[Luluu]

I was a very loyal Palm user for 5 years, but Palm just has not updated its OS in forever, and I do not dig Windows Mobile. I have been carrying my brick of a 700P around for 2 plus years, waiting in vain for a new Palm OS. So I decided to switch to BB.

The problem was that I need a desktop application for my 1000 plus contacts (other than Outlook). I finally found Time and Chaos, which is a desktop contacts and scheduling application that will import all of my contacts from Palm, sync from Blackberry, and allow me to keep my contacts out of Outlook (I have thousands of saved emails which already slow down my Outlook, and I did not want to slow it down more with all my contacts).

So, I eagerly awaited the Storm, and went to play with it at the Verizon store today. FAIL! I can fly across my Palm keyboard, but with Storm, the touchscreen made composing a message painful, with constant spelling mistakes. Either in landscape or portrait format, I kept hitting the wrong letter keys. I so wanted to love this BB, since it is beautiful to look at, but it just is not efficient. I am a power business user, and the amount of time it takes to type, backspace, correct, and retype, just is not acceptable.

Frustrated, I walked over to AT&T to check out the Bold, and I fell in love. Beautiful screen plus no burdensome touchscreen. Alas, I am in Philadelphia, and AT&T's coverage here is pathetic. One of my closest friends, who is always showing off his iPhone, is constantly cut off when we speak due to AT&T's abysmal coverage. And it is not my Verizon Wireless that is the problem, because the same thing happens when he calls my landline.

Sooo....I ended up ordering a Verizon Curve. Sigh. I think it will be a nice upgrade from my Treo, but not the hoopla I wanted with my first BB. At least I got it for free ($100 off customer loyalty plus 2 yr contract). It will not get here for 3-5 days due to the Storm madness. I hope that I get it before Thanksgiving so that I can use the weekend to figure out how to use it.

[imann101]

we've heard this rant before and we have also said to give it time. Of course you could fly on the palm keyboard, you had it for 5 years!

Give it time, if you don't want to, don't get it. But shhh.

You're also going to have issues with the curve keyboard because its new. Not as much I will admit, but thats because its close to what the palm is like. Nonetheless you will still have issues

[pool_shark#CB]

Another Treo 700P user here, but I decided to wait before buying the Storm. Being a Unix administrator, I wasn't looking forward to moving to Windows Mobile, so I'm a bit glad Verizon didn't get the 800w (lots of problems) or the Treo Pro (devices are cracking).

As soon as I saw the ads for the Storm, I figured this would be the one. I have to have a touch screen device so no other BB will do. I was in no hurry to purchase the Storm on is first run. My NE2 eligibility came up in June and I'm still waiting.

I will most likely get the Storm provided they fix all the problems I've been reading about and nothing better comes along before that time.

By the way, I was flying on my Treo's keyboard right out of the box.

[Luluu]

we've heard this rant before and we have also said to give it time. Of course you could fly on the palm keyboard, you had it for 5 years!

Give it time, if you don't want to, don't get it. But shhh.

You're also going to have issues with the curve keyboard because its new. Not as much I will admit, but thats because its close to what the palm is like. Nonetheless you will still have issues

LOL, I guess that I am impatient! Anyway, I tried the Curve out in the Verizon store, and I had no problems whatsoever flying away on the keyboard without spelling mistakes. Actually, the Curve keyboard was somewhat easier to use than the Treo keyboard because the Curve keys were just a bit less resistant to pressure, so I could press more lightly on the Curve than on the Treo. I was worried that the keyboard might be stiff, but my 2 year old Treo keyboard is actually stiffer than the Curve keyboard.

I do think that exec types will not be using the Storm all too much, and sticking to the QWERTY keyboards. I own a recruiting business, and I just have to be able to send many more emails a day than my friends who are in less connective-type professions. I think the touchscreen is fine if you are like the average iPhone user who uses it primarily for leisure rather than work. However, if you can have the patience that I did not have to get as many accurate words per minute out of your touchscreen, more power to you!

[cannonballgsu]

i have a 700p that is getting annoying with errors/problems. I think i will get a curve off of ebay rather than renewing my contract. I may still get the storm, but i need a phone now.

[Luluu]

Another Treo 700P user here, but I decided to wait before buying the Storm.

Poolshark - did you go to Verizon and try the Storm out? I am curious to hear the impressions of another Treo user.

[serenityseeker]

Former 700p user here to. Have had some palm product for 7or 8 yrs.
I was just so tired of the glitchy phone and the frequent crashes that I had to do something different.

