BlackBerry Storm mobile phone review

Can RIM do touchscreen?

BlackBerry Storm mobile phone. Phones, Mobile phones, RIM, Vodafone, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Storm 0

Reviewer: Stuart Miles
Review Date: 6 November 2008
Manufacturer: RIM
Price as reviewed: £dependent on contract
Latest price: compare

Our score

9/10

Full Review

RIM has finally embraced the touchscreen, but can a handset maker who has always firmly believed in the QWERTY keyboard crack the technology? We get touchy feely to find out.

Bigger than we expected, the Storm is a faction thicker than the iPhone (like 1mm thicker), however is around 20 grams heavier coming in a black metal back with a curvier plastic casing on the front.

The Storm features four buttons at the bottom of the screen (answer, menu, back, and hang up), a further two at the top (mute and lock), and a plethora of others done the side including the shutter button and volume. Before we get on to that 3.25-inch, 480 x 360 pixel screen, the phone also offers a 3.5mm headphones socket, a Micro-USB charging socket and microSD card slot although not hot swappable (it sits directly underneath the casing).

Continuing its charm offensive on the consumer, the Storm features a 3.2-megapixel camera (the Bold only has 2 megapixels) complete with autofocus, flash and 2x digital zoom that is controlled via the touchscreen interface and that dedicated camera button.

The first thing you are going to notice about the screen is that it moves. Yes that's right. It might be big, but it's also clickable. Why? Well so you can scroll around the interface before "clicking" your options.

The first 20 minutes of play, it has to be said, were a little awkward. Having never used a clickable touchscreen interface before you aren't really sure how much pressure to put on it. Press that hard on the iPhone for example and you'd probably hurt your finger. However, after that initial moment of trepidation we found that it became second nature. Most notably, and much welcomed, was that we could use our thumbs to type as we do on our BlackBerry Curve.

So the click works. But what it also means, and this for us is a "biggy", is that you can select copy and yes that's right: cut and paste. Holding one finger at the start of the text you want to select you can then use your other finger to select the copy before accessing the menu (that menu key remember) to press the copy button. Genius.

The Storm runs the same BlackBerry OS as the Bold (obviously with touch enabled) and that means you get all the Bold style, features and strengths just without the solid QWERTY keyboard.

That keyboard is now replicated in three different guises on screen: a full QWERTY when in landscape, the keyboard, as found on the BlackBerry Pearl, called SureType and a MultiTap offering that is like a keypad found on a standard phone. Surprisingly we found ourselves using the SureType the most. To select a key you have to click and it's robust enough to be able to type with two thumbs rather than just the one finger as on the iPhone. Rather than making the keys graphically bigger when you press them RIM has opted for a glowing blue light so you can see what you are pressing. Like the iPhone, a misplaced character doesn't mean a misspelling and the Storm will learn your mistakes to help you out.

Like the Bold the interface is completely different to previous incarnations such as the Curve. Along the bottom of the new home screen you get up to three rows of icons (customisable) for accessing your favourite applications. The list is actually devised from the top row(s) of applications within the application page.

If you've got the diary as one of your top row applications it will appear on the home screen. It's as simple as that. It's a really nice feature and one we really like. The top of the home screen gives you quick stats on battery, profile, network, date, Bluetooth and whether you're on 3G or not.

To help you manage the icons you can create folders so you can bunch all your games together, or chat applications for example, and it's all very easy to manage and use.

There is GPS, a diary, a browser, camera, email, games, search, alarm clock, contacts book, MMS support and a full multimedia suite allowing you to watch video, listen to music, view images and that's before you start downloading additional apps like Facebook, Google Maps and Opera Mini (there will be even more when the BlackBerry App store comes online in 2009).

The Storm comes with RIM's own and rather basic Maps application, Vodafone's SatNav service (chargeable) and Google Maps giving you perhaps an overkill on getting you from A to Z.

