lumia 820 is a smartphone designed, developed and marketed by Nokia. It is the successor to the Lumia 800 and is one of the first Nokia phones to implement Windows Phone 8 alongside the Nokia Lumia 920. Although sharing a similar appearance with the Lumia 800, the Lumia 820 is a major overhaul over its predecessor, sporting a 4.3 inches (110 mm) diagonal OLED display with scratch resistant glass, though lacking Gorilla Glass protection, 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, and an 8.7-megapixel camera. The phone will come with LTE connectivity and a wireless-charging option. The 820 is the first Nokia Windows Phone OS based smartphone to embed a microSD card slot.

The HTC Rhyme is a multi-touch, slate-format Android 2.3 smartphone designed and produced by HTC. The Rhyme was released in the United States exclusively by Verizon Wireless on September 22, 2011, with releases in Asia and Europe beginning in October 2011. The Rhyme is a mid-range smartphone, distinguished by its use of an updated HTC Sense 3.5 user experience, and a selection of bundled accessories; such as a charging dock, wireless speakers, and an LED "charm" that can be used as a notification light. While it was not explicitly marketed as such by HTC, the Rhyme was primarily developed and targeted towards women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC One (M7)</span> Touchscreen-based Android smartphone by HTC

HTC One is a touchscreen-based Android smartphone designed, developed, and manufactured by HTC. The smartphone was unveiled on 19 February 2013 at press events in New York City and London and is HTC's seventh flagship smartphone. It is the successor to the company's 2012 flagship model, the One X—which was critically acclaimed, but commercially unsuccessful due in part to insufficient marketing efforts. To make the device stand out among its competition, HTC One was developed with a major emphasis on unique hardware and software features; which included a unibody aluminum frame, a 1080p full-HD display, dual front-facing stereo speakers, a camera with a custom image sensor and the ability to automatically generate montages of media, an updated version of HTC's Sense user experience, BlinkFeed—an aggregator of news and social network content, and an electronic program guide app with the ability to serve as a universal remote via an IR blaster located in the device's power button.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC One (M8)</span> Smartphone manufactured by HTC

The HTC One (M8) is an Android or Windows smartphone manufactured and marketed by HTC. Following a number of leaks that occurred during the months prior, the device was officially unveiled in a press conference on March 25, 2014, and released the same day by Verizon Wireless at retail, and by other Canadian and United States carriers for online orders prior to its wider retail availability in mid-April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HTC One A9</span> Android smartphone

The HTC One A9 is an Android smartphone manufactured and marketed by HTC. It was officially announced on October 20, 2015. It is the successor to the HTC One Mini 2 worldwide; but in global markets, it was sold alongside the One M9 as a mid-range offering. It was launched as an effort to improve the revenue of HTC's smartphone business after the failure of the One M9.

References

  1. "The First 4G LTE Smartphone For Verizon Wireless". press release. Verizon Wireless. March 15, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  2. This is slightly larger than the advertised specifications. See, e.g.: "ThunderBolt by HTC". VerizonWireless.com. Verizon Wireless. April 2011. At "Size" pop-up. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  3. "HTC Thunderbolt Won't See New HTC Sense 3.0". droid-life.com. April 14, 2011.
  4. This is slightly smaller than the advertised specifications. See, e.g.: "ThunderBolt by HTC". VerizonWireless.com. Verizon Wireless. April 2011. At "Key Features". Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  5. "ThunderBolt™ by HTC" . Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  6. "Simultaneous Voice and Data over 3G Confirmed for HTC Thunderbolt". phandroid.com. January 26, 2011.
  7. Maisto, Michelle (2011-03-17). "HTC ThunderBolt for Verizon 4G LTE Network Now Available". Eweek.com. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  8. "Verizon delays HTC ThunderBolt, according to rumors, with no ETA in sight |". Wirelessgoodness.com. 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  9. DeRuvo, James (2011-03-08). "HTC Thunderbolt launch delay by the iPad 2 confirmed". Android Community. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  10. "Battery Issue the Reason Behind the Verizon HTC Thunderbolt Delay?". Gottabemobile.com. 2011-02-26. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  11. "ThunderBolt by HTC Pre-orders Break Sales Record at Wirefly". Wirefly.com. Simplexity, LLC. 16 March 2011.
  12. Palmer, Jacob. "Android Lemon Award Goes To HTC For Making The Worst Phone Of 2011". GizmoCrunch. Archived from the original on 2011-10-21. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  13. Mills, Adam. "HTC Thunderbolt Issues Are Unacceptable".
  14. "Products with Gorilla". Featured products. Corning Incorporated. Archived from the original on 2011-10-23. Retrieved 2011-04-08.