BlackBerry Storm: First Impressions

UPDATE Nov. 25, 2006: We bought our BlackBerry Storm on Friday Nov. 21 and examined it closer. Our video has more information about what our technicians have found so far during their lab tests. Click on the player at left to review our take on the BlackBerry Storm. —Ed.

After many delays and much speculation—most of it wrong—BlackBerry has joined the rest of the cell-phone world by introducing its first touch-screen model, the Storm, available Friday from Verizon for $200 with a two-year contract (minus a $50 rebate).

Besides a touch screen, the phone packs a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash; a full HTML Web browser that supports streaming; GPS navigation capability with audible, turn-by-turn directions; and you the ability to edit Office documents—something only two other BlackBerrys allow you to do: the Bold and Pearl Flip. It's also a multi-network phone, which makes it one of the very few Verizon phones that will work outside the U.S. Like the iPhone, the Storm presents voicemails as an e-mail-like list, enabling you listen to your messages in any order you choose with just a poke of your finger.

The smart-phone arrives in our labs tomorrow (Friday), so we should have information about the Storm's actual performance soon. (Like all the products Consumer Reports tests, we're buying our own Storm—just as you would—for testing.)

But we did have a chance to try it out at a recent press preview, and our first impressions are generally positive. The details:

Related: Consumer Reports' Cell phone buying guide CR's Guide to cell phone carriers Samsung Behold touch-screen phone comes to T-Mobile Concerns over the Verizon-Alltel merger A look at the Google phone (T-Mobile G1)

Firm, yet responsive, touch screen. With cell-phone touch screens—including the iPhone's—it's too easy to inadvertently launch a program or hit the wrong key on their virtual keyboards. The Storm remedies this with a touch-screen that demands that you press down on it firmly, as you would a real button, before it executes a command. (The screen actually sits on top of a large button that clicks when you depress the screen surface.) While quirky to use at first, we found this unique technology very effective in minimizing time-wasting mistakes. A word of caution: The display won't work with a stylus or long fingernails.

Brilliant display. Photos and other elements appeared sharp and bright on the Storm's 3.25 (diag.) display. The spec sheet says the resolution is 480 X 360 pixels, which would make it among the highest we've seen on a phone. The Storm's built-in accelerometer automatically reorients Web pages, photos, and other display elements when you tilt the phone, which is convenient for switching between portrait and widescreen format.

Ergonomic keypad and keyboards. The Storm's virtual keypad is large, well-spaced, and easy to see. Ditto for the Storm's two virtual keybards: a full QWERTY and a condensed SureType version familiar to BlackBerry users. The keys glow blue whenever you touch to let you know you're hitting the correct one. The Storm (Click on image at right for a closer look.) presents the full QWERTY keyboard when you tilt the phone on its side to take advantage of the wide screen. Holding the phone vertically, which put the display in portrait mode, squeezes the keyboard into condensed mode.

Easy navigation. The Storm's menus look similar to older BlackBerry phones, though feature access is more direct since you can peck at application and features with a poke or swipe of your finger. Tap the screen twice to zoom in on a photo, Web page, and other items on-screen. Back out by pressing the escape key at the base of the phone's display. Storm has several other buttons on it to assist with navigation and to quick-launch the camera, media player, and telephony features at any time. We jumped easily from the phone to the camera to the e-mail application.

Decent battery life. Verizon claims a talk time of six hours on 3G networks and 15 days of standby time. That's pretty good for a CDMA phone. We'll see if those claims stand up to our tests.

An elephant's memory. The Storm comes with 1gigabyte (GB) of internal memory, plus an 8GB MicroSD card, with support for cards up to 16GB. Getting at the card, however, is a bit of a hassle since you have to remove the Storm's battery cover.

Quibbles: The Storm's media player worked well and had a multi-band equalizer for fine-tuning sound. But the phone doesn't support Verizon's VCast service, an excellent source for downloading a wide variety of music and video content. Also, the camera, which has autofocus and digital zoom, seemed to have a noticeably slow first-shot delay when we snapped a few at the preview press event. We'll just have to further explore these issues in our tests.

