Blackberry Storm 9520 Tips Tricks & Apps Thread

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Astound

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Just got my BlackBerry 9520 also known as Storm 2.

Opened the box, popped in the Simcard, loaded the battery.

Had some time to run through the setting up wizard and adjusted language, time zone, date and time.

It is now in a state of Charge.

Amazing, comes with a 16GB MicroSD Memory Card.

Wall charger, leather holster, polishing cloth, USB to MicroUSB cable, Software CD, printed user manual and headset all included in the box.

Feels completely natural in my hands, like it was made for them.

Just know I am going to love this phone.

Time to launch the Storm 2's own dedicated thread as it seems that many individual threads are starting to appear.

Please post your experiences, tips, tricks, quirks, apps here so that the info is all in one place and easier to find for all the new BlackBerry 9520 | Storm 2 owners :D

Here is my first valuable Tip to add value to the thread:

Firstly, do _NOT_ use the VodacomLive Browser, you will be billed at R2.00 per mb if you use it.

Only use the default BlackBerry Browser. NB! Alternative browsers such as Opera Mini and Bolt Browser are good and also support BIS.

Choose the BlackBerry Menu button > Wrench > Advanced Options > Browser > Make sure that the two options are set on Internet Browser, the WAP one cannot be changed.

After doing the above save and exit, then:

Choose the BlackBerry Menu button > Wrench > Advanced Options > TCP/IP > Place a tick into APN Settings Enabled and for APN type in blackberry.net

Do not tick the other options at all, save and exit.

To save, just press the BlackBerry Menu and choose Save.

That save should save you wasting money

The BlackBerry Internet Browser is the icon that looks like a Globe, _NOT_ marked VLIVE one or the MTN branded one.
 
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Thinking of getting a Storm2...?

I want to get a 'berry but I am used to having a touchscreen, so S2 seems a good choice.

I just wanted to know yr experiences with using the device.
I know storm 1 had major flaws with the Surepress thingy....

Is the Storm 2 more user friendly?
Is typing easy to do?
Any regrets?
 
Astound said:
Just got my BlackBerry 9520 also known as Storm 2.

Opened the box, popped in the Simcard, loaded the battery.

Had some time to run through the setting up wizard and adjusted language, time zone, date and time.

It is now in a state of Charge.

Amazing, comes with a 16GB MicroSD Memory Card.

Wall charger, leather holster, polishing cloth, USB to MicroUSB cable, Software CD, printed user manual and headset all included in the box.

Feels completely natural in my hands, like it was made for them.

Just know I am going to love this phone.

Time to launch the Storm 2's own dedicated thread as it seems that many individual threads are starting to appear.

Please post your experiences, tips, tricks, quirks, apps here so that the info is all in one place and easier to find for all the new BlackBerry 9520 | Storm 2 owners :D

Here is my first valuable Tip to add value to the thread:

Firstly, do _NOT_ use the VodacomLive Browser, you will be billed at R2.00 per mb if you use it.

Only use the default BlackBerry Browser. NB! Alternative browsers such as Opera Mini and Bolt Browser are good and also support BIS.

Choose the BlackBerry Menu button > Wrench > Advanced Options > Browser > Make sure that the two options are set on Internet Browser, the WAP one cannot be changed.

After doing the above save and exit, then:

Choose the BlackBerry Menu button > Wrench > Advanced Options > TCP/IP > Place a tick into APN Settings Enabled and for APN type in blackberry.net

Do not tick the other options at all, save and exit.

To save, just press the BlackBerry Menu and choose Save.

That save should save you wasting money

The BlackBerry Internet Browser is the icon that looks like a Globe, _NOT_ marked VLIVE one or the MTN branded one.
Click to expand...

HOW is the BATTERY LIFE on this BB
 
Sponge Bob Square Pants said:
HOW is the BATTERY LIFE on this BB
Click to expand...

Currently on holiday in Amanzimtoti and have found in both places that I have stayed, very sparse coverage of either MTN or VC the closer you get to the beach, now I have full coverage though :wtf:

There is some more info regarding Battery life on the 9520 posted by Nazz here

Hopefully we can get all 9520 useful info and posts listed in one place.

