It lasted 1 day during my normal day.

For those of you who read my previous post about me purchasing the new BlackBerry Storm, I decided to return the long awaited and highly touted piece of machinery.

(After reading that sentence, I’m pretty sure there are individuals out there who have to wait for their BlackBerry Storm wanting to cause me physical harm) – Sorry.

I purchased it this past Friday. I spent the weekend customizing and ‘tinkering’ with the new device, while I tested on the bells and whistles.

Most of the bells and whistles stood up to their claims, while some of the finer points of the device left me wanting.

I’m all about function. The device can brag and proclaim all it wants with its ever popular bells and whistles. But, if it doesn’t perform the daily functions that I use (and abuse) on a daily basis. Then it’s basically a highly priced P.O.S..

Over the years I’ve learned and defined my own ‘mobile personality’. I am an electronic junky. I love new-fangled electronic devices.

I have in fact experimented and tried out NUMEROUS mobile devices. Up until last year I carried around a cellular phone AND a separate PDA.

I was fascinated by flip phones when they were the new craze years ago. Then there was the camera phone. Then we moved onto the camera/video phone. I even tried the annoying slider phone.

Then last year I made the leap to the world of Smartphone’s. I owned a Palm Treo 700wx for about a year. I loved it. Having my function of my PDA in the same place as my phone. It worked out great.

The only drawbacks to my phone were that it was a tad heavier than a cell phone and I always kept accidentally triggering the touch screen. I was diligent when I would lock the screen, but somehow I always ended up making a darn phone call with my Palm Treo in my pocket. LOL

So the beginning of this year I crossed over into the great BlackBerry abyss. I was hesitant because I’ve heard good and bad things about the whole BlackBerry experience. I purchased the BlackBerry Curve because it was the one on special, and at the time it was the ‘new’ release.

It was smaller, it was lighter than my Treo. Which was a huge plus. It didn’t have a touch screen, it had the trackball. I had a neutral feeling about the trackball. I was not missing the accidents I would make with the touch screen, and it was taking a lil more dexterity to maneuver the trackball.

Fast forward to this past week. I have grown fond of my trackball. In fact I don’t know how to operate my darn device without a trackball. LOL .

I got extremely accustomed to the size and weight of my BlackBerry Curve. It’s so light and small, that when you put the device in your pocket, you sometimes forget it’s there. Heck if you put it in your jacket pocket.. It’s almost invisible.

So I purchase the BlackBerry Storm to satisfy my junky craving. And yes.. It’s a multimedia virtual vending machine, with some of the coolest graphics and functions.

But lest us not forget the staple of my mobile personality. I’m all about function. Functionally traversing my way through my day. Everything from phone calls, SMS, MMS, camera, video, email, etc. I use all these things during my day. And the BlackBerry Storm left a HUGE void in my daily functions.

It’s sad to say, but the ONE THING that deterred my affinity for the Storm was it’s vibrate function.

Yep.

No matter how I set the vibrate notification, I was not receiving any notifications. I had it on it’s maximum strength, and had it vibrate 5 times per alert and I still missed calls. I still missed messages.

So for me, it was an easy decision.

I already didn’t like the bulky weight of the device. And I was kindly reminded of how much I DON’T like touch screen technology, no matter how user friendly it is. But the straw that broke the camel’s back was the lack-luster weak vibrate action.

I returned the Storm on Monday night and got a new Curve. My wife inherited my old Curve.

The really cool turn-out of this whole story is that my wife likes her new device. I already loved my Curve. And now I actually use the BlackBerry Messenger function on my BlackBerry since my wife owns a BlackBerry Device. (Something I knew nothing about prior to this)

So here are my suggestions:

Purchase A BlackBerry Storm if:

You like touch screen technology

You are a multimedia junkie

You surf the web often with your mobile device

You interested in a higher ‘quality’ picture taken by your device

Do Not purchase a BlackBerry Storm if:

You want a device light and portable

You utilize the vibrate function on your mobile device often

You do not like or want the touch screen technology

You have become accustomed to the trackball

Best of luck!

Carpe Diem

So I did it, I went and purchased the new BlackBerry Storm this past Friday.

For those of you that do not know. This product was so widely anticipated that most of the Verizon stores were sold out by mid-morning and the warehouse was sold out by the afternoon. So if you got one, you either sat outside the store doors early that morning or it was just your lucky day.

For me it was just my lucky day.

I have had a BlackBerry device for the better part of this year. I was hesitant at first, but once I got used to the trackball functionality I was hooked. There was so much about my BlackBerry Curve, and just BlackBerry’s service and software that was just ‘right’ for me.

So fast-forward to now.

BlackBerry and Verizon Wireless decided to ride the iPhone wave by creating a touch-screen BlackBerry device. The first of it’s kind. Until now BlackBerry has always been operated with the infamous trackball function.

It was like the iPhone… but not. It had the cool touch screen options but not all the functionality of the I-Phone. Needless to say the public, including myself, was interested. BlackBerry users new and old were salivating at the mouth to see just how this thing was going to function.

The most anticipated function was the Sure-Touch screen technology. It functions just like the I-Phone to a degree. It scrolls left to right and up or down with the sweep of your finger on the screen. The unique portion of this technology is that you have to choose and/or click an object or application twice. You first choose an application by lightly touching your finger over the screen.. The application is highlighted. Then you press down on the actual screen to select what you highlighted. It’s great for those of us who accidentally click something and then have to go back constantly (Yep that would be me)

The Sure-Touch screen at first glance and first touch feels shoddy or even ‘loose’. But apparently that’s the way it’s made. It can and does shift in all 4 directions as well as depressing when you push for an application.

Here is a great article I found that gives a much better analysis and more defined detail of is machinery and mechanical make: BlackBerry Storm – Review and Teardown

It takes some practices to get used to, but like all other new things, time is the best indicator of it’s worth.

I’m still on the Fence. I can’t seem to decide. I can’t decide if I’m going to commit to the Storm, or simply get another BlackBerry device- either back to a BB Curve, or go for the BB Bold.

So here are my Pro’s and Con’s of my new toy:

Pro:

• The look is sharp and sleek
• The transition and graphic interface is quite impressive
• It does have the option to use a QWERTY keyboard OR predictive text
• The portrait versus landscape option is pretty slick (even if it’s not iPhone worthy)
• It does allow zoom in and out camera function by simply sliding your finger across the screen

Con:

• It does have slow moments when transitioning between applications and screens
• The sure-touch screen takes some getting used to, but it does eliminate accidental clicking
• The QWERTY keyboard doesn’t allow for fast typing.. Fast typing = mistakes.
• I don’t like the lack of options with ringtones- with the Curve, I could choose to have a ringtone or alert to be in increasing volume or have it ‘ring’ 1-3 times. You don’t have that option with the Storm
• It is a tad heavier/bulkier than other BlackBerry devices

I’ll keep you posted on my progress and final decision. I believe I have 14 -15 days to decide. The real test will be during a typical work day for me. See how it performs then.

I’d love to hear your thoughts (whether you purchased one or not)

Carpe Diem

Image Source: BlackBerry.com