Rather than list every single app available, highlights worth noting are the alarm clock app that offers so much more. Realising that CrackBerry addicts (you know who you are) normally take their phone to bed with them you can now have the clock feature go full screen when the phone is plugged into the charger. Furthermore, beyond the three different styles of clock, there is also something called "Bedside mode" that dims the screen, turns off the LED (the one that flashes red when you've got mail) and if you don't want to be disturbed, actually turns the phone radio off so you can't get calls. It's a really nice feature and one that we are sure many BlackBerry fans will appreciate. It's like Research In Motion has actually thought about how the phone will be used.

Still keeping with the consumer angle, the multimedia elements have been increased and improved on. We've already mentioned the microSD slot and the 3.2-megapixel camera, but the multimedia player has been improved as well to benefit from that big screen.

It might be cliché, but the adverts really have got it right, video playback is stunning and in landscape mode easily good enough to allow you to watch movies or other content with little effort. The Storm supports all the usual formats including iTunes tracks that are DRM free and video playback supports H.264.

On the email front it's business as usual with the HTML support now being added so you can view images without having to worry about attachments. Emails open quickly, content is downloaded quickly, and overall it's the same experience that if you are already a BlackBerry user you will know and love.

Where the BlackBerry wins out over the Apple iPhone is that you can very quickly search email to find what you are after, you can cut, copy and paste, view HTML messages in plain text, restrict your download sizes, your roaming actions and plenty more.

New features we've found include an improved focus on search allowing you to search instantly by Sender or Subject, something that is surprisingly helpful, as well as having greater control over how the messages are displayed.

As for the browser experience, BlackBerry has added desktop and column view options. The desktop allows you to view the webpage as if you were on a standard browser. Like the iPhone your finger is used to move around the page and it's very easy. The column view allows you to zoom into specific parts of the page for supposedly easier viewing.

On a speed front, while it seems strange that RIM hasn't included Wi-Fi (a lack of space supposedly) we didn't really notice it. The storm offers HSDPA 7.2Mbps connectivity (as long as you are in coverage) and while we weren't at our home address getting full speed connectivity we still got very good speeds from 3G surfing. Certainly enough to be happy with, although it might come to bite Vodafone when services like the iPlayer for mobile catch on. It's also worth noting that Vodafone is offering unlimited surfing with the phone on all the main packages.

Verdict

Has Research In Motion cracked the touchscreen? It seems they have. While the iPhone still offers plenty to the consumer, the lack of a number of key features such as MMS, video, a 2-megapixel camera, no Bluetooth data, no camera flash, no desktop pairing so you can use it as a modem and no cut and paste function has left Apple suddenly finding themselves trailing behind.

The BlackBerry Storm does all the above (bar Wi-Fi) and in our mind has the best email system on offer in a mobile device today.

It's not all perfect though. The lack of Wi-Fi will grate with some, while others will want a better camera, and then there is the battery. Like other powerful handsets on the market this is likely to be a charge every day affair.

As a BlackBerry Curve user for the last 2 years, when we played with the Bold here at Pocket-lint earlier in the year we thought we had found our next phone. Luckily a tip off told us to wait for the Storm. The wait might be have a while coming, but this is good enough for it to be my next phone.

High praise indeed.

Full tags

Phones, Mobile phones, RIM, Vodafone, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Storm

UK Shopping

mobiles.co.uk, three.co.uk, carphonewarehouse.co.uk, Nokia.co.uk, o2.co.uk, orange.co.uk, phones4u.co.uk, t-mobile.co.uk, vodafone.co.uk, ebay.co.uk

US Shopping

bestbuy.com, ebay.com

Comments

I was waiting for my contract to expire so I could upgrade to the 3G iPhone, when I heard about the Samsung Omnia. Then, just as I was about to go for the Omnia, I heard about the Storm. I'm already using a Curve, so I think RIM has made the phone I've been waiting for - all the bells and whistles of a touchscreen with the practicality of a Blackberry. I think I may have to pay a visit to my nearest Vodafone shop tomorrow! Posted by Joe, England
I don't see the issue with a single day battery life myself - I sleep with my phone charging overnight at the moment anyway, so that's not big hardship.

Further, bear in mind that they've been extensively testing the battery hungry apps too, if you use it in a business sense (as RIM undoubtedly intend for the majority of its users) I would imagine you'll be fine.