Bottom line: The new BlackBerry Storm is not the iPhone killer that some bloggers have been claiming. But with its simple interface and powerful business and entertainment features, it may be one more good reason for smart-phone seekers to choose Verizon's top-notch service over less-consistent carriers.

The Storm should arrive in our labs soon and we'll report on how the Storm actually fares in our performance tests. In the meantime, check out  our free cell phone buying advice which includes our guide to wireless service providers.

—Mike Gikas

Comments

[becky youngs]

I was extremely hesitant in getting a smart phone. I was afraid that being an "earlier" phone user that navigating around would be difficult. Admittedly, it has taken some getting used to but it's only been a day. I look forward to finding out what more this phone can do. I have accessed my email. Taken pictures of my daughter at the pool and even downloaded my favourite MP3s! An all in one wonder that i wish i had gotten before. I am having some trouble with a few things... but like i said it's been a day!~ and so what i can't figure out how to reduce the keypad. I'll figure it out. And then me and the blackberry will be best friends.

[ksho]

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GET THIS PHONE. I have had to replace mine twice in 6 DAYS!! And all of this had happened while I was on vacation. Very frustrating while this is your only means of communication. With Storm phone #1, I could not gain access to the enterprise activation to create a webmail link to my office. I took it back to a verizon store and they said there was something wrong with the phone and it had to be replaced. This one lasted 3 days. The verizon store actually tried to give me a refurbed model. With Storm #2, a new one after explaining to the manager what they could do with the refurbed model, I could not load the enterprise activation either. Also, I could not download any blackberry apps, and the battery life seemed to dwindle fast. As for the touch screen, it is very hard to get used to. However I did not have much time to play with it, as this one died on me within three days as well. Only on Storm phone #2, I got the ultimate message that your phone is nothing more than a useless paper weight. Three days after receiving my 2nd phone, and while I was trying to turn my phone on to make a call, I receive the "JVM 102 error code". Not only could I not make a phone call, but when I called VZW, the extremley rude customer service rep, after accusing me the error was my fault, told me I had to have my phone replaced, again.
This phone and the verizon phone service belong together. At this point, they are both very disappointing.

[Elaine]

I have been trying desperately to get in sync with my Storm since receiving it in December. My real regret is that I did not take it back in the beginning when I first started experiencing the problems. You cannot make a quick 911 call for help with this phone and DO NOT even try to use this cell phone while driving a car. You will be in for a head on collision. I have read the book inside and out and belong to the crackberry world to find out helpful hints from others much more experienced than myself. But, I STILL want to throw it out the window! Worst phone I have ever had. The company really rushed into this one.Please...next time take your time and get it right.

[Milton Stokes]

I have a Palm PDA (horrendous device) and was told by Verizon that I could transfer Palm data to a Blackberry?

Is this true?

And have any of the problems in this blog been addressed with the Storm?

Dear Milton,

The Palm OS allows you to export data files in a variety of formats, at least one of which you'll be able to import into your Blackberry. It's a little tricky as you'll probably have to manually map data fields before you import (ex: Palm last name to Blackberry last name.) Otherwise, you'll get gibberish. Bottom line: It's only worth it if you have a lot of contacts. Otherwise, you're better off reentering the contacts on your Blackberry.

[Matt H.]

If you are considering the purchase of the BlackBerry Storm you need to carefully consider how you plan to use the phone;
battery life is absolutely hornendous. BB claims a standby time of 15 days. After a full charge I made 2 calls to voicemail and after 20 hours of standby I am down to 30% battery. I even bought the BB smart case that shuts the screen down when the phone is inserted.
There are literaly hundreds of owner postings on various sites reporting this issue. The only recommendations I have read to date is to shut down applications, reduce screen brightness, etc. Interesting that the phone can't be used for what it was designed for.

[anna mayo]

Just bought the BB storm that I have been on a long wait list to get. What a disappointment! The worst part about the device is that it is PAINFULLY SLOW to navigate. The response time is terrible. Over half the time it doesn't even respond to pressing the keys. And it always moves around from screen to screen without me even touching it. I can't even find the option to check my voicemail! I have a dam calender defaulted on the from screen but not a voicemail button?? I'm returning it today. I want the iphone but don't get good reception with Rogers where I live. Any suggestions for Telus phones? I've heard something about a Samsung phone. Anyone know about that one??

