The HTC Thunderbolt for Verizon is finally receiving its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software update. It’s a little disappointing that Verizon and HTC have taken so long to release the update, especially since two newer versions of Android have been released since ICS.

You should receive a notification when the update is available for your device (if you still have it around) at which point you can download and install the update. You can also manually check for the update under Settings.

The update was first expected to be released in August 2012, which itself was almost a year after ICS was released. Now Verizon customers have many new devices to choose from, and its likely that they have moved on from the Thunderbolt.

Software update delays are a common problem with manufacturers, but Android updates seems to be the slowest. This is greatly due to the customizations manufacturers include on their devices to give their users a unique experience over other Android devices. Ice Cream Sandwich seems to have been the worst update in recent history with many manufacturers facing huge delays before finally releasing the update.

The other fault is in the hand of carrier’s who in turn insist on taking several months to test these updates before rolling them out to their users. Verizon has been known as one of the worst even delaying the Google Galaxy Nexus updates for months even though the Nexus experience promises the device to be the first in line for updates.

The Thunderbolt users have had probably the worst experience and we don’t know if the fault is with the carrier, manufacturer or both. In any case it is extremely disappointing that customers who pay premium prices for their devices are left with a poor experience because of poor after sales support.

Google has been working hard to improve this issue, but sending their new software to manufacturers months before it is released to the public. However if this continues, Android customers will soon shift toward iOS or Windows Phone.





source – PhoneArena

The HTC ThunderBolt 4G is in line for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) but while we wait HTC has released a new software update (2.11.605.19710RD) for the Verizon handset.

The update will be available over-the-air and brings performance improvements and bug fixes.


The update which is a routine maintenance release brings fixes to data connectivity, Yahoo Mail and the Mobile Hotspot. Verizon’s Wireless Alerting System has also been updated.

If you have not received the update notification you can manually check for updates under settings.

This may not be the Ice Cream Sandwich we are all waiting for, but any update to the Android platform which improves the end user experience is always welcome.


source - Verizon

It's Black Friday today and as you can imagine  shopping is on everyone's mind. The day brings good profits to retailers while shoppers get great discounts which they wont get any other time of the year.

Amazon looks to be one of the retailers who are offering great Black Friday deals, one deal that especially caught our eyes was their entire Android portfolio up for just one cent.

Getting a device for just a penny is a great deal, but when you see the available portfolio you will definitely be impressed.

HTC offered a Android 2.3 update update to owners of the HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon's LTE network. However users complained about various issues with the update which HTC is said to be addressing in a new update.

The issues include erroneous email notifications, issues with apps, camera locking and with the HTC Sense UI. So it looks like HTC and Verizon have not tested the software update properly before releasing it to the public.

HTC has announced via Twitter that they are working with Verizon to have a solution ready very soon, and an update will be released to solve the issues that users are facing with their devices. Users will be notified once this update is ready.

Hopefully they will have the update properly tested before releasing it this time. It is important that hardware and software is properly tested before release as customers paying premium prices for products that don't perform optimally is just unacceptable.

It's official, HTC Thunderbolt users have received instructions on how to update their handsets to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The update offers performance improvements and an overall updated experience for users. HTC confirmed that the update was on its way to the handset earlier this month and has kept its promise.

The Thunderbolt was released running Android 2.2 Froyo, leaving everyone wondering when it's users will be treated to the newer Gingerbread update. Well the wait has finally ended and you can get the update right now.

Verizon has also laid out what users can expect from this update, by providing a list of improvements that the device offers to help users get the most out of their HTC Thunderbolt.

• Download Manager App - New App to manage all of your downloads from web browsing, email attachments and other apps.
• App and Power Management Details - Under Manage Applications, a new 'Running' tab displays a list of active applications and the storage and memory being used by each. Power efficiency mode option has also been added under Settings > Power.
• New Desktop User Interface - New widgets, icons and screens with refreshed colors.
• Dock Icons - Static Phone, App Launcher and Contacts icons are replaced within a customizable dock. Three swappable icons and the App Launcher icon are fixed to the Dock at the bottom of all home screen panels for easy and instant access.

These are just some of what you can expect in the Android 2.3 update, which also offers several other improvements along with a whole new Android experience.


source - Verizon

The HTC Thunderbolt and the HTC Droid Incredible are set to receive their Android 2.3 Gingerbread updates in September according to  HTC's Facebook page. While the update has been expected for the Thunderbolt, it is a pleasant surprise on the much older Droid Incredible.

While no exact date has been given, nor do we know exactly which version of the update will be coming we hope it will be soon. If you are own one of these two phones, please let us know when you get these updates and share your experiences in the comments section below.


source - HTC

Check out this unboxing and hands on video with the HTC Thunderbolt 4G. The handset features a 4.3 inch touch display, 4G LTE connectivity, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, an 8 megapixel camera capable of 720p HD video capture, a secondary HD camera for video calls and is powered by a 1GHz processor with 768MB of RAM.