HTC ThunderBolt

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March 13, 2012
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NPD: One third of all smartphones sold in Q4 had 4G connectivity

By on March 13, 2012 at 8:30 PM.

NPD: One third of all smartphones sold in Q4 had 4G connectivity

Smartphones with 4G connectivity grew from 6% in the fourth quarter of 2010 to 35% in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a report from The NPD Group. HSPA+ “4G” accounted for 22% sales, however, leaving LTE and WiMAX technologies with a much less impressive share of the smartphone market. Older HSPA+ technology was the only 4G offered by AT&T up until recently, and it is still the only 4G technology offered by T-Mobile. The firm also counts AT&T’s iPhone 4S among the 4G phones sold last quarter, giving the category a significant boost. LTE-enabled handsets, on the other hand, accounted for just 7% of the smartphone market, while WiMAX made up only 6%, dropping from its third-quarter high of 10%. Verizon’s HTC Thunderbolt was the most popular LTE handset in the fourth quarter last year, while Sprint’s HTC EVO was the most popular WiMAX device. Read on for NPD’s press release. More →

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February 17, 2012
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HTC: Thunderbolt, Rhyme and DROID Incredible 2 will receive Android 4.0 update

By on February 17, 2012 at 1:30 PM.

HTC: Thunderbolt, Rhyme and DROID Incredible 2 will receive Android 4.0 update

HTC on Friday announced via the company’s Facebook page that the Thunderbolt, Rhyme and DROID Incredible 2 will all be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. “We have more good news related to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and can confirm that upgrades are planned for Verizon Wireless customers with the HTC Rhyme, HTC Thunderbolt, and DROID Incredible 2 by HTC, as well as the already announced HTC Rezound,” the company posted on its Facebook page. Earlier reports excluded these devices, among others, and it is nice to see a company including earlier models in its list of devices that will receive the highly anticipated update. HTC also announced that the Raider will receive an Ice Cream Sandwich update for Rogers and Bell in Canada. No information is available regarding a release schedule, however the company promises “more news on Ice Cream Sandwich releases in the coming weeks.” More →

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mobile
October 4, 2011
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HTC issues statement on Sense security flaw, says patch coming soon

By on October 4, 2011 at 8:01 AM.

HTC issues statement on Sense security flaw, says patch coming soon

HTC has issued a new statement addressing concerns over a security flaw recently discovered on several of its Android-powered smartphones. The vulnerability could allow third-party apps to access and steal private data including SMS messages, contact data, system logs, location information and more. “HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers’ data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application. A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws.” HTC says that it has not yet received any reports of malware exploiting the security flaw, and it recommends using caution when installing or updating applications from untrusted sources until a patch is issued in the near future. HTC’s full statement follows below (emphasis added by HTC). More →

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May 23, 2011
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Verizon activating 23 new 4G LTE markets on June 16th

By on May 23, 2011 at 9:30 PM.

Verizon activating 23 new 4G LTE markets on June 16th

Verizon announced on Monday that it will activate its blazing fast 4G LTE network in 23 new markets on June 16th. The service will soon be available in Hartford, Connecticut; Harrisburg, State College, and Erie, Pennsylvania; Dayton and Springfield, Ohio; Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina; Sacramento and Fresno, California; Spokane, Washington; Boise, Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah; Flint, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, Michigan; Indianapolis and Forth Wayne, Indiana; and Madison, Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Verizon also said that it will expand its existing 4G footprint in Detroit and the San Francisco Bay area, and that it remains on course to fill out its entire 3G footprint with 4G data connectivity by the end of 2013. So far we’ve reviewed two 4G-capable phones from Verizon — the HTC ThunderBolt and the Samsung DROID Charge — and the carrier’s LTE network has blown us away on both devices.

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mobile
May 12, 2011
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HTC ThunderBolt update now rolling out

By on May 12, 2011 at 9:29 PM.

