TAG | Blackberry’s Storm set to rain on iPhone’s parade |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Wednesday, 08 October 2008 | |
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Page 4 of 4 Browsing the Internet is a key feature of any modern smartphone, and the Storm delivers on this front too. Featured Whitepaper
5 Best Practices for Smartphone Support
RIM describes the browser as having “icons along the bottom of the display allow for quickly accessing Web sites, switching between “Page View” and “Column View” as well as the ability to toggle between “Pan” mode and “Cursor” mode.” It also supports “file downloading, streaming audio and video (RTSP), and with its built-in RSS support, new content from supported Web sites can be automatically pushed to the user”. Software such as a Facebook client is pre-loaded, and the usual high-end BlackBerry email client is there as well, along with SMS, MMS and instant messaging. An “App Store” isn’t mentioned in the press release but has been talked about online, with BlackBerry said to be taking the third-party software opportunity very seriously. The Boy Genuis Report has a multi-page leaked Powerpoint slide show with additional details and plenty of photos if you want to know more. You can also watch this YouTube video which shows off a Verizon “Minute with Mike from Verizon Wireless”, actually a 2 minute video that gives a great feel for what the Storm will be like. There’s no word yet on “pricing and availability” which is set to be announced in the coming weeks, but I’ve read of a November timeframe in the US, Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand, just in time for the Christmas/end-of-year/holiday shopping season, and a guess of US $199 pricing to compete with the iPhone on a 24 month contract. You can also see more details at the official BlackBerry Storm website. To conclude, Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless, probably the Mike in the video above, said of the launch that: “The BlackBerry Storm offers our customers more ways to stay connected to both their personal and professional lives – whether in their communities or around the globe. The BlackBerry Storm combines the reliability of our 3G network with the dependability and network efficiency of the BlackBerry platform to deliver our customers the ultimate wireless experience – all in one of the coolest smartphones available on the market today.” Frank H. Rovekamp, global chief marketing officer of the Vodafone Group said: “We are delighted to bring the power of the purpose built BlackBerry Storm, directly into the hands of consumer and business customers. “With its unique clickable touch-screen, giving access to all the desirable multimedia features and services such as browsing, music and video, turn-by-turn satellite navigation, messaging and social networking, and BlackBerry’s mobile heritage and strong business reputation, the BlackBerry Storm is being brought by Vodafone into the consumer world. With Vodafone’s ultra high-speed, reliable mobile network and this exclusive and exciting new smartphone, there has never been a better time to be with Vodafone.” All in all, the BlackBerry Storm looks like the perfect answer to the iPhone threat, one-upping it in many ways, and from initial reports, looking very impressive and a well thought out touch-screen BlackBerry. Apple’s unlikely to get washed away in any storm any time soon, but if it’s not going to bother with a raincoat, packing an umbrella could well be advised. All eyes now on the Storm actually launching, the effect it has in the marketplace and on rumours for the iPhone 3.0 due some time in 2009! |
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