[orange7esq]

I just got back from VZW after playing with the storm for the last hour. Attached is a pic of the software information that was running on the device. Also, I was told they received the demo unit last night. I am typing this quickly, without a lot of spelling/grammar checking so hopefully that will not hinder my review.

Personal background:
I am an Attorney by day and a tech guru by night. I play with gadgets a lot and am very up to date with technology. I currently have an LG Dare and an Ipod Touch (2G). My bro has Iphone3G. I build computers and trouble shoot peoples' computer problems. When my friends have a computer or legal problem, I'm their guy...

Personal preferences:
Before I talk about the storm- I feel i should mention my view that the iphone/ipod touch interface is currently the benchmark and leader of the pack. I know it's not perfect, but at the end of the day it is the internet in your pocket. Also, the touchscreen on apple's devices has not been matched yet (to date) in terms of multi-touch (pinch, zoom, swipe, etc.) I bought the LG Dare hoping it would be a great alternative to the iphone on Verizon and it has disappointed me in a lot of ways. Mainly the touchscreen is not sensitive enough (it is resistive vs. capacitive). The internet on the Dare is probably a "C" rating. Where you can see some stuff in a pinch, but next to the iphone no one would ever choose to use it. The iphone browser is an "A" rating for ease of use and ability to actually surf the web enjoyably.

Storm review of Demo unit:
I have attached a pic of the software information (i took the picture with the LG Dare!) since I am not sure which one will actually be available come Friday.

Early Gripe:
I'm not really going to bore you with details about the build quality, fit and finish of the product since it has been described to death. I do want to point out though that in the middle on the back are metal or rubber things that stick out so that when you lay the storm flat on the table you can still hear the speaker. I like the concept but I find the edges are annoying since you have to hold the phone with one hand firmly behind in the sure-type mode and the pieces jab into your palm after a while while you push in the screen above. Not to the point it hurts but it is annoying and a crappy design (imo) it should be totally smooth on the back side of a phone...

Software:
As of right now, the unit I tried is not ready for prime time!

It is riddled with slow downs, errors, strange things happening in the photo mode, video mode, browser mode. I took a picture that took about the same time as the LG Dare, but when I went to view it, the phone took 2 minutes to load the photo! In fact it ultimately crashed the phone and I had to take out the battery and restart it (which it took by the to restart.. drum roll..... 4 and half minutes!)

I understand this is not the final software, but unless a miracle happens by Friday with the software, I would not recommend this phone to anyone since it is way too unstable. It seems no where near ready to be sold yet. I made the mistake of buying the Dare on opening weekend with promises of OTA updates and have never received even 1 since July! There seems to be some debate whether this phone can do OTA updates- well if it is like the LG Dare- there will be months of time without them.

The keyboard...
Overall I liked it and thought it was an improvement over the Dare- too different from the iphone to compare so it would be a matter of preference which is better.
Presses down a little- (almost no audible click sound) and you can't see which button your finger is on btw (at least I couldn't). I'm not sure if I like it better or not than a regular touch screen? Also the software was so buggy that there seemed to be typing delays sometimes.
it feels like the Dare in Landscape- similar size buttons and look etc. The click part of the screen seems to minimize errors vs. my storm. The screen is pretty responsive, though the software is too slow to appreciate the hardware at this point. The scrolling on the iphone goes very fast when you flick your finger. On this thing, it is much slower- faster than the dare, slower than the iphone. Also you don't have to drag your finger like you do on the dare to scroll which is a great thing.

So I tried to type as fast as possible and was slowed down a little since the screen has to come back up. Typing was ok I would say-for text messages, etc. the sure type keyboard is much easier to use since the buttons are bigger. Overall typing is still easier on real keyboards- (my girl has an Env2 and that can type very fast on).

Internet:

I tried my favorite safari websites- nbc.com, seeqpod.
NBC.com usually lets you stream "the office" but didn't work or display the screen properly. Seeqpod is an online music search that streams music- on
On the browser, the seeqpod didn't work on the Storm. The Yahoo page that came up was only the mobile yahoo page and I couldn;t remember how to force it to display the real page. I tried to go to goggle maps but it wouldn't let me not the application, just on the web).

