HTC Thunderbolt (photos)

Verizon's first 4G smartphone is on the loose. Check out CNET's hands-on photos of the HTC Thunderbolt here.

Bonnie Cha

March 18, 2011 3:00 p.m. PT

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HTC Thunderbolt

The HTC Thunderbolt is Verizon's first LTE 4G smartphone. It's available now for $249.99 with a two-year contract.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Top view

The top of the device houses the 3.5mm headphone jack and power/lock button.

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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.