RIM BlackBerry Storm 9500 Review

The BlackBerry Storm is RIM’s first touchscreen smartphone, Research In Motion is trying to ride the wave of new devices using this innovative interface. But the inventor of the BlackBerry remains best known and famous for its many handsets carrying a full QWERTY keyboard.

Review:
Eagerly awaited, the first BlackBerry 9500 with a touchscreen greatly disappointed. It incorporates all the strengths of high-end brand - the BlackBerry Bold 9000 - but is dressed with a touch interface difficult to learn, slow and very prone to crashes. Uses flagship platform BlackBerry (email, use attachments and browsing the Internet) are very down on the Storm.

Pro:
First BlackBerry model to inaugurate a completely touch interface, new applications offering downloadable software, screen particularly readable and bright, really nice design.

Con:
Generally very improved ergonomics, slow at some manipulations, unexplained slowdowns and crashes, loss of the GSM network, the concept of touch screen unfinished, low autonomy (especially in 3G mode), no integrated WiFi module.

BlackBerry Storm 9500 Features:

SurePress: The Storm’s most prominent feature is its SurePress touchscreen. This screen allows the user to navigate through the phone using their fingertip, similar to a computer’s mouse, and “click” the screen by pushing down to select.

Battery: The Storm features a user-replaceable, rechargeable DX-1 Li-ion battery stated to be capable of providing up to 5.5 hours of GSM talk time, 6 hours of CDMA talk time, or 360 hours of standby.

Text Input: The Storm implements a virtual keyboard on its touchscreen. Using its accelerometer allows the user to switch between a virtual SureType keyboard when held normally, and in a full QWERTY keyboard when held in landscape mode.

Memory: The device features 1GB of onboard memory and an expandable memory slot support for a microSD card of up to an additional 16GB.

Display: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive HVGA scratch-resistant screen with 360 X 480 pixel resolution and able to display 65,536 colors.

CPU: The Storm utilizes the MSM7600 from Qualcomm a dual core CPU with ARM11 400 Mhz and ARM9 274 Mhz.

Camera: The device features a built-in 3.2 megapixel camera located on back which features flash and autofocus.