For the pages that worked, I thought the experience was just ok. The software again was a huge problem. If you touch text or pic the phone zooms in- the problem is it is very slow so sometimes you accidentally touch something to zoom in and also clink on a link at the same time-when you just want to click a link- it doesn't recognize the link click just that you zoomed in. So you have to basically touch briefly then click without much delay or it will just zoom in. Also you have to zoom out by using a soft zoom out key rather than just tapping again- annoying!

Sometimes when I was in a page it took up the whole screen and sometimes there were icons on the bottom. When the icons went away I couldn't figure out how to stop a page while loading other than hitting the hard back button. Very buggy browser at this stage. Not sure why the buttons would go away sometimes and other times stay- i was not changing the page view or any other setting. I also cleared all history and cached but to not consequence.

Note that I tried the different modes for page viewing and one version turns finger into a pointer- i could see it working if the icon to click was very small but the page kept zooming in on its own when I would move around the cursor? Also the curser thing is like an inch above you're finger so you click an inch below something to actually click it! Overall did not like this feature with the cursor and think that no one will likely ever use it(just like LG Dare hand writing recognition bs)

The other way to view the pages makes the page the width of the phone screen and i'd rather see the page the way it was intended..

the browser has potential but it is too buggy to enjoy web surfing.

Photo:

The camera seemed similar to the dare though you had to hold phone steady longer and after it takes a pic- the screen goes blank for 3 seconds? not sure wtf its doing.

Conclusion:

I am trying to be as objective and open minded as possible. I want to love the phone since I desperately want to replace my dare. At this point, the phone's software is not usable enough to warrant a purchase. Maybe by Friday will be different (hopefully). I am going again this weekend to another VZW after they have received there shipment and will post another review with the updated software then.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please shoot away. I played with the phone for about an hour and tried just about every possible feature.

Final Grade of Demo Unit: F as in Failing not worth the purchase yet...

[orange7esq]

also- there were only 10 or so apps available and 2 games come on device.

[NFLBlitze1]

nice review, i hope it really improves soon, not to mention the version u had was .61 there have been .65's going around and people have been satisfied so when verizon actually releases the phone im pretty sure we'll see a big big difference

[cwcanty]

Seems to coincide with what everyone else is saying. Great Build quality, but the OS needs a lot of work. Thanks for your insight

[Storm2]

.61 is like 2 months old... even .65 is much better.

[brando123b]

Can this phone live up to the hype? I find it hard to believe it can. I feel like the Storm is the Barack Obama of phones. We shall see.

[sgtmilstack]

Thanks, orange7esq for your straightforward review.

Quick question: How was the battery life (I know that batt. life can be impacted by OS build)?

Thanks in advance..

[NFLBlitze1]

Can this phone live up to the hype? I find it hard to believe it can. I feel like the Storm is the Barack Obama of phones. We shall see.

i feel like the iphone is like the Barack Obama of Phones, lets hope that the storm isn't the John Mccain of phones, because the Blackberry Pearl Flip Phone is definatly the Sarah Palin of the tech world

[darkfire]

.61 is older than your mom. .65 is the latest build folks have been seeing and a new one is in the works. Suspending judgement until judgement day (Friday, if you're not tracking)

[brando123b]

i feel like the iphone is like the Barack Obama of Phones, lets hope that the storm isn't the John Mccain of phones, because the Blackberry Pearl Flip Phone is definatly the Sarah Palin of the tech world

"Oh gee golly, that little phone, I could just see myself and the first dude over here Todd...we can use that little sucker on our elk hunting trips, ya hear!"

[jbjtkbw007]

See, THIS is why I keep checking this forum like 20 times a day (shameless, yes I know). I keep looking for something different. Not another who's going to be in line or I talked to this rep that said so and so or this store is only getting so many or how can I get my NE2 early. I just needed something a bit different to read and this review hit it on the head.

