Forget the iPhone, Verizon pits the Storm against the Bold
In a little bit of marketing madness, Verizon Wireless matches its flagship BlackBerry Storm up against the BlackBerry Bold. We have already seen them champion the Storm over the iPhone and AT&T retaliate with their own smear campaign. Now it is time to take the smack talk to another level with some BlackBerry on BlackBerry action. So why does Verizon think the Storm is way better than the Bold?
- Verizon has a bigger and better network
- The Storm’s screen trumps the Bold and it has the cutting edge SurePress input method. The Bold is old school with its trackball and physical QWERTY keyboard
- The Storm has more : more microSD storage and more megapixels
- The Storm has both VZ Navigator & BlackBerry maps (though we’re not sure we would consider VZ Nav to be an advantage)
- The Storm has V Cast Music with Rhapsody, while the Bold has nothing. (Guess Verizon does not think too highly of the AT&T mobile music store. They wont even acknowledge its existence!)
Last but not least, Verizon answers the age old question, why doesn’t the Storm have Wi-Fi? Its answer: because you don’t need it on the nation’s biggest and best network! Those are fighting words there, Verizon. We will let our AT&T peeps respond in the comments. Fire away when ready!
Thanks, Luke!
As a casual business Blackberry user (I have the Curve on VZW), I’m excited about the Storm. Back when the iPhone first came out I seriously contemplated getting it but the cost was just too high. When the 3g iPhone was released the price point was more palatable but my interest had decreased after the initial craze over the device.
Regarding the Storm vs. Bold debate, I myself would probably never use the WiFi on the Bold. Consider the screen size on the Bold: what are you really doing with that phone (other than downloading music) that requires low-latency, high-bandwidth internet access? For me, the phone’s primary purpose is for talking, and then for checking work emails. For a person like me, who selectively reads email and has light music usage, the Storm lets me enjoy a touchscreen partnered with the Blackberry software.
And for the record, Verizon Wireless swept the J.D. Power Wireless Call Quality survey for 2008. Hail to the king!
http://www.jdpower.com/telecom/articles/2008-Wireless-Call-Quality-Volume-2
Hi. I don’t actually have an iTouch or iPhone, but played with them at the store. It’s not so much the touch screen is a ‘button’ you depress, per se. It’s more you just touch the screen with a slight tap of your index finger. So there’s no delay and it’s as fast you can tap your fingers. However, it was too easy to miss the virtual ‘button’ and hit the wrong letters, and that slowed me down. The store clerk said I had to hit to the left of the ‘button’. You’re right, for a serious business person, a true typing button is more practical and reliable. And I think a ‘pointing device’ would also make selecting things more acurate than your clumsy thumb or index finger!
Wendy
@ Wendy
Exactly. Her analysis of the iPhone was spot on. Plus a bunch of other stuff.
I wish there was a way to know which posters were company shill and who are not.
I’ve had my Bold on att since the day before they came out. Hasn’t disappointed a bit.
keymaker blatant lies are nice and all, but they just make you look like a biased idiot.
AT&T’s 3G is most definitely not “way way” faster, a little (very little) yes. VZW doesn’t load their software onto blackberries do that argument is completely shot down as well. And you are plain making up how AT&T is clearer and VZW is fuzzy… lol
@LOL,
So basically what you are saying is anyone that bought a BB before this HSPA Bold, which is the first BB able to do simultaneous cellular voice and data, was wrong to buy?
Good thing at&t hugger BGR didn’t write this article. We all know what that would’ve looked like hahahaha
@ G.P. I’d say the same for the iPhone
@ Joseph Mama I concur
LOVE these…
The Storm has both VZ Navigator & BlackBerry maps (though we’re not sure we would consider VZ Nav to be an advantage)
Uh DUH – AT&T has AT&T Navigator (by TeleNav.) Do you think we also wouldn’t have Blackberry Maps, Google Maps and any other 3rd party map software?
The Storm has V Cast Music with Rhapsody, while the Bold has nothing. (Guess Verizon does not think too highly of the AT&T mobile music store. They wont even acknowledge its existence!)
Uh DUH – like you said. AT&T Mobile Music Store??? Hellooooooo? XM Radio? DUH.
Interesting to see the comparison chart as AT&T obviously has a similar one out there…
“factual…” Not even the presidential candidates were factual. We accept it and don’t do anything about it, so not being “factual” will continue (until someone gets caught, sued, etc.).
I suggest you stop supporting those companies that don’t provide what they offer. Of course, you might not have a company to provide much any more…
A phone that is “right” for that person may be “wrong” for the other person. There is NO “right” or “wrong.” There is just “right” or “wrong” for you. Stop getting upset that people don’t agree with you. I mean, do you actually think you are right all of the time? If so, that says something… Doesn’t it?
Let people have choices that differ from yours. What difference does it make? Do you have to have what everyone agrees is the best phone or do you just need the phone you want?
While we “laugh,” “pity,” or help the guy on the corner who yells (and thinks) the sky is actually falling, many, for some reason, give validity to what others say for some reason… As if what anyone says actually means anything except to the person who was speaking…
If that is the case, get rid of the first amendment. Oh wait, then you wouldn’t be able to post your opinion necessarily either
Good post about what Verizon thinks. I think they are nuts. I don’t have 3G or any service that is as fast as wi-fi, and I like my wi-fi. Freedom of choice. OR. Not having all of my egss (connection options) in one basket (Verizon’s network).
