RANT: Stop beating on the Storm and start beating on the competition!

[trumptman]

I have a confession. This week before wandering off on vacation, I thought I could get by without my Storm. I sold it off and decided I would use an iPhone as my sole communications device. It isn't the latest greatest iPhone (2g) but it does get the job done, especially since I am often near wifi.

After the week, I'm here to tell you that it can't get the job done. I've also got a friend who has a Droid and it can't get the job done either. I'm buying back a Storm or might even just use my off-contract lines to go Storm2.

First and foremost, people were ticked that they lost data service a couple times in the last month and that this is a very bad thing that this happened with regard to RIMM. Realize this is almost a daily thing on the iPhone. A search of their forums turns up the obvious complaints about AT&T but also complaints about Wifi as well. It drops, it needs to be renewed, it was told not to pick up the neighbor's wifi and stop asking if I want to use it and it won't forget it. The phone is far from perfect. It also turns up tons of threads about issues I have seen as well like being at 5 bars and just watching the phone go to searching for service and then back to five bars.

Messaging on the iPhone is TERRIBLE. You have to quit whatever you are doing to respond to a message. There is no notification light. The notification is modal which means it jumps in front of whatever you are doing. There are no sound profiles. You can't say beep for a SMS but dear God just give me a short vibrate for Facebook notifications since I don't want to be bugged all day with that nonsense. People love noting how fast Safari is at loading a page. However it still has no flash and here's a hint. It never will because Apple has dug in their heels on this point. Also instead of just loading a page, try backing up to the previous page you have just navigated away from. Most times it has to reload the whole page instead of just snapping back.

The Blackberry Browser with javascript turned off is almost as fast as Safari. Take that phone out into the wild blue yonder where the network gets questionable and Blackberry Storm wins. Plus there is Opera Mini which is blisteringly fast.

I downloaded a nice app to train with regarding running and GPS. The app advices you to turn off the screen lock due to it messing with GPS. There is no way to have the app run in the background so any event that knocks it to the background, like an incoming call, means you have to pause and resume the program. You have to run with your screen unlocked and hope nothing messes with the program just to get it to run. The FAQ for the program actually notes how using GPS on the iPhone burns through the battery so fast you can practically watch the meter drain down.

My friend has the Droid and Android does how some strong points however....

He can't type for crap on it. We are talking about a guy who used to send me paragraphs for text messages and now sends me unintelligible crap that looks like an adult triple tapping on a Razr. The phone has BUGS, BUGS, BUGS. People were begging for that 2.0.1 release on day one and are already begging for 2.1. Half the recommended apps are widgets and interface improvements. How can it really be that great if I need a better keyboard out of the gate for example? Android increasingly wants you to use one app for Google and another app for everything else. I don't want two email programs so I can get my gmail and yahoo mail. I want my stuff all in one place. Also where is the Audible.com client? Why do I need a task killer if this phone is so perfect? Why is there no app to help manage media on my phone? Some of us don't want to copy over 8 gigs of music and manage it on a 3 inch screen. We want to manage it on our 21 inch screen and then select the playlist on our 3 inch screen.

Is my Blackberry a bit limited at times? Sure but what it does it does well and quick. It has the tools and programs I need and can multitask them reasonably well. It isn't perfect but the point is that no phone is yet. For now, it is the best solution for me. People should give credit where due. If you jailbreak your iPhone or start modifying parts of the OS on blackberry, you are going to be dealing with bugs, memory leaks and reboots as well and especially on the iPhone, the thing just isn't usable without a jailbreak.

[PaintDrinkingPete]

Not bad. The iPhone is an incredible device, but everytime I get a chance to use one, I become more and more surprised by the number of things I discover it can't do...and it's always something that my BB can do.

[valorian]

I've used my friends iPhones a few times now and to me it seems like it's just an iPOD that can make phone calls.

[l.a.rossmann]

I agree with nearly everything that has been said here.

However, the blackberry browser is not nearly as fast as mobile safari. Don't use the word fast referring to this browser.

Opera mini will load the entire page while this is still in the requesting stage with no text, frame, or images.

