HTC Thunderbolt turns 1 year old today; do you still have the first US 4G LTE device?


As I sit here with my beat down HTC Thunderbolt, I can’t help but to think of how much 4G LTE devices have improved. On this date, a year ago, the first US 4G LTE smartphone (out of the major carriers) was released, and its age is showing.

We have gone a long ways since then. It can be said that the device was Verizon’s guinea pig for testing its brand new 4G LTE network. It ran into many issues, such as update delays and numerous bugs. Not to mention its 3-4 hour battery life when using LTE’s faster speeds.

Current 4G LTE smartphones are much more polished, with more stable software and improved battery life. We have the Galaxy Nexus, the Galaxy Note and the Motorola DROID RAZR Maxx, among others. All show great improvement in all categories, and surely leave the good ol’ Thunderbolt in the dust.

Surely, it was great to be one of the first to experience 4G LTE speeds, though. Those loading times and download speeds seemed to fly. Something that we have grown accustomed to – going back to 3G is simply no longer an option for most of us.

Verizon and Sprint recognize this (and we are sure the others do, as well), and both companies are set on releasing only 4G LTE smartphones from now on. As Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile continue to expand their networks by adding LTE connectivity, many of the issues will continue to disappear. Just as they have been, recently.

As my Thunderbolt gives its last breaths, I plan on getting a new device within the next month. In a few days my thunderbolt’s purchase anniversary will come. It is still kicking, and it made it a long way. But it is time for a change.

Technology is advancing faster than ever, so let’s stay tuned to see how 4G technology evolves. How many of you still own the first major 4G LTE device in the US? Are you ready for a change?

[Via: Reddit]

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