Pros/Cons on the HTC Thunderbolt by Verizon
Pros:
- CM7/OMFGB compatible phone (HUGE bonus)
- Strong Dev Community
- Unlocked (able to flash alternative kernels)
- Outside of the poor screen durability, the overall build is well done and definitely much better then the Fascinate or the OG Droid Incredible.
- Camera quality is fantastic (best on a phone I've owned)
- Same for video quality, fantastic.
- Stock sense is bearable, but no more then Blur.
- 4G is awesome (if you're in an area that uses it)
- A company that believes in unlocked bootloaders
- Amazing processor (blows away the Droid X, Fascinate, OG Droid, Incredible)
Cons:
- Screen is easily scratched, I've already had 3 significant scratches on my screen, while just being in my pocket. I carried my Droid X around for months without even a single scratch. Definitely missing that gorilla glass screen.
- GPS lock on stock is a total joke (5-10min to get directions)
- Requires extended battery to get full day of use (from what I've seen)
- Data connection seems to be often hit or miss
- Lack of HDMI output
- Lack of dedicated camera button (THIS SHOULD BE STANDARD)
- Still no stock Gingerbread? No Google Talk w/video (without root)?
- Random reboots for seemingly no rhyme or reason
Overall, my experience with this phone has been a bit disappointing. This is mainly due to the huge hype surrounding the Thunderbolt's release, and the major cons mentioned above. I hope to see HTC/Verizon release a large update soon to address these issues as most are frustrating: GPS lock, data loss, and ran0dom reboots, as these errors render the phone to the point of unusable. From my experiences with Samsung and Motorola phones I can safely say that Motorola has the best build quality, and radio of any of the three major brands. The OG Droid and the Droid X were both tough phones that could take a beating and still feel like quality, all while happily locking onto GPS in a second, and not experiencing the random reboots and data connection loss. From what I've seen, while HTC seems to be catching up, they need to significantly improve their stock experience to be on the same playing field as Motorola. And for heaven's sake, add a camera button!