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Head to head: BlackBerry Storm vs. Apple iPhone 3G

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BlackBerry afficionados will get their first touchscreen fix in the Storm, about to be released in the US on Verizon this Friday, November 21. How does the device stack up against Apple's top-selling touchscreen smartphone? Both devices include GPS, robust web browsing and extensive media playback capabilities. Notable features the Storm wields over the iPhone include the removable battery, stereo Bluetooth support for listening to tunes wirelessly, a spring-loaded touchscreen that actually provides tactile feedback on button presses, a higher-resolution 3.2-megapixel camera with built-in flash, digital zoom, and video recording capability, and cut and paste functionality. The Storm lacks WiFi support and, although it can take advantage of a number of third-party applications, misses out on the refined user experience of browsing and installing apps iPhone users enjoy via the App Store — at least until March 2009 when RIM is slated to launch its own BlackBerry Application Center.

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Comments (16)

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Reply
Greg Elliott external link (5:17 PM on Tue Nov 18, 2008)

the storm is heavier and fatter than the iphone and couldn't pack in wi-fi? seriously?! ugh.

Reply
Barb Dybwad external link (12:51 PM on Sat Nov 22, 2008)

Yep -- RIM's response is that they wanted WiFi on the Storm but Verizon nixed it. And Verizon's response is that their 3G network is "so good you'll never miss the WiFi" which is secret code for "We'll make more money from data plans if people know they can't use WiFi!" ;-P

Reply
Jeremiah external link (10:12 AM on Sat Nov 22, 2008)

No wi-fi? Deal killer. . haha

Reply
Joe (5:06 PM on Tue Nov 25, 2008)

Funny, Mine has wifi

Reply
Barb Dybwad external link (11:03 AM on Wed Nov 26, 2008)

Your BlackBerry Storm has WiFi? How'd you work that magic?

Reply
Anonymous (3:44 AM on Tue Dec 2, 2008)

The Storm is complete rubbish. The Storm names does better fits the device than it's prior name the Thunder. This phone has created a storm of excitement about it, mostly marketing hype and early BS reviews from people who merely printed the VZW bulletpoints. Thunder would have been a more accurate name for this POS as it is nothing but that...Thunder. A loud noise to catch your attention, but producing no results.

Why do I rip on the Storm. Simple. It is crap. Yes, it is pretty and supposed to do a lot of really neat stuff. But there are 3 very glaring problems with the device that force me to keep my 9930 World Phone with Sprint and nix my plans to migrate over to VZW.

Gripe #1 - It's buggy at best. Unreliable and unpredicable software make this this hard to fall in love with. Ganted, these issues can be fixed, but with as much as I use and rely on my phone, it has to work when I bring it home. I'm not going to drop $250 on a new device, plus the expense and hassle of switching networks, just on the "hopes" they will fix the software bugs.

Gripe #2. No WiFi? Come on, please. 3G coverage is spotty at best. I need to be able to use the phone via WiFi around town. It's faster AND is actually easier to find WiFi around Portland.

Gripe #3 - The Big One. What's with the funky junky touch screen. I have to swipe my finger to select then press the entire screen to select? Typing on this thing is a joke, even when it is working right. If you use Text or Email on your device more than a little, you will quickly find yourself wanting to smash the Storm and slash your writs with it's cheezy screen.

The entire screen acts as a button. A far cry from the "tactile response" they were hyping. It really brought back memories of playing Boggle- You know, the kids game with the dice shaker in the middle of the board, you push down and release and the dice bounce around. That's about the complexity of the Storm's keyboard. You get one big key.

Touch to highlight, click to select. Plain and simple- input is painfully inaccurate and slow.

Let's not also forget about how this "revolutionary screen" floats on it's click sensor mechanism below. But it's about time that someone finally calls attention to that massive gutter that outlines the screen. There is such a huge gap between the device and the screen, you could store an entire picinic lunch in the crevass. There needs to be a rubber or foam grommet around the screen to keep debris out from under the screen. I give it maybe 4-6 months AT BEST before people have so much misc debris under their screens that they begin to fail at an alarming rate.

Now that I'm done ripping on the device, I will say a few nice things.
The screen is beautiful.
The overall design is attractive.
Document access and Media support are great.
8GB storgage card included.
Good camera.

Bummers:
Media player and camera have issues. Hopefully they can be fixed with software. (quickly I hope)
No case provided. SO many previous BB devices came with nice cases. Why make up plop down $250 for a new phone and then not provide us with a case...leave us to the aftermarket world? Here's the keys to your new car, the tire store is just over here and you will definately want tires for your new car.

RIM - You had the potential to have a real killer product, but you blew it. Fix the screen, fix the glitches and put WiFi in there and I'll buy a dozen for my enterprise. iPhone is looking better suddenly after playing with the Storm. This Storm turned out to be a simple rain shower.

