Skip Links

Network World

Mitchell Ashley

Blackberry Storm – A Huge Disappointment

By Mitchell Ashley on Tue, 01/27/09 - 3:01am.

Sometimes I just have to fess up and eat crow, and it’s time I do that about all the touting I’ve done declaring the BlackBerry Storm an iPhone killer. The fact of the matter is, the BlackBerry Storm has a long way to go before it equals the iPhone in many respects. I’m not saying the Storm is a complete, across the board failure but the Storm fails in its most important aspect of the product -- the touch interface.

Blackberry Storm’s touch interface is a big disappointment for two reasons. First, it’s very slow. It’s not unusual to have to wait 2 or 3 seconds for the Storm to catch so I can take the next action. This happens in many places, including the icons on the home screen. These days there’s no excuse for slow performance on what is supposed to be a high-end product. Second, the Storm is also very slow to recognize when the device has been rotated. At times it doesn’t recognize that device has been turned at all, resulting in you looking at a sideways screen, trying to figure out how to get the Storm to rotate. 

In contrast, the iPhone’s interface is generally very snappy thanks in part to it’s on-board graphics processor. When you tap or swipe on the iPhone, it responds quickly rather than taking it’s sweet time like the BlackBerry Storm. My only beef with the iPhone interface is that at times it doesn’t recognize some actions through the touch interface. Most notable is the iPod app on the iPhone. It frequently doesn’t recognize volume changes or attempts to skip forwards or backwards in a song. But for the most part, that’s an exception. Overall the iPhone is very responsive.

The iPhone’s other big advantage is the app store and the thousands of applications. My two favorites are Guitar Toolkit and Zippo Lighter. As an early adopter I don’t expect the Storm to rush out with thousands of third-party apps right away. That will take time. But the sluggish user-interface experience of the Storm does make you wonder if third-party Storm apps will suffer the same woes.

I’d love RIM to turn the situation around and release some software updates that change the Storm’s user experience from underwhelming to delightful. So far, there’s no evidence of that happening.

Like this? Here are some of Mitchell's recent posts.

Mitchell's Book Recommendations:

Also visit Mitchell's other blogs and podcasts:


Visit Microsoft Subnet for more news, blogs, opinion from around the Web. Sign up for the bi-weekly Microsoft newsletter. (Click on News/Microsoft News Alert.)

It takes a big man

0
By Alan Shimel (not verified) on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 9:31am.

Sometimes it takes a big man to admit your mistakes Mitchell. So when are buying an iPhone. Let me warn you it is no panacea!

I've taken the plunge... sort of

0
By Mitchell Ashley on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 11:46am.

I've actually already owned an iPhone for about 2 months now. I purchased it because my business builds software for the iPhone. It's my test platform basically, though I still use my Storm as my primary phone. 

Mitchell Ashley

Converging Network, LLC
Personal blog: http://www.theconvergingnetwork.com
Personal podcast: http://ashimmy.podomatic.com

Storm Comparisons To The iPhone Are Flawed

0
By Aaron Cake (not verified) on Thu, 01/29/2009 - 3:33pm.

“The BlackBerry Storm has a long way to go before it equals the iPhone in many respects. I'm not saying the Storm is a complete, across the board failure but the Storm fails in its most important aspect of the product -- the touch interface. Blackberry Storm's touch interface is a big disappointment for two reasons. First, it's very slow…and Second…it's slow to recognize when the device has been rotated.”

To be honest, this summary was enough to make me question the entire article. Another comparison with the iPhone. It shows that anyone comparing a Storm with the iPhone misses the purpose of both devices. While the media loves to call every new touch screen device an "iPhone killer", it's pretty clear that RIM never intended the Storm to compete with the iPhone. If they had, the Storm would not be multitasking, would not have cut and paste, be a closed system, have an unusable keyboard, have a built-in non-replaceable battery that lasts half a day, and not have expandable memory.

I skimmed the rest of the article and found the typical complaints from iPhone comparisons, all of which are invalid because comparing a Storm to an iPhone is like comparing an walrus to your opinion on anti-lock brakes. That is, the comparison is totally flawed.

They are two different devices for two different purposes and it does a disservice to each to compare them. The Blackberry is a business device, the iPhone is a toy.

As for your specific complaints about screen lag and the touch screen, I can only say, just stick with the device until you get used to how it works. And most importantly, make sure you are running the latest firmware! Out of the box, the .65 release is a complete dog. Upgrade to .75 and most of the annoyances are fixed.

The Storm is a new formfactor for Blackberry and it's bound not appeal to everyone. Users of traditional Blackberrys will need some time to get used to the new layout and the keyboard. I should know, because I went from a Blackberry 957 Internet Edition to a Storm and wanted to return the Storm the next day. Then I found the new firmware (BB Desktop told me there was an update) and blammo! Totally new experience. Faster, easier and more accurate to type on and a versatile operating system that has loads of potential. It has now been integrated into my life as much as my beloved 957 and I have a hard time putting it down.

Most reviewers don't have the time (or patience?) to properly review a Storm. You can't pick one up, use it for a week and expect it to be a useful device. You need to retrain your mind to know how to operate it as compared to older Blackberrys. It's only a few months old and it's widely known that RIM rushed it to the market. Over the next few months, new firmware will be released to fix most of the annoyances. There are already reports that .90 contains a full QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode, so RIM *is* listening to its users.

