Upgrade to the Thunderbolt or wait for something better?

[jaydee]

If you have a BJ's near by, check them out first.

With the threat of tiered pricing or cap on 4G/LTE coming up, I had my wife pick up a Thunderbolt today. We got a txt from VZW a month or so ago saying they were offering a pull-ahead even though we weren't due until October.

Expecting to pay $250 + $20 "processing fee" for pulling us ahead of the 20 month usual schedule, they actually waved the fee and offered an additional $125 discount for going through the BJ's store instead of the regular store. After tax, it only cost us $135 for the HTC Thunderbolt!

 

[Cruisin1]

If you have a BJ's near by, check them out first.

With the threat of tiered pricing or cap on 4G/LTE coming up, I had my wife pick up a Thunderbolt today. We got a txt from VZW a month or so ago saying they were offering a pull-ahead even though we weren't due until October.

Expecting to pay $250 + $20 "processing fee" for pulling us ahead of the 20 month usual schedule, they actually waved the fee and offered an additional $125 discount for going through the BJ's store instead of the regular store. After tax, it only cost us $135 for the HTC Thunderbolt!

What is BJs?

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

What is BJs?

It's like sam's club, but with 100% more innuendo.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

If you have a BJ's near by, check them out first.

With the threat of tiered pricing or cap on 4G/LTE coming up, I had my wife pick up a Thunderbolt today. We got a txt from VZW a month or so ago saying they were offering a pull-ahead even though we weren't due until October.

Expecting to pay $250 + $20 "processing fee" for pulling us ahead of the 20 month usual schedule, they actually waved the fee and offered an additional $125 discount for going through the BJ's store instead of the regular store. After tax, it only cost us $135 for the HTC Thunderbolt!

Is there a VZW store inside BJ's or what? How did the $125 discount work? I'm not due to upgrade until around Oct as well, and would love to get on the TB bandwagon for $135

 

[jaydee]

Honestly, I have no idea how it worked (must be an unadvertised sale), but she brought it home last and indeed, she only paid $125+tax = ~$135 in NY (with 2-year contract renewed obviously). After talking to her, they told her it was only a $75 discount, not $125 for going through the BJ's, so I'm guessing at this point that they gave her credit for NE2 for the additional $50 even though it was only 13 months since we got her last phone.

However it worked out, I'm obviously really happy, we'll sell her old Droid Eris for ~$100 or so, and so the net will be less than $50 going to a far superior phone, w/4G (available in our area) locked in at the $29.99 monthly rate just in case that changes soon. And let me tell you, the 4G TB absolutely screams compared the 3G Eris. Loading webpages is faster than the Eris over wifi and the whole unit is just very snappy.

BJ's is a wholesale club (like Sam's Club) that's only on the east coast from what I can tell. Ohio is as far west as it goes according to their website. Most of them have a VZW kiosk in them, but not all (again, according to their website). If you've got one near, check it out. I can't make any promises, but this is the deal they gave us.

http://www.bjs.com/webapp/wcs/store...sView?langId=-1&storeId=10201&catalogId=10201

 

[Mr.Holmes]

I have ~6 months left on my contract, and can upgrade to the Thunderbolt for $250. I have the Droid 1, rooted and oced, with custom roms on it and I said I wouldn't upgrade to a phone that wasn't rootable and able to have custom rom's.

The only issues with the Thunderbolt that are making me wonder are:
1- not dual core, and while faster than Droid 1 (even oc'ed) a dual core would be even faster I'm sure
2- battery life. My current Droid lasts about 8 hours, and that's kind of low. I would like to go with more but that's not realistic, so is it at least ~8 hours with moderate/heavy use (texting primarily but also surfing internet)


Any thoughts?

Right now it seems users have to sacrifice speed for battery drain, with all these lighting speed cell phones, the Battery will be your master. Then again, just carry a portable charger and charge the phone when you can or need to.

 

[alent1234]

Is there a VZW store inside BJ's or what? How did the $125 discount work? I'm not due to upgrade until around Oct as well, and would love to get on the TB bandwagon for $135

it's like costco with their own cell phone stands

last month i bought a htc insipire at costco for $80. this month it was on sale and after adjusting for the new price i only paid $20. for new at&t customers it's a penny

 

[hanoverphist]

my boss just asked me what i thought of the thunderbolt. apparently he is now wanting to dump his bb storm. about time!

 

[s44]

Looks like the data cap this week rumor was a false alarm. Droid Charge (Samsung Stealth) is arriving as a SAMOLED+ alternative within two weeks. Dunno if Moto has an LTE alternative scheduled before the Bionic.

 

[postaled]

For those with battery issues, I recommend some sort of CPU clock speed adjuster if your phone is rooted. I am using CPUBoost (free version) which down-clocks my phone when not in use. I have a Droid 1 and I use several times throughout the day and have 90% of battery life left after 8 hours. My use is likely lighter than most, but the battery seldom needs to be charged.

Running Pete's LV 1.0GHz kernel and Build GPA13.

The phone does this by default. I can watch it go from 250mhz to 1ghz without being rooted.

Also after a few days my battery life started not sucking for some reason. Not really sure why.

 

[bucwylde23]

The phone does this by default. I can watch it go from 250mhz to 1ghz without being rooted.

Also after a few days my battery life started not sucking for some reason. Not really sure why.

I don't think that's quite the same. When the screen is off, it will run at a maximum 250 mhz to conserve battery. It won't fluctuate until you unlock it.

I'm running CM7 with Incredikernel on my Droid Incredible which does the same thing.

 

[postaled]

I am confused as to how its not doing that? Do you just mean limiting it overall so it never goes up to the 1ghz?

Because it does downclock when its not in use its 'ondemand' or whatever it is called by default.

I am just confused as to how that wasn't what he was wanting.

 

[Bateluer]

http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/26/gingerbread-headed-to-htc-thunderbolt-q2-2011/

GB coming in Q2. It was a given that'd it be coming down the pipeline soon though.