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"I can't put this phone down, it is exceptional!" on by Cambrey
Pros: Great feel, build quality, super fast, and just works like you expect it to. You turn the phone and it instantly changes from portrait to landscape. Call quality is wonderful. I actually find myself enjoying the typing experience!
Cons: Blackberry browser is slow, cumbersome. A quick download of Opera Mini gave me a browser that is more on par with the iPhone and Android browsers, fixing the major problem area of the phone.
Summary: I had an iPhone and loved it, but AT&T's horrible coverage forced me to abandon it. Went to Verizon and the Storm 1 in hopes it would be a good equivalent to my iPhone. I hated the storm 1 so much I returned it within a couple of weeks and traded it for a Curve 8330. That was a good phone, but it never was great...I much prefer the larger screens on touch devices. As soon as the Storm 2 came out I decided to check it out...it is exactly what I was looking for! Feels wonderful in hand with a high end build quality and just the right amount of weight. The software is super responsive and the screen is gorgeous. I really figured I would have this for a few days, and immediately trade it in for a Droid, but with all the positive experiences I've had with this so far, the Droid had better be out of this world amazing to make me want to change. I am a big fan of the iPhone and I really prefer the typing experience on the Storm2 over the iPhone. I am perfectly happy with the Blackberry Storm 2! If you are on the fence at all, take it for a spin...I can't seem to put mine down...it really is that good.
So after playing with a Motorola Droid I've settled on the Storm2 without question. Although the Droid does some amazing things, the Storm2 is everything I need and more...it's just a better fit for me
Updated on Nov 10, 2009 -
"Better than expected" on by Autonomousone
Pros: I have been a Rhapsody subscriber for years and it works perfectly with it. It's easier to use the Storm 2 with my Rhapsody account than my IRiver Clix and I love my Clix. Great camera and video. I love the email and IM. Viigo is great on it
Cons: Browser is a bit slow. I downloaded Opera Mini 5. It has tabbed browsing. Opera is faster on it. It is strange that everything works great besides the browser.
Summary: I studied the Motorola Droid and Storm 2 for a long time. I decided on the Storm 2 because I like to be able to get my IBM Lotus Notes emails. I tried for a year to get my work email to work on my Q9m. I bought the 8330 and within 3-4 minutes I had my work email set up. I loved how my 8330 just worked!!!! Nothing ever went wrong with my 8330! I honestly got my email from work on my phone before it came up on my computers. I already had success with BlackBerry after a year of frustration on a Q9m Motorola.
The reason I was in the market for the Storm 2 or Droid was that I wanted to get something that would take a better picture and would work with my Rhapsody account. I get all the music I want for my monthly fee. LOVE IT!!!
I thought that I was going for the inferior phone when I got the Storm 2, but everything actually works on this device. The Droid has a good browser. I have played with one at the Verizon Store and they are actually kind of fun, but I think I made the right choice for me. Maybe next year the Droid will come out with something that makes email push like a BlackBerry does. I have heard that in the future Android Google will come out with apps that will work with Rhapsody or other music services that you can download music without purchasing, but until then I will not switch.
I took pictures at the Bruce Springsteen concert that came out great. The videos did too. The flash is VERY BRIGHT!!! The flash works with video recording and picture taking.
I love the Viigo App for news. It works great. It gives me all the news I need in one application. They have some great podcasts on Viigo. I love listening to them during my commute.
Audible works great!!!!!!!!!!! They have a special App for the Storms!!!!!!
I was afraid to get a touchscreen phone. I liked that the Droid has a full Qwerty, but within a day of using the touchscreen I was hooked. It is so easy!!! You just have to remember to use both thumbs. I have held conversations on the IM Live and BlackBerry messenger and never really thought about the touchscreen. Outstanding keyboard in landscape mode.
I converted a DVD and then put it on my Storm2 and it looks and sounds great. It took forever to convert the DVD though. That was on DVDFab and HandBrake.
I also like the way YouTube videos work on it. When YouTube updates their service and sends out better videos I think I will use it even more.
The actual phone is VERY CLEAR. The speaker sounds great listening to voicemail or phone calls.
Using Opera as the browser has made the browsing experience a lot better. They have tabbed browsing now. It just works great and it is still in beta. Outstanding!!! Opera Mini 5 beta is the version I am using. I think they need to update something to allow the flash videos on new sites. I have been able to download videos from BBC, but it would be great to get them in Adobe Flash or some other flash.
My Storm 2 has not ever froze on me. Everything just seems to work. It seems as reliable as my 8330. I don't think I will throw it around like I did my 8330 because of the screen. This Storm 2 is a very well designed phone. I love the way it feels in my hands. It just feels right. I will be very happy with it for the next year or two.
BTW The Verizon people have been so good to me. I was with Sprint about 9 years ago and never was very happy with their service. We went to Cingular AT&T for about 4-5 years. I got so sick of the dropped calls when I went over the Catawba River. I got sick of calling the call centers and feeling that I was bothering someone. Verizon really does have nice people working for them in the stores locally and when I call 611. I have yet to be disappointed with their customer service.