You're talking to a User, not a Reviewer

0
By Mitchell Ashley on Thu, 01/29/2009 - 4:00pm.

First Aaron, let me thank you for both reading the blog post and taking the time to provide a very thoughtful comment.

Just to set the record straight, I am a Blackberry Storm user not a reviewer. I stood in line at 5:30am to be the 4-5th person to get a Storm at my local Verizon store. And I've used my Storm every day as my primary SmartPhone device. My iPhone is for software development purposes, not my daily SmartPhone though it has replaced my iPod in most cases. My previous device was also a Blackberry, the World Edition (8830). And, I'm no big fan of Apple iPhone fanboy as nearly all of my previous posts about the iPhone show.

I disagree with you regarding whether the Storm is designed to compete with and should be compared to the iPhone. Certainly BB's audience is business users, whereas the iPhone is a mass market consumer device that appeals both to business users and everyday users.But the mere fact the Storm has the differentiated features you listed missing from the iPhone  (multitasking, cut and paste, not a closed system, usable keyboard, replaceable battery) points to the fact that the Storm IS designed to compete with the iPhone... in the business user segment of the market.

These are all the flaws business users see in the iPhone and demanded BB include in their touch device. But having those features doesn't negate the Storms slow and clunky user experience. I, and I believe most business users, expect much better from RIM.

Also, my experience with the responsiveness of the Storm is much different than yours. I immediately upgraded to the .75 OS update when it was available. In the end the difference in responsiveness of the touch interface and reorientation of the device (via the accelerometer) is minor -- it's still very slow to respond and lacks the snappiness of the iPhone's interface.  

Believe me, I wish this wasn't the case. Then I wouldn't have to be eating crow for claiming the Storm would be a superior device to the iPhone. 

Mitchell Ashley Converging Network, LLC
Personal blog: http://www.theconvergingnetwork.com
Personal podcast: http://ashimmy.podomatic.com

What a great comparison of

0
By wase (not verified) on Fri, 02/13/2009 - 4:41pm.

What a great comparison of these two devices..

I was a long time Blackberry user, but couldn't resist trying the Iphone 3G
I have my own business, and need a tool that I can use easily at home, and on the road, so BB was ALWAYS my first choice..until I got hooked on the Iphone...

BB's are awesum, but most folks who have come the same path as I have, end up sticking with the Iphone, just cause its more fun..

They both have their place, but more often than not, people seem to keep their Iphones, and dont return to BB..

Piece of carp BB Storm

0
By Verizon and RIM have lost their way (not verified) on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 9:23pm.

If those bastards at Blackberry think I will forgive them for putting this piece of crap into the business marketplace and thinking no one would notice how difficult it is to type and reply to email and texts, then they are sadly mistaken. Not a word have I seen from our Canadian friends acknowledging their total failure with the tactile keyboard. I've struggled with piece of crap everyday and every hour since Nov of 08 when I sadly thought it would be the businessman's dream. It's a piece of crap nightmare and RIM continues to try to assuage my anger by introducing Storm 2 and wants me to pay full price for it?? Keep your freakin phone in the frozen tundra and I sincerely hope iPhone and Droid will kick your sorry asses to kingdom come. Verizon is complicit in this nightmare and should offer a very special price to upgrade to an iPhone4G (which Verizon surely must know is the only salvation they really can offer business customers when the contract expires with AT&T) or bet heavily on Droid and cost their shareholders, including me, a bundle, when it fails because it will never match the 2 billion download iPhone app store. The iPhone has a 34 million+ handset head start....this is Marketing 101 Verizon....get rid of Ivan if he thinks for a minute that Droid will be the answer...he is only thinking of retirement and has no longterm care about what happens to Verizon after his golden parachute unfurls. Wall Street is wowed for only so long and your CFO will have to give the facts to the Street. Is it really that hard to acknowledge that Apple is king? Verizon is a service provider and not an innovator....leave the innovation to the big boys and girls at Apple and not the MBAs running your trifling shop.

Writers who can't figure out

0
By Anon (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 10:03pm.

Writers who can't figure out "its" vs. "it's" - a huge disappointment.

you have too much time on your hands

0
By Anon (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 1:21am.

What a moronic comment. Don't you have anything better to do than leave a comment about petty things like this?

BLACKBERRY STORM

0
By VICB3 (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 10:14pm.

Is it the phone that's flawed, or that Verizon will/has 'crippled' the unit so as to - they hope - generate additional income streams?

It's time to decouple the unit - the phone - from the service, as was done with landlines in the 70's. Technical issues aside, that would allow the customer/user to select the best phone for his/her needs and burn it to likewise the most suitable service. Thus an I-fone could be used with Verizon and/or the Blackberry with, say, ATT.

Since neither the providers or manufacturers are likely to put take the high road or put their foot down regarding degredation of phone utilty, this will no doubt end up being done via legislative fiat, and with much foot dragging all around.

Just a thought

VICB3

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Welcome, visitor. Register Log in
About Converging on Microsoft
Mitchell Ashley is principal consultant at Converging Network LLC where he provides product, technology and social media consulting to emerging technology companies. A successful CTO and product innovator, Mitchell has created many successful, award winning products in the networking, security, convergence, Internet and IT industries. In addition to blogging for NetworkWorld, Mitchell regularly blogs at TheConvergingNetwork and co-hosts the widely popular StillSecure After All These Years podcast.
Blog Roll
Personal blog
http://www.theconvergingnetwork.com
Personal podcast
http://ashimmy.podomatic.com