Did you get your Verizon BlackBerry Storm?
We’ve done a quick check at around 10 Verizon corporate stores in the NY/NJ area with most of them reporting lines longer than they have stock for. That means there’s going to be 1.) A ton of pissed off people, and 2.) More pissed off people who won’t get their unit until tomorrow mid-day or possibly Tuesday. We want to know your experience, and if you did manage to snag a Storm (you lucky dog, you), we want to hear your first impressions! We also have reports that some stores are only selling to brand new Verizon customers and not doing any upgrades, which if true, is pretty disgusting. Hit us up in the comments and help out your fellow BlackBerry addicts, ok? If you just got one but there’s no line at your local store and they have some stock left, share the weath! Plus, if you’ve got a major issue you want to report, you can always hit me on the hip!
You are all puppets… Next time you have a significant challenge in your life, think about this. How much time did I dedicate to finding and iPhone or Storm or waiting in line? One you have thought about it ask yourself “Did I put that much effort into solving the real promblems in my life?”
I got to the store this morning in Central New York and was going to be the first person in line to not get one. Luckily I decieded to order one and have it shipped because FEDEX showed up with 10 more units while they were taking down my information. Unfortunatly I still don’t have one as Verizons computer network went down and they couldn’t finish my order. So I am sitting here waiting for them to call me and tell me the systems are back up and come pick up my storm. I did get to play with the demo model and am impressed. The interface isn’t as smooth as the IPhone but I am betting on future software updates to correct that. Other than the disturbing lack of wifi it seems that it can do everything the Iphone can and then some. The audio and video quality was great and the built in speaker was clearer and louder than I expected.
Today was decision day. Started by going to ATT to look at the Fuse (Touch Pro) since that’s next-up for VZW product launch on 12/1-ish. Much to my suprise I wasn’t blown away by the Touch Pro (and I’m a WinMobile fan)… screen was awesome but too small. Went to the VZW store here in Bethesda, MD just as they were selling out at 10am. Total insanity with about 50 people in line although the manager did a pretty good job with everyone for a kid. Played with a live Storm and have to say that the click-screen thing was a piece of cake… go see for yourself! Went home (rather than waiting in line)& ordered from the VZW call center. They will ship on Monday & they honored my “new every two” so I got a storm for $99! :- )
So I called Verizon today because I was told I could call in and get my NE2 moved up a month and get my Storm ordered today.
Was put on hold and he came back and told me that the “higher-ups, way way up there” have stopped all adjustments to NE2 plans. I have to wait until next month.
He also told me that they had 100,000 in the “warehouse” and that as of noon they only had 12,000 left. “All the stores are sold out.”
Any tips on getting my NE2 moved up?
Yeah Verizon is a piece of garbage. I’ve been there two times today and talked with tele sales twice. What do I have to show for it? the same Curve i had yesterday. Customer Service and the stores have zero communication. One notes something in your account and the other says its not there.
Heres the convo I had with a rep while waiting in line…
me: “How many units did you get in stock because if theres not many I don’t want to wait in the cold.”
rep: “We have limited quantities(with a nervous smirk).”
me: “You know how many units you recieved. Just tell us how many.”
rep: “We received limited quantities. I don’t know how many are left.”
Seriously?? Your the one taking a count for the line, but you don’t know how many people you let in. Today is the one day I’ve considered buying an Iphone.
I got mine today at best buy that only had 5 thank god i had a preorder. my buddy and i waited at a verizon store in union NJ and he got his. i tlaked to the district manager and he said they had 150 units well i bet you there were at least 100 people there this morning at 7:00 am. the store didnt open till 8:00. I love this phone.
It was between this and the Bold for me. I waited in line and played with a demo unit, and the touchscreen drove me nuts trying to use. RIM really dropped the ball on the Storm, the software is slow and the “SurePress” screen feels cheap, like you’re pressing buttons under a screen.
Went down the street and got a Bold from AT&T. Sprint never got any exciting Blackberries, so I dumped them. The Bold’s software is faster and smoother than that of the Storm, plus I get 5 bars 3G at my house.
I have an appt at 6PM today at best buy. Thanks BG for the tip, I don’t have to wait in line
store in Ft. Myers, FL called me and made me mke an “appointment” for 8am. I got there at 7:30 along w/ 20 other people. Door opened and everyone pushed for front of counter. I was 6th. They said we have 15 phones. Appointments apparently didn’t matter. Guy in front of me bought 2. I moved up and they said “sorry…that was last one”. They only had 6!
Pissed off and “stormed” out, stormless. Ordered online like others.
Good, gooooood… Let the hate flow through you…
I’ve got 4.7.0.65.
$50 cheaper? It was $100 in the store (the computer system actually didn’t generate a rebate, so they just credited my account $50).
Chicago, IL
I pre-ordered at Best Buy for pickup today (11/21). They called me earlier this week b/c they “didn’t get enough Storms for the preorder” and now I have an appointment for Saturday and they MAY get their shipment. Anyone else have this happen to them?
AT&T has horrible service. Why have a phone that constantly gets horrible signal?
