UPDATE: VZW VIDEO!: BlackBerry Storm is launched internally to VZW staff

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Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
17,978
861
126
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: Woofmeister
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: Muadib
The release date is Nov 16th. Rumors are $549, no contract.

Hmmm... and I'd guess $250 w/ 2 yr contract. Maybe even $350

Right in line with my guess as well. Muadib thinks they'll go lower but I highly doubt it.

I'd be surprised. ATT is offering another new BB (the Bold) at $300 with 2 year contract. The bold is a nice device, but the storm has a lot more going for it. If they go with the same pricing strategies I'm leaning towards $350.

Actually, You can get the Bold for free, with a 2 year contract.

Originally posted by: Woofmeister
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: Muadib
The release date is Nov 16th. Rumors are $549, no contract.

Hmmm... and I'd guess $250 w/ 2 yr contract. Maybe even $350

Right in line with my guess as well. Muadib thinks they'll go lower but I highly doubt it.

$199 for 2 year, and I could get it for $90. I called it!!;)
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
So I used one in a Vodafone store in Oxford St. Very nice. Just need to get my own one now.

Was the UI and OS sluggish (ie lots of sandtimer animation)? The release date was pushed back because of this and software problems and I'm curious how close they are to remedying this.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
So I used one in a Vodafone store in Oxford St. Very nice. Just need to get my own one now.

Was the UI and OS sluggish (ie lots of sandtimer animation)? The release date was pushed back because of this and software problems and I'm curious how close they are to remedying this.

Didn't see one sandtimer. I see them on my Bold from time to time. :)
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
So I used one in a Vodafone store in Oxford St. Very nice. Just need to get my own one now.

Was the UI and OS sluggish (ie lots of sandtimer animation)? The release date was pushed back because of this and software problems and I'm curious how close they are to remedying this.

Didn't see one sandtimer. I see them on my Bold from time to time. :)

Nice, good news
 

BornStar

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2001
4,052
1
0
They're reporting that it'll be available on the 24th for $199.99 after rebate for a 2 year contract.

Text

Has anyone gotten an invitation to one of their preview events? I work for a SMB but apparently didn't make the list.

edit: Oops, forgot an H. I'm turning into Arcadio. :eek:
 

anxi80

Lifer
Jul 7, 2002
12,294
2
0
Verizon announces launch date and price for BlackBerry Storm

Verizon has announced the official release date and pricing for the BlackBerry Storm. As predicted, the Storm will launch just in time for the holiday rush on November 21, and sell for $199.99 USD after a $50 USD mail-in rebate and the signing of a two-year service contract.

Late yesterday evening, Verizon sent The Tech Herald the official press statement.

?The BlackBerry Storm (model 9530) ? the first touch-screen BlackBerry Smartphone with the world?s first ?clickable? touch-screen ? will be available beginning Nov. 21 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. For additional details and specifications about the BlackBerry Storm, please visit: www.verizonwireless.com/storm.?
 

maziwanka

Lifer
Jul 4, 2000
10,415
1
0
i should figure out whether i really need to get this phone. it seems like the bb plans (for 450 min (which is what i have now), unlimited texting and unlimited email/etc.) is 100 bucks a month. with tax, probably around 105-110. currently (for voice and 250 texts), im paying around 50-55. i think work would cover about 40 bucks a month. hmmm
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
Originally posted by: maziwanka
i should figure out whether i really need to get this phone. it seems like the bb plans (for 450 min (which is what i have now), unlimited texting and unlimited email/etc.) is 100 bucks a month. with tax, probably around 105-110. currently (for voice and 250 texts), im paying around 50-55. i think work would cover about 40 bucks a month. hmmm

Does the storm require you to sign up for unlimited text and data? I looked and verizon's prices were the same as ATT for what I have.
 

jlfirehawk

Senior member
Jan 10, 2005
417
1
81
I am going to Columbus on the 17th for the Government event had to sign a nda and all, hopefully they wont notice when I walk out with one. lol
 

Oil

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2005
3,552
4
81
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: maziwanka
i should figure out whether i really need to get this phone. it seems like the bb plans (for 450 min (which is what i have now), unlimited texting and unlimited email/etc.) is 100 bucks a month. with tax, probably around 105-110. currently (for voice and 250 texts), im paying around 50-55. i think work would cover about 40 bucks a month. hmmm

Does the storm require you to sign up for unlimited text and data? I looked and verizon's prices were the same as ATT for what I have.