[trumptman]

If you turn off Javascript under options, it loads about 300% faster. For the occasional page that needs it, I save a bookmark and under the options for that bookmark, I have it activate Javascript for that website.

The differences when doing this are huge in terms of speed.

[Rooster99]

Sorry, I fail to understand why I need to waste cycles "beating on the competition!".

RIM doesn't pay me, and I bought the phone to work for me, not the other way around.

The bottom line is I paid for the phone to work as advertised, and complain when I don't get what I paid for. That's the free market at work. I don't have time to waste looking at RIM's competition for them - that's their job. And if RIM is looking for volunteers to do so they can look elsewhere. I have a business to run and a life to live.

I think you've got your priorities a little skewed, dude.

But as a tip, if RIM really wants to "beat on the competition" the most effective way to do that is keep their customers happier than the competition's. Feel free to pass that along.

- R.

[trumptman]

Originally Posted by Rooster99

Sorry, I fail to understand why I need to waste cycles "beating on the competition!".

RIM doesn't pay me, and I bought the phone to work for me, not the other way around.

So you bought the phone and it had a blisteringly fast browser and RIM took it away? Better still you bought it and RIM had a history of blisteringly fast browsers on all their other phones and just failed to deliver it on this phone.

Sorry dude, your sour grapes don't pass the smell test.

The bottom line is I paid for the phone to work as advertised, and complain when I don't get what I paid for. That's the free market at work. I don't have time to waste looking at RIM's competition for them - that's their job. And if RIM is looking for volunteers to do so they can look elsewhere. I have a business to run and a life to live.

The phone runs better than day one. The phone is no different from most RIM products delivered. Complaining that it isn't the competition is ridiculous. Just sell the phone and go buy the competition then because clearly they are what you want. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to use this phone. If the business and life are so important, cough up the cash difference between selling the phone and buying the next and get on with your life. Selling it and buying the Eris would probably lead to you pocketing $50 even. The difference between it and Moto Droid is probably $50. Is your life and business worth so little that you won't spend that to supposedly be happy?

I think you've got your priorities a little skewed, dude.

Sorry but I'm not the guy letting $50 keep me from phone nirvana by your reasoning.

But as a tip, if RIM really wants to "beat on the competition" the most effective way to do that is keep their customers happier than the competition's. Feel free to pass that along.

- R.

RIM shipped 10 million phones last quarter. There are plenty of people thrilled with the product. The sour sports like yourself need to move on and spend a little cash or even save a little cash to get to a solution that suits whatever it is you want. Clearly the other 10 million aren't delusional nor are they pissed or sour. No one claims RIM is perfect but the Storm is a great phone for most uses. Not everyone wants 200 apps on their phone. Most people want some quick browsing, great email and messaging and most of all a great reliable network to make and receive calls on. You load a Storm with Google Maps, Pandora, Opera, and a few other choice apps and you have a great phone.

[Rooster99]

You're missing the point completely, trumptman.

The OP has asked us to be Berry champions and spend time slagging the competition. My point is that I am not interested in being a Berry advocate. I am interested in being a satisfied consumer of a product I willingly paid the asking price for. And if I'm not satisfied I am letting the seller/manufacturer know.

That's it.

And as for your other comments :

1) I don't recall mentioning the browser - your words not mine; My beefs are actually a memory (or other) issue that deletes my data without asking me, an OS that was incredibly buggy when released, too many outages (and software issues) for a phone that prides itself on superior reliability, etc.

2) I'd never complained the phone "wasn't the competition" - again, your words, not mine; I just want the product I've paid for, and invested much time learning, to give me satisfactory service

3) If you read the Apple and Berry user forums on the net, you'll find the % of those using the iPhone that are ecstatically happy is much higher than the % of Berry users who are that happy - hence the terms "Jesus phone"

Please stop twisting my words. And next time, have a little respect for the people you're corresponding with.

- R.

[Dr. Droid]

Originally Posted by Rooster99

You're missing the point completely, trumptman.

