[strickler]

Hey guys...I have been following the storm forEVER and have been waiting for tomorrow (7am) anxiously. So PLEASE dont be mad at me for putting this negative post here...but i have to just let u guys know what i thought

Yesterday i went in to a verizon store to play around with a demo they had behind the desk. of course my heart almost stopped when they pulled it out and i saw it with my own eyes for the first time. I thought it was beautiful.

Texting is my thing. I have a million apps and use the browser and listen to music on my bb right now, but throughout all those other things i am texting like crazy. Not to toot my own horn but i am a VERY fast typer. So one of the first things i did when i got the phone was to open up a sms, turn it landscape, and go to town.



Yes, i understand that its a touchscreen and i will have to get used to it so i dont accidentally type the wrong button/etc...but that actually wasnt a problem. When i pressed a the screen down with my a finger on my left hand the screen did not come up again fast enough for me when i tried to type the next letter with my right hand. The storm knew i was there because the next letter lit up in the blue...but i couldnt click because the screen was still down from the last letter i typed.
It seemed to work perfectly fine if i typed slower, but you literally have to pick up every finger ever time and press it down firmly again. the screen honestly did not click fast enough, and theres no other way to explain it.

So all you extremely fast texters out there...im not sure if this is something that can be fixed in some way?? I know this sounds almost crazy, but like is said, the screen knew i was there bc it lit up, but i just couldnt click it. Its like if there was some way in the world software-wise to make it so the keys actually did register when u tapped them (like every other touchscreen phone out there...i know that RIM wanted to be different, i know) then you could FLY when u txted.

I am horribly disappointed and trust me, this is heartbreaking bc i was looking forward to this phone more than a healthy level. So yes, this is a negative review, but i say it with a sad heart

[BBGunn]

All I can say is give it some time. I had major problems learning to type on my Pearl and almost returned it, but after a month or so I became very proficient with it. I expect the same from the Storm. A little practice and muscle familiarization and it should be a breeze.

[jakeh0]

I really do hope that they make it so you can turn off the button aspect lol. If i'm looking where i'm typing I dont need to press down and get feedback

[Tdubby]

Yeah texting is a big thing for me too so I guess we'll see after the release... I'm going to wait a bit and see how the phone turns out with new updates

[socal]

I am so mad at you now...just kidding. I like hearing how different users react to it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[liquidsense]

I have had the same concern all along. And from day one, I suggested that RIM should provide a firmware update that allows the fastest typers to either turn the clicking function off (so that only the touch will activete the confirmation - a la iphone), or in the alternative, it should allow the second key (in your hypothetical) to register even though the left hand finger still has the button depressed. With the latter solution, you can still get the benefit of the click, you don't have to turn surepress off, and you can still type as fast as you want. RIM, please, please implement this.

[user0011]

I haven't been following the storm _too_ closely (but who can avoid it!?) . However, there is a chance that RIM has built in the ability to allow you to type without having to use the 'click', just using the touchscreen. For what it's worth, the iPhone took me quite a while to get used to, but once I did I can type on it almost as fast as my berrys. That being the case, it still doesn't make me _want_ to type. The Berry (any flavor, Storm to be seen) makes me want to write emails and novels on it. Hard to explain, but real nonetheless.

[Monstheman]

Good thing I'm a slow typer.

[chromedome]

i dont know how fast we can actually get...i remember reading somewhere online where it said fast typing is hardware restricted. so what this is saying is on an older version blackberry, where you had infinite speed with typing, now on the storm there is a finite speed that the phone hardware will allow, for typing speed. basically you cant be faster than the hardware will allow.

[badgerboy9]

A flawless keyboard design? Of course not. But can it be improved?

I have to say - if Blackberry cannot fix this "click-and-progress" type of keyboard to a more "a la iPhone" type design, like mentioned above, there is no way that even half the population will consider the phone worth it. It's like having a computer - would you want a top-of-the-line laptop if you could only type 20 wpm on it? NO of course not. You want to be able to use the device to the most efficient of your abilities.

I see no reason to take this flawed keyboard out of consideration of buying the phone and just "dealing with it". Until they fix the issue and allow consumers to touch and go, it is not worth having the phone. TOO many people these days browse the internet to make posts, text via SMS, respond to emails, and IM on their phones. A slow keyboard is not worth my time AND money for $250 dollars!!

Until this is resolved, EVERYONE should stick with the phone they have OR switch to AT&T and buy the BB Bold - it's a beautifully designed mobile device. :-)

[noles200]

I shouldn't have a problem. Wish I could type that fast.