Unfortunately yes, all new Verizon smartphones and BB's require a data plan.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: maziwanka
i should figure out whether i really need to get this phone. it seems like the bb plans (for 450 min (which is what i have now), unlimited texting and unlimited email/etc.) is 100 bucks a month. with tax, probably around 105-110. currently (for voice and 250 texts), im paying around 50-55. i think work would cover about 40 bucks a month. hmmm
You describe my situation/thoughts exactly, except for the work paying for some of it part. I realized, since I'm at work 8 hours a day, and on the computer so much in my personal time, a data plan is completely not worth the money for me. I really don't need internet and e-mail access during those few hours a day I might be out somewhere. So, I'm sticking with normal plans, and I guess that means no smartphones, too.
 

tdawg

Platinum Member
May 18, 2001
2,215
6
81
What's the word on these being available unlocked? I'd like to consider one as an option, but I'm locked into an AT&T contract (not that I want Verizon service anyway).
 
Jul 10, 2007
12,041
3
0
Originally posted by: tdawg
What's the word on these being available unlocked? I'd like to consider one as an option, but I'm locked into an AT&T contract (not that I want Verizon service anyway).

isn't verizon CDMA for voice and GSM for ATT voice so you can't use it on ATT even if it were unlocked?
regardless, data is EVDO for VZ and hsdpa for ATT.
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,553
834
126
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
A price, a price, my kingdom for a price!

Vz can't price it any higher than the iPhone. They lost a crap load of subs already due to the iPhone, and when you factor in that the Storm doesn't have wifi, I think they need to undercut it. I'm going to guess $150.

I had Verizon for a few years, they don't give you deals. Not on the phones, not on the plans. I watched the video on this, and frankly it's only going to appeal to people who either hate AT&T, hate Apple or already have Verizon. The phone won't fully sync properly with Vista 64, which is completely unacceptable. Besides the Blackberry name I'm not sure why this phone is hyped up. The interface is whatever looking to me, and it doesn't bring anything new to the table. Not saying it's a bad phone but to me it's just another iPhone clone. Albeit it one that looks much nicer than the Dare or the Instinct.

 

tdawg

Platinum Member
May 18, 2001
2,215
6
81
Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
Originally posted by: tdawg
What's the word on these being available unlocked? I'd like to consider one as an option, but I'm locked into an AT&T contract (not that I want Verizon service anyway).

isn't verizon CDMA for voice and GSM for ATT voice so you can't use it on ATT even if it were unlocked?
regardless, data is EVDO for VZ and hsdpa for ATT.

I thought it had to have a sim card spot to be able to be a world phone, or something like that. If that's the case, wouldn't it work unlocked with a GSM provider?
 

BornStar

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2001
4,052
1
0
Originally posted by: tdawg
Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
Originally posted by: tdawg
What's the word on these being available unlocked? I'd like to consider one as an option, but I'm locked into an AT&T contract (not that I want Verizon service anyway).

isn't verizon CDMA for voice and GSM for ATT voice so you can't use it on ATT even if it were unlocked?
regardless, data is EVDO for VZ and hsdpa for ATT.

I thought it had to have a sim card spot to be able to be a world phone, or something like that. If that's the case, wouldn't it work unlocked with a GSM provider?
Yes, it has a sim card slot but I don't know if it can be unlocked.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
Originally posted by: QueBert
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
A price, a price, my kingdom for a price!

Vz can't price it any higher than the iPhone. They lost a crap load of subs already due to the iPhone, and when you factor in that the Storm doesn't have wifi, I think they need to undercut it. I'm going to guess $150.

I had Verizon for a few years, they don't give you deals. Not on the phones, not on the plans. I watched the video on this, and frankly it's only going to appeal to people who either hate AT&T, hate Apple or already have Verizon. The phone won't fully sync properly with Vista 64, which is completely unacceptable. Besides the Blackberry name I'm not sure why this phone is hyped up. The interface is whatever looking to me, and it doesn't bring anything new to the table. Not saying it's a bad phone but to me it's just another iPhone clone. Albeit it one that looks much nicer than the Dare or the Instinct.

Then you haven't been looking at it much. The screen click interface is a first of its kind. Blackberry has been around much longer than the iphone, and they're keeping their own OS on the Storm, so calling it an iphone clone is just plain ignorant. It's a solid business class phone and isn't supposed to appeal to the same demographic that the iphone does.
 

pm

Elite Member Mobile Devices
Jan 25, 2000
7,419
22
81
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Then you haven't been looking at it much. The screen click interface is a first of its kind. Blackberry has been around much longer than the iphone, and they're keeping their own OS on the Storm, so calling it an iphone clone is just plain ignorant. It's a solid business class phone and isn't supposed to appeal to the same demographic that the iphone does.

