Verizon's first 4G smartphone is on the loose. Check out CNET's hands-on photos of the HTC Thunderbolt here.
Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
The HTC Thunderbolt is Verizon's first LTE 4G smartphone. It's available now for $249.99 with a two-year contract.
2 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Features
How fast is Verizon's 4G network? Really fast. The download and upload speeds we experienced while testing the Thunderbolt were impressive and easily beat out the other carriers. You can check our full review for detailed results.
In addition to 4G, the Android 2.2 smartphone also offers simultaneous voice and data over 3G, an 8-megapixel camera and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, and ample storage.
3 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Design
The Thunderbolt's design is largely like the HTC Evo 4G for Sprint. It features a 4.3-inch WVGA touch screen and is rather large and heavy.
4 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Kickstand
The Thunderbolt also has a built-in kickstand so you can prop the phone on a desk to watch videos, conduct speakerphone calls, and so forth.
5 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Right side
On the right spine, you'll find a volume rocker, and there is a Micro-USB port on the left side. We wish the phone had a dedicated camera key.
6 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Top view
The top of the device houses the 3.5mm headphone jack and power/lock button.
7 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Camera
The Thunderbolt is equipped with a back-facing 8-megapixel camera, which can record 720p HD video. On front, there's a 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls but the smartphone doesn't come preloaded with any video chat clients, and it's currently not compatible with Skype Mobile.
8 of 8Sarah Tew/CNET
Picture quality
On the bright side, the camera took good-quality photos and video.
