FAO AD: Finally a real iPhone competitor the Blackberry Storm!

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 06:03 PM

Touchscreen BlackBerry Storm finally unveiled
Wed Oct 8, 2008 12:01AM EDT
See Comments (104)

Buzz up!on Yahoo!After months of rumors, the Storm—the first-ever touchscreen BlackBerry—is finally official, and it's set for Verizon Wireless (exclusively, for now) later this fall. Read on for the details.

Verizon hasn't coughed up a hard-and-fast release date for the Storm—nor any pricing details, for that matter—but this much we do know: It'll pack in dual-mode CDMA and GSM radios for full-on world calling, 3G access (both EV-DO Rev. A and HSPA), GPS (along with turn-by-turn directions), Bluetooth (including the A2DP profile for stereo Bluetooth headsets), and a 3.2-megapixel camera with flash and autofocus.

Measuring 4.4 by 2.4 by 0.55 inches and weighing in at about 5.5 ounces, the Storm (which is also set to arrive in Europe through Vodafone) looks to be roughly the same size as an iPhone or the upcoming T-Mobile G1, so it should be reasonably pocketable.

The centerpiece, of course, will be the Storm's 480 by 360-pixel, 3.25-inch glass display, which will support multitouch (good for two-finger gestures, a la the iPhone). Even better, though, is a feature that RIM calls "ClickThrough": a design that lets you "distinctly feel the screen being pressed and released with a gentle click" for a "highly intuitive experience." Sounds promising, but whether the Storm's display actually delivers the tactile experience that's missing on the iPhone and the G1 remains to be seen (or felt, I guess); I look forward to trying it out in person. Update: Click here for initial ClickThrough impressions from the Web; so far, so good.

In addition to the multitouch display, the Storm will also come with an ambient light sensor, along with an accelerometer that'll automatically turn the screen when you hold the phone sideways. Speaking of which: When it comes to entering text, holding the Storm in a landscape view will give you a full QWERTY touch keypad, while in portrait mode you'll get a SureType keypad (or the same layout as on a BlackBerry Pearl).

Naturally, messaging will doubtless be one of the Storm's strong suits. Expect full-on BlackBerry e-mail support, complete with push e-mail and access to POP and IMAP e-mail servers. Also on board: SMS, picture and instant messaging.

The Storm will also come with full-on Office document editing—including support for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents—courtesy of DataViz Documents to Go. Of course, plenty of other BlackBerry applications are already available, and there's word that a branded BlackBerry store is on tap, similar to Apple's App Store and the Android Market.

Besides its 3.2MP camera, the Storm is set to arrive with full HTML Web browser (double-tap to zoom, tap and slide to scroll), a video and music player, with Verizon promising smooth, full-screen video playback. There's also a 3.5mm jack for your earphones, 1GB of internal storage, and a microSD expansion slot for another 16GB of flash memory.

All in all, sounds like a formidable package, although something's missing if you look carefully: Wi-Fi. Ugh.

**MEP** · 10-08-2008, 06:05 PM

I was just searching for this today on the web! lol You told me about it a while ago but I couldn't remember the name!

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by MEP

I was just searching for this today on the web! lol You told me about it a while ago but I couldn't remember the name!

It's beautiful! LOL. I love Blackberrys.

**MEP** · 10-08-2008, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

It's beautiful! LOL. I love Blackberrys.

Me too

AD · 10-08-2008, 06:20 PM

L

I already knew about this months ago. i like it, though, but i'm gonna wait and see. if it's good then i'm gonna see if i can convince the owners if we can upgrade. oh ya! i'll be rockin' one of these babies and catchin' all the hunnies.

i can see it already: "yo, baby, check out my rockin' rim blueberry! wanna fuck?"

AD · 10-08-2008, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

It's beautiful! LOL. I love Blackberrys.

i'm gonna have to give you the "agreed" stamp of approval.

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by AD

L

I already knew about this months ago. i like it, though, but i'm gonna wait and see. if it's good then i'm gonna see if i can convince the owners if we can upgrade. oh ya! i'll be rockin' one of these babies and catchin' all the hunnies. "yo, baby, check out my rockin' rim blueberry?" wanna fuck?"

I'm not late it was announced a while ago but unveiled today. Way cooler than that BS G1. It's a Blackberry it is most DEFINITELY good.

AD · 10-08-2008, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

I'm not late it was announced a while ago but unveiled today. Way cooler than that BS G1. It's a Blackberry it is most DEFINITELY good.

g1 is open source. it will take several years for the OS to be cool. also, remember that the hardware is not from google. it's just the OS. so there!

but ya, the strawberry is DEFINITELY goot!!! me likes!