I try not to be an iPhone fanatic, but I have to question this statement. First, of all, it seems to me that it's supposed to appeal to pretty much the same demographic as the iPhone - why would you think it's wouldn't? Because Blackberry made it? Maybe more businessmen - who like really big screens for watching movies and surfing the web, but no so much typing long emails because "ClickThrough" or not, it's still a touchscreen - would like it more than an iPhone because it's on Blackberries network and has their push capability... but it seems to me that the demographic for an iPhone and the demographic for a Storm overlap a lot.

And I question the "business class phone" part as well - I don't see how many of the business complaints of the iPhone will be solved by the Storm. I mean, Outlook sync'ing on the iPhone is a bit buggy - particularly on the calendar - and presumably the Storm will have rock-solid Outlook sync'ing. You are able to modify - not just view as you can on an iPhone - Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents. But beyond that... it's still a touchscreen - in my mind if you are a business man, then messing around with a non-tactile touchscreen (ClickThrough or not, you can't feel the letters) trying to edit documents is likely to be a frustrating affair.

I'm not dissing the Storm - it honestly looks awesome - but I think it is solidly aimed at the iPhone and I don't think it will have a lot of appeal to true businessmen who will probably stick with their Bolds and Curves.

That said, saying that it doesn't bring anything new to the table is plain wrong, in my opinion. First there's the obvious "ClickThrough", then it has Blackberry's push technology on a touchscreen - no one else can claim these. So far what I've seen of MobileMe doesn't deliver like RIM does. Compared to the iPhone specifically - it includes cut 'n paste, has a removeable battery, takes SD cards, it has a nicer screen, as mentioned it has full MS Office edit capabilities, a much nicer 3.2 autofocus camera, and supports bluetooth stereo (A2DP). While there are other smartphones with sort of feature list, if we are comparing to the iPhone, then the Storm looks very good.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
Originally posted by: pm
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Then you haven't been looking at it much. The screen click interface is a first of its kind. Blackberry has been around much longer than the iphone, and they're keeping their own OS on the Storm, so calling it an iphone clone is just plain ignorant. It's a solid business class phone and isn't supposed to appeal to the same demographic that the iphone does.

I try not to be an iPhone fanatic, but I have to question this statement. First, of all, it seems to me that it's supposed to appeal to pretty much the same demographic as the iPhone - why would you think it's wouldn't? Because Blackberry made it? Maybe more businessmen - who like really big screens for watching movies and surfing the web, but no so much typing long emails because "ClickThrough" or not, it's still a touchscreen - would like it more than an iPhone because it's on Blackberries network and has their push capability... but it seems to me that the demographic for an iPhone and the demographic for a Storm overlap a lot.

And I question the "business class phone" part as well - I don't see how many of the business complaints of the iPhone will be solved by the Storm. I mean, Outlook sync'ing on the iPhone is a bit buggy - particularly on the calendar - and presumably the Storm will have rock-solid Outlook sync'ing. You are able to modify - not just view as you can on an iPhone - Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents. But beyond that... it's still a touchscreen - in my mind if you are a business man, then messing around with a non-tactile touchscreen (ClickThrough or not, you can't feel the letters) trying to edit documents is likely to be a frustrating affair.

I'm not dissing the Storm - it honestly looks awesome - but I think it is solidly aimed at the iPhone and I don't think it will have a lot of appeal to true businessmen who will probably stick with their Bolds and Curves.

That said, saying that it doesn't bring anything new to the table is plain wrong, in my opinion. First there's the obvious "ClickThrough", then it has Blackberry's push technology on a touchscreen - no one else can claim these. So far what I've seen of MobileMe doesn't deliver like RIM does. Compared to the iPhone specifically - it includes cut 'n paste, has a removeable battery, takes SD cards, it has a nicer screen, as mentioned it has full MS Office edit capabilities, a much nicer 3.2 autofocus camera, and supports bluetooth stereo (A2DP). While there are other smartphones with sort of feature list, if we are comparing to the iPhone, then the Storm looks very good.

I agree it's aimed at the iphone in part... touchscreen control is getting big these days. But a lot of what makes the iphone appealing to at least the people I know who have it is not what makes the storm appealing. My friends who have the iphone got it because they wanted an mp3 player and phone in one, they wanted the simplicity that apple brings to the table, and the touchscreen was a big deal.

