[Wond3r]

I am wanting to get a Storm 9530 and I hear its wayyyy better on OS 5 compared to 4.7 or something. I see that Telus doesnt even offer the new OS.

Can I update it to the newest one?

I hear so many bad things about Storm's and people warning me not to get one... but I've always wanted one. Does OS 5 fix many of the problems? Is this a durable phone? I need it to last me at least 2 years. I take very good care of my phones.

[andino]

As long as you load the firmware for your model phone (9530), it doesn't matter what carrier you have.

Check out the BB how-to section on how to load OS's to your phone.

[Wond3r]

Thank you for clearing that up for me, sir.
I just thought the OS might have an effect on the radio of the phone, which deals with the carrier.

So now I just need to know about the rest of my questions from my post. Will the phone last for me?

[squire72]

OS doesn't matter carrier to carrier... only different thing between the two is Telus doesn't support MMS on CDMA blackberries.

Running OS 5.0.0.419 on Telus no problems

[Wond3r]

I want a reliable phone that will last me. Do you think the Storm is good? I hear they have many hardware problems and Storms go in for refurb more than any other BB.
How long have you had it? Any problems?

[Krypto]

I want a reliable phone that will last me. Do you think the Storm is good? I hear they have many hardware problems and Storms go in for refurb more than any other BB.
How long have you had it? Any problems?

I know people who still have the original Storm after more than a year, and I know others who have replaced it multiple times.

I've replaced mine a few times but only once because I actually had to.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Krypto]

And one more comment... You can go upgrade on your own but if you upgrade to a non-official OS, you likely won't get support until you downgrade back to the official OS.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Wond3r]

What are the reasons that you've had to replace yours for?

[Krypto]

The very first one I got on the day of release had a camera problem that was a true hardware issue. On the replacement for that one, I didn't have the BlackBerry Application Center and I couldn't get it no matter what so we replaced it to see if we could get one with it. The replacement didn't have it either. Turns out its a Telus issue with the service books so we left it. That phone lasted me for 8-9 months, then the screen finally started to tighten up. This can be easily repaired by adjusting the Tor-x screws but since the phone was under warranty, we replaced it.

So only one replacement that was necessary.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[DUKDIKz]

i replce mine too,,this is ma 2nd,,this one its working pretty gud..

[skwij]

Mine has been perfectly fine, and as far as I know, it's coming up on a year old.

Still solid hardware-wise, and 5.0.0.419 is a solid Operating System, which has only made that device that much better.

[cinosa]

I'm on my original, was running .419 but am in the process of loading the newest hybrid from OOAKDPC. I've had my Storm since Dec 27 of 08. No problems that I've encountered that weren't related to the OS it had on it, and it's been gravy since we had 5.0.0.230 and up working on Telus. Truthfully, I never had any issues with 4.7 either, some lag here and there, but it's been a solid device.

[Falling]

I have had my Storm since Jan 08, still the original one too. Never had a lick of problems hardware wise, but I have installed pretty much all of the official and leaked os's that were released, with varying degrees of success. Currently I am running 5.419 and am very happy with it. I am looking forward to trying the .451 java files to see if it fixes the minor glitches .419 have. I am one of 3 people in my office with storms and we are all quite happy with them. I would buy another but I am going to wait until S3 comes out next year. I will be able to upgrade with a better deal then.

[Rooster99]

I guess I have to be the lone voice to disagree. I got mine with the original 4.7.1.76 OS and that may be why I'm so negative towards the Storm. I'm now running 4.7.1.122, which is the latest Telus Storm OS release. It is laggy still (buttons don't respond when depressed, turning portrait/landscape has delays, etc.), camera is slow, making a call kicks you into a single second of VERY LOUD speakerphone right at the beginning no matter what you do, etc. Lots of little problems making this phone a very bad Berry experience for me. And there are memory issues where I've had "old" Calendar entries and emails deleted without any prompting - they just disappear. I am now waiting for a warranty replacement. I'm now on my 2nd phone, as I broke my first one, so I've had similar issues with 2 Storms and I'm PRAYING the third time is a charm.

My understanding is "most" of these problems disappear with the Storm2. In addition, I've read in the Storm OS sub-forum that RIM's OS development will concentrate on devices with more memory than the Storm1 so buying the Storm 1 is a ton of "what you see is what you're stuck with for some time". The only exception is the potential for an official upgrade to a 5.0 OS version, which you really really want. Even the Storm 2 isn't really buying for the future though as it's on the very low end of where RIM's development efforts are aimed.

I have to be honest and admit that many people here say they've never had a problem with their Storm 1 so it seems to be a real crap shoot.

Bottom line? If you can at all afford it, go Storm 2 rather than Storm 1.

Sigh ...

- R.

[Krypto]

Rooster99, all the issues you've described are due to the OS. The official 4.7.0.122 is painful to say the least. If you can, I'd very strongly recommend installing MTS and Bell's newest official OS, 5.0.0.419. I can just about guarantee you'll grow to like your Storm a lot again. Indeed, if you upgrade, the upgrade to the Storm2 isn't nearly as big of a deal. While the Storm2 has more memory, wifi and a couple of other benefits, it still uses the same OS platforms as the Storm 1 and the rest of the current BBs, meaning it still isn't that much better.