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Anonyous2 (6:20 PM on Wed Feb 11, 2009)

I completely agree. the storm has created a storm of issues, as someone who depends on this crappy little device and as an engineer, I am completely disgusted and baffled at companies that charge hundreds of dollars for something that doesn't work properly, or at all.. and there really is no remedy for greed that drives companies to churn out substandard products.

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Michael (10:59 PM on Fri Dec 5, 2008)

@ Anonymous.

That's not Boggle - That was Pop-O-Matic Trouble, do your research!!

My BBS is doing fine, no glitches, no bugs, I'm very happy.

By the way, don't play with your phone in the sanbox, your touch-screen will be fine!

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Anonymous (2:51 AM on Sat Dec 6, 2008)

A jailbroken iPhone can have about 20 or so camera features/highlights, it can also be video capable, and the battery can be replaced/removed fairly easy if you're semi tech-savvy. iPhone > BBS I'd say. I rock a Nokia N95 anyway. Nokia > Apple > RIM :-P

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Anonymous (12:35 PM on Wed Dec 24, 2008)

I have the 2G iPhone which I just jail broke. I was nervous at first but the phone simply is AMAZING now. Tons of third party apps that will keep you busy for months! My friend just bought the Storm and also has the iPhone 3G. I just can't get into it. Way too complicated. The iPhone is SO MUCH SIMPLER!!

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Anonymous (8:57 AM on Tue Jan 20, 2009)

I have had my storm for about 40 days now. Verizon has yet to fix any of the issues the phone has including:
shutting off on its own.
Buttons on the side quit working entirely, camera while nice does not work at all now
You can't view the video's from the camera (when it actually worked)
The device just shuts off occasionally, always fun when you expect that important call.
Support for the phone from verizon simply does not exist, they give you conflicting information or bad informationon how to fix your issue. Once they hear you are on a corporate server they stop helping you and refer you to your company staff. who of course no nothing about the blackberry phone that just came out.

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sales (5:47 AM on Wed Feb 4, 2009)

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Reply
Juan Carlos (8:28 AM on Wed Feb 11, 2009)

Apple Iphone 3G 8GB $260USD
Apple Iphone 8GB $240USD
Apple Iphone 4GB $200USD
Apple iphone 3G 16GB $300

Nokia N96 (16GB) ....$300USD
Nokia E90 ...$280USD
Nokia N95 8GB $270USD

Samsung i900 Omnia 8GB.$260USD
Samsung i900 Omnia 16GB.$280USD

Sony Ericsson XPERIA™ X1 Solid Black $300usd

Blackberry Bold 9000 at $270USD
Blackberry Curve 8320 at $200USD
Blackberry 8830 $240USD
Blackberry Storm 9500 Touch Screen at $290USD

Package Contents
Blackberry Storm 9500
Battery
Mains Charger
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Reply
Anonymous (3:27 AM on Sun Feb 15, 2009)

i love the BBS it can be moded to do anything you want all the bugs are very rare and will not surface unless you are incompetent with technology. if so go back to your razors thats all you can handle

Reply
Juan Carlos (10:28 AM on Thu Feb 19, 2009)


Apple Iphone 3G 8GB $260USD
Apple Iphone 8GB $240USD
Apple Iphone 4GB $200USD
Apple iphone 3G 16GB $280

Nokia N96 (16GB) ....$340USD
Nokia E90 ...$280USD
Nokia N95 8GB $270USD

Samsung i900 Omnia 8GB.$260USD
Samsung i900 Omnia 16GB.$280USD

Sony Ericsson XPERIA™ X1 Solid Black $300usd

Blackberry Bold 9000 at $270USD
Blackberry Curve 8320 at $200USD
Blackberry 8830 $240USD
Blackberry Storm 9500 Touch Screen at $290USD

Package Contents
Blackberry Storm 9500
Battery
Mains Charger
Software CD
Data Cable
Carry Case

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NOTE: These phones is 100% UNLOCKED and can be used with any SIM card. No activation required (check carrier frequency requirements) Insert Your SIM CARD and start using the phone.

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Reply
Kiki (5:18 PM on Thu Dec 3, 2009)

I've been using this Storm for several months now. At first, the SurePress was really 'hell on earth' but I'll try to stick to it.

Now I found what SurePress was meant to be. With general touch screen, I accidentally select thing by only touched them. This is annoying, though. With SurePress, highlight what you want and press the screen when you need to run it. This is quite good. The touch screen in Storm is quite sensitive, it's good.

The iPhone? Only works while 3G available, otherwise it is damn slow even when EDGE is there. WTF? With my Storm, even when only GPRS is available, it still speedy enough to browse.

No WiFi? Yeah, this surely is major loss :( But I don't really need itu badly anyway. 3G/EDGE is widely available already.

The media is REALLY GOOD! I'm playing several MP4 decoded from my DVD and they plays cool! My son loved it to, haha.. :D

The only thing that need to fix badly is its weight. Compared to other BB or iPhone, yes this is much heavier.

...and the battery, too! RIM needs to double its capacity ^^

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Anonymous (8:49 AM on Tue Feb 9, 2010)

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