Good Luck with your phone search...I have found mine!!! -
"Another biased Cnet review" on by phlacoe
Pros: Major improvement over the Storm 1
Cons: Cnet's review
Summary: As usual I'm disappointed by Cnet's poor biased review. Bonnie Cha has already said in previous reviews that she prefers a full qwerty hardware keyboard. She also said that the iphone's keyboard took a couple of days to get used to. Now she is saying "it takes some acclimation and similar to the SureType keyboards, we think it's something you'll either learn to like or hate." I like how you can hover over the Storm's keyboard and click to select. It gives it a more precise feel over an iphone. The attitude during her review already tells me I shouldn't buy this phone. She rated the Tour as it should be rated. It's great for business users, it's a world phone and it has a great screen. These are things she left out on the Storm 2 that has the same features. She didn't go over the speed improvements with many applications. She didn't mention how fast the multi-tasking was (don't forget how critical she was over the iphone 3gs's lack of multi-tasking). She forgot to mention the app store for the Storm 2 that she mentioned for the Blackberry Tour. She recommends the Samsung Omnia 2 and how great the widgets are. She fails to mention how slow the widgets take to load which is a big turn off. I don't understand why the only review of the Samsung Omnia 2 by Cnet is her visit to CTIA. There are more in-depth reviews on YouTube that speak to the many weaknesses of the Omnia 2. Look, I understand the Storm 1 was riddled with problems. I still own one. However, the new BB OS 5 is a fast OS compared to the iphone and the layout and menu features are more in-line with the iphone. BB may not have as many apps as the iphone, but again it's a business phone. You have an easy Microsoft Exchange connection feature and the interface is fast. I can transfer music and pics fast without even using the preloaded software that comes with the Storm. I don't even have to mess with I-Tunes. Since BB OS 5, I don't have many complaints. I've gone head to head with an iphone. The same lack of features always come out: you can't replace the battery with an iphone, you can't multitask with an iphone, I'm still using real GPS with my Storm (as compared to tri-cellular-location with the iphone, and I still think that sure type is better than any other touch screen or real hardware qwerty keyboard. Have you actually taken a survey of how many Blackberry business users there are compared to iphone users on a daily basis????
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"Definite upgrade and proof that RIM listens!" on by fwcmcse
Pros: Auto-sensing screen during calls, no more ear-typing
Beautiful, large display
ResponsiveCons: Sure Press does take some adjustment vs standard keyboard
Summary: Ignore the video review of this product. The editor did not properly research this device. There are MANY new features in this product, and it is NOT the exact same size as its predecessor. No mention of the change to the touchscreen to prevent app launching while on the phone. No mention of the improved feel and fit of the device in one's hand. No mention of battery life improvements. And no mention of video and photo capability.
Most bothersome is the mention that the device reset twice. After fumbling around with that statement, she reveals that Bing was the culprit. Pathetic. The real story is, Bing caused the device to crash. That is NOT a built-in app; it's added on by the editor and therefore should not be ascribed to the hardware itself being unstable. Since the app was not written by RIM, it's unreasonable to blame the device. If Mozilla crashes on my Windows desktop, does that mean Vista/XP/7 sucks? Or that my Dell laptop is junk? How about actually understanding what a review is, what the audience is, and adding those two things together in a review.
Shoddy reporting. -
"The perfect fit." on by norsedoc
Pros: Bright screen, great phone, easy to use, all the apps I need or want, wide phone coverage, WiFi, I like the click touch screen.
Cons: The double keys in portrait mode takes some getting use to. Different apps load with different methods at times.
Summary: First I needed a good easy to use phone with good covereage since I travel. This left out AT&T and the Iphone. My ego was bruised until I started using the phone. I am a busy medical professiona with my own business so a releible, solid platform phone was my first prioity. It has great voice and speaker sound and a very attractive bright screen. All the thrid party utility and medical apps have worked great. I do not use my phone for a toy or relalxation. The brouser is fine when I need it, both 3G and WiFi. If I want to seriously browse the internet I use my computer, People want big computer screens and settle for phone screens when browsing, go figure. The Droids are great and I love technology, but honestly do not need thousands of open source apps. Like the IPhone, they are fun and really interesting, but I do not have the time to play on a phone. Seriously, get the Droid if you are an ubergeek. I believe it will be equal to the IPhone. The Verizon visual voice mail is a real time saver even if it does cost $3 a month. It is worth skipping a Starbucks once a month. This is a phone I can actually hand to my wife and have her be able to make a call. I like the secure feel of the click screen. I have experienced a blink or two with the acceleromter, but it was not even an annoyance to me. Lots of memory. The phone works perfectly with my Pioneer Nuvi car phone and stereo. It stays connected, no problems with voice commands and downloaded my contacts no problem. I was able to sync Outlook with contacts, tasks, calender and notes on two comptuers, home and work without problem. I hear it is a hassel to do this with the IPhone (no notes) and it was very tedious if not next to impossible with my old Treo I replaced with this phone. If I get stuck somewhere and would like to hear music or watch video I have that with this phone and a lot of memory. You can tether this phone if you have the plan from Verizon or some other third party programs. (not IPhone) To some it up, If you need fast apps like Google maps with traffic, weather, news and serious busniess apps like I do, this is the phone to get in my opinion.
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