[Monica]

Debating whether to return my Storm. Not too happy with it. Can the screen be locked while on a call? Haven't figured that one out. Verizon store people were not helpful in answering that one.

[David]

I have had an LG EnV for 2 years and am now eligible to upgrade (at HALF of the old discount - thanks VZW!) My number one choice now is the Samsung Omnia but I would really like to see a CR test/review first. Is there one planned?
Also, I have an iPod Touch 8G and vastly prefer the EnV's "actual" keyboard. Should I just go with a basic cellphone and forgo my "anywhere" internet? Or consider the LG Voyager - my sister has had one for a few months, so I consider it "older" technology?
I played with an Omnia yesterday at the VZW store and was less than impressed with it's interface - my Touch is far more workable. Call quality is also important as my parent's live in a VZW "1 bar" area (signal strength.)
Thanks for any help you may provide!

[Madeson]

Having read various reviews , its clear to me that iPhone is still No 1. I sure enjoy ALL its features. Only drawback is GPS doesnt talk to me and keyboard is sensitive so its easy to miss the desired letter. If you are a dedicated high user of text messaging and need more business applications , then B Bold is likely your best bet. But I dont think any fones have the overall value of IPhone, and yes it has i pod built in, with videos and some TV. But if U are adverse to Apple proprietary aspects like iTunes etc this is not for U . But the various APPS are so great , you are missing out.

[Lichi]

We have 2 storms in our household and I very quickly realize the build quality is not consistent. Mine is fine but the madam's is poorly built with large gaps between the screen and the outer casing of the phone, to a vividly obvious dullness to the screen when compared to mine. Her's also was flipping very, very slowly and overall response was almost totally lacking.

Now, mine is just fine and dandy. I fixed a couple of screen click issues with some internal adjustments recommended by several bloggers and I am currently loving this device. For those who have a hard time navigating the storm I tend to believe this is your first Blackberry. It def has a considerable learning curve. I have been using WM as a primary device from 06 through Jan when I switched to a Pearl - my first Blackberry device. The responsiveness on a well built, s/w updated and correctly app-managed device beats WM IMO. I can watch a 45 min video, check my email, sms/IM (heavy) all day, and actually send/end calls without regret on my storm throughout my business day (8hrs). Charge when I get home and charge when I go to sleep and it never is screaming for help. I challenge you to try that on a WM device...just try.

[JK]

I just returned my Storm (a.k.a. Drizzle) today. Just inside the 30-day window as I purchased it the afternoon it arrived (11/20). Initially I hated it. Then I kept it for 26 more days and I still hated it. Cheryl, I'm with you. If I could have, I would have thrown it out the window.

So I'm no early adopter or a Smartphone fanatic but I have been active for the past 5 years starting with a Treo 600, 700p, and BB 8830. Avoid the Drizzle at all costs. This is no BS. I held on to it because I wanted to see if the software update that was issued last Friday (that's a whole other story...the download time, installation,reboots, etc.) would improve performance.

Pros:
Great screen which equals...
Great web VIEWING experience.
Great for reading Microsoft office documents and edit (but let's be honest, if you're using this to edit those documents, you're in for a world of hurt).
Allows you to view sites that aren't modified for mobile usage.
Slick design.
You're one of a select few who has one as there aren't many on the street (and they should keep it that way).
World capabilities (doesnt help me at all).
Search functionality within Enterprise email is cool...if not useless.

