BlackBerry Storm: the aftermath
With day zero of the Age of the Storm (well, Verizon's day zero, anyway) now behind us, it's probably a good idea to pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and reflect on what just went down. First and foremost, we're hearing that stock levels are pretty bleak at the moment in many areas; in some cases, stores didn't get as many Storms as they'd been expecting, leading to speedy sell-outs. Some of those that were able to snatch a scarce unit were met with activation issues, Verizon's servers seemingly meeting the same fate as AT&T's and Apple's on iPhone 3G launch day. Will the situation improve? We can only imagine -- but it's hard to say just how long it'll take before you'll be able to stroll into the store (or shady mall kiosk) of your choice and score a Storm sight unseen, especially in light of the firmware drama unfolding before our very eyes. In the meantime, owners (and hopefuls, too), keep sending in your reports from the field![Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Zane @ Nov 23rd 2008 8:13AM
WTF is going on over at Engadget? 1000 comments to each blog post? Looks like the spammers are having a field day.
Terrence @ Nov 23rd 2008 9:54PM
I think it's just 'cause people have a lot to say about the Storm
My verdict - The Storm wasn't that big of a hit like a tornado
the iPhone is better in some ways listed here on somebody's blog: http://admiralh.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/why-the-blackberry-storm-is-no-iphone-killer/
SPOKE @ Nov 23rd 2008 8:21AM
There were no activation issues, AND they had only a few hunfred per store. of course, that is going to sell out. Vzw is just looking for the WOW PUBLICITY.
The only product(s) that will do this type of thing is apple stuff. I was there for that, the G1 and the Storm. The iphone was friggin chaos... and its not because of how good (or not) the phone is, its because of its mental fans. What do we call you? iHeads? iWhores? Aah, better now.
egoviri @ Nov 23rd 2008 12:50PM
Actually the EROS activation systems were down for most of the day, at least in the Washington/Baltimore area. Couldn't activate for long periods at a time, even calling in for help didn't work as I got the same answer from them. We lost a lot of money that day, hopefully they will come back in this week.
Charles @ Nov 23rd 2008 9:51AM
I got mine by walking in 30 min after the store opened. They said there were people standing in line 90 min before the store opened. I got the last one and the other 49 customers were gone. They were able to sell and activate 50 Storms in 30 minutes. Mine activated and had the phone book changed from my Q in about 10 minutes. I don't think I was in the store more than 20 minutes. (They did have a huge staff in the Verizon corporate store that morning.) Mine works fine. Isn't particularly slow. Landscape to portrait is about a 2 second change. I'm tethered to the phone now and am pleased with the connection speed. And it's version 65. At least here in Canton, Ohio there doesn't seem to be a problem.
Big Daddy Rob @ Nov 23rd 2008 11:44PM
What program are you using to tether?
Brian Murphy @ Nov 23rd 2008 10:27AM
I'm probably just about the perfect candidate for the Storm, as I've never owned a Blackberry or an iPhone (been HTC WinMo for 2 years), and I'm moving to Massachusetts- where apparently Verizon has the best overall signal coverage but otherwise crappy phones. I may be wrong, but I'd bet just about every reviewer of this phone carries either an iPhone or a Blackberry for their day to day phone - and it showed in their reviews, which mainly went something like "Here's why it's not an iPhone" or "Here's why it's not a Blackberry". Most of the software issues in pre-release and at launch should be addressed with firmware updates in the coming weeks. The only thing that makes me nervous is how that clicker button will hold up repeated use.
I'll wait a bit to see if the OS gets tuned up and whether the Storm users are still happy in a couple months time. If so, I'll likely walk into a Verizon store around President's Day and grab me one from stock, and on sale. It's a beautiful phone and I enjoyed using it in the store.
carcomptoy @ Nov 23rd 2008 11:54AM
Yeah for once I'd like to read a review without the phone being compared to the damned iPhone.
Bill Grove @ Nov 23rd 2008 2:01PM
You're going to hear about every smartphone made being compared to the iPhone until something better than the iPhone comes out. I'm not bragging as a fanboy, but it really IS the best PDA type phone I have used, and I was a dedicated Verizon subscriber for 8 years, went through every PDA phone they had, and NEVER had a phone even CLOSE to the versatility or user experience of the iPhone. I finally gave up on Verizon in wait for the i760, which I guess was about 2 years ago? Have been on the original iPhone since then, and have really had no more phone-envy! On Verizon, I was always eagerly anticipating the next phone coming out. Nowadays, when a new phone comes out, I DO want to know if it compares to the iPhone, because if it doesn't, I just don't care! I know that these gadget blogs are loaded down with comparisons of the iPhone and iPhone chat, but it's the same as saying "I really wish there was an honest review of the MacOS without comparing it to Windows." They just go hand-in-hand, at least until something else better comes along. That's going to be quite a while!
Bill
masonicangel @ Nov 23rd 2008 12:03PM
My storm has been perfect since activation and i have not had any of the issues reported by others. I believe that most are positve and only the negatives are being posted
masonicangel @ Nov 23rd 2008 12:06PM
I dont seem to understand what the hell people are talking about!!! What lag time or typing issues or buggy ui. I have had mine for two whole days and none of these issues even arise. My friend also has no issues. Many people whom i have spoken to and purchased one have none of these issues. i am so confused. we also found that when verizon takes the zip tie that they have on the phone off, all of those issues on the phones in store go away. it seems to be the pressure that there lock system is applying on the outside edges of the screen that mess it up in store.