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by AD

g1 is open source. it will take several years for the OS to be cool. also, remember that the hardware is not from google. it's just the OS. so there!

but ya, the strawberry is DEFINITELY goot!!! me likes!

In the meantime Apple is building iPod like dominance with the iPhone. People aren't going to wait for Google to get cool. Microsoft made the same mistake by getting to the game late with the Zune. Now the iPod rules the mp3 player market and the Zune is not even an after thought.

AD · 10-08-2008, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

In the meantime Apple is building iPod like dominance with the iPhone. People aren't going to wait for Google to get cool. Microsoft made the same mistake by getting to the game late with the Zune. Now the iPod rules the mp3 player market and the Zune is not even an after thought.

google f'd up by not with what hardware was going to be used. relying on the software is nice, but so is the hardware. what good is having a ferrari engine in the body of a pinto? looks matter too and googs messed it up.

but ya, you're right about the ipod dominance in the mp3 player market.

**joesuuf** · 10-08-2008, 07:14 PM

Our firm always gets the new Blackberrys when they come out UNLESS it has a camera. CA Court rules prevent cameras from getting past security.

What I rock...

A lot of non-legal friends have the Curve.

**Lupine** · 10-08-2008, 07:26 PM

While I agree the cool factor plays a huge part in the iPhone's success, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of Android. Like AD mentioned, it's open source so I would think the developers community for it will grow in a way that I don't think Apple's will. At any rate, the arrival of Android is a good thing for consumers.

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

People aren't going to wait for Google to get cool.

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by joesuuf

Our firm always gets the new Blackberrys when they come out UNLESS it has a camera. CA Court rules prevent cameras from getting past security.

What I rock...

A lot of non-legal friends have the Curve.

That's really old. Hell the 8830 is really old and it has no camera.

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lupine

While I agree the cool factor plays a huge part in the iPhone's success, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of Android. Like AD mentioned, it's open source so I would think the developers community for it will grow in a way that I don't think Apple's will. At any rate, the arrival of Android is a good thing for consumers.

Until it is paired with some compelling hardware it is only going to be a blip on the radar. In wireless right now hardwar means everything.

**noone** · 10-08-2008, 08:47 PM

only for verizon???is that true???and that $600 price tag aint nuttin to sneeze at either...guess i'm stuck w/ my 8820 for a minute longer...

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by noone

only for verizon???is that true???and that $600 price tag aint nuttin to sneeze at either...guess i'm stuck w/ my 8820 for a minute longer...

Initially probably but I doubt it's completely exclusive.

**noone** · 10-08-2008, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

Initially probably but I doubt it's completely exclusive.

coool...imma wait on the laptop then...this'll be much more convenient...really need the video feature for getting around the city...this is the reason here:
http://nyctmc.org/

can't get it to work on the 8820...ugh

**kaaos** · 10-08-2008, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

I'm not late it was announced a while ago but unveiled today. Way cooler than that BS G1. It's a Blackberry it is most DEFINITELY good.

at&t claims the fastest 3G....is this true?

**kaaos** · 10-08-2008, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

In the meantime Apple is building iPod like dominance with the iPhone. People aren't going to wait for Google to get cool. Microsoft made the same mistake by getting to the game late with the Zune. Now the iPod rules the mp3 player market and the Zune is not even an after thought.

i have both ipod and zune and the zune is way better

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by kaaos

at&t claims the fastest 3G....is this true?

No. Sprint and Verizon are both faster. Once Sprint launches their Wimax service there will be no comparison.

**The Good Reverend Rollo Goodlove** · 10-08-2008, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by kaaos

i have both ipod and zune and the zune is way better

Great for you.

**The Real Dragonfly Jones** · 10-08-2008, 10:34 PM

That phone is beautiful!!

**kaaos** · 10-08-2008, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by Huey P. Freeman

Great for you.

**Lupine** · 10-12-2008, 03:37 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/12/1...y-pre-ordered/

For a phone that's not even out yet and is visually unremarkable, that's a pretty impressive number.

As a light phone user, I won't have any interest until something comes out with iPhone-like functionality and usability (with a user-replaceable battery) that can be used with a pay as you go plan (other countries already allow this). I've been saving between $20-$30 a month ever since i switched from their standard voice plan to pay-as-you-go. I'm not about to get a smartphone and get reamed with expensive voice and data charges just for an occasional google maps look-up.