Blackberry Storm!

Indeed, and you can pre-register here: http://www.vodacom.co.za/Temp/Vodacom1.jsp

The press release:

BlackBerry Storm coming soon to a Vodacom store near you

21 January 2009

Vodacom can confirm that the BlackBerry® Storm™ smartphone will soon be available to Vodacom customers in South Africa.

The BlackBerry Storm combines the powerful communications features, global connectivity and personal productivity advantages of the BlackBerry® platform with the unique SurePress™ touch-screen. The screen depresses ever so slightly when pressed, dramatically enhancing the touch interface for more precise typing and easy navigation with support for single-touch, multi-touch and gestures.

Shameel Joosub, Managing Director of Vodacom South Africa, says the BlackBerry Storm offers high-end consumers a state-of-the-art smartphone which provides the perfect balance of communication capabilities; a cellphone, social networking applications, a 3.2 megapixel camera, “clickable” touch screen and a stylish look with the best value for money; a fixed subscription fee of R69.00 offers customers access to unlimited email, browsing and instant messaging on the device.

“Vodafone and Research In Motion, the developer of the BlackBerry® solution, have combined forces to bring you the most powerful smartphone in the market; purpose built for Vodafone and available from Vodacom in South Africa.”

The stylish smartphone boasts exceptional performance, a stunning display and rich features including 3G (HSPA) network support, GPS, full HTML web browsing, advanced multimedia, a first class phone, camera and robust messaging capabilities – all designed to give users a fast and powerful mobile experience.

The full product demo is now live on Vodacom’s website, complete with a 360 degree view of the smartphone’s features and functionality.

To get the incredible power of the BlackBerry Storm smartphone in your hands, simply register your interest on www.vodacom.co.za and we'll keep you up to date with launch news as it breaks.

The revolutionary BlackBerry Storm smartphone will be available to all Vodacom customers, from participating Vodacom approved dealers, across South Africa.

Packed with great features:

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone from Vodacom has a wide range of powerful features and functions including:

BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Unite!, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server support

Preloaded DataViz® Documents to Go® allowing users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset

3.2 megapixel camera, with variable zoom, auto focus, and a powerful flash that also provides continuous lighting when recording video

Built-in GPS, which supports location-based applications and services, as well as the geo-tagging of photos

1 GB of on board memory storage together with a 8GB microSD/SDHD memory card, that can be upgraded to 16 GB

Media player that can play movies smoothly in full screen mode, display pictures and slideshows quickly and manage an entire music collection; playlists can be created directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters – including "Lounge", "Jazz" and "Hip Hop" – for customised audio ranges when using wired headphones or external speakers

A 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, support for Bluetooth® stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP) and dedicated volume controls

Sleek, elegant design with contoured corners, stainless steel back and chromed frame surrounding its large (3.25") display with glass lens and capacitive touch-screen; its exceptional 480 x 360 resolution is crisp and bright with eye pleasing clarity

An ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts backlighting for ideal viewing and an accelerometer that allows customers to view applications in either portrait or landscape mode by simply rotating the handset

Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides approximately 5.5 hours of talk time on 3G GSM networks and 15 days of standby time

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited
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rpm said:
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=154728

But is it something one should get excited about? I read some reviews which were not too complimentary about the device. Did anyone test it yet?
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I played with it and did indeed like it, but the tactile feedback screen is still an open question. But I'll probably get one to try and collapse my Bold and iPhone into one device.

I'm sure the phone will create a fair amount of hype in the US, where mobile technology is still in its infancy and the environment is pretty much dominated by two players.

In the actual "mobile 1st-world" (Europe / SA / etc.) users are much more sophisticated and thus more critical.
 
From the Wall Street Journal

December 9, 2008, 12:46 pm

Verizon Issues Fixes for BlackBerry Storm

Verizon released a firmware update last week that fixes some bugs in its much-hyped BlackBerry Storm, such as the device unexpectedly powering off and on, and music being jacked up to the highest volume when calls come in. But it doesn’t specifically claim to address the general slowness many users have complained about. And of course it can’t solve any problems people have with the physical device itself.


The expectations for the BlackBerry Storm couldn’t have been any higher. Verizon’s marketing blitz made a good case that this was The One — a sleek-looking iPhone competitor with access to Verizon’s strong 3G network. Hence the long lines at Verizon stores when it launched.

Two weeks later, buyers have had a chance to give the Storm a real workout, and on user message boards there are plenty of disappointed buyers and early critics. Among their grievances: it’s too heavy, it takes too long to think on simple tasks, it doesn’t have Wi-Fi Internet access, and its attempt to be a BlackBerry without the BlackBerry (no physical keyboard) rests on a clickable touch screen with clumsy software.

