CNET takes a hands-on look at the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 for Verizon Wireless.
Bonnie ChaFormer Editor
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
Watch this: RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 (Verizon Wireless)
Let's be honest. Research In Motion's first foray in the world of the touch-screen smartphones wasn't exactly a smashing success. The RIM BlackBerry Storm was riddled with bugs and performance issues, which were resolved with subsequent software updates, but still, the damage had been done. However, there are high hopes that the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 will wash away all those bad memories and start afresh.
As of press time, Verizon Wireless did not reveal pricing or an exact release date for the Storm successor, but RIM dropped by our offices and left us a near-final product to check out. Its revamped SurePress touch screen, updated software, and new features definitely make it better than its predecessor, but there were a couple of troublesome performance issues. Also, Verizon has the Samsung Omnia 2 and two Google Android devices coming up, so the smartphone is going to face some stiff competition.
Though specific details weren't released, we expect the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 to ship in November for around the same price as the original Storm, which was about $200 with a two-year contract. We'll let you know as soon as we have the information, and we'll update the review with a rating after receiving the final product. In the meantime, here's our preview of the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 and a hands-on photo gallery.
