RIM BlackBerry 9530 Smartphone
- Screen Size (Diagonal): 3.25 inch
- Installed Memory: 1000 MB
- Operating System: BlackBerry OS
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB
- Performance: Quad Band
- Design: Mobile
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BlackBerry Storm: The Official iPhone Killer?
Pros
Can acquire a taste for the non-traditional features, well-made and smart looking
Cons
Some typing features could be made more user-friendly
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
I would recommend the Storm for people who need constant access to the Internet, e-mail, and instant messaging.
I was one of Blackberry's first customers to order the new Blackberry Storm. This much-hyped phone has been the topic of conversation in the tech world for quite awhile now. Blackberry was officially going to roll out a phone completely different from its others - not just a touch screen, but a screen which needs to be pressed like a button in order to function. Neat-o, right?
Though my order was placed closer to the summer, I did not receive my Storm until late November. Only now have I been accustomed to it enough to formulate an opinion on it. First off, do note that since this is Blackberry, only certain phones are available to certain customers. The Storm is available only to Verizon Wireless customers, of which I am one. However, since this phone is mostly used for business, it doesn't make much of a difference what phone company I have. On that note, I do know that the phone is $250 with a 2-year contract. It's definitely pricey enough to be considered in the same class as the iPhone.
Speaking of the iPhone, let's discuss looks, shall we? Personally, I find the Storm to be more professional looking than the iPhone, though the iPhone looks more playful and trendy. On that note, they are roughly the same size and a little bit smaller than the size of your hand. Further, the iPhone has only one button and a screen, while the Storm has several buttons (send, end, menu, return) below the screen and on the side of the phone. Clearly, these are different designs which cater to different people.
The plan that I am on costs about $85 per month, and it includes unlimited data usage (Internet, e-mail, messaging, navigation GPS) but extra charges for text messaging and overages in minutes. This is a fair price, and AT&T's plan is competitive with this one.
Let's talk about the touch screen. It is certainly a revolutionary idea which is becoming more and more popular in the world. Most people are not yet comfortable with having to type on a screen instead of on a keypad or keyboard, and I was one of those people. However, lately it has become second nature to me - just like it became second nature the other times I got new phones. A month later, I can type just as fast as I type on the computer...and that's fast! When typing, the key which is touched lights up and pops up to show that you selected the correct function. This helps me maintain concentration rather than having to look at the message every second to make sure that I spelled all the words correctly.
Another cool feature about the Storm is one which has created a lot of buzz. That would be the "press screen", which requires the screen to be pressed - like a button on a keyboard - in order to command the function. When first getting the phone, I would simply touch the screen to select a command, and nothing would happen. However, it has now become second nature for me to actually press the screen in and listen for the quick "click" to ensure that the button was passed. I really love this feature; it adds a whole new dimension and feels really cool when using the Storm.
Like the iPhone, the Storm can be held vertically or horizontally in order to be used. For example, if I am viewing web pages when holding the Storm horizontally and then turn the Storm vertically, the screen will adjust the web pages so that I can see them without having to turn my head sideways. Sometimes there seems to be a little a lag in adjusting the screen contents, but I actually found the lag to be less than that of the iPhone.
The screen, which has an impressive 480x360 pixel color display, features colors which are vibrant and display a high quality image on such a small screen. I will admit that I was hesitant using the Internet because I didn't want to deal with such tiny writing or pictures that I could hardly see. However, a magnifying glass and arrows which point the webpage in each direction help me view pages more easily. The images, when enlarged, increase in quality and radiance; I almost felt like I was looking at a mini version of my laptop screen.
There are some notable applications - besides the Internet and basic phone functions, such as contact lists and text messaging. There is also the ability to access not only AIM, but also Yahoo Messenger, Gmail Talk, and Blackberry Messenger. I have found AIM to be very easy to use overall, though there are some tricky things to do, such as attempting to highlight a section of an instant message or trying to select the space between two words, etc. It can be done, but it is time consuming and tough to figure out. However, I will note that AIM does capitalize and punctuate text where necessary, so there isn't much of a need to switch between the keyboard settings (letters or a combination of numbers and symbols).
Blackberry Messenger, as I mentioned, is one of the other messaging programs. For those who do not yet have a Blackberry, it is important to know about this tool. Anyone who has another Blackberry and your number can message you if you are signed on, which is why many co-workers feel like it's a monitoring device and means that all employees are on-call 24/7. Nonetheless, I have found Blackberry Messenger to be very professional and convenient for a variety of reasons. Complaints regarding being chained to work should be handled by the management of the customer's employer, not Blackberry!