At the very least, reloading the OS would fix at least some of the issues you're experiencing, but other issues (like speed) would still continue to be a problem.

If you do choose to upgrade, the only thing you need to do is to downgrade again if you have any problems that require you to go back to Telus for assistance.

(The 5.0 OS is so much better that I knew someone who absolutely hated her Storm (replaced a broken Motorola Q) and didn't want to touch it. I upgraded it to 5.0.0.328 in November for her and she went from hating it, to couldn't stop playing with it. Of course the novelty has since worn off, but she no longer hates her Storm and has no problems using it).

[buckifvr]

Agreed, I have a Storm 1 original from initial launch date. I am currently running 5.0.0.419 with 9500's .451 Java and it runs really smooth and is very reliable. Really my only complaint is that the browser is slow and app memory is miniscule. Otherwise my Storm performs great. Upgrading your OS is a must for the Storm 1.

[Wond3r]

How does the "app memory" work? Is it less than other BBs?

[buckifvr]

Currently App Memory is fixed on al BB devices. The newer devices have more memory. I believe the Storm 1 has only 128 MB of app memory, which is very limiting. Thats why Storm 1 owners are constantly monitoring their memory.

[Krypto]

App Memory on the Storm is indeed 128MB. The OS and all applications are installed on this, and your messages, address book, calendar, and other databases are also stored in app memory.

If you install a bunch of applications you don't use, those will take up application memory. Delete applications you don't use.

The main reason that people are so concerned about application memory is because the original OSes has serious memory leaks and many people had nothing left after 1-2 days. So there were applications created like MeterBerry so you could keep track of your memory and other apps like QuickPull to do a simulated battery pull. Basically, they turned us into a bunch of people concerned about memory.

While the new OSes still leak memory and require the occasional battery pull, they don't leak nearly as much as the originals, and now, if there is a big memory leak, it's more than likely due to a theme or application.

[buckifvr]

Krypto you stated that much better and more eloquently than I.

[squire72]

the other thing you don't hear mentioned nearly often enough is the only thing free app memory is really needed for is installing more apps - the free memory doesn't do anything to help the phone run any better/smoother

I ran my phone sitting at 0mb free app memory for 2 days, and the only negative effect I noticed was the repeated warning that I should reboot my phone (when I did it went back to 18mb free, and stays around there most of the time) - the phone worked perfectly the whole time.

[buckifvr]

the other thing you don't hear mentioned nearly often enough is the only thing free app memory is really needed for is installing more apps - the free memory doesn't do anything to help the phone run any better/smoother

I ran my phone sitting at 0mb free app memory for 2 days, and the only negative effect I noticed was the repeated warning that I should reboot my phone (when I did it went back to 18mb free, and stays around there most of the time) - the phone worked perfectly the whole time.

There is some debate over your claim. Many including myself have noticed a decrease in performance with decreasing app memory. The newer OS's seem to handle memory better however so its not as much as an issue today, unless you install an app or theme that creates a huge memory leak.

[littlegreenmen]

I am wanting to get a Storm 9530 and I hear its wayyyy better on OS 5 compared to 4.7 or something. I see that Telus doesnt even offer the new OS.

Can I update it to the newest one?

I hear so many bad things about Storm's and people warning me not to get one... but I've always wanted one. Does OS 5 fix many of the problems? Is this a durable phone? I need it to last me at least 2 years. I take very good care of my phones.

All support for the S1 will slow to a crawl if not become non existent all together. Its been over a year now and RIM cant get it right. It comes down to a complete OS overhaul which is supposedly being done but in no way shape or form be compatible with S1. After a year since release i wouldnt tell anyone to go out and get this. Plenty of other BB models to choose from that work much better. Plenty of other touchscreen model phones from other makers as well.

[squire72]

There is some debate over your claim. Many including myself have noticed a decrease in performance with decreasing app memory. The newer OS's seem to handle memory better however so its not as much as an issue today, unless you install an app or theme that creates a huge memory leak.

not so much a claim as an observation... I suspect that had I known app memory was low I might have noticed a difference, but there wasn't one - then it warned me, and I paid a little more attention, and there was no lag that wasn't normally there (the slow browser)

pretty sure it's all perception - you expect it, you see it.

[Krypto]

All support for the S1 will slow to a crawl if not become non existent all together. Its been over a year now and RIM cant get it right. It comes down to a complete OS overhaul which is supposedly being done but in no way shape or form be compatible with S1. After a year since release i wouldnt tell anyone to go out and get this. Plenty of other BB models to choose from that work much better. Plenty of other touchscreen model phones from other makers as well.

I'm pretty sure the OP is looking at the original Storm because Telus is offering it for $0 on a three year contract. For Canadians, that's a good deal. Plus, we don't have all the models you guys have in the USA. I think its clear you didn't have a good experience with your Storm, but from this thread, its also clear that a lot of other people haven't experienced the issues you did.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com