[bogman]

I am a very loyal Blackberry user for 4 years now. I'm get bored quickly so often get a new Blackberry every 6 months or so. I had a Bold for the last 6 months and was always happy with it (although the software is quite as reliable as it used to be - particularly in early releases).

I got my Storm today and upgraded it to the latest OS immediately. However, I am not impressed. Its sluggish (very sluggish at times - almost freezing). The keyboard isn't great. Not of the functionality is particularly intuitive. How can a device that's been out for nearly six months be so bad?

I don't like iPhones that much - but my wife still has an iPhone 1G on a very early version of software and its MILES better than this (fast, responsive, and intuitive).

I hate to admit it because I'm a big BlackBerry fan. But this is not a great attempt at a touchscreen phone?

[JSanders]

What is the latest OS you used?

I'll be quite honest about my experience, I have been elsewhere. At first I thought the same as you. But the screen is hard to pass up. I said to myself I will give the Storm two weeks. That was in mid-December, and it has only gotten better.

But I can also see how some people wouldn't last more than a day.

[bogman]

Originally Posted by JSanders

What is the latest OS you used?

I'll be quite honest about my experience, I have been elsewhere. At first I thought the same as you. But the screen is hard to pass up. I said to myself I will give the Storm two weeks. That was in mid-December, and it has only gotten better.

But I can also see how some people wouldn't last more than a day.

I upgraded to .113 - but I've just downloaded .122 and will see if its any better.

I will stick with it for a while. But I've been close to throwing it out the window already! lol!

[ElusiveAura]

Remember to do the keyboard settings as well as this will help the touchscreen aspect. Sticky is at top of forum.

[pearlinSen]

it seems like a lot of people who don't like touchscreens and are all about qwertys get the storm and hate it. i don't get why that is. If i didnt like classic rock and bought an old Rush album i don't think i'd like it either.

[ghamden]

I think that most if not all Storm users are dissatified with the Strom in one way or another and are trying work arounds to make it function

Considering RIM has experienced record profits most on the sales of the storm.

But it looks as if it may be hurting the Blackberry Reputation and cost in future sales if they don't resolve these issues.

Verizon seems to realise this, hopefully is trying to release an OS that addresss these issues.

Becuase i am pretty sue if they aren't addressed the 50% returns they are experiencing may increase to 80 or 90 percent.

If verizon did not have the cooverage thay do with quality calls and data this would be a mute point the storm would have flopped right out of the box because no one would put up with the flaws of this phone and bad signal coverage

[jsconyers]

ghamden, I've read a few of your posts (including your petition) and they all seem to paint the storm as a bad device. If you're not happy with the device, you could return it, you said you have until the 25th, right?

I think your statistics are a bit off, or made up. I don't think "most or all" Storm users are dissatisfied with their device. The ones that were returned them. I also don't foresee a 90% return rate.

[jeremyckitching]

Originally Posted by bogman

I will stick with it for a while. But I've been close to throwing it out the window already! lol!

If you do throw it out the window see if you can throw it far enough to that is reaches me. Thanks!

[bogman]

Thanks for the replies and info.

So - just out of curiousity. For those of you who like the Storm:

Using the shortcuts (thanks to StinstonDog's tips), I can do things very quickly on the Bold. For example, I can hit L in messages and reply to all, or T in most apps and it will go to the top of the page. Even if you get used to the Storm won't things like this always be slower, because you have to press right place on the screen and it may even take a few presses?

[ghamden]

First off it is not my petition

I am not and never will except mediocre as acceptable

the 50% numbers are verizon spec not mine the 80 to 90 percent are my speculation

I am not sure about you but i have better things to then to reprogram my phone to make it work as advertised it is the Manufaturer and Carrier to do ..

As for return looks like that will be my option if THe OS is bad or not available

We should not have to be part of a Beta experiment for rim to get its version of an iphone working

I have used the Iphone 3g much more stable than the Storm considering it is a second gen phone so I am sure 1st gen Iphone user aren't happy .

But ATT does not have the coverae Verizon does so it was not an option for me.

My previous experince with blackberry has been good which led me to expect the same quality out if the box this actually is my 3rd Storm
1st DOA
2nd had stiff non responsive screen iwas advised to put a piece of business card under battery to resolve the issue strangely enough it cured the stiffness returned for

3rd and final one only software issues hopefully they can be resolved

Quality Control apprently has not been there for this device

Sorry you take this personnally

I thought forums were for helping resolve issues

I am glad your storm is all you want or expect

I want mine to work as advertised not freeze up or be sluggish and not have to create work arounds
to get it to work properly

I would never expect my clients to have to put up with this type of service

[NJBlackBerry]

So return it and get a device that works better *for you*. Otherwise you will continue to be upset with a device that doesn't work for you.

I wanted to like the Storm. It lasted under 3 hours. Gave it to one of the guys who works for me. At least he kept it a weekend. And some people love it. My unused iPhone makes a good iPod Touch. If it doesn't work for you, get rid of it.

Otherwise you will just continue tilting at windmills.

[ChezDigital]

I had a painful first couple days with my Storm back in February. Also, it was my first BB.

Now, I'm in love with both BBs and the Storm, am extremely efficient with accuracy on the touchscreen, and couldn't imagine sacrificing half my screen real estate for a different phone. I promise you, it will only get better, and in a couple months you'll be very happy that you didn't get rid of it.