@Sponge Bob Square Pants
In my personal experience I found the Battery life horrific in the begining, but that may be due to the fact that the Storm 2, while indicating full is really shipped with 25 % charge and one needs to allow it to charge overnight with phone off to get the Battery where it should be for the first few days.

I can get though an eight hour day with fairly heavy usage and WIFI turned off, five hours with WIFI on.

I am currently running hybrid OS 5.0.0.428 which has _not_ improved Battery life, but have also found my Curve 8520 now has excellent Battery life after successively upgrading OS and it is now on 5.0.0.411, Battery life almost doubled.

I believe the same will apply for the Storm 2 as it has been proven with the Storm 1.

Hopefully the next leak, or full release will bring about improvements as these are Business grade mobiles and RIM will lose market share unless these are addressed adequately.

@tRoN
There is a world of difference between the Storm 1 & 2

Most would concurr that the Storm 2 is the mobile the Storm 1 should have been when it was released.

Having upgraded to the new leaks as I discovered them, the Storm 2 has progressively increased in features and usability.

Since OS 5.0.0.341 it introduced the popup letters as you type so you can see which letter your thumb is currently on, awesome and it does wonders :)

The Suretype is truly fantastic, just type away and it automagically corrects and predicts your intended words, spell corrections on the fly.

It is quite hard to make a spelling mistake on the Storm 2 :D

The hybrid OS 5.0.0.428 has changed the feel of the onscreen keyboard, removing the springback type feel and replacing it with a more lighter touch.

What I mean is that you now use less effort to type, greatly improved feel. The clickety clack is still there though, but I dont mind that at all ;)

Regret always come too late but to be honest I am really impressed with the Storm 2, the _only_ bummer for me is the slow BlackBerry Internet Browser, but that is easily overcome by using Opera or Bolt Browser alternatives.

Since RIM acquired a Webkit based browser development company I have faith that they will bounce back with a Safari like performance.

Email communcation, my main requirement, on the Storm 2 is faultless, typing accuracy is fantastic, people actually tell me my typing speed is awesome when they hear the clicking as I type, sounds like an AK47 ;)

Watching video clips on this screen is truly awesome, the colour contrast is fantastic, sound is good, excellent multimedia device, in my opinion (16GB MicoSD included)
 
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I got my Storm 2 two days ago. Pretty chaffed with it. Its my first BB.

Thanks for the previous tips.

My 2 cents:
1.) I'm impressed with the responsiveness of the touch screen. (had an HTC TytnII previously)
2.) Battery has lasted me at least the whole day, and I've been using it heavily. Ended last night with about 20% left before charging.
3.) The BB browser seems decent to me.
4.) The typing is very easy when in landscape mode. (was worried about the typing but saw a video on youtube before buying)
5.) Used the bb maps and gps, it worked ok. Connecting was very quick, but tracking had a delay. It wasn't as quick as the gps software on my previous phone. I'll explore some other options.
6.) I use Thunderbird as an email client, so to sync my contacts: I loaded Zindus on my pc and synced with google contacts. I then loaded GSync on my BB and synced the contacts (was seemlessly) and it worked both ways. The only problem I found was with the calendar's all day events where it kept setting it as an event from 02:00 until 02:00 the next day. A bit of a pain with birthdays.
 
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I'm soooo exited - getting BBS2 next week!
just 1 question.
I also have a bold. Do I also need to set the apn to blackberry.net in order not to pay VC their exorbitant fees?
 
There is much wisdom in the use of the blackberry.net APN.

I would prefer an error message rather than unpleasant surprise in my billing.

I have found Garmap for mobile to quite good for navigation - free from MTN

Make sure that your timezone setting is correct, should be harare +2
 
rohann said:
I'm soooo exited - getting BBS2 next week!
just 1 question.
I also have a bold. Do I also need to set the apn to blackberry.net in order not to pay VC their exorbitant fees?
Click to expand...

By default I have left my APN blank with all my berrys 8700, 8310, 8900 and Storm 2 - sofar never had a data surprise on my bill
 
ID_10_T said:
By default I have left my APN blank with all my berrys 8700, 8310, 8900 and Storm 2 - sofar never had a data surprise on my bill
Click to expand...

The blank APN is there to allow non-BIS supported apps to gain direct access to the open R2.00 per mb Internet pipe.

