BlackBerry Storm
The basics
BlackBerry joins the touchscreen revolution with the BlackBerry Storm, featuring a 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.55 inch haptic touchscreen giving users vibrating feedback with every touch. Not only is it designed, like all BlackBerry handsets to compose texts and emails quicker than most, it's got other handy features too. It's an able entertainer with support for a wide variety of music formats such as MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA files and MPEG4 videos and a 3.2 megapixel camera taking care of imaging. A 3.5mm headphone jack means you can plug any headphones into it. It's also got room for up to 8GB of storage via microSD card.
The good
No sooner has RIM disposed of its joint-punishing QWERTY keyboards (goodbye BlackBerry thumb!) than it finds a new way to confuse your fingers – the clickable touchscreen. While the Storm’s 3.2 inches of razor-sharp real estate look fantastic, having to physically push the display means it’s slower than the iPhone for texting. Otherwise, icons are large and clear and web browsing via HSDPA rattles along. RIM’s Application Centre has some useful apps to download and audio quality for tunes and calls is excellent.
The bad
The Storm isn’t only keyboard-less, it’s wireless-less (is that a word?), lacking a Wi-Fi for home networking and high-speed downloads. The 3.2MP camera shoots a mean boardroom portrait but blurry low light shots won’t give Canon any sleepless nights. Unlike that clickable screen, which will have you burning the midnight oil as you scrub its tiny gap for pocket fluff with a toothbrush.
The bottom line
Top marks to RIM for not trying to copy Apple too much with its first touchscreen phone. And then take all those marks away again for not trying to copy Apple too much with its first touchscreen phone.
User comments (6)
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jimbro28 September 2009
This is my 3rd Blackberry and my favourite. I actually sold my Bold to get this as I found the keyboard on the Bold too small. OK, so it doesn't have wifi. So what, at least I can get a data connection anywhere, unlike the iphone and I can add to the memory(unlike the iphone)
Report as inappropriateIan Davidson27 October 2009
Let's start with the basics. As a phone it has very poor signal 2/5 bars compared side by side to 7/7 bars on my old Nokia in my office (Same sim card). Dropout during calls is very high - on normal train journey when the old Nokia was fine the Blackberry cut me off countless times; not a good during a business call. The keyboard is too inaccurate for someone with mansized digits. The touch/click is longwinded; again for comparison try a Samsung touchscreen - much better! Last big thing is battery life. You will get 24hrs max if you are a moderate user even with screen brightness and other items switched off. The claims Vodaphone make for battery life (360hrs standby) are misleading. I'm not a big web user so it's mainly calls & diary management and it requires a recharge every day. The only upside is that the device is very well made and screen is superb. In short it can't be used a business tool. And just to qualify - my Blackberry is being returned to Vodaphone to exchange for an alternative device.
Report as inappropriateIan Davidson27 October 2009
Let's start with the basics. As a phone it has very poor signal 2/5 bars compared side by side to 7/7 bars on my old Nokia in my office (Same sim card). Dropout during calls is very high - on normal train journey when the old Nokia was fine the Blackberry cut me off countless times; not a good during a business call. The keyboard is too inaccurate for someone with mansized digits. The touch/click is longwinded; again for comparison try a Samsung touchscreen - much better! Last big thing is battery life. You will get 24hrs max if you are a moderate user even with screen brightness and other items switched off. The claims Vodaphone make for battery life (360hrs standby) are misleading. I'm not a big web user so it's mainly calls & diary management and it requires a recharge every day. The only upside is that the device is very well made and screen is superb. In short it can't be used a business tool. And just to qualify - my Blackberry is being returned to Vodaphone to exchange for an alternative device.
Report as inappropriateAndyjim08 December 2009
This is my first blackberry. I bought it because I wanted a phone to do the things a phone should do and it does all this and more. I have had no trouble with signal strength or dropping out during calls. I agree, the battery life could be better, but that is the only gripe I have with it. The touch screen works brilliantly, the browser, e-mail and all the apps such as gps, maps etc etc are all A1. It also looks a lot more stylish than the i-phone that I was going to buy until I tried this.
Report as inappropriateAusten13 April 2010
Problem after problem, Had it replaced after just 8 days as it crashed and would not start up again. New one now keeps locking up and needs battery removing to restart. should have kept with my old nokia 6300
Report as inappropriatesteve gilbert06 June 2010
i have this phone, and much say i am generally impressed. It looks far better than the i phone, okay so the keyboard is a little different, the battery life is poor, but hey its a blackberry, i never bought it for the battery life,(i have a blackberry, so roll with my charger), would recommend to anyone.But the apps are great, so many to choice, also so many free ones that are used regulary.
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