Brewing up a Storm

rpm

rpm

Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jul 22, 2003
Messages
66,805
Reaction score
5,057
Location
Johannesburg
Brewing up a Storm
BLACKBERRY'S STORM is the new kid on the touch-phone block. It was jointly developed by Research in Motion (RIM - makers of BlackBerry) and Vodafone. While BlackBerry may not like the tag, everyone considers it to be the latest "iPhone killer". Unfortunately, the Storm isn't very electrifying.
Click to expand...
 
:eek: I had my Storm for a week over here in Ireland and sold it because it was terrible for only €200 at R8500 retail I should have sent it back to SA and sold it there. That price seems terribly overinflated.
 
i am not a fan of touch screen, the samsung frustrated me, so i got the blackberry bold and thats a beast, i knew the storm wouldnt work for me.
 
I often wonder how many of these review-type articles are written after playing with the device for a few minutes and an informed opinion results?

There should be a law that no-one is allowed to comment on a device (of any kind) until it's been actively used for at least a month. :)

I've been using a Storm for the last few weeks as my primary phone and the few times I switched back to either the iPhone or Bold, I found I instinctively try and perform 'Storm' functions on them. Trying to click the screen or just turning it into any orientation to work better, say landscape for e-mailing or SMS'ing.

Once you get used to the haptic keyboard, you find you don't mistype or mis-click anymore. Especially on the iPhone trying to select small links on a WEB page was a problem. The haptic keyboard solves this 100%.

In general I'd say the Storm delivers what it promised, a next-generation BB that combines the best of touch technology with a traditional BB.

But I also feel it can be slightly slicker and more responsive. Talk in the US on the newer firmware versions we've not seen here yet, seems to indicate it's happening.
 
HTC P3300

Draztik said:
i am not a fan of touch screen, the samsung frustrated me, so i got the blackberry bold and thats a beast, i knew the storm wouldnt work for me.
Click to expand...

I can't comment on any others, but after 2 years with my HTC P3300 I'm still very pleased with it. The touch screen is great ... I don't miss a keyboard. :)
(but don't loose the stylus ... R275 for a pack of 3 - Yikes! :eek:)
 
this phone has no wifi - big let down right there.
 
catweasel said:
this phone has no wifi - big let down right there.
Click to expand...
I dont think it is as important when the SP offers unlimited access for a set fee.

If they offered that with the iPhone I'd rarely - if ever - use the wifi.

Not that I would get the storm even if it did.

EDIT - scuttlebutt is that Verizon is credited with the Storm being WIFI-less. Seems the mobile provider(s) might prefer their users to use their [expensive] data instead of enjoying free wifi with their starbucks coffee. ;)
 
Last edited:
I'm using the Storm, not by choice mind you. It's been updated to the 4.7.0.100 version and i honestly don't see much difference in the response. Slightly faster, but nothing else worth mentioning. I've had it for the past few weeks, it's still a love and hate relationship. Yes the being able to select things before clicking is nice, but having used a Bold and 8310 Curve before i find it slows me down terribly. Since using the Storm i do not send as many or as long emails as i used to. Having to learn how to use suretype again was a bit of a pain, but i don't hate it as much as i first did after reading an atricle on the top 20 tips for the Storm. Camera quality isn't all that great if you zoom even slightly, very pixelated...especially for a 3.2 MP. Sound is brilliant, i have to give it that.

One problem i have seen a lot of though is it doesn't seem to handle IVRs very well. Being a 3G/HSDPA handset, browsing is surprisingly slow. When compared to the Omnia, considering both have relatively same specs and the fact the Omnia is running WM, i was rather dissapointed the Storm lags so much in certain tasks.

Things i absolutely love though is the search function, just holding your finger over the name or subject to see all sms or emails as well as artists in the media make things easier to follow. Now that i've learned how to use numlock and casplock on it as well as suretype i'm starting to get a little faster on it. One handed messaging is a lot easier than i originally thought possible. Though the accelorometer is a little too sensitive and tends to switch from portrait to lanscape with a slight tilt.

End result, i would still prefer a Bold, but the Storm isn't all bad once you get used to it.
 
WolfByte said:
I'm using the Storm, not by choice mind you. It's been updated to the 4.7.0.100 version and i honestly don't see much difference in the response. Slightly faster, but nothing else worth mentioning. I've had it for the past few weeks, it's still a love and hate relationship. Yes the being able to select things before clicking is nice, but having used a Bold and 8310 Curve before i find it slows me down terribly. Since using the Storm i do not send as many or as long emails as i used to. Having to learn how to use suretype again was a bit of a pain, but i don't hate it as much as i first did after reading an atricle on the top 20 tips for the Storm. Camera quality isn't all that great if you zoom even slightly, very pixelated...especially for a 3.2 MP. Sound is brilliant, i have to give it that.

One problem i have seen a lot of though is it doesn't seem to handle IVRs very well. Being a 3G/HSDPA handset, browsing is surprisingly slow. When compared to the Omnia, considering both have relatively same specs and the fact the Omnia is running WM, i was rather dissapointed the Storm lags so much in certain tasks.

Things i absolutely love though is the search function, just holding your finger over the name or subject to see all sms or emails as well as artists in the media make things easier to follow. Now that i've learned how to use numlock and casplock on it as well as suretype i'm starting to get a little faster on it. One handed messaging is a lot easier than i originally thought possible. Though the accelorometer is a little too sensitive and tends to switch from portrait to lanscape with a slight tilt.

End result, i would still prefer a Bold, but the Storm isn't all bad once you get used to it.
Click to expand...

I also find the accelerometers a bit too sensitive. They should include a setting to adjust it. Was hoping .100 would address this.

Suretype actually works quite well. Just don't look at what you're typing till you're done! :)

The only 3rd party app I've loaded is one that locks the touchscreen while on a call. Stops you from accidentally pushing a button while you've got the phone jammed between your shoulder and ear. Why, I'd rather not comment on! :)
 
The BB storm that is sold in Canada has wifi. I wonder why and who made the decision not to include wifi for the other markets. For me the lack of wifi was a deal-breaker. I went to a vodashop to checkout the storm last week with a wad of cash, and I left the store with my wad of cash still intact - purely because of the lack of wifi. They had one on demo, and I liked most of the phones other features.
Yes...I know it comes with 'mostly' unlimited data, however, if 3G/HSDPA was blanketed in this country then it would be fine, but try surfing or downloading on gprs and you will know what I mean. There are also other applications that could use wifi, and this would not be possible on the storm :-(
 
surfs-up said:
The BB storm that is sold in Canada has wifi. I wonder why and who made the decision not to include wifi for the other markets. For me the lack of wifi was a deal-breaker. I went to a vodashop to checkout the storm last week with a wad of cash, and I left the store with my wad of cash still intact - purely because of the lack of wifi. They had one on demo, and I liked most of the phones other features.
Yes...I know it comes with 'mostly' unlimited data, however, if 3G/HSDPA was blanketed in this country then it would be fine, but try surfing or downloading on gprs and you will know what I mean. There are also other applications that could use wifi, and this would not be possible on the storm :-(
Click to expand...
Which of the Canadian networks has the WIFI enabled Storm?
 
From doing some web surfing last week, I read about it on the web, service provider is "Telus". I cannot guarantee that it is already out in Canada with wifi, or wether it is on its way, but this is what I read.
 
damn, this technology in this world has caused me for the first time to get confused over what phone to upgrade to.
Considering either Storm, Bold, HTC Pro touch2 (when available) or Nokia N97

V3G, what is your final theory on the Storm, although also confused as to why they left wifi out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X