All I have to say is that Verizon’s GPS feature is trumped by ATT. With ATT, you don’t have to pay for their service to use the GPS chip on the device. Just download Google Maps and turn GPS location on. Simple.
VZW requires that you pay an additional $10/month to even use the chip on the device that you’ve already paid for.
Wifi is just an extra bonus that the Storm isn’t even capable of – the hardware just isn’t there. Think about this: maybe RIM ran out of room with the CDMA and GSM chips. Any more could have increased the physical size of the Storm. But that’s pure speculation from an engineering standpoint.
So who is better, ATT or VZW? The best answer: it depends on where in the country you use your phone the most.
AT&T is suppose to be getting the Storm in 09 and it should have Wi-Fi.
Your assumption about there not being enough room is correct (at least what I think too). The FCC has regulations on how close the chips can be to one another. There just wasn’t enough room to fit the Wi-Fi chip in the device.
When it comes to AT&T it won’t have all these extra chips so there will be plenty of room for the Wi-Fi chip.
Where did you get the information as to AT&T getting the Storm??
@ Crunch good question…and the whole Storm private sale is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard…called them up and they said it’s a private sale with exclusive deals on items such as the Dare and the titanium Voyager “that just happened to mention the Storm.” I was like WTF?! Then she goes if you order it it’d be sent out on friday and it would take two days for you to receive, meaning monday. So why not just walk into a damn store and get one then? Why the hell did they even send me that damn shit?! I know I’m venting but it’s amusing and it pisses me off at the same time lol
Virgin America becomes first to offer fleet-wide WiFi
VZW customers need not apply!
I read a lot of articles and blogs and also follow the threads on http://www.crackberry.com
There are a few people that test out phones for RIM that sometimes leak information.
The Storm should be coming to AT&T in 09 and it should have Wi-Fi.
Wow…how does free Wifi apply to this post? Stupidity across blogs I see lol
none of the blackberry phones have IR. Instead they all use bluetooth 2.0 which is a lot more secure and easier to use. The only phones that use IR still are palms.
and to comment on the whole storm vs. bold stuff. I think it’s hilarious when people argue about coverage between verizon and att, because both networks are huge. But their better in different areas. As far as the phones, everyone should admit the storm is a sweet phone. But verizon should have allowed RIM to make them one as good as vodafone’s then they would have something to brag about. As it stands though the bold gives you more capabilities than the storm. It has the wifi, hsdpa, storage capacity up to 33 including the 1 gig on board, and the physical keyboard though it sounds like the storm should be just as easy to type on, but I’m still in love with my full qwerty speed dial. And the processor on here is awesome. Both phones are good but as they stand the bold has more capabilities than the storm.
I used the storm and must say I am not impressed.
It try’s to squeeze in the iPhone like media capabilities with blackberry’s productivity and fails to deliver on both. Honestly the touch screen keyboard isn’t much better then that on the iphone or the vu or the instinct and all of those keyboards pale in comparison to a physical keyboard. My guess it will sell great for a few weeks but won’t see the numbers the iPhone got. Funny thing is I don’t like the iPhone either I agree touch screen is good for navigation but this all or nothing approach doesn’t work for me. Bold with Touch Screen would be an home run for me!
Wendy–
I’ve messed around with both the Dare and the iPhone and I’ve found that while typing on the Dare, I didn’t miss any buttons or hit the wrong one by accident, but on the iPhone, I could barely function.
If the Storm’s keyboard is similar to the Dare’s, then it would function much better than the conventional touch screen.
I have the Verizon 6800. I have had nothing but problems with this phone. It is a PDA smartphone that continues to lock up. Verizon continues to replace the phone with warranty phones but will not admit that this phone has any problems. I have now had four replacements. They suck!
@ likeabite:
Get with the program the Bold has WiFi! See you can never figure out what is relevant when it comes to the Storm and VZW!~!!! HAHA
Yes the Bold has Wifi and but Virgin America’s Wifi has nothing to do with this post…which is what you mentioned so…ok then.
Seems to me that in my research I found the major differences to be only that…
Storm has a larger screen.
Touchscreen
Landscape View with Accelerator
NO WIFI
3.2 MP as compared to 2.0 MP
Both have Navigator Applications
BOTH have 16 Gig expansion abilities.
Bold is 3G, VZW can only make claims to 3G speeds, although I saw them advertising in Best Buy that Storm was 3G in their network.
Other than that, everything else seems relatively the same.
I realize I am preaching to the choir here. I do not mind competition between carriers but consumer deception is another thing.
Guess if you really want to sell a phone you tend to “fudge” a little on the marketing.
@ Likeabite:
So tell me moron, since the Bold has WiFi and the Storm does NOT and THIS post is about comparing them, where you can use the Bold and NOT the Storm is quite relevant!
See you are so ready to defend VZW and its lack of WiFi on any BB and most all of the devices they offer, you are blinded and have NO logic at all.
Again I will explain it to you the Bold has WiFi and the Storm does NOT! This is relevant to where the device can be used and the person buying it needs to decide. NOT all people will pick the device by the “plumber” that sells it. This is probably why VZW is COMPARING as they know this also!
Now did you learn anything? NO! I am sure… You will just repeat like the parrot you are some other nonsense to spin yourself around as usual. See folks this guy does this on every post.
Meet Mayor Like-To-Spin, the attacker of all that is NOT VZW!
@ Paul if you’re not comparing the two then shut the fuck up. It’s that simple any external factors are irrelevant just like your life so go eat a dick or get lost.