[bubbatech]

Today I went to the Verizon store to review my decision regarding the 9350. I thought the best way would be to directly compare it against functional phones at a store with working display models. I compared it against other smartphones including the the 8330, 8830, Centro, palm treo, XV6900, Samsung Omnia and anything else that looked reasonable. I played with them for awhile and concluded the following:

The iphone debate is completely irrelevant to me. Verizon doesn't offer it.

If your priority is sending text and email, then the 8330 or 8830 are the way to go. Their keyboards are pretty good and it is very easy to edit typed text. If your priority is receiving email with only occasional sending, storing information, portable net access, some media usage along with occasional reading of microsoft document files, nothing comes close to the 9350. For this use, it is simply the best device Verizon offers because the huge screen and the quality of the browser and email client make everything easy to see. So my decision is to keep it. Even if there were no further updates (I currently use 0.85), it is better than any other device I have ever had and serves my needs better than Verizon's other offerings.

Many people are focusing on minor flaws like dust or screen gaps and other nonsense, but the primary issue here is whether it is the most useful device for my needs. After using it for three weeks and then going back to compare it against other devices once again, the answer is yes.

[RyMac04]

Agreed

10char

[NFLBlitze1]

Today I went to the Verizon store to review my decision regarding the 9350. I thought the best way would be to directly compare it against functional phones at a store with working display models. I compared it against other smartphones including the the 8330, 8830, Centro, palm treo, XV6900, Samsung Omnia and anything else that looked reasonable. I played with them for awhile and concluded the following:

The iphone debate is completely irrelevant to me. Verizon doesn't offer it.

If your priority is sending text and email, then the 8330 or 8830 are the way to go. Their keyboards are pretty good and it is very easy to edit typed text. If your priority is receiving email with only occasional sending, storing information, portable net access, some media usage along with occasional reading of microsoft document files, nothing comes close to the 9350. For this use, it is simply the best device Verizon offers because the huge screen and the quality of the browser and email client make everything easy to see. So my decision is to keep it. Even if there were no further updates (I currently use 0.85), it is better than any other device I have ever had and serves my needs better than Verizon's other offerings.

Many people are focusing on minor flaws like dust or screen gaps and other nonsense, but the primary issue here is whether it is the most useful device for my needs. After using it for three weeks and then going back to compare it against other devices once again, the answer is yes.

i agree with you there brother, i just wish that blackberry would take that pine cone out of there tushy and give us a flawless Mac Desktop Manager

[asmallchild]

Only other device I'd consider is the omnia and there's a world of difference there. Love the storm

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[blsmith1]

I am sure keeping mine, i love my Storm. It is my first BB and i cant see how i ever lived without one. I do know i wont be without one again.

[glp320]

Long time BB user and I e-mail a lot. Every two was up this month. Reading all the problems that have been posted pretty much decided to keep my Curve and wait to see what might come out later. My company shuts down for two weeks at the end of the year. The second week I was bored out of my mind so I thought what the heck check out the Storm. Week to play and see what all the griping was about. Canada build, .75 installed. Me doing the typing trying to do the setup at the store I know this wasn't going to cut it. A couple of days playing and reading and to my surprise I like the sucker.... Only 3rd party I have installed is Quick Pull. Settled on a hard case just don't like the holster for it even though I used one with my Curve. So doing a battery pull is a pain. Being a heavy PC user re-boots are common to keep things running smoothly so no problem with that. Battery was not good at the first, but now I get through the day with 85% left. Work PC's are blocked from most sites so I teather to my laptop and surf once in a while but not full time and that helps some I know.

Maybe just lucky but I love it and going to keep it, glad I tried it for myself and didn't let all the negiative reports keep me from trying it out.

[basictek]

The storm has been better than expected for a 1st of it's kind. So I can't wait to see it in a year or so of software upgrades.

• Navigator both free and VZ are great (cept for the google maps bug)
• camera and vidoe are excellent for a phone
• video and music open to many standards, and look/sounding great
• 9 gig of storage to start up to 17 GIG to upgrade nice memory stick.
• ability to send all attachments(video/sound/pics) to email or IM without the need to purchase $20 SMS/MMS for messaging is AWESOME!
• Browser performance and 3G network have been great in FL
• Love the voice calling and bluetooth filesharing/music
• upload any song/sound make it your ringtone, upload any pic make it your wallpaper, customize your icons, fonts, etc. The features never end
• Oh and best of all it's not made by APPLE nor do I need to pay for anything to AT&T (both the lowest of the low imo)

[kigs]

and the storm gives you tons of lag too for free

oh wait...is that a good thing?

