Blackberry Storm - What do you think?

[Paul Austin]

The details are sketchy at present, but it looks like the Storm will have a nice set of features. For a Blackberry, it appears to be a decent iPhone rival for those who prefer to stick with a proven sync device, not to take anything away from iPhone.

http://news.cnet.com/more-verizon-blackberry-storm-details-surface/

What do you think?

 

[Bill Hark]

I have been seeing rumors on the internet for a while. This phone definitely looks interesting. Verizon definitely has good call service, and I have been looking to upgrade my Verizon phone. Unfortunately, Verizon is known for disabling standard features on phones so that one has to use their apps and get charged a fee. I also suspect this phone will not have Wi-Fi, a nice feaure when available. Wi-Fi is another of those features that can take money away from Verizon, thus a big no no. I think Verizon charges more for data on "smart phones" and this phone would be in the category.

I will wait until it is out for a while, read reviews and see what hacks are discovered to work around Verizon antics.

Bill Hark

 

[B Jensen]

It's been out for a while. Anyone come accross any good weather apps for it?

 

[Kris Hair]

Wish it came out on a different platform other than Verizon

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I have the blackberry storm. I am pretty happy with it. The screen resolution is incredible, which makes browsing the internet a hundred times better than it was on any of my old cell phones.
I think you have to pay for the data plan just to get email, so the email and internet service go hand in hand. Mine is a company phone so I don't really know for sure. All I know is they make me pay $60 a month for the data plan (I think they pay the voice part).
If you get this sign up for weathertap and go to the mobile weather page. You can get really good looping radar through that. For some reason you can't get other radars (like NWS) to work with it. SPC mesoscale analysis and all the models site work good. Basically it is a great tool for chasing if you don't have an aircard.
I hated the screen keyboard for typing at first, but now it doesn't bother me too much. The screen quality and ease of browsing the internet definitely make it worth it. I don't have any applications on here other than the ones that came with it, but I already have everything I need on here. The one additional thing I'd like to get is the $10 gps feature. It basically works like delorme street atlas/tom tom. Running gps on these is pretty sweet, If you want turn by turn directions it's just as good as a tom tom.
Bottom line is I would recommend the phone, but it will piss you off a little until you get used to it.

edit - for chasing in the plains I wouldn't want anybody but verizon. There coverage is pretty damn solid. I got an amp too this year so I should have a good signal most of the time.

 

[Jerry Prsha]

Things may have changed but I haven't seen much more scathing review by this guy...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/technology/personaltech/27pogue.html

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

I do not see this offered at the stores for AT&T, or is it strictly "locked" to Verizon?

 

[david diehl]

I have had the Storm for about a month now, and other than the time to adjust to using a touch screen phone, I am happy with it, I use it to teather to my laptop for internet, and seem to get pretty good speeds, resolution with the camera is great.
I have been able to transfer sound files from my computer to set as ring tones, something that I have not been able to do in the past with other phones.
All in all, it is a good sturdy phone, although I have not had any chases with it at this time, I hope to start real soon.

 

[Lou Ruh]

I have been able to transfer sound files from my computer to set as ring tones, something that I have not been able to do in the past with other phones.

The only folks I have ever found that could NOT set their own sound file as a ring tone were using Verizon as their carrier and Verizon's software. I guess they had a way to make money off of ring tones and took advantage of it. My last few AT&T phones over the years have had no trouble applying whatever sound file I wanted (as long as it was small enough) as a ringtone. It seems that Verizon chose not to block this feature on the Blackberry Storm (or was unable to block it).

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

It's been out for a while. Anyone come accross any good weather apps for it?

WeatherTap Mobile is what I use for my Curve. It doesn't have street capabilities, but what it DOES have is GRL2 data for like three bucks a month. It's a savior for no-data on the laptop or for local spotting where you don't want to drag tons of equipment, but you have to eye it, your GPS unit (separate), and your own eyes to make up for the lack of what laptop programs provide.

You may have JAVA enabled with this model, though, meaning you can use those kinds of programs. I'm not sure.

 

[mrobinett]

Same here Weathertap Mobile on my BB Curve 8310, love it. I chased with it in southern GA weekend before last and it worked great, I used it when I didnt have a wifi connection on the laptop. You can get google maps for it, it uses the cell signal triangulations as well as the built in GPS.
Storm looks good, if its similar to the Curve, its a winner.
Mike