MidnightDT @ Nov 23rd 2008 12:25PM
the Verizon Storm was set to launch with an OS higher than 4.7.0.65. The boxes handed out at the Verizon media event on Tuesday in NYC (where all those reviewers picked theirs up) actually have stickers on them that show 4.7.0.82. Yet the devices were actually loaded with the .65 OS. Did you purchase a Storm today? Take a look at the sticker on your box. If you peel it off, you'll see one beneath for 4.7.0.82. Right before the Storm was set to ship en mass, a security glitch was caught in the OS that prompted a hault of shipment. With no time to release a newer, updated OS, the Storm's that made the stores for today's launch were simply a limited number of units that were reprovisioned with an older OS, version 4.7.0.65. Yada, yada, yada.. that explains shortages and the revised December 5th availability date along with the not quite silky smooth OS. Suffice to say, you can expect an OS update to storm into town soon.
Spartan @ Nov 23rd 2008 12:37PM
In this phone's current state, I cannot make it two weeks until a new firmware is released. Mine is running 4.7.065 and is buggy as can be. I am returning mine today. Sadly my Verizon Curve is more efficient at carrying out simple tasks such as composing a new email or text, or even more complex things such as using the browser. I cannot stand waiting 3+ seconds for response to clicking a button or for the accelerometer to kick in. The biggest complaint is having to hit the back button 4 or 5 times for it to register. This is now the third touch screen I have bought from Verizon that has been an epic fail. The Voyager, Dare, and now this. I don't expect it to be perfect, I just want it to work. If only Verizon had the Bold...
Sebas @ Nov 23rd 2008 1:39PM
Where can i find that wallpaper (for my iphone:P)
Bill Grove @ Nov 23rd 2008 2:05PM
Here are all those Storm wallpapers:
http://forums.crackberry.com/showthread.php?p=1025459#post1025459
Bill
Francisco @ Nov 23rd 2008 1:51PM
What is that background? I've seen it on all of these website but when I went to my local verizon store it wasn't on their display units. It looks neat like legos and robots. Someone hook me up with a link to it please.
Mike @ Nov 23rd 2008 2:06PM
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4DKUS_enUS271US271&q=eboy&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi
Google Image Search: eboy
Knut @ Nov 23rd 2008 3:17PM
Went to the store today to play with one, left my iPhone for a Blackberry Curve. NOT impressed with the storm at all :( Very slow, so i closed some open apps, and it became a little quicker, but nothing amazing. Personally I'm not a big fan of the "clickable" touchscreen. For now I'll keep my curve and wait for the Bold's pricing to come down. I'm sure some will love it, it is undoubtably an AWESOME device, its just not for me.
hector @ Nov 23rd 2008 3:42PM
well i don't know what is up with alot of these posts but we have not had any issues with activations and neither have our stores in the area, not the day of the sale and not now. I dont know where you are getting this information and i feel like you are pulling an AT&T here, "least dropped calls" umm yeah in a small town for a single day, goes to show that you cant believe everything you read, also it might have been a local outtage, and yes systems were slower but again no issues with activating.
Richard @ Nov 23rd 2008 4:10PM
I got mine with the Best Buy reservation yesterday, and besides them forgetting to give me my $50 back I'm pretty pleased. It is pretty sluggish, but I expected that until they release an update. Btw, if anyone paid full-price without a contract, how much was it? I was expecting $499 or $549, but had to buy it for $599.
Paul @ Nov 23rd 2008 4:41PM
I bought it online today (Sunday 11/23) for $499 as a "full price upgrade". The web site says my order has been processed and that I'll receive it in 2-3 days. I wasn't expecting to see it until 12/15 or later, so this is a surprise and might be incorrect. But that's OK if I have to update the OS myself. I spent some time with it in the VZW store yesterday and was very pleased with what I saw, much better than my current Windows Mobile 6 phone.
justinhub2003 @ Nov 23rd 2008 6:28PM
yea i went and checked it out and wanted to compare it to my g1 and hands down i am so happy i have my g1 and not this buggy lagging slow POS, it was hard to type on, the browser was not near as good as the g1 or the iphone..
also the 3 verizon stores i visited in the 2 malls i went to, all had less than 25 storms to sell, to be exact one had 25, one had 15 and one had 5... ha and the guys at the store were telling a customer like "yea these things are selling like crazy" and i asked how many you guys get, he said 5 and i almost laughed, i was thinking like 5 hmmm wow thats really selling like crazy, those verizon guys are gonna get big commission yo.
masonicangel @ Nov 23rd 2008 8:02PM
two bad some of you lame o's are returning os update tomorrow already in the works.
Chad @ Nov 23rd 2008 10:08PM
finally got mine today, the device was laggy as hell until I deleted VZ Nav! Now it runs liquid smooth.
Gadgetman007 @ Nov 24th 2008 10:17AM
I have zero evidence to support whether this is of any help to the issues, but I noticed on RIM's website this morning that there is an updater for the Storm's software. I have no idea what rev. this is since I am waiting on my Storm, but if there is a brave soul who wants to try it - let me know what rev. it is (it looks like you must have the device connected to your computer for information on the rev.). Here is the site - http://worldwide.blackberry.com/update/blackberrystorm.jsp