Those I know who want the storm generally already have had a blackberry, and would love to see it in a touchscreen version. It can play music sure, but that's not a huge draw. It has pretty impressive messaging capabilities that the iphone doesn't (as you mentioned) which is the biggest draw for BBs. The web browsing will be fantastic, as it is on the iphone.
 
Jul 10, 2007
12,041
3
0
Originally posted by: pm
I try not to be an iPhone fanatic, but I have to question this statement. First, of all, it seems to me that it's supposed to appeal to pretty much the same demographic as the iPhone - why would you think it's wouldn't? Because Blackberry made it? Maybe more businessmen - who like really big screens for watching movies and surfing the web, but no so much typing long emails because "ClickThrough" or not, it's still a touchscreen - would like it more than an iPhone because it's on Blackberries network and has their push capability... but it seems to me that the demographic for an iPhone and the demographic for a Storm overlap a lot.

And I question the "business class phone" part as well - I don't see how many of the business complaints of the iPhone will be solved by the Storm. I mean, Outlook sync'ing on the iPhone is a bit buggy - particularly on the calendar - and presumably the Storm will have rock-solid Outlook sync'ing. You are able to modify - not just view as you can on an iPhone - Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents. But beyond that... it's still a touchscreen - in my mind if you are a business man, then messing around with a non-tactile touchscreen (ClickThrough or not, you can't feel the letters) trying to edit documents is likely to be a frustrating affair.

I'm not dissing the Storm - it honestly looks awesome - but I think it is solidly aimed at the iPhone and I don't think it will have a lot of appeal to true businessmen who will probably stick with their Bolds and Curves.

That said, saying that it doesn't bring anything new to the table is plain wrong, in my opinion. First there's the obvious "ClickThrough", then it has Blackberry's push technology on a touchscreen - no one else can claim these. So far what I've seen of MobileMe doesn't deliver like RIM does. Compared to the iPhone specifically - it includes cut 'n paste, has a removeable battery, takes SD cards, it has a nicer screen, as mentioned it has full MS Office edit capabilities, a much nicer 3.2 autofocus camera, and supports bluetooth stereo (A2DP). While there are other smartphones with sort of feature list, if we are comparing to the iPhone, then the Storm looks very good.

i think the bigger screen is there for internet browsing first and foremost (obviously email as well).
media is secondary.

the touchscreen is just necessary because imagine how large the phone would have to be if it had a full screen and physical kb.
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,553
834
126
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: QueBert
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
A price, a price, my kingdom for a price!

Vz can't price it any higher than the iPhone. They lost a crap load of subs already due to the iPhone, and when you factor in that the Storm doesn't have wifi, I think they need to undercut it. I'm going to guess $150.

I had Verizon for a few years, they don't give you deals. Not on the phones, not on the plans. I watched the video on this, and frankly it's only going to appeal to people who either hate AT&T, hate Apple or already have Verizon. The phone won't fully sync properly with Vista 64, which is completely unacceptable. Besides the Blackberry name I'm not sure why this phone is hyped up. The interface is whatever looking to me, and it doesn't bring anything new to the table. Not saying it's a bad phone but to me it's just another iPhone clone. Albeit it one that looks much nicer than the Dare or the Instinct.

Then you haven't been looking at it much. The screen click interface is a first of its kind. Blackberry has been around much longer than the iphone, and they're keeping their own OS on the Storm, so calling it an iphone clone is just plain ignorant. It's a solid business class phone and isn't supposed to appeal to the same demographic that the iphone does.

Every business person I know hates the iPhone because they hate the lack of a physical KB. the only reason the Storm doesn't have a KB is because the iPhone doesn't. This "click" thing is mostly a gimick, my GF's Dare has tactial feedback with the stupid vibrate when you press a button thing. This is basically what the Storm has, but the screen presses in like a giant button. How is that any better than what the Dare has? If anything, it's not and it's just another thing that can possibly break on the phone. I would bet money without an iPhone there would be no Bold. BB has been around longer, but that doesn't mean this phone isn't aimed at the iPhone crowd. As it stands the iPhone ousells every BB phone, and even if they're targerted at a different demographic, BB wants a peice of that pie. Hence - the Storm.

I don't see many business people jumping to get a Storm, unless most were full of shit about their "I hate n physical KB" The Storm, aside from the RIM email, does nothing note worthy and Verizon will charge out of ass, so monthly fee wise this will be one of the most expensive phones you can get bar none.