Got mine this morning from a Corp Store/Kiosk in a local mall, only arrived an hour b4 it opened, 3rd in line, only 9 phones…. good day for me, great phone so far
Dude, I suggest calling again I booked my sale with VZW telesales at 2:30p EST… you must have gotten a temp worker or something.
Horrid time at 86th st store. computer system went down, they werent giving any info out. if att didnt drop 65% of calls on the iphone i tried for 3 weeks i woulda gone across the street and got a bold.
Natick, Mass – I was 76th in line at 8am. They handed out numbers until 9:30am (108 total phones at the store). They were processing around 10 per hour. It is 3:09pm and I am waiting for a call (they are going to call me when I should come back to the store…)
Needless to say I was very upset after standing in line in Gainesville, Fl for about two hours (1 hour in the cold) only to walk out of the store empty handed. What I can’t understand is how they passed out well over 40 cards with numbers on them and in the end explained they only had 21 units in stock. Way to stick it to us Verizon. . . way to stick it to us. Soooo, I have to wait until Tuesday before it is even shipped and apparently it will be overnighted but only time will tell. My first inclination was to say forget it and cancel my existing contract just to prove a point but I came to my senses and had it ordered.
Verizon Storm – I went to three Verizon corporate stores in CT. Stamford Mall sold out; Norwalk said that they had them, but when I got there, sold out, and Stamford High Ridge Road, 40 people in line and taking 45 minutes per customer to check out. I left pissed off.
Tried three Verizon corporate stores in the Stamford CT area. Two sold out; one had a line of 40 people. Said it was taking 45 minutes to process each customer b/c of system traffic. Pretty pathetic.
Sorry to hear of some of the issues.
Where to begin – University of Washington Store, 6:30AM, a few people in front of me.
Coffee and VZW ski caps were there for folks to enjoy. A marketing person was workign the line and letting people play with a Storm. She had the LG TV phone and was a tad envious.
Right at 7AM, the mgr and the marketing rep let the first 10 into the store. We waited. More java (Starbucks – naturally!). At about 7:15AM the second set of 10 went in. A few came out.
At 7:30AM they allowed three more in. My brother and I, both current VZW customers were given a chance to spend a generous tour of the Storm and when we said we would each take one, the mgr annouced he was taking the last 2 – which was us – 8:00AM.
(They were expecting another shipment mid afternoon, accessories Sat AM).
Within 10 mintues my Curve was transfered, I had a connection and was good to go. My brother’s LG caused a few minutes of pain but but by 9:00AM we were both out with NE2 pricing and phones.
Found Yahoo Go! wasn’t Storm ready but a minor issue.
My handheld was running the 4.7.0.65 so I’m not certain these were all flashed or required flashing.
Typing – Sure it’s a few seconds of getting up to speed but certainly not an issue. Much better than I’ve ever experienced on an iPhone. If I had an issue in portrait, I simply turned it, waited a second and typed in landscape. Obviously that won’t solve texting in a discrete exercise but I’ll keep working on it. I wasn’t surprised nor was I bothered.
Web apps seemed fine.
Google, iGoogle, GMail, the other usuals seemed just fine.
Windows Media was another thing. I had been told and read that the device would play WMV and could receive streams. Umm. Not. RTSP, MMS, and HTTP. No dice. From the general web and known servers. I’ll transfer some fat files over for playback this afternoon and review.
Other than the media and another pet peeve, I would give this phone 8.5 to 9 out of 10. I’m really impressed and hope I continue to be pleased. After all it is day 1.
The other issue – what happened to the MiniUSB? It certainly isn’t the same as the Curve or any other standard MiniUSB device.
The power issue does more than just annoy me as I now have a slew of Moto and BB compatible chargers and iGo 32 tips. Seems I could charge BB with any, MotoQ and H500 BT with only Moto units.
But now the Storm takes something completely different.. Nice.
More to follow. I need to find a tip for my iGo CLA…
Horror stories with VZW…
Got to my local store this AM and was watching someone go through the order process of getting one, phone in hand. I was told that I had to order one as they were sold out. Night before they indicated that they may be able to get them in by Saturday, but now it’s Wednesday. Plus, they took a list starting 2 months ago that they didn’t advertise or tell people about, selling the only 10 phones they received to those first 10 on the list.
VZW has the best service reception wise in my opinion, but perhaps they need to refine how they deal with the general public. Misleading ads, only selling to new customers, lists, etc. Just not good PR.
I too was at my store before it opened this am in Rochester, NY. Since the sys went down I have to go back to get it after work today. I guess that’s better than having to ship it, but I’m not happy I have to go back.
Ok I got their at 7 am but didnt have to wait in line because the rep scheduled me for an appointment but the store was packed but the rep took me right away. I was a new customer going to VZW JUST for the Storm. I LOVE BLACKBERRY! i have a curve with T-mobile. But im really sorry to say I HATE the Storm more than i love it. the click screen is a big minus for me. and it lags sooo much. its not for me and i will be returning it and getting the Bold in Jan when it hit T-Mo stores. I’m at work right now and im using my curve. I wont even use my Storm. on a scale from 1 – 10 (10 being the best) i rate the storm a whopping 4! i am a bb fanatic but the Storm doesnt cut it. sorry guys.