[CrackberryMike]

Agree with asmallchild ... for your needs only the Omnia poses any threat. Congratulations for waiting out the Storm!

[TheFarmer]

I'm keep'n mine as well. It's a sweet device. I originally stated on Verizon w/the Omnia. Then purchased the Storm and sold the Omnia

[Lodingi]

I completely agree. Nice post.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[basictek]

and the storm gives you tons of lag too for free

compared to what, lightening? A duel core processor? T3 internet connection???

I mean we're talking a 4" phone here and I'm not seeing much lag?

[kigs]

you're a newbie around these parts

if you don't see lag, you must be blind...even RIM agrees that there is lag overall

[Goldwinger]

I"m keeping mine. It's the first Storm I have received and it's going strong. I've not had to replace it. Each day I find more things to like about it. Knowing how successful Blackberry has been in the past kind of assures me that the
Storm will only get better.

[RHChan84]

I'm keeping mines. I have some lag but not a lot. I can deal with it.

[patrick64]

First time BB user. Got it the day after its release. Still don't like how it slows down towards the end of the day due to memory running low. Decided that its a keeper. Hopefully RIM and VZW will work out all of its bugs to keep me happy and satisfied.

[RHChan84]

Try doing memory cleaner and clearing out the Browser cache. I don't seem to have that issue. Mine runs pretty smooth.

[basictek]

you're a newbie around these parts

if you don't see lag, you must be blind...even RIM agrees that there is lag overall

Again, what are you comparing it to.

I have refined my storm and removed abou 1/2 the preinstalled crap (hmmm seems reminicent of a new computer... )

I compare my internet to iphone 3g and kick the crap out of it, I have an office full of of people using various bb devices like the curve and others, to me they are not faster, their screens are smaller, and they can't do as much. Maybe it's because I'm one of the only ones on verizons network, but especially when playing with media the storm kicks @$$.

Again I don't expect every screen to be instantaneous in this tiny 4" computer, but for a 1st try they did a pretty good job. Can't wait to see some future revisions (currently on .85).

[fineazngod]

I am keeping mine as well.

[Rooster]

How did you conclude that the storm was better at receiving emails than the 8830? Just curious as the WE was waht I moved to the storm from and I found that, other than obvious hardware features, all else seem pretty comparable especially sending/receiving emails.

[JSS9980]

I tried playing with the omnia as it had more features (on paper) but I did not care for the UI at all. I am quite happy with my storm

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[asmallchild]

I tried playing with the omnia as it had more features (on paper) but I did not care for the UI at all. I am quite happy with my storm

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

The UI was dated. (If you feel bad about your Storm because of WebOS, just imagine how Omnia owners feel)

And again, no true push email for non-enterprise users.

No, I'm not picking up an Exchange account for my personal email. Nor am I entrusting my personal email to the shady free companies that offer Exchange substitutes.

[zeteo]

Sent mine back. I was very sad I had to. It is slow. It would reset. The shutter would go off 4 seconds after the focus ended and the flash went off, resulting in black pictures.

Maybe next year.

[bubbatech]

How did you conclude that the storm was better at receiving emails than the 8830? Just curious as the WE was waht I moved to the storm from and I found that, other than obvious hardware features, all else seem pretty comparable especially sending/receiving emails.

Didn't say that really. What I meant was that it is easier INMHO to read emails because of that big honkin screen.higher res, bigger size.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[s11mike]

Im still trying to decide whether or not I should keep mine. I have 2 problems that I cant seem to solve. The battery life seems way to short, and the ringer volume is too low. I had the curve and that thing would go 3 days without a charge for me and you can hear it ringing from the next state. I've spoken to others who have had no battery complaints so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. I exchanged the phone thinking that was the problem but I had the same results. I left my house with a full charge at 6 am and by 1pm the battery had 1 bar left. I only made 3 short calls all day. I just dont get it. I love everything else about this phone but I need a phone to make it through the business day. I can deal with not being able to hear the ringer, ill just have to keep it on vibrate.