BlackBerry Storm goes into TA (technical acceptance) at Verizon, delayed 3-4 weeks
Here’s our latest info on the BlackBerry Storm and the fate of the device on Verizon’s network: it just went into technical acceptance at Verizon which usually takes around 3-4 weeks, and the device has been delayed internally by around 3-4 weeks while they work out the kinks (read: buggy and unresponsive) and polish it up. That puts us around a mid-November launch on Verizon. We’ve double confirmed that information, so it should be pretty accurate. Additionally, we heard from someone else that they’ve increased the marketing budget for the BlackBerry Storm just to give AT&T a little kick in the nuts for delaying the Bold so much. That’s not confirmed, still probably a little true, plus we got a chuckle out of that anyway.
@ Everyone
Got solid info this phone is still scheduled for Oct release 3-4 weeks out. BG was correct with the 3-4 week TA. However there is no other delay other than that. I believe BG threw in an additional 3-4 week delay, not the case. This info will be released next week at CTIA. Let’s just say I have connections too.
As for “dummying” down the phone. VZW does not dummy RIM phones nor do they disable the GPS on BBs. GPS works great on my VZW 8830.
This being said mid-Oct will be a historic day for VZW. BTW, marketing will begin after the CTIA conf. According to marketing talk I’ve heard it could begin that Friday after conf. All advertising space, etc has already been paid and allotted for.
Nothing like a RIM commercial in between McCain and Obamas campaign commercials. Maybe RIM needs to give both candidates a Storm to pack around??
@USA: “As for “dummying” down the phone. VZW does not dummy RIM phones nor do they disable the GPS on BBs. GPS works great on my VZW 8830.”
really? vzw certainly doesn’t allow google maps to access the gps chip on 8800 series that my employees use. have to use vznavigator to get any gps love on ‘em.
@USA : Can you tell us how to use GPS on the 8830 without vznavigator. As far as I know in order to use GPS on any BB with verizon you need to subscribe to vznavigator
@ doofusgumby
That’s funny, GPS applications like Green Finder and Google Maps both find my location. On the course it has my location down to the yard.
@doofusgumby
Verizon isn’t the only one who limits things on a Blackberry, you ever try installing AOL Instant Messenger on an AT&T Blackberry?
“Verizon doesn’t dumb-down it’s phones”… ha! The last three or four phones I’ve anxiously awaited have all been dumbed down from the manufacturer’s released specs.
I was so excited about the Samsung F700. First, Verizon released it a year after hand’s on videos surfaced online. When it finally came out as the POS “Glyde” the camera had been dumbed down from 5 to 2 MP.
If you need an immediate example, take a look at Big Red’s version of the Touch Diamond with no accelerometer and half the RAM of Sprint’s version. I understand, though I vehemently disagree with, why they restrict GPS access to VZ Navigator (they want the monthly or ala carte subscription fees). But, why would you kill an accelerometer and cut RAM in half?
Do these features decimate battery life? No.
Does Verizon really think this is an improvement over the original specs? They can’t be that dense.
Why take away any specs like making a camera less attractive, or reduce speed of an OS, or the convenience and novelty of an accelerometer? The ONLY answer I can come up with is making bank on the masses not us early adopters.
Now that my rant is all out there, I really, really, really hope Verizon doesn’t release the Storm as a dumbed down version of the Thunder.
The thing with googlemaps is that they may have simply not updated it to support the gps in some blackberries and thus its forced to drop back to the cell-based style.
@DavidB
I think you hit the nail on the head there.
That and the BB’s suck compared to th iPhone. They are not ready to compete.
any idea if the storn will fit into a Louis Vuitton iphone case?
or the physical specs of the storm will be?
vzw needs to hurry. my 8830 is dying. trackball failure and definitely lagging a lot.
So the BB Thunder will be around $350- $400
and the release date will be around October – November, I realy hope VZ can rush and hurry up to sell this phone earlier, It will be cool if they sold on Halloween since Storm is supposed to be scary , But I hope they sell it earlier than that!
my bad I said thunder
Wrong, the same exact hardware works fine on Sprint/Alltell… but on VZW it has been disabled.
You’re full of it… because if true you would be the only person in the world to have those fuctions work on their VZW provided 8830.
Man there’s a week til the Diamond and the Thunder/Storm is at least a month away
i hope its not as much monthly as the iphone 3g
does any1 have the price for this yet
I’m eagerly awaiting this phone to replace my aging first generation Moto Q. I’m typically not a fan of touch screen keyboards, but have hope that BB can do it right. Verizon would do well to price this very competitively with the 3G. I’m willing to drop 200-250, but not 400.
Can someone please post all the specs for the Storm? I have an 8830 and hate that there is no camera, only 64mb of memory, and no ability to install apps on my microSD like I did on my Treo. I love my world phone, but don’t like the trade-offs.
None of this matters, because the Nokia E71 is already out, and it is already the best smart phone out there, especially for business users. America is just too slow/stupid/greedy/selfish to catch on and start pushing Nokia’s amazing phones, while the rest of the world laughs.
Matt if you are so sure that Verizon tests out it’s phone and make sure it is 100% buildwise than why did they release the CHOCOLATE. I replaced it out 5 times. Worst phone ever. LG is just cheap Korean brand. Don’t know how people like this brand.
Nokia= Mercedes
Blackberry – BMW
Samsung – Toyota
Motoroal – Ford
LG – Hyundai
Man I have a phone with 5mpx for the last year and a half now. 7mega pixel is around the corner while they are launching 3.2mpx. OOOOH In America they go crazy when you say 3.2mega pixel camera . Ripping the consumers off but people fall for it and are paying.
just talked with a buddy that works for Verizon. he received an email on the Storm this morning. shouldn’t be long now…
I hear this and the HTC Touch HD are going to be in the same price bracket as the iphone. I am definitely looking to switch over to VZW.. Sprint is absolutely horrible.
lets hope verizon has found a phone to compete with the iphone and the instinct by samsung
does this phone have a camera and does anyone know hte price of the phone