BlackBerry Storm (Verizon Wireless) review: BlackBerry Storm (Verizon Wireless)

Editors' note: We have updated the review since its last publish date to include changes to features and performance after installing the BlackBerry OS version 4.7.0.148 released by Verizon Wireless on May 31, 2009.

6.7

BlackBerry Storm (Verizon Wireless)

The Good

The RIM BlackBerry Storm features an innovative touch screen that provides tactile feedback to confirm your selection. The Storm offers dual-mode functionality for world-roaming capabilities as well as EV-DO Rev. A and UMTS/HSDPA support. Other highlights include GPS and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

The Bad

The Storm's SurePress touch-screen takes some acclimation and the onscreen keyboard is a bit cramped. The smartphone can still be sluggish even after the firmware update. Speakerphone quality was a bit choppy

The Bottom Line

The RIM BlackBerry Storm may blow in a frenzy for Verizon Wireless subscribers wanting a touch screen similar to the Apple iPhone. However, there are bugs and performance issues that prevent the Storm from delivering its full potential.

The RIM BlackBerry Storm brewed up a lot of hype and excitement as the first touch-screen BlackBerry. The touch capabilities were news enough alone but add to that Research in Motion's SurePress functionality (the technology that makes the screen clickable), an impressive feature list, and the competitive $199.99 pricing, and there were a lot of expectations for the BlackBerry Storm to succeed. However, when the Storm finally blew into town, it was a definite letdown because of the phone's sluggish performance and bugginess.

Verizon Wireless has since released two firmware updates. The latest, released on May 31, 2009, greatly improves the device by resolving a number of bugs and improving general performance while adding some nice feature enhancements. While we would have preferred all of this from the get-go, the BlackBerry Storm is now a more stable device that should please current owners.