Cons:
Navigation IS AWFUL.
Lag in response - whether it's selecting an application, typing, whatever. It's often slow to respond.
Typing is terrible. The Drizzle is NOT for heavy emailers.
You can't type a contact name into the phone field without having to take additional steps (i.e. phone>call from contacts>type and the keypad does not adjust while in phone mode for a full keypad).
No track ball so editing is awful (even with spell check, you need to select/press on the screen which is a terrible experience across the board).
3G doesn't mean much, it's still slow.
No wi-fi.
Resets unexpectedly - at least 1x per day.
Bad reception/call quality (I've dropped more calls in a month than I did in 4 years prior with VZW).
Terrible battery life - when the notes on saving battery life are that far forward in the manual, you know it's gonna be tough.
Screen rotation is at-will. Kind of like a game, it'll rotate one way, you'll go another, it switches back and so on.
Doesn't have the number of dedicated apps like the iPhone (that may change though).
Heavy and kind of big, yet delicate. I dropped my 8830 a bunch of times and the thing kept on tickin'. The Drizzle seems like there's all kinds of possibilities to shake things up, not the least of which is the screen. You will also notice a gap all the way around the screen (which allows you to push it down, and contrary to the ads there is no click). I can picture a snowflake getting in there and shorting out the system.

When I returned it today, for the Curve 8330, I was watching the loop in the store and they make navigation and functionality look so simple and efficient. It's not.

RIM is still an awesome company and there are positives in the Storm but this generation should be avoided. Especially if you're a heavy BB user. This is not as simple as adjusting from early generations of the wheel to the track ball. If you're that interested and you land one, good luck. VZW does have a 30-day guarantee (with a $35 restocking fee).

[Adam]

I have the iphone and I love it. I tried the storm at verizon the other day and it doesn't even compare, and to jessicas question the iPhone does have an iPod on it I use it at the gym instead of my iPod nano. It connects to ur iTunes an it's awesome. Verizon not putting wifi on the storm was idiotic I use wifi all the time and my iPhone is as fast as many laptops.

[Patty]

The tech support has been excellent - especially since my computer crashed every time I hooked up the Storm. A few things that has helped enormously:
Updating my 6 year old HP Pavillion XP software to service pack 3, updating the Storm's software to the new version. If you download the Blackberry Media Sync, you can sync your iTunes - the sound is excellent - better than my mini-iPod that needed replacement. For now, I am pleased that I was able to replace my iPod, camera, Palm Pilot and phone with one device but I really miss the enV keyboard. One note: the battery will discharge while attached to the computer USB port unless it is USB2.As with all new technology, it is a challenge when your computer is older. I will know more about the quality of the camera after the holidays. So far, I highly recommend this phone but caution you to do all the updates on both the camera, phone and Desktop Manager Software.

[MBStaben]

Does the storm work with gmail/calendar?

[garth36]

I had the omnia for 1 day and took it back. I had Iphone 3G after a few months I couldn't stand crappy service and switched to verizon. I picked up the omnia. Two things I hated about the Omnia. The omnia comes with a little soft tip like pen for navigating the phone, this is mostly because the windows mobile is to hard to navigate with your fingures, typing in portrait mode is impossible. The pen hangs off the phone instead of inside the phone. Second, in order to use headphones you have to use an adapter that fits into the charging hole then hangs a two inch cord into a small box that headphones and poweradapters can fit into at one time. So you would need to have to things hanging off you phone to use it normally. The pen got caught in my keys in my pocket. Just a bad design. Also it is not an IPHONE, Iphone does not even need directions, Omnia seems very complicated. I ordered a storm, seems like the best bet.

[JWWall]

I have tried both the Storm and the Samsung Omnia in our local Verizon store. As a personal choice, I just didn't care for the Storm's push-down screen. I found it much easier to use the Omnia's fixed, smooth screen with haptic feedback (vibrates slightly when you press a key). Omnia responded much faster to turning the screen orientation. Omnia has wifi, Storm does not. Storm's screen is larger and nicer, but Omnia's is good and I'm not a big video person. I did appreciate Omnia's 5 megapixel camera and very handy on-screen controls for it. Omnia has TV output and FM radio, Storm does not. I couldn't compare call quality, as Verizon did not have a connected Omnia. They promised to call me when the did but it's been four days so I won't hold my breath (glad I don't need it right away).

[torture to decide]

any reviews/thoughts on the Samsung Omnia vs the LG Dare for verizon yet? I have a huge concern with the sensitivity ratings since I currently have a razr and it's horrible in my rather remote area for picking up a signal. I have to stick it in the window at home to be able to do my contact backups via verizon's backup assistant (a really great tool i might add). Neither are on the backup assistant list of devices yet but i'm assured by VZ they catch up within a couple months. Hope so.