Thanks orange7esq. Your quick synopsis was refreshing and needed.

[mahen915]

Crucial did say it was going to ship with mid to high .70s, with another update available on Friday. I expect the software to be MUCH better by Friday.

[noaim]

the software isn't up to date even as far as what we know is available so im assuming thats the problem. A newer version was released with the UK phones. So I am assuming most of the problems you have stated are fixed already..

I am not expecting the phone to be 100 percent perfect right out of the box none of these phones hardly have been. iPhone wasn't great when it first came out there was up roars of people not even getting the thing activated to work.

[deanabmf]

Thanks for the review. I am wondering why they didn't do the OTA upgrade to .65 though?

[redwings1914]

I handled a .65 today, it was very smooth and responsive....although it did take 3 plus minutes to restart.

[karwilliams]

I have to say the OS does indeed need a lot of work. Mainly in the transitions area. It doesn't change from portrait to landscape fast enough and it just seems buggy although the one I played with didn't have the latest OS on it.

Have a look at a video I recorded while my friend played with the Storm. Not technical at all...just did it for a laugh. Storm Video

[SaMaster14]

Barack Obama is getting the storm. It was on the news lol. Just putting that in for kicks.

I hear the new software is much improved to the old one, so hopefully it will be a competitor to the iphone!

[jbjtkbw007]

Barack Obama is getting the storm. It was on the news lol. Just putting that in for kicks.

I hear the new software is much improved to the old one, so hopefully it will be a competitor to the iphone!

I wouldn't be so sure about that. He actually has to give up his current Blackberry as he's not allowed to use electronic communication devices like that as President.

[SaMaster14]

I know, that was the controversy. He was arguing that he wanted his blackberry in the white house. it was on the news. there was a quote of his saying something like: I will be getting the storm, and hopefully be able to bring it into the white house.

[cereal killer]

Great review. Thankyou! Ill be looking for your other review as well. I always appreciate a reviewer who just gives out good info even if it is bad. This seems more in line with what most people are experiencing in the UK.

Usually when phones are released there is problems with the minority of them. Which is to be expected. The Storm seems to have the opposite problem more problematic units than good ones. I keep reading that an OS update should fix this. What if in fact its a hardware issue. I don't think that is too far fetched.

RIM obviously rushed this phone out for who knows what reason. At launch thephone should be pretty solid and its no where near.

Rumors of an OS update I think is just wishful thinking. They would have had these issues resolved already at launch. At least the major ones. I mean honestly its not like this is something new. Video from months ago showed exactly these same problems and nothing has changed. That tells me there is more going on here.

I think the problems go deeper than a simple OS update. I think its a combo of SW and hardware issues that will not be fixed anytime soon if ever.

I sense a lot of pisssed off people on friday and saturday.

My question to the OP. Did you notice the system internals through the huge gap?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jbjtkbw007]

Well, unless they get an emergency addendum to the Presidential Records Act, it's unlikely.

[AnthonyAF99]

the iphone has lived up to the expectations... no matter what us crackberrys have to say about this. There are advantages to blackberrys and also to iphones. It just depends on your own personal preference. No need to bash the iphone or blackberry. The iphone, for kids in my opinion is more superior to blackberrys. lets be honest.

[cmeller]

Thanks for the review. This was my experience as well. I really REALLY want to get the storm but I think the Iphone has it down and this just doesn't.

I really want to make a decision this weekend (if I can even get a storm). However, if the software doesn't improve the storm...it looks like I will go with Att and the Iphone.

[Sooks]

hmmm , yah .61 sooo the build released on friday .65 assuming should be fine not to mention the possible .81 i have been hearing about.

[cereal killer]

Thanks for the review. This was my experience as well. I really REALLY want to get the storm but I think the Iphone has it down and this just doesn't.

I really want to make a decision this weekend (if I can even get a storm). However, if the software doesn't improve the storm...it looks like I will go with Att and the Iphone.

If only the iPhone were on VZW network. I'd be all over that : )