The OP has asked us to be Berry champions and spend time slagging the competition. My point is that I am not interested in being a Berry advocate. I am interested in being a satisfied consumer of a product I willingly paid the asking price for. And if I'm not satisfied I am letting the seller/manufacturer know.

That's it.

And as for your other comments :

1) I don't recall mentioning the browser - your words not mine; My beefs are actually a memory (or other) issue that deletes my data without asking me, an OS that was incredibly buggy when released, too many outages (and software issues) for a phone that prides itself on superior reliability, etc.

2) I'd never complained the phone "wasn't the competition" - again, your words, not mine; I just want the product I've paid for, and invested much time learning, to give me satisfactory service

3) If you read the Apple and Berry user forums on the net, you'll find the % of those using the iPhone that are ecstatically happy is much higher than the % of Berry users who are that happy - hence the terms "Jesus phone"

Please stop twisting my words. And next time, have a little respect for the people you're corresponding with.

- R.

Makes sense to me!

[ocgreenmachine]

Originally Posted by Rooster99

You're missing the point completely, trumptman.

The OP has asked us to be Berry champions and spend time slagging the competition. My point is that I am not interested in being a Berry advocate. I am interested in being a satisfied consumer of a product I willingly paid the asking price for. And if I'm not satisfied I am letting the seller/manufacturer know.

That's it.

And as for your other comments :

1) I don't recall mentioning the browser - your words not mine; My beefs are actually a memory (or other) issue that deletes my data without asking me, an OS that was incredibly buggy when released, too many outages (and software issues) for a phone that prides itself on superior reliability, etc.

2) I'd never complained the phone "wasn't the competition" - again, your words, not mine; I just want the product I've paid for, and invested much time learning, to give me satisfactory service

3) If you read the Apple and Berry user forums on the net, you'll find the % of those using the iPhone that are ecstatically happy is much higher than the % of Berry users who are that happy - hence the terms "Jesus phone"

Please stop twisting my words. And next time, have a little respect for the people you're corresponding with.

- R.

1. What data exactly is your storm deleting without asking you? If it is calendar items or emails, that is a setting that can be changed within the options menu for calendar or messages. It deletes old emails after 60 days by default I think, but only off of the blackberry... not off the server. Also, it deletes calendar appointments after a certain number of days after the appointment.

2. There is absolutely NO product out on the market that will be EXACTLY what you want it to be... unless you were sitting with the developer and giving them your vision of what you want. That said, of course you want to have a product that you enjoy and can use. That requires careful research of products on the market and maybe stopping by a store to play with demos before deciding to buy a phone. I definitely went to the store and played with all the phones and weighed pros and cons prior to buying my storm (2 days after release) and read the reviews on the phone (they were pretty dismal at the time) and decided for myself that the Storm 1 was the phone that I most liked out of ALL the phones that I played with. I by no means think that the phone is exactly perfect, but I got EXACTLY what I shopped for: A phone capable of organizing my life, contacting my friends, navigating on the road, play games, watch movies, take pictures/video, and above all, improve my quality of life.

3. Once again, if you're not happy with your current blackberry, search out a better one, or go to the competitor if they have what you're looking for. If I own a honda, but want a bmw, I don't complain that the honda doesn't have what the bmw has and hope that someone at honda changes their design... I'd trade in the honda and buy a bmw!

[izzyncade]

An AMEN can go to the OP.... I too am sick of hearing about little problems, although there are some issues that need to be sorted out still... I remember hearing something like: If you want to be trendy, buy an Iphone... if you want to get s*** done, buy a blackberry....

[rameal999]

Originally Posted by valorian

I've used my friends iPhones a few times now and to me it seems like it's just an iPOD that can make phone calls.

lol thats really what it is... If I tape my itouch to my BB its gonna be better than an iphone lol hands down since it has a BB attached to it. I personally don't like the way the storm types thats the only reason I didn't get one and opted to get an 8530 Curve.

[trumptman]

Originally Posted by Rooster99

You're missing the point completely, trumptman.

The OP has asked us to be Berry champions and spend time slagging the competition. My point is that I am not interested in being a Berry advocate. I am interested in being a satisfied consumer of a product I willingly paid the asking price for. And if I'm not satisfied I am letting the seller/manufacturer know.