Overall very pleased with the storm. typing is definately slower but steadily improving.
Am i the only one that thinks if the screen were just a little easier to push that it would make a world of difference?

Anyway, I love the screen, loving the os/ui more by the hour, and the internet access rocks compared to my old verizon 700p. It is a big adjustment, but I expected that after years of palm use

[bimmerfest]

I'm another treo 700p user for 2 1/2 years well almost 2 1/2 years that ordered a storm without testing it out. Got it delayed and I'm glad it will be delayed because after playing with one in the store today its apparent the thing has issues with the current OS. Hope the new one will improve it greatly.. I have high hopes for the storm...

[Luluu]

Former 700p user here to. Have had some palm product for 7or 8 yrs.
I was just so tired of the glitchy phone and the frequent crashes that I had to do something different.

Overall very pleased with the storm. typing is definately slower but steadily improving.
Am i the only one that thinks if the screen were just a little easier to push that it would make a world of difference?

Anyway, I love the screen, loving the os/ui more by the hour, and the internet access rocks compared to my old verizon 700p. It is a big adjustment, but I expected that after years of palm use

Serenityseeker - I did order a curve, so I will have a learning curve too. Other than the touchscreen (which I will not have), what are you finding the biggest issues to be on the learning curve switching from Palm to BB? Thanks!

[ecyrb]

Treo 700p to Storm user here.


I couldn't be happier getting away from that brick. Texting/Typing is slower, but then again, I was slow to type and text when I first got my Treo(went from Moto E815). I'm already getting faster with my typing and I know that in time I will be just as fast and accurate with this phone.

[jimithng23]

I had the Treo 700w, 700wx, then went to the BB Pearl and never looked back. Have the Storm now. Sure texting is slower - now - than it was on the Pearl or Treo's but I will adapt and get quicker, I'm not worried about that.

The learning curve on the Storm is very steep. Once everyone gets to know the in's and out's of the phone, uncovers the shortcuts, and figures out the quirks people will be calling this a HUGE success.

[cadsystems]

I had the 8830 and I could type fast but I had tons of errors always correcting my typos. With the Storm I seem to type faster with less errors, not sure why, just doesn't seem that hard to me. I can see where some people may have a hard time coming to terms with a touch screen.

[serenityseeker]

Serenityseeker - I did order a curve, so I will have a learning curve too. Other than the touchscreen (which I will not have), what are you finding the biggest issues to be on the learning curve switching from Palm to BB? Thanks!

Basically just the ins and outs of a different system, where things are, how to move around, qyickest way to do things. It's fairly intuitive, but I am learning new stuff everyday. I think it is likely that I will be as fluid or more than with the treo. We have treos at work too and I have really come to dislike them. To many crashes, if no phone signal couldnt access software at times, connection to net intermittent at best.
I dont think many smartphone users will ever regret going to a blackberry.

[theswami#CB]

Another 700P owner and now Storm owner. Yesterday (day 1) I had the same gripes and today I found typing on the Storm much better. I have three tips for traditional QWERTY types going to the Storm:

1) Try to relegate your left thumb to typing on the left side of the keyboard and your right thumb to the right side. I found that I had far fewer errors when I essentially split the keyboard in half and used one thumb for each side.

2) Type in a more upright fashion with the tips of your thumb. Hear me out on this. With my Treo I think I used the sides of my thumb and then "rolled" the tip to the letter I wanted. When I started typing on the Storm using the same technique, I noticed the side of my thumb was highlighting an unintended letter.

3) Start off with the Storm in landscape mode and the QWERTY keyboard versus using the portrait mode.

I still have not ported my number to VZW and undecided on the Storm in general but the device gets better and better each hour I own it.

[pool_shark#CB]

Poolshark - did you go to Verizon and try the Storm out? I am curious to hear the impressions of another Treo user.

No, I didn't waste my time after reading about all the problems from users in the U.K.

[tahoerob]

Former 700p too. LOVE THE STORM! Agree that you need to use appropriate sides for thumbs. Already better typing today. NO RESTARTS from buggy software!!

[xxraffyxx]

hey 700p EX user here too. currently mines on craigslist for sale.

I couldnt be happier. My treo had way too many bugs

[HawkeyeOC]

I also have a 700P and although it's been an ok phone, The OS is downright archaic, its heavier than a brick, and I always felt like Palm abandoned support and help for this phone as soon as it was released. Palm could have been so much more

Anyway, got caught up in launch day madness, have an order number, not tracking number and I ordered right at the 12pm cutoff!!! Ahhhh!!!

Bugs? I am used to big ones with Palm, I expect them with the Storm...no worries...I will master the device