We've had a couple of days to play with the BlackBerry Storm, Research in Motion's answer to the iPhone. It's the first all-touchscreen, no-keyboard BlackBerry. And let's be clear: It's no iPhone. Its web browser is slow, and you can't pinch to zoom (as with the T-Mobile G1, the Storm doesn't have multi-touch). It doesn't work with Macs (though it does have an application that lets it talk to iTunes for non-DRM songs on PCs). And though it may have some great games to download when its app store opens sometime in the future, it doesn't strike us as the kind of device that you'll use to drink an iBeer.
But that doesn't mean this phone won't be a huge success. The now-cliched term "crackberry" got coined for a reason, and we've found the BlackBerry Storm to be just as addictive as RIM intended. Click Continue to read why within months, this phone will be in the pocket of every lawyer in the country.
It's All About Typing
iPhones are hard to type on. They just are. That's why the first Android phone has a slide-out, Sidekick-style keypad. Instead imitating a Sidekick or having a haptic feedback (that's when a touchscreen vibrates back at you when you press it), RIM has done one better: The BlackBerry Storm's entire touch screen is a button. It feels just like the mouse button on any laptop.
To type on the Storm, you first select a letter by touching it. When you touch a letter it glows a satisfying blue, but does nothing else. I've you've picked the wrong letter, move your finger to the right one — no need to backspace. After the key glows, you depress the BlackBerry's entire screen. Sound like a slow process? It isn't. Keys change color almost instantaneously, so all that remains is for you to bang on them, like you would on your regular, old-fashioned BlackBerry.
Like the iPhone, the Storm has an accelerometer that can tell whether you're holding it horizontally or vertically. When the gadget is horizontal, its keypad looks much like that of an iPhone. But when the phone is vertical its keypad is BlackBerry's SureType keypad — instead of squishing an entire Qwerty keypad into half of the vertical screen, the buttons are larger, and each has two letters on it. SureType guesses what word you're typing as you go along, so you don't have to hit the large keys more than once. We found it much easier to type on the touchscreen in this mode than when the phone was in horizontal, full Qwerty keyboard mode. And we're guessing that we're not the only ones who will feel this way. If you're used to a BlackBerry already, the typing experience on the Storm is the closet you'll get to having a keypad with real buttons on a touchscreen phone.
Why would BlackBerry addicts want to give up buttons for a touchscreen typing system that is almost, but not quite as good? The trade-off is for the big, beautiful screen that you get when you're not using the keypad. It's far better for reading emails, using GPS or playing BrickBreaker than any BlackBerry that's come before.
Oh, and It's a BlackBerry
The Storm isn't just some wanna-be, rip-off iPhone. At its core, it's just like every other BlackBerry. This will be important for business clients — many companies' IT systems will only work with RIM's Enterprise Server for e-mail on the go. It's also important for BlackBerry lovers. If you've used a BlackBerry before, you'll get the Storm's menus, symbols and buttons immediately.
Instead of comparing the Storm to the iPhone and whining grumpilly about the Storm's lack of multi-touch, consumers will compare it to other BlackBerries. And when they do, they may find that they like what they see: A big, fun to use touchscreen, a 3.2MP camera that takes video and has a bright flash, a respectable Web browser and a typing system that really works.
editor@dvice.com
By blue at 10:45 AM ON 11/20/08
Another key is it's on the beautiful, glorious Verizon service, which here in NYC is hands down the best. I'd own an iPhone if AT&T's service were better where I live.
By Rob at 10:57 AM ON 11/20/08
so i'm told by verizon dealers in my area, that it will COST MORE for me to upgrade my current Verizon Blackberry 8703e, than if i were a new customer to Verizon. New customers pay $199, but if i were to upgrade it's double that at $399.
that's RETARDED! hey great marketing scheme Verizon!
By taxidnsr at 11:27 AM ON 11/20/08
except they aren't available in quantities yet and having security problems. There's nothing as good as an iphone and if you don't have one stop whineing.. Think of the next upgrade and new models, at least blackberry got rid of the naked lunch typewriter bug look .
By MATT at 11:27 AM ON 11/20/08
ROB-
All phones are cheaper when you are paying for your phone service at the same time, nothing new, its always been like that.
By farkel at 11:58 AM ON 11/20/08
think it's funny how iphone users assume people are whining if they don't have an iphone. iphone is nice and if you have one and like it, great. but there are hundreds of other phones out there too. use what you like, if you don't like it, get something else. don't assume waht you like is what everyone will like tho.
By Dovans at 1:21 PM ON 11/20/08
So which one do I buy for my son? He loves to text people, and verizon supposedly has the strongest 3g network in my county. But, is having the strongest 3g network that important when you only use the phone to text?
By Ron at 1:22 PM ON 11/20/08
Touch screens are nice but I hope we don't see buttons go away too soon.. Can you imagine if you were being robbed or something life threatening trying to call 911 with your body all shaky and sweaty?? Jeeze.
By blue at 2:41 PM ON 11/20/08
Dovans, 3g won't help with texting much. It really has an impact when surfing full web pages as that requires a lot more data to be transmitted than 160 characters of text.
By tanders at 4:06 PM ON 11/20/08
For the record it does have multi-touch. To cut and paste you place your fingers on both sides of the text that you want to select.
You can't pinch to zoom and stuff like that because its the gestures that apple patented.
By JXR at 5:19 PM ON 11/20/08
Can the clicking screen be turned off? I think it might help with typing but hurt a lot when playing these games they mention.