HTC ThunderBolt update now rolling out

Verizon Wireless on Thursday confirmed that it is in the process of rolling out an over the air update for its HTC ThunderBolt smartphone. Software build number 1.13.605.7 will improve the ThunderBolt’s ability to move data over Verizon’s 3G network, and it includes messaging improvements as well. Other features listed by Verizon Wireless as being fixed or improved in this update include device activation time, GPS start up time and accuracy, and stability of apps like, Facebook, KAYAK and My Verizon. Users will receive a notification on their devices once the update is available for download. More →

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mobile
May 9, 2011
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Previous-generation iPhone 3GS, iPad still outsell new Android devices, analyst claims

By on May 9, 2011 at 10:25 AM.

Previous-generation iPhone 3GS, iPad still outsell new Android devices, analyst claims

Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley suggests that not only does Apple have the most popular smartphone and tablet in the U.S., but even its previous-generation gear is outselling the competition. In a note to investors on Monday, Walkley writes that Apple’s iPhone 4 is far and away the top-selling smartphone for both AT&T and Verizon Wireless. The iPad 2 is also the most popular tablet in the country right now, of course. The real bad news for Apple’s competition, however, is that according to the analyst’s checks with retail sales channels, Apple’s old iPhone 3GS is still outselling competitors’ offerings at AT&T and Apple’s first-generation iPad is still outselling other tablets at Verizon. “Interestingly, our April checks indicated continued strong demand for the iPhone 3GS at AT&T and iPad 1 at Verizon, as these older generation products with reduced prices often outsold new Android products,” Walkley wrote. “We believe this highlights Apple’s significant competitive advantage, and these older products help Apple offer a tiered pricing strategy at key channels.” Walkley found that Apple’s original 16GB and 32GB iPads sold out at Verizon in less than two weeks following the introduction of the iPad 2, and the iPhone 3GS recently outsold both the Motorola ATRIX 4G and the HTC Inspire 4G at AT&T. More →

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mobile
May 2, 2011
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Verizon to issue HTC ThunderBolt update on May 3rd

By on May 2, 2011 at 1:46 PM.

Verizon to issue HTC ThunderBolt update on May 3rd

Verizon Wireless has announced that it will issue a software update for the HTC ThunderBolt on May 3rd. The update will enhance the connectivity to Verizon’s 3G network – when a 4G signal isn’t available, of course – and will also fix some email and SMS bugs so that messages are stored properly in your inbox. Verizon also said that, after the patch is applied, the Backup Assistant application will display properly in the applications menu. Other fixes include faster loading of GPS updates and stability improvements for Facebook, KAYAK, Yahoo! Mail, My Verizon, and others. Unfortunately, the update doesn’t appear to offer any improvements to the ThunderBolt’s notoriously bad battery life. More →

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mobile
April 27, 2011
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Verizon: Engineers working to resolve 4G LTE outage

By on April 27, 2011 at 6:31 PM.

Verizon: Engineers working to resolve 4G LTE outage

On Wednesday morning our inbox was flooded with complaints from readers stating that Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network was down — claims we were able to confirm with our Samsung Charge in New York City. Verizon Wireless has acknowledged the problem and is keeping its customers up-to-date via Twitter. “We’re aware of an issue with the 4G LTE connections and our network engineers are working to resolve quickly,” Verizon’s official account tweeted today. It followed up three hours later with “Investigating 4G LTE network issue; ThunderBolts making voice calls, may get slower 1xRTT data.” Verizon says it will keep its customers updated as its works to resolve the problem. More →

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mobile
April 21, 2011
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Verizon's ThunderBolt now just $129.99 from Amazon

By on April 21, 2011 at 6:51 PM.

Verizon's ThunderBolt now just $129.99 from Amazon

Verizon Wireless’ HTC ThunderBolt has been a big seller for the nation’s top carrier so far. In the two weeks that Verizon’s first 4G LTE-capable smartphone has been available, the carrier has activated an impressive 260,000 units. Those are great numbers, especially when considering the steep $250 price tag on the device. Those who yearn for 4G LTE but who can’t quite stomach the thought of paying that much for a cell phone will be happy to learn that they will soon be able to purchase a ThunderBolt from AmazonWireless for just over half that price. From midnight tonight through midnight on April 25th, Amazon is offering the ThunderBolt for just $129.99 with a two-year contract. Amazon will also toss in free two-day shipping to sweeten the deal, though we’re not sure it really needed any sweetening — BGR reviewed the HTC ThunderBolt last month and found it to be a great smartphone with the fastest cellular data service we’ve ever tested. More →

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mobile
April 21, 2011
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Verizon surpasses 500,000 4G LTE subscribers

By on April 21, 2011 at 2:33 PM.