Another application that is notable is the built-in GPS. While not as good or as big as my car's navigation, it is good when you have no other choice or need directions when on foot. I have used it several times to locate clients' locations in Manhattan, and it has consistently led me to the right place. In fact, last week it took some fellow co-workers and I to a steakhouse for a meeting.
There is one reason that many people do not want to combine their iPhones and iPods: because listening to music will eat up battery life, and there will not be enough battery for texting and making calls. I have the same dilemma with my Blackberry Storm, which has a media recording device and a video player. Nonetheless, I don't know of any MP3's that Blackberry makes, so I still have to bring my iPod(s) with me regardless. This is a decision that you'll have to make on your own.
On the note of battery life, I have a rather ironic story. When I first received my Storm, the battery life was virtually zilch. However, within a week of receiving the Storm (on the first day it was shipped out), there was already an upgrade made available, which changed the interface and vastly increased battery life. Clearly, Blackberry's original Storm version had some problems which had to be fixed immediately. Now, I can pretty safely go through the day making a fair amount of phone calls, answering a few text messages, responding to e-mails, and going on Blackberry Messenger or the Internet - and still have some battery left over. The Storm "officially" has six hours of talk time or 15 days of standby time. That's pretty impressive if you ask the Great jetbluefan1.
The audio quality of the phone seems to be just about that of any other Verizon cell phone I have had. Verizon has decent service, though I find that there are dead spots in some rather populated areas. Nonetheless, sound quality when speaking to the person on the other line is generally very clear and easy to understand. The speakerphone feature works well too, and it is especially helpful when driving. Sounds do not come out sounding like the person on the other line is Darth Vader.
Here are some specifications for those who would like more information:
Length: 4.43 inches
Width: 2.45 inches
Depth: 0.55 inches
Weight: 5.5 ounces
Memory: 1GB onboard memory, 128 MB flash memory
Bluetooth supported
Video format support: MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H.264, WMV
Audio format support: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMA ProPlus
Overall, I have found my new Blackberry Storm to be an impressive phone, and a certain upgrade from other Blackberrys or smart phones. I find the touch/press screen to be especially unique and easy to become accustomed to. I also like the screen's clear display of graphics and colors. As I said, getting used to the way the phone works may take awhile, but you will quickly become accustomed - even if you have fat, stubby fingers! Battery life seems very good to me as well. Overall, I would certainly recommend the Blackberry Storm.
Though my order was placed closer to the summer, I did not receive my Storm until late November. Only now have I been accustomed to it enough to formulate an opinion on it. First off, do note that since this is Blackberry, only certain phones are available to certain customers. The Storm is available only to Verizon Wireless customers, of which I am one. However, since this phone is mostly used for business, it doesn't make much of a difference what phone company I have. On that note, I do know that the phone is $250 with a 2-year contract. It's definitely pricey enough to be considered in the same class as the iPhone.
Speaking of the iPhone, let's discuss looks, shall we? Personally, I find the Storm to be more professional looking than the iPhone, though the iPhone looks more playful and trendy. On that note, they are roughly the same size and a little bit smaller than the size of your hand. Further, the iPhone has only one button and a screen, while the Storm has several buttons (send, end, menu, return) below the screen and on the side of the phone. Clearly, these are different designs which cater to different people.
The plan that I am on costs about $85 per month, and it includes unlimited data usage (Internet, e-mail, messaging, navigation GPS) but extra charges for text messaging and overages in minutes. This is a fair price, and AT&T's plan is competitive with this one.
Let's talk about the touch screen. It is certainly a revolutionary idea which is becoming more and more popular in the world. Most people are not yet comfortable with having to type on a screen instead of on a keypad or keyboard, and I was one of those people. However, lately it has become second nature to me - just like it became second nature the other times I got new phones. A month later, I can type just as fast as I type on the computer...and that's fast! When typing, the key which is touched lights up and pops up to show that you selected the correct function. This helps me maintain concentration rather than having to look at the message every second to make sure that I spelled all the words correctly.