Verizon’s marketing touts the touch screen as an invention worthy of a Nova episode. (Folks, I’m no engineer, but it just seems like a giant button.) David Pogue of the New York Times said scrolling the touch screen was “head-bangingly frustrating” CNET’s editors disliked the clickable screen: “It’s just not a natural feeling to push down on the screen.”

Verizon’s software update did appease some customers, such as Todd Ashford of Agawam, Mass. He is a long-time Verizon customer who says he would have ideally switched to the iPhone, but AT&T has poor service in his area. The Storm got him excited when he started hearing about it. He was the sixth person in his local Verizon store on the release day of Nov. 21. Since he wasn’t eligible for an upgrade, he paid the full retail price of $500.

In an email to a WSJ reporter, he wrote: “My initial reaction was that it was very slow. Even considering it was Research in Motion’s first touch screen, I thought the overall speed between applications and the browser was terrible and should have been improved prior to release. Flipping the unit from portrait screen to landscape seemed like it took forever and frequently froze the device….After 1 week with the phone, I managed to get a ‘leaked’ update of the operating system from Crackberry.com. Once I installed the updated operating system the phone really improved its performance greatly.”

In the end, Todd says, he’s very happy to own the phone, but it isn’t worth the full retail price he paid. Readers, what do you think? Was the Storm worth the hype? And is it even Verizon’s best touch-screen phone? (Some would point to the LG Dare.)
Click to expand...

So there were some initial software issues that were seen to, but there still seem to be disgruntled consumers on that end.

Some of the comments which follow below the article:

I have been using the Storm since Nov 24 and really do like it. I came from a Windows Mobile device with a full slide out keyboard and like the Blackberry platform better. I do find the phone functions much better since the firmware upgrade. I am not a power user typing constantly on the phone, so the loss of the physical keyboard doesn’t bother me. I think the screen is bright, the phone works well, and the calendar and contacts serve the purpose. The virtual keyboards work fine and I have no problem with “clicking the screen” to type. You just have to get used to it. All devices have limitations, but this is the best phone/device I have ever had from Verizon and I like them as a carrier in my area.
Comment by Robert Benedon - December 9, 2008 at 1:15 pm

I had the storm for 2 weeks before taking it back. I tried the leaked update and the official update. Neither of them fixed my random reboots. I even wiped the phone clean and started it from scratch. Same problems. I finally gave up and went back to my BlackBerry Curve.
Comment by Anonymous - December 9, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Click to expand...

So it's a bit of a coin toss in the US anyway.

EDIT: Forgot to add the link :o
 
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I have to agree the reviews for the Storm, especially the New York Times one were really bad and for people who don't know about advanced phone features (as most in the US don't) to be complaining...
V3G can you tell us when Vodacom expects to have it in stock and if there is an estimated price (considering Voda's price for the Bold I won't hold my breath but I'm always willing to be pleasantly surprised)
 
oronte said:
I have to agree the reviews for the Storm, especially the New York Times one were really bad and for people who don't know about advanced phone features (as most in the US don't) to be complaining...
V3G can you tell us when Vodacom expects to have it in stock and if there is an estimated price (considering Voda's price for the Bold I won't hold my breath but I'm always willing to be pleasantly surprised)
Click to expand...
I've got no idea, but will ask. Don't quote me on it, but probably Feb/Mar time-frame.
 
Blackberry should stick to what it does best and leave the iClones to the others.
 
vodacom3g said:
It is solid, must say. I find I'm beginning to use it more than the iPhone but a converged iPhone/Bold would still be the perfect combo.
Click to expand...

Perhaps if you like the touch screen which is not for everyone, I'd like to give the Storm a bit of a test run!

Also the large area of the screen freaks me out, especially if you jam it in your pocket and you hit the corner of a desk or something! Could be costly :P
 
drew137 said:
Perhaps if you like the touch screen which is not for everyone, I'd like to give the Storm a bit of a test run!

Also the large area of the screen freaks me out, especially if you jam it in your pocket and you hit the corner of a desk or something! Could be costly :P
Click to expand...

Or you fall from a plane and land on the highway and Hummer drives over you!
 
This seems like one of those devices where it's best to wait for the next version. This is a first for RIM and what they'll learn from this device will go into the next. I'd love to help test one though ... but not on a 24 month contract.
 
Ok so its cheaper than the Bold, R100 cheaper:)
Not sure how the pricing will work on packages but atleast theres no significant price increase!
 
oronte said:
So still R2000 more than the Bold on MTN?
Click to expand...

I doubt it, that would make it more expensive than any other phone on MTN contracts. Well at least I hope so. This could could be my next phone if there has been a faster firmware upgrade. I reckon around R40/month more than the Bold.
 
Just read that the Storm is cheaper than the Bold in Australia on vodafone and also cheaper in the USA. Hopefully that means it will be priced around the same price as the Bold here. Can't see our money grabbing cell networks making it cheaper though.
 
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