HTC ThunderBolt owners who are already pleased with the super fast speed will be even more pleased because an HTC rep slipped in an email that it will be getting an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread in the second quarter of this year. In other words, the update will be this summer. Customer reviews have been great, with an average 4.5 out of 5 rating. Reviewers loved the speed of the HTC ThunderBolt.
There have, however, been some issues reported for the HTC ThunderBolt,
which are listed with some suggested workarounds. Some owners are so
frustrated with network issues that they are returning their phones.
Verizon has a 14-day return policy with a $35 restocking fee.
There is also a new way to get more charge out of the battery, which we added to the battery "issue" article. Considering the HTC ThunderBolt's data speed is faster than many land broadband options and that it does more than most computers, the issues appear to be minor.
The Gingerbread Android 2.3 update includes user-interface refinements, one-touch copy/paste, better power management, VoIP, NFC, download management, audio effects, new media format support, and multiple-camera access.
If you want to see all the dazzling features of the Gingerbread, check our Gingerbread Tips and Tricks article.
The best suggestion we found from HTC forum members was to get a USB cord to connect to the HTC ThunderBolt so that you charge it at work with your computer.
Official HTC ThunderBolt forum at HTC.com shows some new "issues," such as:
- Problems using HTC Sync with Windows VIsta 64 Bit
- Some workarounds appear to be loading files to the microSD card
directly with a microSD card adapter or copy files through Windows
Explorer. One user reported a conflict with VZ Media Sync, and once it
was removed, HTC Sync worked. - Problems Opening PDF 4 Files - The HTC ThunderBolt
can open Adobe Acrobat documents created with the newest version of
Acrobat, but not one has created Acrobat 4.0 or earlier. There is no response. We think there may be a third party PDF reader for Android that may work - Network Connection Problems - Some owners have reported problems connecting to the Verizon network for more than a few minutes in certain areas of the country. One owner reported that Verizon suggests to return the HTC ThunderBolt. The rep said that it was a known issue.
- DLNA Not Recognized - One customer can't use DLNA streaming to a PS3.
- Low Audio on Video Recording - Some users found that audio is low. The fix is to make sure the volume is turned up on your Thunderbolt. Go to Home, Menu, Settings, Sound, and make sure the media volume has been raised. Test the concern after raising the volume. If that doesn't work, uninstall applications that have any effect on your audio. Remove battery and turn on.
HTC ThunderBolt Wins 3 E-Tech Award.
HTC ThunderBolt (Verizon) Review.
Read HTC ThunderBolt tips for the full breadth of social media capabilities.
All HTC ThunderBolt articles.