Examples of these are the streaming video youtube and audio streaming from online radio stations, the Vodaphone and MTN Browsers to name a few.

Where the usefulness of the blackberry.net APN setting applies, is that those apps are not supported by BIS ie traffic included in your R59 per month subscription and will not be allow to pass accross it and will thus render an error message since the standard APN is now also pointing to BIS.

This thread is there to provide useful tips, tricks, advice etc and if I can save someone new to BlackBerry from spending R2.00 per mb from errant or streaming apps then it justifies the creation of the thread.

Examples - previous versions of Opera Mini and Mxit broke out of BIS and were costing users R2.00 per mb as their APN was open, ie no blackberry.net

I can only assume that you run only BIS supported apps and as such it may not apply in your case.
 
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Quick question re. Garmap on MTN - my Storm 2 didn't come with Garmap pre-loaded. Do I need to download it from somewhere?
 
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BCO said:
Quick question re. Garmap on MTN - my Storm 2 didn't come with Garmap pre-loaded. Do I need to download it from somewhere?
Click to expand...

you need to dial *123*18# on your BB which will send you sms linky to download the software.
 
last night i was making a couple of calls on my S2 and without fail between 20-30seconds into the call the call would drop and i would get a message on my screen simply stating "call failed". My signal bar was full and it wasn't a problem on the other side since I called quite a few people and it would still just drop the call.

Has this happened to anyone else?
 
Xaos said:
last night i was making a couple of calls on my S2 and without fail between 20-30seconds into the call the call would drop and i would get a message on my screen simply stating "call failed". My signal bar was full and it wasn't a problem on the other side since I called quite a few people and it would still just drop the call.

Has this happened to anyone else?
Click to expand...

Happens to me for the last 2 weeks now. I started another thread regarding S2 hanging. Very frustrated!!! Must have been the apps I dl during this time. So far I've removed Viigo and another app which I forget name...was very nice as it read your sms/emails etc out but it drains the battery big time! With these 2 apps removed, my calls haven't dropped yet but my S2 still hangs occasionally when moving around the menu and gotta do a battery pull.

What firmware you guys running? I got V5.0.0.320 with my MTN. I read on crackberry forums .436 I wonder what is the most stable firmware for now??
 
For what it is worth, the Storm 2 is like the Storm 1 in that the phone evolves with each new leak/update and gets better, in a similar fashion that MS releases patches/updates.

I am currently running OS 5.0.0.436 (leaked) and it is awesome in that it fixed the call / end button issues present in .320 and also shows the letters your fingers are on while typing.

Battery life improvement is the most important plus factor in running this leak.

Performance much more snappier, smoother, found huge enhancement in the screen springback now replaced with a more softer feel.

I am trying to say that much less effort is required to type, the Surepress is awesome :love:

Never had dropped callls after the successive upgrades

I have a backup of the original OS provided by MTN as well as a copy of the software itself from the MTN download site, so that I can revert if ever I see the need to, but have not had the need.

This mobile gets better and better just as the original Storm has improved since its release.

The 16GB is the most capacity I have ever seen, will probably never be able to fill it, but the Storm will be able handle a 32GB MicroSD if you can get one.

I tend to monitor the crackberry, blackberry za net and bbleaks forums for pointers to leaks.
 
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Astound said:
....I am currently running OS 5.0.0.436 (leaked)...
Click to expand...

I am on the verge of buying a storm2 but suddenly got skrik of the dropped call issues etc. Does the 436 solve this drop call issue??
I also dont want to void the warranty by installing any leaked firmware.

So when does the "leaked" OS finally become official?
 
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tRoN said:
I am on the verge of buying a storm2 but suddenly got skrik of the dropped call issues etc. Does the 436 solve this drop call issue??
I also dont want to void the warranty by installing any leaked firmware.

So when does the "leaked" OS finally become official?
Click to expand...

I have not experienced the dropped call issue since OS 5.0.0.402.

If you backup using BDM you can revert, also download the SP supported OS Version so that you can wipe and reinstall if needed.

Leaked OS becomes official when RIM officially releases, SP then makes downloads available.

When installing and running leaked OS you on your own as SP will not provide support for issues, neither can I, so there, now I have told you so :D
 
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