Another cool feature about the Storm is one which has created a lot of buzz. That would be the "press screen", which requires the screen to be pressed - like a button on a keyboard - in order to command the function. When first getting the phone, I would simply touch the screen to select a command, and nothing would happen. However, it has now become second nature for me to actually press the screen in and listen for the quick "click" to ensure that the button was passed. I really love this feature; it adds a whole new dimension and feels really cool when using the Storm.
Like the iPhone, the Storm can be held vertically or horizontally in order to be used. For example, if I am viewing web pages when holding the Storm horizontally and then turn the Storm vertically, the screen will adjust the web pages so that I can see them without having to turn my head sideways. Sometimes there seems to be a little a lag in adjusting the screen contents, but I actually found the lag to be less than that of the iPhone.
The screen, which has an impressive 480x360 pixel color display, features colors which are vibrant and display a high quality image on such a small screen. I will admit that I was hesitant using the Internet because I didn't want to deal with such tiny writing or pictures that I could hardly see. However, a magnifying glass and arrows which point the webpage in each direction help me view pages more easily. The images, when enlarged, increase in quality and radiance; I almost felt like I was looking at a mini version of my laptop screen.
There are some notable applications - besides the Internet and basic phone functions, such as contact lists and text messaging. There is also the ability to access not only AIM, but also Yahoo Messenger, Gmail Talk, and Blackberry Messenger. I have found AIM to be very easy to use overall, though there are some tricky things to do, such as attempting to highlight a section of an instant message or trying to select the space between two words, etc. It can be done, but it is time consuming and tough to figure out. However, I will note that AIM does capitalize and punctuate text where necessary, so there isn't much of a need to switch between the keyboard settings (letters or a combination of numbers and symbols).
Blackberry Messenger, as I mentioned, is one of the other messaging programs. For those who do not yet have a Blackberry, it is important to know about this tool. Anyone who has another Blackberry and your number can message you if you are signed on, which is why many co-workers feel like it's a monitoring device and means that all employees are on-call 24/7. Nonetheless, I have found Blackberry Messenger to be very professional and convenient for a variety of reasons. Complaints regarding being chained to work should be handled by the management of the customer's employer, not Blackberry!
Another application that is notable is the built-in GPS. While not as good or as big as my car's navigation, it is good when you have no other choice or need directions when on foot. I have used it several times to locate clients' locations in Manhattan, and it has consistently led me to the right place. In fact, last week it took some fellow co-workers and I to a steakhouse for a meeting.
There is one reason that many people do not want to combine their iPhones and iPods: because listening to music will eat up battery life, and there will not be enough battery for texting and making calls. I have the same dilemma with my Blackberry Storm, which has a media recording device and a video player. Nonetheless, I don't know of any MP3's that Blackberry makes, so I still have to bring my iPod(s) with me regardless. This is a decision that you'll have to make on your own.
On the note of battery life, I have a rather ironic story. When I first received my Storm, the battery life was virtually zilch. However, within a week of receiving the Storm (on the first day it was shipped out), there was already an upgrade made available, which changed the interface and vastly increased battery life. Clearly, Blackberry's original Storm version had some problems which had to be fixed immediately. Now, I can pretty safely go through the day making a fair amount of phone calls, answering a few text messages, responding to e-mails, and going on Blackberry Messenger or the Internet - and still have some battery left over. The Storm "officially" has six hours of talk time or 15 days of standby time. That's pretty impressive if you ask the Great jetbluefan1.
The audio quality of the phone seems to be just about that of any other Verizon cell phone I have had. Verizon has decent service, though I find that there are dead spots in some rather populated areas. Nonetheless, sound quality when speaking to the person on the other line is generally very clear and easy to understand. The speakerphone feature works well too, and it is especially helpful when driving. Sounds do not come out sounding like the person on the other line is Darth Vader.
Here are some specifications for those who would like more information:
Length: 4.43 inches
Width: 2.45 inches
Depth: 0.55 inches
Weight: 5.5 ounces
Memory: 1GB onboard memory, 128 MB flash memory
Bluetooth supported
Video format support: MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H.264, WMV
Audio format support: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMA ProPlus
Overall, I have found my new Blackberry Storm to be an impressive phone, and a certain upgrade from other Blackberrys or smart phones. I find the touch/press screen to be especially unique and easy to become accustomed to. I also like the screen's clear display of graphics and colors. As I said, getting used to the way the phone works may take awhile, but you will quickly become accustomed - even if you have fat, stubby fingers! Battery life seems very good to me as well. Overall, I would certainly recommend the Blackberry Storm.