Now can I justify buying myself out of my current contract to pick one of these up? Of course I can! But tomorrow could be expensive, with Guitar Hero World Tour released as well... Posted by Rob, England
On the summary page the Storm is listed with an FM radio, and in the verdict you mention that the Storm browser supports Flash...

This is contrary to the specifications and other information floating around the web, can you confirm that it does have FM and the browser supports Flash?? Posted by Jeff Palmer, UK
Jeff, it seems we've got both those bits wrong. The FM radio was a wrong ticked box and on further questioning with RIM the browser doesn't unfortunately support flash either. I've edited the review accordingly Posted by stuartmiles, United Kingdom
Great review, can't wait to get mine, just wish vodafone would pick a delivery date already!! Posted by Alx, UK
i'm really looking forward to getting this phone but am gettin pretty impatient with its forever delaying release by vodafone!!!!

wish they would hurry up as i think its worth waitng for!! Posted by shane, england
Hi i noticed in the review that it says that the storm comes with 3 different key pads including the standard phone key pad. But no other review or the storm specs mention it.

Does it actually have a standard phone key pad? And how easy is it to interchange between the lot. Can I specify the phone to be on standaed key pad mode for texting and normal key board for surfing and emailing? Posted by Tazz, UK
Tazz,

When you set up the phone it gives you a choice of which keyboard you want to use. As standard whenever its in landscape mode you get the full qwerty keyboard however unlike the iPhone you can't get the full qwerty in portrait view.

In portrait mode you get to choose between the T9 keypad (standard phone keyboard to you and me) or the SureType keypad, which is like the BlackBerry Pearl (ie two letters per key).

Interestingly when it comes to typing in passwords, the portrait keypad always selects the T9 variant so you don't make a mistake.

Hope that answers your question.

Stuart Posted by stuartmiles, United Kingdom
I've had one for a week now. Used to have 8800. Keyboard on storm is VERY inaccurate. The pressing of the screen you just about get used to, but only just - shame there is no option. In fact the whole thing is generally lacking in options to change things.

The weight/gravity sensor thing in it is very sluggish - it flips the orientation of whatever prog you are using, but you have to give it a jolt sometimes, at others it simply never changes.

Battery life is terrible. You may think that I'm just playing with it too much, but actually I have been in my office this week and have hardly had to use it compared to when I am normally on customers sites. The 8800 used to last me 3 days with my standard usage (normally very high), but with this one week of lower than usual usage the Storm has lasted for no longer than 12hrs without a charge. Two of my colleagues got the phones on the same day and they are also experiencing dire battery life.

The screen's nice though! Posted by Danny, UK
I went out and got the Storm based on the positive reviews of it I'd read (including this one), and have to admit that I have become increasingly disappointed with it over the last 10 days.

Not only is the Storm very slow, but the touchscreen keyboards are difficult to use and I seem to spend more time trying to correct my typing than I do looking at web pages. The buttons and navigation throughout the Storm also seem counterintuitive, and I often find that menu items above or below the one I am touching get selected. Incorporating the trackball of previous BlackBerries as an additional navigation tool could have saved this from being such a big problem.

The camera is also an utter disappointment - I wasn't expecting too much with only 3.2 megapixels, but my Curve takes better (and quicker) pictures with it's measly 2.0. I've never seen a camera phone take so long to snap a picture, to such poor results.

I've also got the same problems with the accelerometer as the previous post, it seems with respond too much or not at all. It's also a bit frustrating that some applications only seem to work in portrait or landscape, but not both settings. "Bedside mode" is also a hassle, as I cannot dock the phone without the Storm automatically turning itself into a clock - and having to press several (unresponsive, touchscreen) buttons to get it out of that mode is unnecessary.