By Chewy at 12:20 AM ON 11/21/08
Really Apple panteted that? I didn't know that it was possible to patent a movement. Can you image someone patenting the macarena and charging someone everytime they made the movement...
By patenter at 8:28 AM ON 11/21/08
You can patent unique processes and methods of handling certain problems. Amazon patented their one-click purchase system which is why everyone else just uses shopping carts.
By CoolProducts at 3:12 PM ON 11/21/08
The storm seems pretty exciting. Is it worth owning one though if you don't want to pay the additional $30 charge that verizon customers must pay for a Blackberry?
By Tracklock at 10:28 PM ON 11/22/08
@Ron
Buttons willbe around for a while longer but i'm afraid that they will probably take over and make push buttons obsolete. But I don't find anything wrong in changing to touch screen; all it does is remove that satisfying click noise you get when you press a button.
By XTR at 4:51 AM ON 11/27/08
ROB,
As an existing Verizon customer, I ordered my Blackberry Storm and got it for $99 after the $50 rebate. If your contract is up you can re-up for another 2 years and get it for $199 or $99 depending on whether or not you have the "VIP" (new every two) discount.
By Kreyon at 10:08 AM ON 11/27/08
anyone who still uses a blackberry is a fool anyway, these things are Junk! I have had 2 different ones and a Treo and now an iPhone. the Blackberry's are so limited by the 3rd party email issues (gotta have a special server or use a 3rd party website to pull the mail for you. where as the treo and iPhone's grab the mail direct over the air right from the existing exchange server!!! this is a No-Brainer for any IT Dept. the only ones who won't like this are the ones who have shellled out $25k for the special mail server required by the blackberries! my company saw this and said "Hell No!" we waited 2 months for the treo's and have not looked back since! there is no comparison in the web browser aspect, the blackberry will only show text, and the Treo and iPhone show actual pages! (same with emails!)
in all even thought I now have an iPhone, I still thing the treo's are a better product with more options and abilities than even the iPhone's. either way, the less extra hardware you need to buy to get the features you want means a better product, and the blackberry is not the better product by a longshot!
if all you want is texting get a texting device. if all you need is a phone get a phone, but if you want a good all around phone/PDA then either the iPhone or the Treo is the best bet so far! and until the iPhone adds video capture to the camera, and Audio streaming via bluetooth(since the iPhone is a glorified iPod I cannot believe this is not in there alreay! and the treo has these alreay!) I would still say the treo is a better device so far! and on a funny note, there is software available for the treo which can make it emulate some of the iPhones look and menu's.
By DaMiGi at 12:58 PM ON 11/27/08
I have a friend that has an iPhone and he "adores" it, so much so that he's annoying, he's always showing off with it and eveything that it can do. He would'nt trade his iPhone for this, I know that much .LOL
By redwoodred at 1:12 PM ON 11/27/08
I love my BB 8330. If I hadn't just got it, I'd have got the Storm. I too am on Verizon, and love the service in NNE... but then, I'm comparing it to T-Mobile which bites chunks. I really am tired of Mac and i-users always thinking that the Whole World covets what they have. There are options, and as my deceased Dad was fond of saying: There is a seat for every a$$. Evidently, Apple A$$es are like the schizos on the subway warning people away from their space. Arguments are weak, with that same wild-eyed look... goes a long way toward the rest of us taking you all seriously. iPhone Screamers are the same people that say "PWNED" in adult company and act like that makes them cooler, hipper. Wannabes. Whatever. Love my Blackberry. Wouldn't want your iPhone, the issues that forced iApple to try and coin "3G" like they invented it. By the time I am ready to upgrade, the bigger better version of the Storm will be the norm and I'll go for that. In the meantime, anybody want to buy an iPod? Don't need it with my B-Berry.
By retards at 2:18 PM ON 11/27/08
wow you guys are all retards who can't spell or type, and yet you have crackberries or iphones?
God save us.
By gilmoure at 3:37 PM ON 11/27/08
Here's another review.
By Doh123 at 8:36 PM ON 11/29/08
I find the iPhone easier to type on. The storm needs to drop the stupid click screen. It also needs wifi.
By Dan at 6:35 PM ON 12/02/08
i know that no, it's not an iphone, but face it..would this phone have come out if apple hadn't introduced iphone? Right-the answer is no. When i type on my iphone i dont have any problems anyway...so much for the click screen. on the rare occasion that i type the wrong letter it guesses it right.
I wonder if this phone has full internet? Or is it mobile internet? hmmm
By wwarlock at 10:37 PM ON 12/20/08
First off what is everyone talking about. First to the person righting this review you really need to read the manual, it does have multi touch. Apple has the pinch to zoom gesture patented. And that can be seen with the oh wait.... cut and past!! you need 2 fingers to do it.
Now to Kreyon you are flippin idiot. first off everyone knows that Blackberry's use push email and has for a very long time. Second what you refer to as push email from the iPhone what are you talking about it does not even come close. and that is when it works. And last time I checked Exchange was a Microsoft product so it is another software you still need to use. And for that $25k how big is the company you work for the software is scalable so you must work for a decent size company and they don't want to shell out the money wow... Anyway as I was saying for the $25k you get more than just an email server. You gain the ability to block what the person is using there phone for what websites they go to, what programs they install on it, and in the IT industry I would think you would know this as a good thing??(security for your infrastructure) As for the internet you really need to do some research so you know what you are talking about when you right something so you will be able to back it up. The browser on the Storm shows everything just like as if I was looking at it on my computer. It is not just txt information or web 2.0. Not that winmo is that great but why would you want to degrade your trio to add a shell that looks like the iPhones menus and buttons??