Blackberry Storm Cell Phone Review - Conclusion
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Marianne Schultz Published on December 08, 2008 Comment on this |
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Conclusion
Looking at the scoring results for the Storm, it adds up to a solid device that can do a little bit of everything from media playback and capture to strong organizer and messaging capabilities. We were a bit disappointed that the still image resolution wasn't all that great despite the camera's specs, and even more disappointed with the Storm's lack of Wi-Fi. Battery life is pretty good for calls and music playback, though not as much for web browsing. With both CDMA and GSM radios, the Storm really is a global device, particularly for those tied to Verizon. For global travelers already with GSM-based providers, the Storm may not be compelling enough to switch since you probably already have a phone capable of working while outside of the U.S.
If you're looking for a powerful smartphone with renowned messaging and organizer features and the iPhone 3G or the HTC Touch Diamond don't quite meet your needs or your tastes with their no-tactile-feedback touchscreens, the Storm is a good choice if you are bound and determined to join in on the touchscreen phone fray. If your company has selected Blackberrys as the only accepted mobile platform to be supported and you're unafraid of learning the ways of the ClickThrough touchscreen instead of a physical keyboard, the Storm is again a viable option. The Storm is a novelty among Blackberrys with its touchscreen and we strongly encourage Crackberry addicts to try it out first before diving in since the touchscreen really does take getting used to and the ClickThrough screen doesn't come all that close to really replicating the feel of a physical keyboard, not to mention the durability concerns we have with it.
Business User
Blackberrys are laser-targeted at this group of users and the Storm retains enough of its capabilities, and adds a few more, that will keep up even the most hard-working business user. The biggest hurdle will be the touchscreen and potential buyers will really need to take it for a test drive to see if they can type fast enough to avoid the acts of sending emails and editing documents from becoming dreaded chores.
Budget Callers
At $199 for the device alone and with a monthly data plan on top of a voice plan as a true necessity with the Storm, there's really no way we could recommend the Storm for budget callers. Plus, with its CDMA and GSM radios really meant to appeal to the global traveler, budget callers who don't travel won't be using the full capabilities of the Storm.
Chatty Teenager
Chatty teenagers aren't really part of the target market for the Storm, or any Blackberry, for that matter. While it's not bad-looking, the Storm is pretty big and its large glass screen is pretty fragile. While its battery life could probably keep up fairly well for a day full of phone calls and long rounds of music-listening, a teenager with a Storm is like having a tool-packed Swiss Army knife in hand when only a toothpick is needed to get the job done.
Media Maven
The Storm does look great on paper with its 3.2-megapixel camera with auto-focus lens combined with its ability to capture video and a large, gorgeous screen on which to look at pictures and videos. But the Storm's camera had surprisingly poorer-than-expected still image resolution results, something that will not endear it to this group of users. But if a media maven is looking for a good all-in-one device that can handle entertainment needs as well email and PIM data in a pinch, the Storm is not a terrible choice. Otherwise, its business-oriented capabilities will probably be a bit of overkill and the media capabilities aren't enough to rave about on their own.
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