After getting on so well with the Curve, and resisting the hype of the iPhone, I really, really wanted this to be the touchscreen phone I had been waiting for. Sadly, I think RIM could have put a bit more polish on the Storm before releasing it. Mine is going back to Vodafone tomorrow. Posted by Joe, England
Joe, you can set the settings of the bedside mode in options so it doesn't do any of the things you don't want it to do - like turn the radio receiver off. Just press the BlackBerry button when you see the clock Posted by stuartmiles, United Kingdom
I had the Storm delivered on release and i couldn`t be more pleased with it, i have big thumbs and yet the QWERTY is fine i mainly use the landscape keyboard and if i'm on the move the suretype and after the initial switch over from an N95 to this i can honestly say i would not go back, if your still correcting lots of mistakes you must have thumbs like trowels.

I don't have a history with Blackberry's this is the first one i`ve had, and i have to say i'm impressed, i`ve taken photos which take no longer to shoot that my old N95 obviously they aren't as good 5mp down to 3.2mp but still passable for a phone not built around the camera like the Pixon for example.

The desktop software works well drag and drop job done, not had accelerometer problems it can be a little sensative at times but only occasionally when held at a wierd angle, and the battery life is fine for an all singing all dancing phone just charged it after 2 days of average use, some music, messaging all the time and some internet usage and it still had a bar and a half left when i plugged it in. I read these annoyed reviews and wonder if i'm using the same phone to be honest.

As a life long hater of apple and what they stand for the Storm not only is a great phone in itself but wipes the floor with the iPhone. And as happy as it makes me to say this isn`t just my opinion iPhone wielding friends and colleagues have been impressed and in some cases converted. And in march when the Storefront comes online it will in my opinion be the well derserved final nail in the over hyped under featured iPhone coffin. Posted by Kal440, United Kingdom
Kal440 - I hate to say it, but like you, I wonder if you've been using the same phone as everyone else...

I have just sent mine back after two weeks of trying - and wanting - to like this phone. It looks great, I loved the big screeen for browsing the web - I so wanted to like it. But in the end I had to admit defeat. Its impossible to correct errors in text, in fact sending a simple sms can take ten minutes after you've repeatedly got the wrong number come up and then struggled with the awful keyboard; pressing the screen and nothing happens - then pressing it repeatedly untill it suddenly takes you through miltiple screens. Constant freezing of the screen; missing phone calls 'cause you press the answer button and nothing happens. And as for battery life - beyond useless. A few phone calls and a few messages, maybe consult the diary and you are looking at around 5 hours - even if its on standby pretty much all day you will struggle to get 8 hours use out of it - impossible if you are on the road.

My advice - if you area teenager who wants great web browsing and a sexy looking gadget - buy one. If you are a serious business / blackberry user who lives and dies by email and messaging, if the balckberry is your mobile office - then AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!

(Must add - vodafone have been fantastic throughout and even swapped after 19 days for a bold - no quibble. Fantastic service) Posted by Lee99, United Kingdom
I have had my Storm for about a week or so now, and i love it. I use mine for both business and pleasure and it works great for both. Email and web browsing are great.

So far there are only a few apps out there for it, but so far i have found a weather app, down load for free OTA (Over The Air) from http://blackberry.weatherbug.com/storm/storm.jad from your blackberry browser.

A youtube app from http://www.google.com/mobile/blackberry/ enter your phone # and they will sms you a link where you can download OTA.

With the 8 gig SD card that comes with it i can put several movies on it and the video quality is amazing, much better than the iphone (which i returned within a week due to not being able to do anything business related with it). Which is great when you are bored and stuck in a hotel.

It does have some bugs, but i'm sure RIM will be working those out in future firmware updates.

Editing text was could be a hassle, but once i saw this youtube video with some tips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpxf28ja67Q editing has become much easier.

One of the biggest selling points for me was the ability to edit word and excel documents from my blackberry, as well as using it as a modem to connect my laptop while on the road.

Over all i give it a 7 out of 10, once more apps are released for it, and RIM works out some of the bugs i will give it an easy 9 out of 10. Posted by JFoy, USA
This phone is a disaster and I hate it. Texting is a nightmare, the screen has a mind of its own and lately, it just totally and completly stops working. I am so angry with this piece of crap, I may go to the iphone and dump Blackberry forever. Posted by skip Panettiere, usa