HTC Thunderbolt

The HTC Thunderbolt marks the next representation for Verizon on its conquest for 4G dominance. Verizon built a legacy on a network that is rock solid and you can bet that they will work to spread their 4G as fast and as far as possible.
The Thunderbolt on the cover looks like any other Android device on the market. But aside from looking like a device you have already seen, this is Verizon’s first 4G phone that was initially announced back at CES in January.
Specs:
The Thunderbolt specs out at 4.75 x 2.44 x .56 inches, runs Android 2.2, 4.3in 480x800 WVGA display, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front facing camera, 3.5MM audio jack, 1 GHz CPU, and weighs in at a hefty 6.23 ounces (with battery)
Build:
There is something that you can’t ignore as soon as you pick up this device; the device feels big and heavy. While not so heavy that you don’t want to use it, if you are coming from anything other than a 4.3in device, it will take some getting used to.
The unibody metal design feels great in your hand, you won’t pick up this device and think it feels cheap and the included kickstand is useful, although it’s a feature most probably will not use all that often (much like the front facing camera).

4G:
The big draw to this device over others on Verizon is the 4G connectivity. Fortunately, Verizon graced the airwaves in my location with 4G goodness and I was able to get, on average, 9.23Mbps down and 4.35MBs upload. These speeds are far and above what you actually need on a mobile device but when tagged with the Hotspot feature, you have a powerful device that finally offers true mobile broadband to more than one user at a time.
Phone:
All importantly, when using this device as a phone, it works plain and simple. If you have used an Android phone in the past, there is nothing ground breaking here. The audio quality is above average and the speakerphone is, for the most part, loud and clear. Two little sticking points, the volume could be a touch louder on the headset portion and using the speakerphone on max volume with the kickstand in the way, can produce some unwanted interference.
Battery:
The battery, this is a crucial feature of any smartphone and unfortunately, the Thunderbolt suffers on this front. We actually had two test units, one provided by Verizon, and another provided by a third party vendor, and after a few days use, it was hard to pull a full working day out of the device. Now it is fair to say that I was using the device on heavy basis, but compared to the iPhone 4, the battery fell flat. Three days use with approximately 50 minutes of calls and 30 minutes of heavy LTE usage, the battery would last around 5 hours. It seems that HTC already knew this might be an issue as there is already an extended battery on the market.
One interesting quirk over the Evo is that you cannot turn off the 4G radio. On the Evo, you can manually turn off radio to preserve battery, something you can not do on the Thunderbolt.

Camera:
The cameras on the unit are remarkably well rounded. The 8MP shooter scores high marks for its picture quality and response time. The tap to focus feature works well but a lack of camera modes is a bit disappointing. It is quite hard to take close-ups with the camera because HTC omitted a macro mode.
Video quality matches that of the picture quality, you will not be disappointed by the results and the dual LED flash has no problem lighting up even the darkest of environments.

Software:
The software on this beast is Android 2.2.1, and is exactly what you would expect from Sense running on 2.2. This is a love/hate relationship. If you like Sense, then this will not be a barrier, if you wish for a more stock look, well, you will have to result to one of the many other launchers that you can download from the marketplace.
Like every other Verizon device with the mobile Hotspot feature, setting it up was a breeze and connecting other devices was not a barrier either. If you have used a mobile hotspot device, the functionality is very similar and you won’t have much of an issue connecting to the device.
Conclusion:
Overall this is another tier 1 device on Verizon. Despite being the first 4G phone, it doesn’t feel like it was first to anything from a quality standpoint. The OS has been cooked thoroughly and the only new addition is the 4G connectivity. While the device is a bit cumbersome in weight and size, this is by far the best Android device in Verizon’s portfolio as long as you're willing to carry around a cord to charge the device.

T-Mobile myTouch 4G

The T-Mobile myTouch 4G gives you a variety of advanced features at the touch of your fingers. Video chat capabilities, along with SWYPE, tethering and 4G technology are available on this cellular device. This smartphone offers a 1GHz processor and runs on Android 2.2, so you are never waiting long for your application to download or for a program to open.

Design:

When it comes to design, this phone offers several must-have features, but unfortunately it also includes a few that could use some improvement. The touchscreen offers crisp 480 x 800 pixel display. The colors on this display screen are vivid, bright and sharp. The only drawback is the 3.8-inch display screen, whose small size takes away some enjoyment of viewing movies, pictures or just browsing the web on your phone.

With a smaller display screen, the virtual keypad available on this device is tiny. Even though the keys are little, they are also responsive and there is no lag time after you press a key. SWYPE is also available on the myTouch that by dragging your finger from key to key across the keyboard, you can type much faster and easier on this keypad. The device is compact enough however to fit into your pant pocket or handbag much easier than phones with a larger screen.

Multimedia:

The T-Mobile myTouch is built with 720p HD video recording capabilities. The video comes out crisp and clear, and by just touching a few controls you can quickly begin recording at a moment’s notice. This smartphone offers a 5MP (megapixel) camera that has full flash capabilities and several editing functions. We were disappointed that this advanced cell phone doesn't have at least an 8MP camera.

Video chat capabilities are available on this cell phone thanks to the front-facing camera. The address book assists with video chats by showing who has a camera phone and who has video chat capabilities. However, the video chat can be a little glitchy and you may encounter several issues that seem to disrupt the conversation.

Call Features & Quality:

All of your basic calling features are available on the T-Mobile myTouch. You can have a conference call and talk to several individuals at once. Call waiting is available, and you can also place calls on hold. You can look at your phone’s history to see all the calls you have placed, received or missed, and there's a call timer that tracks the length of phone calls. There is also caller ID.

Battery Life & Memory:

The talk time available on the T-Mobile myTouch is a standout feature on this device. This smartphone offers up to 624 minutes on a single battery charge. This gives you plenty of time to listen to music, watch videos or browse the internet without your battery quickly draining.

The standby time available on this cell phone is low. Up to 288 hours are available on a single battery charge, which is significantly lower than several similar phones.

Additional Features:

This smartphone offers several features and resources to increase your productivity and help you accomplish your work on the go. You can view documents on your device using QuickOffice or using a PDF format. There is also calendar support by Google Calendar, and stocks and news information are available so you can keep up-to-date with current events. There are also several cell phone basics including a calculator and voice recorder.

Coupled with the speedy 4G wireless connectivity, the Android 2.2 operating system will keep your phone running efficiently and quickly. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS capabilities are also included on this device. This cell phone can also function as a mobile hotspot, meaning it can connect up to five devices to an internet connection.

Summary:

The T-Mobile myTouch is a smartphone with you in mind. This cell phone provides excellent battery life, video chat capabilities and access to T-Mobile’s 4G network. It is an advanced smartphone with plenty to offer but also needs a few minor improvements such as a high megapixel camera and improved video chat features.