Additionally, I'm still running .75, and know that most of the leakage and camera-sluggishness that I deal with now will be addressed when I finally get around to upgrading. So if I'm satisfied and tolerant at .75, I can only imagine what it will be like when I bump up.

Give it a few weeks...you'll love this phone.

[mrf30]

The storm is my third BB, i had 7130 8130 and now storm, i got the storm from verizon on nov 21st release date. I didnt give it the weekend returned it for curve but liked the suretype better so went back to my pearl. i feel like my problem with the storm in the begining was i was anticipating far more than i got. however after a while and reading up on it again i gave it a second shoot. I will have it for three weeks this sunday and just upgraded to .113. so far i like the storm it definitely runs a lot smoother than the original bunch and now that i have .113 it seems even smoother. i could nit pick the phone there are things that it lacks or doesnt do that im not crazy about but all in all i enjoy it and will probably hold on to it for a while. the storm isnt for everyone and blackberry did venture out on a new leaf on this phone by ditching their physical keyboard, however i believe the phone will only get better with time.

[bogman]

Have been using it for 48 hours now. It is growing on me, and I'm getting a bit more used to using it. I'll give it a few more days, however, I can still see myself going back to the Bold.

Apart from the usability issues and lack of keyboard, many of my apps either don't work properly and/or only display half screen (and its not even half - there's a border around them in the top half).

The bigger screen is nice for web browsing and some other things, however, I feel its a bit wasted in other respects because they have to leave so much space between lines to allow you to select it (for example, I would like to have just one line per message in my inbox and in Tasks, there's a lot of space between lines?).

[ocgreenmachine]

Originally Posted by bogman

I upgraded to .113 - but I've just downloaded .122 and will see if its any better.

I will stick with it for a while. But I've been close to throwing it out the window already! lol!

I've been pretty happy with my storm for the last 4 months ever since I started using the beta OSes. However, there were some minor issues such as minor memory leaks and low app memory. Here are a couple of things that drastically improved things for me recently.

1. Load shrink-a-os and remove unused languages, programs, and themes

2. Use the default Zen theme... No memory leaks.

3. Load MeterBerry to monitor your memory levels... It has a soft reset function which comes in handy as well

4. Lastly, read up on 3rd party software to figure out which ones have memory leak issues and avoid them..

If you do these 4 steps, you will have noticeable differences.

[bogman]

Thanks for the tips ocgreenmachine - I'm in the process of downloading MeterBerry.

I'm now on Day 5 with my Storm. Its definitely growing on me - and when it works well I like it. The typing is getting easier (but not sure it will ever be as fast as a "proper" keyboard), and I really like the bigger screen for web browsing and other applications.

However, its the sluggishness and momentary freezing that could be a deal breaker. I like to quickly look at SMS and email messages as I receive them during the day - and what should take take 5 seconds can often take 30 or more because of this. (I'm on .122).

[BallHawk3]

Originally Posted by pearlinSen

it seems like a lot of people who don't like touchscreens and are all about qwertys get the storm and hate it. i don't get why that is. If i didnt like classic rock and bought an old Rush album i don't think i'd like it either.

i'm with you on that! Excellent point.

It's really all a touchscreen fad right now.

I myself, am not a touchscreen fan. I do use a storm here and there, I actually love it. But not as much as my javelin. The storm to me, is well....a blackberry with touchscreen. I've been using BB's for a while, so i'm not a first time user, i'll disregard all the booklets and manuals, load my own stuff on it, software, apps etc etc. I think majority of "blackberry users" are like this. Don't have to call technical support for help, and if we need answers, we can figure it out ourself by doing a little due dilligence.

Which is why, I feel the storm isn't really for those who never used a BB before. I think its more for those who have been using blackberrys and just want something with a touchscreen (or something new).

Afterall, it's still a blackberry, with a touchscreen.

[zero7404]

Originally Posted by bogman

I am a very loyal Blackberry user for 4 years now. I'm get bored quickly so often get a new Blackberry every 6 months or so. I had a Bold for the last 6 months and was always happy with it (although the software is quite as reliable as it used to be - particularly in early releases).

I got my Storm today and upgraded it to the latest OS immediately. However, I am not impressed. Its sluggish (very sluggish at times - almost freezing). The keyboard isn't great. Not of the functionality is particularly intuitive. How can a device that's been out for nearly six months be so bad?

I don't like iPhones that much - but my wife still has an iPhone 1G on a very early version of software and its MILES better than this (fast, responsive, and intuitive).

I hate to admit it because I'm a big BlackBerry fan. But this is not a great attempt at a touchscreen phone?

your reactions here are somewhat normal, even moreso since you've been spoiled by using a Bold ...

i got used to it. and if you have a 9500 and you loaded the latest official .122 OS, u'll find it's much better than previous OS flavors...

[bogman]

I've just installed MeterBerry. Its a very neat application! I've deleted all unused applications, languagues, themes etc. When I restarted I had 23MB free, but one hour later, I'm down to 15MB free.

How far should the free memory fall before I get worried and do a reset?

[ChezDigital]

Originally Posted by bogman

I've just installed MeterBerry. Its a very neat application! I've deleted all unused applications, languagues, themes etc. When I restarted I had 23MB free, but one hour later, I'm down to 15MB free.

How far should the free memory fall before I get worried and do a reset?

Did you do a soft reset or a battery pull? You could have QuickPull run a scheduled hard reset once each day when you know you'll have 5 minutes where you're not paying attention to your phone.

And as others have stated, upgrading the OS will make some leaps and bounds.