RIM BlackBerry Storm consists of an innovative touch screen, which offers tactile feedback for confirming your selection. This $200 ($199.99) worth smart phone provides dual-mode functionality with capability of world-roaming. Other highlights of this phone include a 3.2 megapixel camera and GPS.

Bulky Model

First thing that you’ll observe in Storm, prior to you even turning it on, is that it is slightly on the heavier side. RIM opted for including an extended battery with Storm, probably for appeasing both professionals and general users, who are looking to use media features or surf on the web, with their smart phones. The model weighs around 5.5 lbs and measures 4.4in x 2.4in x .55in in size.

Hardware buttons on the Storm

With Storm, you get a handful of hardware buttons, which include ‘dial call’, ‘end call’, ‘menu key’, ‘escape key’, ‘voice dial’ (left side), ‘camera’ (right side), ‘lock’, ‘mute’ and ‘volume control key’ (right side). You can miss out on the mute and lock buttons, as they are recessed into the phone’s casing.

Setup & Use

RIM BlackBerry Storm features a 3.2-megapixel camera along with GPS voice navigating facility. You’ll also get a 1GB on-board memory and a battery, which will deliver 6 hours of talk time. The display unit available with the model is a bright 3.25in 480 x 360 color display, which can support more than 65,000 colors. Again, it supports 2.0 Bluetooth and has a micro SD slot. You even get a typical 3.5 mm headphone jack with this phone. The only thing missing with the Storm is WiFi facility, which is a common wireless option on most smart phones.

What you might not like in the Storm?

It’s very difficult to use its touch screen even after practice. You’ll find it difficult to type fast on Storm. Even simple tasks such as typing in URL or dragging browser might prove a major chore. If you turn the phone to its side, Storm will be switched automatically to landscape mode with a full keyboard. Still, the keys will remain too small for email functions.

Neat tricks from Storm

You have the option to move your fingers over screen’s cursor for ‘picking it up’ and moving it to another region of the screen. This will be a fun way of searching email addresses for you. Again for zooming in, you only need to tap its screen two times and if you are looking to zoom out, just press Escape.

Storm is a great effort from RIM. Still, it’s not the killer smart phone that is needed to have an impact in this market. Yes, they have put tremendous thought into its design. Still, it has delivered way below the hype that was attached to it before its release.

Unique Selling Point

Battery: 6 hours of talk time and 360 hours of Stand by time

Camera: 3.2-Megapixel

Display: 3.25in 480 x 360 color display

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