[Jerry Walker]

I have been comparing and reading about the BB Storm and Samsung Omnia, and so far, I believe the Omnia is the better performing phone. It has Wi-Fi, has better performance (faster and fewer freezes), and c/Net rates it better than the Storm. Don't see a comparison yet on Consumer Reports, but should be coming soon, I would hope. For those of us who can't get the iPhone (i.e. not on AT&T carrier), and are with Verizon, Omnia seems the best bet for my money.

[lw.]

Is the storm worth its retail price, that is $500?

[cheryl]

I tried the Blackberry Storm for 2 weeks. If I could have thrown it out the window I would have. It's responses to commands from the address book sound like another language, inarticulate. The keyboard pops up in the middle of the screen hiding other data you are using, getting the keyboard on when you have to punch in number responses to recorded messages is like digging for a needle in a haystack; key sensitivity, well it needs more than a firm press (several times) to respond and if you have anything more than a child's finger, you end up hitting the wrong key. I'm returning this tomorrow. The best thing about this? It can be returned within 30 days. Tortuous!!

[Jessica]

Can someone give a good comparison of this phone with the iphone? I can't seem to decide.

Do you know if the iphone's mp3 player capabilities replaces your need to have an ipod all together?

[Baseer Ahmed]

I am writing this comment after comparing BlackBerry Storm versus IPhone. BlackBerry Storm is nothing compared to IPhone. Not only the IPhone has Safari web browser which is a full Internet web browser but also the YouTube picture quality and watching the videos, listening to music, and digital camera in IPhone is easier to use and with good quality than BlackBerry Storm.

[vincent]

If you go here and D/L the new version it works ALOT BETTER i have done this and let me tell you it runs fast now and mine used to turn off by it self and it is not doing it any more sice i updated it

http://forums.crackberry.com/f86/os-4-7-0-75-leak-105593/

[yeomanrycavalry]

purchased phone on 21 Nov, got it on 1 Dec (angry over long wait) then open up, install of BlackBerry Desktop 4.7 was a tedious chore and just plain old messy on a new HP Pavilion TX2510US tablet PC running Windows Vista 32 bit. Phone was extremely sluggish, locked up, and all updates installed!! Embarassed when showing family new toy and it locks up 5x.

I'm writing this comment at 1:10 AM on 3 Dec. well past since the 24 hours of receiving the item from FedEx. To this very moment I am still plugging away at uninstalls, reinstalls, and trying to figure out why my media player is now missing. I also complained to Verizon and threatened to cancel my FiOS, my other two wireless accounts if they don't figure out a plan with this piece of junk. The tech support was extremely rude and played off they never heard of any problems (really?) I think this is Verizon's approach on the matter, they knew it was garbage and know how angry everybody is and they play stupid!

No way any cell phone aka SmartPhone should be this complicated to get to work. The quality is subpar on the build of the buttons and screen. Gaps around the screen and buttons that allow moisture and debris to enter into the internals. Not to mention the annoying light leaking around the screen if you want to watch video in a dimly lit room. This is enough to show how inferior of a product RIM can produce.

Attempted to get a replacement, or else. Tech support basically gave me the run-around and feabily tried to locate a store that had any Storms available. I was told by Customer Service that it would be shipped to the store, confused? Then Tech support all of the sudden gets annoyed and tells me to take it to the nearby store after I complained how this is a piece of junk and starts to challenge me on it. It was really aggravating. Was told no Storms until Jan 15th. Basically past the 30 day return window allowed by Verizon. This is a class action lawsuit just waiting to happen as more and more angry customers learn what Verizon is doing to those unfortunate to get a defective product.

[Mark]

The benefit of wifi is that if you find a hot spot, downloading is MUCH faster that cellular. Advantage iphone. But head to head on cell service, no difference. If you don't rely on hot spots for your device (as opposed to laptop), then you probably won't care as much.

Question: will there be docking tool for MP3?