That's it.

You set the new irony mark. You tell me not to twist your words and then inform me of the intent of the OP when I AM the OP. It simply asks those who spend all their time noting flaws in Blackberry to turn that same process onto the competition PERIOD. It does not ask anyone to be a cheerleader.

You note that if not satisfied, you are going to let the manufacturer know. You can also just go choose the competition. More people around here need to do that instead of complaining about their incompetence. It is crazy to read some of these folks note the gyrations they go through with their phones and still blame it on RIM.

As for slapping your complaints head on....

1) I don't recall mentioning the browser - your words not mine; My beefs are actually a memory (or other) issue that deletes my data without asking me, an OS that was incredibly buggy when released, too many outages (and software issues) for a phone that prides itself on superior reliability, etc.

Did the amount of memory change since you bought the phone? Did you seriously not understand the state of the software within the first 30 days of service? Do you honestly think that RIM is less reliable than AT&T or Apple's MobileMe service?

Again, they don't pass the smell test. Claiming ignorance from day one is fine, but after day 30, you know what you got and you bought into it.

2) I'd never complained the phone "wasn't the competition" - again, your words, not mine; I just want the product I've paid for, and invested much time learning, to give me satisfactory service

Exactly what is satisfactory? When the Storm was introduced the iPhone didn't have MMS nor copy and paste, nor official tethering solutions, nor any true push solution, nor... etc. Android was at version 1 on a G1. Exactly how was RIM so far behind the curve? Exactly what growing pains have they suffered that you don't see everywhere else?

There is a reason it is called the cutting edge. If you don't like bleeding a little then get the **** off.

3) If you read the Apple and Berry user forums on the net, you'll find the % of those using the iPhone that are ecstatically happy is much higher than the % of Berry users who are that happy - hence the terms "Jesus phone"

Actually the Apple users merely blame their issues on AT&T so the lack of satisfaction is shifted there instead of being assigned to Apple. My household owns four Macs so I assure you I go to Apple forums. People just keep cutting Apple slack and don't declare a feature necessary until Apple actually addresses it. It is part of the fanboyism. Cut and paste, who would need that (until Apple adds it) then it becomes the greatest thing ever.

You should hear all of them declaring that multitasking sucks, unless of course it is multitasking while calling and getting an email in which case if you can't do it, then your phone is crap.

At least most BB users are objective about their phone. There is a reason it is called the Jesus phone. It is because Apple is like a cult.

[mudpud]

Originally Posted by trumptman

I have a confession. This week before wandering off on vacation, I thought I could get by without my Storm. I sold it off and decided I would use an iPhone as my sole communications device. It isn't the latest greatest iPhone (2g) but it does get the job done, especially since I am often near wifi.

After the week, I'm here to tell you that it can't get the job done. I've also got a friend who has a Droid and it can't get the job done either. I'm buying back a Storm or might even just use my off-contract lines to go Storm2.

First and foremost, people were ticked that they lost data service a couple times in the last month and that this is a very bad thing that this happened with regard to RIMM. Realize this is almost a daily thing on the iPhone. A search of their forums turns up the obvious complaints about AT&T but also complaints about Wifi as well. It drops, it needs to be renewed, it was told not to pick up the neighbor's wifi and stop asking if I want to use it and it won't forget it. The phone is far from perfect. It also turns up tons of threads about issues I have seen as well like being at 5 bars and just watching the phone go to searching for service and then back to five bars.

Messaging on the iPhone is TERRIBLE. You have to quit whatever you are doing to respond to a message. There is no notification light. The notification is modal which means it jumps in front of whatever you are doing. There are no sound profiles. You can't say beep for a SMS but dear God just give me a short vibrate for Facebook notifications since I don't want to be bugged all day with that nonsense. People love noting how fast Safari is at loading a page. However it still has no flash and here's a hint. It never will because Apple has dug in their heels on this point. Also instead of just loading a page, try backing up to the previous page you have just navigated away from. Most times it has to reload the whole page instead of just snapping back.

