The key feature of HTC's new Thunderbolt smartphone is itsability to tap into Verizon's speedy next generation data network.Unfortunately, there's little else to distinguish or recommend aboutthe device.
The Thunderbolt is the latest in a string of super-sizedsmartphones running Google's (GOOG) Android operating system. Withits 4.3-inch screen, touch-sensitive buttons below the screen,forward-facing camera above it and 8-megapixel camera and metallickickstand in back, it's a close cousin of the Evo 4G, a phone thatHTC released for Sprint nearly a year ago.
The chief difference between the two is that the Thunderbolt canaccess Verizon's so-called 4G network rather than Sprint's.
Verizon turned on its LTE (or long-term evolution) network lastfall. The network promises download speeds of up to 12 megabits persecond, which is about 10 times faster than the top speeds offeredon Verizon's older 3G data network.
The Thunderbolt is the first smartphone that can access thatnetwork, which until now could be accessed only by a PC using a USBmodem.
In my tests, the Thunderbolt clocked impressive connectionspeeds. Outside my office, I saw download speeds as fast as 5megabits per second and upload speeds as fast as 4 megabits asecond. That kind of throughput was about five times faster thanwhat I've seen on the Verizon version of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone,which is a 3G device.
And that speed does make a difference. It allows users todownload Web pages, online games or digital songs much faster thanthey would be able to do otherwise.
Web surfing in particular was a joy on the Thunderbolt.Downloading pages is nearly instantaneous, similar to the experienceone gets when connecting a smartphone to a fast landline network viaa Wi-Fi hotspot.
I also enjoyed using the Thunderbolt's large screen and high-resolution camera. The screen made Web pages easy to read, and thecamera took beautiful, vibrant shots that looked great on theThunderbolt's display.
But there was a lot about the Thunderbolt that left meunderwhelmed.
For instance, your ability to use it to access the Internet atultrafast speeds may be limited. Verizon is still building out itsLTE network. It covers much of the Bay Area and other majormetropolitan areas, but those areas of coverage are like littleislands; outside of them, you won't get LTE service.
Even inside those islands, coverage can be spotty. At my desk,for example, I could easily access Verizon's 3G service with theThunderbolt but usually couldn't get its LTE network.
When you can connect to the LTE network, the speed comes with abig price: The battery life on the Thunderbolt is very short. You'llbe lucky to get through a day of normal usage without needing arecharge.
And except for downloading data, the Thunderbolt felt sluggish.Some of the latest Android smartphones, such as Motorola's Atrix,have been able to speed up their performance by running on so-called dual-core processors, which include two processing areas on asingle computer chip.
Not the Thunderbolt, though. It runs on a single-core processor.
In my tests, the Thunderbolt often seemed to take a beat or twoto switch applications or load up new ones. It often took severalminutes, at least, to acquire satellite signals for its navigationprogram. And the video in games such as "Raging Thunder" wassometimes herky-jerky.
The Thunderbolt also runs an older version of the Androidoperating system. That's not a huge problem, given that its versionincludes one of the more important of the recent updates to Android,the ability to run Adobe's (ADBE) Flash software. But it does meanthat if you are looking for the latest features in Android, youwon't find them on the Thunderbolt.
The device also had some annoying tics. During my testing anobscure program running in the background repeatedly crashed,something I was alerted to by numerous error messages.
Additionally, I found the volume control button on the side ofthe device to be overly sensitive. I repeatedly turned off thevolume unintentionally while just holding or rotating theThunderbolt.
All that said, the Thunderbolt is not a bad device, especially ifyou're dying to have a Verizon LTE smartphone. But with plenty ofother such devices slated to hit store shelves in coming months, atleast some of which will feature newer, faster processors, the restof us will be better off waiting.
Contact Troy Wolverton at 408-920-5021 ortwolverton@mercurynews.com Follow him at www.mercurynews.com/troy-wolverton or Twitter.com/troywolv.Troy's
RATINGs
6.5
(Out of 10)
What: HTC Thunderbolt smartphone
Likes: Ability to connect to Verizon's speedy new data network;large, bright screen; high-resolution camera.
Dislikes: Older processor; older version of Android operatingsystem; short battery life; frequently sluggish performance; over-sensitive volume control.
Specs: 1-Gigahertz processor; 32-gigabyte SD card storage; 4.3-inch diagonal touchscreen display; 1.3-megapixel front-facing and 8-megapixel rear-facing cameras.
Price: $250 with a two-year contract.
Web: www.vzw.com or www.htc.com
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