Verizon surpasses 500,000 4G LTE subscribers

Verizon Wireless confirmed that it has more than 500,000 subscribers using its 4G LTE network. The HTC Thunderbolt, which launched as Verizon’s first 4G LTE phone, is responsible for 260,000 of those subscriptions. The wireless carrier said that it added about 500,000 4G LTE customers this quarter in addition to the 65,000 early adopters who signed on in Q4. Big Red will continue to build out its 4G LTE device portfolio in the coming months. In addition to the HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung DROID Charge – announced on Thursday – it has plans to launch 4G support for the XOOM, an LTE version of the Samsung GALAXY Tab, and the Motorola DROID Bionic later this summer. It also currently offers three 4G LTE USB modems and two 4G LTE hotspot devices. More →

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April 20, 2011
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ThunderBolt outsells iPhone 4 at Verizon, firm claims

By on April 20, 2011 at 3:42 PM.

ThunderBolt outsells iPhone 4 at Verizon, firm claims

AT&T on Wednesday reported impressive first-quarter iPhone activations that hardly seemed affected by the carrier’s recent loss of iPhone exclusivity. Now, investment research firm ITG is suggesting Verizon Wireless’ iPhone 4 might not even be the carrier’s top seller anymore. As reported by the New York Post, ITG claims that the 4G LTE-capable HTC ThunderBolt overtook the iPhone last month to become Verizon’s No. 1 smartphone. The Post did not report March sales figures for the ThunderBolt or the iPhone, though it did say Verizon had only sold a total of 2 million iPhone 4 units through the end of March. Apple is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday, and analysts are expecting iPhone sales to total 16-17 million units. More →

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April 14, 2011
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Verizon's pricing revealed for DROID Incredible 2, DROID Charge, others

By on April 14, 2011 at 1:30 PM.

Verizon's pricing revealed for DROID Incredible 2, DROID Charge, others

The prices for several upcoming Verizon Wireless smartphones — including the Samsung DROID Charge, HTC DROID Incredible 2, LG Revolution, and Motorola DROID X 2 — have seemingly been revealed by Phone Arena. There aren’t too many surprises in store, but it’s clear that you’re definitely going to be paying a premium for a new 4G LTE phone. The DROID Incredible 2, and DROID X 2 are both priced at the standard $199.99 with a new two-year contract. The Samsung DROID Charge, on the other hand, could be priced at $299.99 — the cost of a low-end netbook — but it does pack in 4G LTE support, a 4.3-inch Super-AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel camera, and other high-end hardware. Next up is the LG Revolution, another 4G LTE Android 2.2 smartphone with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and a 4-inch display. It’s apparently priced at $249.99, which is dead-on with the pricing of the HTC ThunderBolt. Release dates for these devices haven’t been confirmed, but we’d bet you’ll see a few of them — almost certainly the DROID Incredible 2 — in the coming months. More →

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mobile
April 4, 2011
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HTC to address camcorder audio problems on ThunderBolt

By on April 4, 2011 at 7:37 PM.

HTC to address camcorder audio problems on ThunderBolt

HTC has reportedly confirmed a pesky bug impacting the audio on video recordings captured with Verizon Wireless’ new HTC ThunderBolt smartphone. The bug, according to several ThunderBolt owners who have taken to forums to discuss the issue, causes the audio to be muffled on video files captured using the device’s camcorder function. The bug is intermittent, so only some video recordings are affected. According to enthusiast blog Android Central, HTC has acknowledged the issue and has stated that a fix is currently in the works. In the meantime, third-party video recorders are seemingly unaffected by the bug, so there are several alternatives that can be used until HTC releases its fix. More →

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