The Blackberry Browser with javascript turned off is almost as fast as Safari. Take that phone out into the wild blue yonder where the network gets questionable and Blackberry Storm wins. Plus there is Opera Mini which is blisteringly fast.

I downloaded a nice app to train with regarding running and GPS. The app advices you to turn off the screen lock due to it messing with GPS. There is no way to have the app run in the background so any event that knocks it to the background, like an incoming call, means you have to pause and resume the program. You have to run with your screen unlocked and hope nothing messes with the program just to get it to run. The FAQ for the program actually notes how using GPS on the iPhone burns through the battery so fast you can practically watch the meter drain down.

My friend has the Droid and Android does how some strong points however....

He can't type for crap on it. We are talking about a guy who used to send me paragraphs for text messages and now sends me unintelligible crap that looks like an adult triple tapping on a Razr. The phone has BUGS, BUGS, BUGS. People were begging for that 2.0.1 release on day one and are already begging for 2.1. Half the recommended apps are widgets and interface improvements. How can it really be that great if I need a better keyboard out of the gate for example? Android increasingly wants you to use one app for Google and another app for everything else. I don't want two email programs so I can get my gmail and yahoo mail. I want my stuff all in one place. Also where is the Audible.com client? Why do I need a task killer if this phone is so perfect? Why is there no app to help manage media on my phone? Some of us don't want to copy over 8 gigs of music and manage it on a 3 inch screen. We want to manage it on our 21 inch screen and then select the playlist on our 3 inch screen.

Is my Blackberry a bit limited at times? Sure but what it does it does well and quick. It has the tools and programs I need and can multitask them reasonably well. It isn't perfect but the point is that no phone is yet. For now, it is the best solution for me. People should give credit where due. If you jailbreak your iPhone or start modifying parts of the OS on blackberry, you are going to be dealing with bugs, memory leaks and reboots as well and especially on the iPhone, the thing just isn't usable without a jailbreak.

Don't you know multitasking is bad for your overall efficiency? Research has borne out over and over again that people can achieve 10x more single-tasking than multitasking. That being said, I love multitasking. Why? Because every BlackBerry Storm user is forced to multitask while waiting 10 minutes for the browser to download any major website's non-mobile version. It's ridiculous. Learn to multitask b/c the phone is a pos.

[mudpud]

Originally Posted by trumptman

So you bought the phone and it had a blisteringly fast browser and RIM took it away? Better still you bought it and RIM had a history of blisteringly fast browsers on all their other phones and just failed to deliver it on this phone.

Sorry dude, your sour grapes don't pass the smell test.



The phone runs better than day one. The phone is no different from most RIM products delivered. Complaining that it isn't the competition is ridiculous. Just sell the phone and go buy the competition then because clearly they are what you want. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to use this phone. If the business and life are so important, cough up the cash difference between selling the phone and buying the next and get on with your life. Selling it and buying the Eris would probably lead to you pocketing $50 even. The difference between it and Moto Droid is probably $50. Is your life and business worth so little that you won't spend that to supposedly be happy?



Sorry but I'm not the guy letting $50 keep me from phone nirvana by your reasoning.



RIM shipped 10 million phones last quarter. There are plenty of people thrilled with the product. The sour sports like yourself need to move on and spend a little cash or even save a little cash to get to a solution that suits whatever it is you want. Clearly the other 10 million aren't delusional nor are they pissed or sour. No one claims RIM is perfect but the Storm is a great phone for most uses. Not everyone wants 200 apps on their phone. Most people want some quick browsing, great email and messaging and most of all a great reliable network to make and receive calls on. You load a Storm with Google Maps, Pandora, Opera, and a few other choice apps and you have a great phone.

Dude - the other 10 million are mostly non-tech-savy people whose companies give them Berries or people who are fine with mediocrity. The only reason why I got the Storm is because I hate AT&T. If VZW wasn't stupid and rejected Apple in the first place, I would have had the iPhone from day one. No phone is perfect. But iPhone comes the closest to perfection. RIM is sooooooo 2002 and MS-DOS interface!