It’s my honor to be invited by Maxis to the BlackBerry Storm Preview. I got a chance to play BlackBerry Storm in my hands and it’s the 1st time I touched a BlackBerry phone. Is BlackBerry Storm for you?
Review BlackBerry Storm
The BlackBerry Storm has a big display like Apple iPhone. The size is just nice to fit in my palm. It is heavier (155 grams) than my Nokia N95 but I like the sturdy-feeling of the phone. The display automatically changes to landscape when you rotate it.
The touch screen of Storm is “clickable”. You “touch” to select a menu on the display, then “press” to confirm/execute it. This is the world’s first “clickable” touch screen, which you can’t get on other touch screen phone.
I like the display clicking but it also means I will leave more noticeable fingerprints on it.
The video playback on Storm is smooth. Volume is loud enough. It has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack for your own headset.
Somehow, I crashed the media player while testing it. The media player buttons just refused to get away from the bottom of the screen. The crew had to reset the device to get it work properly again.
BlackBerry Storm has 3.5G, bluetooth, GPS but does NOT support WiFi. That surprised me and feeling disappointed.
BlackBerry Storm has a 3.2 megapixels camera with auto flash, auto focus, 2X digital zoom. Here is the sample image taken using Storm’s build-in camera (click for full size) and received by MMS:
Like an iPhone, BlackBerry smartphone is supported by many 3rd party applications. Instant Messaging, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc. You name it.
You might want to get the Unlimited Maxis BlackBerry Internet Service Packages at RM120/month to download those applications and enjoy 24/7 Internet connection on your BlackBerry.
The price of MAXIS BlackBerry Storm is RM2,199.
Is BlackBerry Storm for you?
If you want a touch screen smartphone to work on your office emails and view/edit documents, while still able to IM with your friends on MSN, Yahoo, Facebook, etc, and play some games… BlackBerry Storm might be the one.
Will I get a BlackBerry Storm?
Personally, I am not a fan of touch screen smartphone. I am used to one-hand-sms-typing. Tapping is fun but not time efficient. Well, maybe I just need more practices.
I don’t feel like connecting to Internet all-the-time. It will trap me in the infinite loop of mail checking emails, blog comments moderating, facebook and twitter status updating, etc. And, spending 100 bucks more for a unlimited data package is not wise for me.
Plus, the price tag of RM2000+ is too expensive for me. I will only spend RM1000+ for a mobile phone. (Apple iPhone 2009 might be an exception.)
If you ask me to pick a BlackBerry phone, it will be the BlackBerry Bold. Full QWERTY keyboard, GPS, WiFi, etc at RM1400+
i don’t like the storm because no qwerty. blackberry curve with wifi and 3g camera will be a perfect smartphone because it’s smaller than curve. there’s no perfect blackberry yet, although 3g cam is not neccessary, i wonder why they dont want add into it.
For RM2000+, I would rather buy a netbook.
I like the size, but the photo quality seems not impressive……
wow, so expensive…i rather buy an iPhone.. =)
wow the phone looks pretty good. not sure whether it is practical though judging from the price. but i’m sure all other smarphone users might want to get one though
I have read some reports that claim that Blackberry Storm has a better performance than iPhone… but it is really strange for me that it doesn’t support Wi-Fi.
Anyway, I am still waiting for phones with Google Android in my country. Meanwhile, I am still using my simple LG cell phone with FM radio :-) Really I am not needing a smartphone… it is really expensive in my country.
Recently come across the package offer by different telcom promotion packages. Notice that there are offer for the Iphone package, BlackBerry package and also the Digi RM0.99 package. However, I think the price of the phone come with the package is kind of not worth because when include in the subscription fees and actually you will need to pay more than what you expect.
If anyone here will like to buy a PDA phone then i think i can suggest HTC Touch Pro. Which is think the features in it is more practical.
How about Nokia 5800? it has almost everything the other phone offers and the price tag is reasonably cheap.
-Wifi
-FM Radio
-Carl Zeiss 3.2 Camera
-Bluetooth
-8GB memory card
With 3rd party software, you can turn it into a torch light with its LED flash light.
I think you miss ONE VERY IMPORTANT feature, touching the screen is JUST LIKE touching a button – thats the whole selling point for storm isn’t it ?
and you are the type who like button ( me too ) and storm is the one that can start change our perception of screen …
I just bought Blackberry Storm Today after being provoke by the salesgirl at Celcom Bluecube when I’m paying for my Celcom Bill. They got promotion now, Blackberry Storm today for 1399 with celcom exec 250. 12 month contract. Cheaper than Iphone…
My colleague showed me his newly bought Nokia 5800 and I helped him to configure static ip for his internet connection. It worked. Really love the phone. Got GPS somemore.
@mtsen.com: I think I didn’t miss the important clickable screen feature of the Storm in the article. However, you still can’t blind type on Storm because the screen is flat.
@skyrule: I think you must met a very beautiful salesgirl huh? ;)
@Weilian: ya, Nokia’s smartphone is nice. Try E71 next time.
I receive 30-50 calls on my mobile phone during work days, if the calls on desktop phone are counted in, it could breaks 100 calls per day.
A normal cell phone with camera will do, if I get myself a blackberry, I will then flooded with all the emails that expecting instant attention.
Don’t mind to get one of this phone when I move to another level where involve lesser in operations.
i prefer to go for iphone.. or e75..
im using LG touch phone but still hav no problem of fast texting :-)
It’s not my type of phone of course. Would rather prefer Samsung Omnia
Honest review. I prefer Apple iPhone than this bulky BlackBerry.
might be i will take one instead of iphone..
The design and all the features are very enticing to me, but definitely not the price tag… I rather spend RM2k+ for a notebook, just like Selinap. Nevertheless, this is a great design with busy people in mind.
It has cool feature. But i still prefer apple iPhone.
Looks silky but i will still prefer the Iphone to the Black Berry.
iphone iphone iphone. cannot compare blackberry phone with iphone..just cause iphone has a great OS does not make it in a better position as compared to blackberry.
in the Q1, the blackberry Curve outsold the Iphone 3G. the blackberry has many functions which many people do not realise/accept/use.
p.s., my sis used an iphone before ( not 3G) and it suxs big time. Maxis customers buying iphone 3G with a plan are getting ripped off big time.