[badgerboy9]

BTW, i'm glad this user "strickler" made this post. It's a HUGE problem and I'm hoping this device won't PERMANENTLY have this "hardware issue".

[strickler]

I have had the same concern all along. And from day one, I suggested that RIM should provide a firmware update that allows the fastest typers to either turn the clicking function off (so that only the touch will activete the confirmation - a la iphone), or in the alternative, it should allow the second key (in your hypothetical) to register even though the left hand finger still has the button depressed. With the latter solution, you can still get the benefit of the click, you don't have to turn surepress off, and you can still type as fast as you want. RIM, please, please implement this.

EXACTLY what i want!!!!

[ClickClack911]

The very first time I picked the phone up to type on it, I started out a little slow w/ no problem. Then I started typing as fast as I would on my enV (fast!) and had NO problem doing so.

After typing a little longer, I started noticing I'd be clicking the letter to the right of what I wanted when typing with my right thumb. A little adjustment there and again I had no problem. I'm personally not worried at all about the texting on this thing, as long as the Storm I get is just like the one I used when in store. Maybe the one you used the screen wasn't coming back up as fast as it should??? I dunno....

[IMAStormchaser]

Until this is resolved, EVERYONE should stick with the phone they have OR switch to AT&T and buy the BB Bold - it's a beautifully designed mobile device. :-)

Thanks for telling me what I should do!?!?! However, I'll probably give the thing a try before making any judgements. Geez....

[chum_2000_uk]

I've been using the storm for about a week now... have to be honest I was thinking yesterday that I'd probably be able to type faster on it if I didn't have to actually press the screen down. I think the screen rebound has slightly more travel than normal phone keys, so it takes a fraction longer.... plus with normal keys you can press the next key while the still holding down the last... which you obviously cant with this phone.

I tried typing (theoretically) by just tapping the screen as opposed to clicking, I definitely think it would be quicker

[notabun]

Yes give it time. I too played with a Storm at the VZW and I personally found texting to be almost 2nd nature from the get go. I loved the response and having to push down on the screen. I made a few mistakes here and there, which I'm sure will go away with time, but overall I enjoyed it.

To be honest though, if texting speed is your PRIMARY focus, then a touch screen is probably not your best option then.

[rynechaloux]

Have u seen some other reviews some people fly on the txting u must be a slow learner

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[FUSIBLE]

switch to AT&T and buy the BB Bold - it's a beautifully designed mobile device. :-)

Nah...I would never switch to ATT. I had a really bad experience CS wise and the service here is horrid. But the Bold will come to VZ. I would just wait if thats what I wanted.

[badgerboy9]

IMAstormchaser, I ALREADY sense a little bias in your name, but if you at all type normal and not "******** like", you'll agree with the majority of these posts before you go out and do an upgrade and spend 250 dollars just to return it 3 days later out of frustration.

"my two cents, amigo". wait, like the rest of this forum population

[JudgeHolden]

Have u seen some other reviews some people fly on the txting u must be a slow learner

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

That makes no sense. At all.

The limitation is how quickly the screen pops back up. Slow learners are the ones not limited by this as quickly. Fast learners will soon find themselves waiting before typing the next letter.

This is bad. Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad.

[brando123b]

I have decided I won't purchase anything until I see how all this unfolds. Nothing worse than going through all that hassle and have the thing be a big turd.

[IMAStormchaser]

IMAstormchaser, I ALREADY sense a little bias in your name, but if you at all type normal and not "******** like", you'll agree with the majority of these posts before you go out and do an upgrade and spend 250 dollars just to return it 3 days later out of frustration.

"my two cents, amigo". wait, like the rest of this forum population

lol. Yes, I admit to a definite bias! I just think I'll go ahead and pick mine up to give it a try instead of relying on others' experiences. To be honest, I'm not a huge texter, or emailer. I just love that the phone integrates all the things I want into one unit. Maybe not perfectly in every aspect, but it sure looks to be excellent in most, and very good in others.... we'll see how it turns out... :-)

[JudgeHolden]

Agreed. My priorities are:

1) Texting
2) Web browsing
3) Email
4) Voice
5) Videos

I'm thinking that the Bold and iPhone are better choices, given my emphasis on being able to type quickly.
Again, sorry Verizon, but you've really limited your phone selection in painful ways.

I'll wait a week or two and see if RIM addresses the typing complaints. If they allow us to type without pressing the screen down I'll pick one up. I doubt they'd cancel out their top selling point, though, even if it sucks in practice it's been bringing in hype and interest. They won't admit they were wrong.

[IMAStormchaser]

Oh yeah, I'll give it more than 3 days....