The real story behind the Verizon BlackBerry Storm OS?
I want to preface this by saying that the following statements are my opinions and hypotheses, and have not be confirmed nor denied by any of sources of mine or official contacts at either corporation. It should serve as a nice little “conspiracy theory,” though. Here’s the deal:
- When we met with Verizon and RIM about the Storm, we asked about the software version. They confirmed it to be 4.7.0.65. We had heard otherwise, just like most of you, and didn’t understand why that OS version was so low when versions up to .90 were being talked about, and some demo units in stores showing .75 or higher.
- We believed this to be a non-final OS and was partly why we thought the OS would get better before release.
- We reported of a Storm shortage last night because of a last minute glitch.
- We think that 4.7.0.82, the version of the Storm box I got from Verizon directly was the cause of the glitch, and instead of a new version being flashed on Storms, what they were in fact doing was downgrading the OS to 4.7.0.65.
Now, why would we say that Verizon has downgraded these units? Do we know this for a fact? Absolutely not, and we said that above. None of this has been confirmed to us at all, but here’s the kicker… check on your Verizon BlackBerry Storm box where the product label is. It should say Version: 4.7.0.65, right? Well, after looking at a box from a Verizon store just now, I noticed a couple layers of stickers. I decided to peel those off, and what did I find? A product label underneath with version 4.7.0.82! So, they realized that there was possibly a huge security vulnerability they couldn’t fix in time, started flashing the units with the .65 software in order to not miss the release date, thus the cause of the shortages, the limited stock, and the direct fulfillment units not shipping until December the 5th. Go ahead, you know you want to peel back those product labels with yellow stickers! Let us know in the comments, ok? The pictures are after the break!
I’m just glad I waited, just goes to prove sometimes being first in somethings is not always the best.
dude, could you insert any more homophobic slurs? how about throw in some antisemitc and racial slurs too – just so we are all clear you are a hateful closet case?
I have been a blackberry user for about 7 years and a o/s or firmware upgrade or downgrade is nothing especially when there is no data on the phone with the newer phones a little time consuming maybe but that usually is for a backup and restore of the data. This is a pathetic attempt at a launch. they should have either made a better effort at reflashing the o/s or done it when you bought it, held back the launch, or do what microsoft does and fix the glitch in a later update. this sucks my phone is dead I was going to jump to Verizon to get this phone and since I am on call starting monday I am going to have to get the Bold instead. yeah verizon great job.
I never leave posts on sites like this, mostly as half the people on them have no idea what they are talking about… Buy the phone, then comment. Those that do or have, I apologize. Anyway, I need to say something to support all those that actually have the phone and are reporting facts. I have an iPhone 3g, iphone original, Blackberry 8830, and a Storm (9530). I love the iPhone for what it is, I love the BB 8830 for what it is… to compare the Storm with the iPhone, is foolish. Forget features and look at what each intended to do. The iPhone was meant to change the way people interacted with a personal device, features were always lacking, no one argued this. The BB was to change the way people interacted with a BB (copy iphone)… It has failed. I will most likely go back to the 8830. It is fast, and bouncing around emails, text and gtalk messages (what I like about the BB to begin with), is fast and simple. The iPhone is an awesome entertainment system and a great phone.. if the speakers were better… and it wasn’t on AT&T and I could separate email in boxes on the desktop, and it would run gtalk in the background, it would be my only phone. Nothings perfect
. I did do an update on the 9530 last night for fun, now it shows v4.7.0.65 (Platform 4.0.0.82) Odd. Anyway I did it as I could not get my address book from my Mac to the phone, I finally was able to do it with MissingSync. PocketC didn’t work, and what is the “Blackberry User Tool”?. It does nothing at all… Bottom line the 8830 is a great BB and phone, the iPhone is a truly unique and fun device to use, the features of the phone work perfectly, but the sound leaves something to be desired. The 9530 is neither. Let’s hope for updates, as the Storm gets better it will force Apple to be more innovative, everyone wins! 
I have a Storm and I have no issues what so ever with it. I took it home and began to really go through the phone and the OS features. I loaded my personal e-mail on the device and then loaded my enterprise e-mail up. No problems there. figured out the camera features and video camera features- no issues there. Been using it constantly since I bought the phone on Friday morning. Sometimes if you don’t CLOSE a program and then you open say, three more without actually closing the others (just using escape key) yes, you can expect it to lag a bit because you have all these open programs, but if you use the phone correctly, it works just fine. I type pretty fast on the keyboard and have come to prefer the old school BB 2 letters to a key format for speed and ease of use. I have never got an hour glass. It always types just as fast as I can hit the buttons. The phone I got shipped with the downgraded 4.7.0.65 and the label under the tag has version 4.7.0.82. What ever. It works. I think people who have had bad experiences with the device just dont use it correctly. I put this thing through it’s paces and it is just fine. Not a fanboy- don’t really care either way bit just remember there is such thing as USER ERROR.
You had a similar experience to me in Virginia. The store reps knew about the OS issue before release and I was told that a new version would be pushed to the phones within 2 weeks that would not only repair any issues but allow the device to support 32GB of memory rather than the current 16GB.
never had a blackberry. keys were too small. love the iphone, but damn thing is too sensitive to the touch and too many options unavailable. the Gphone looks like a cheap piece of crap and I don’t care how well it may or may not work. the Storm has software issues, but has everything except Wi-Fi. I don’t mind doing software updates and using my Wing for Wi-Fi for the rare occasion I use it. when you buy phones, you have to expect these things. if you don’t like texting on the storm, buy a sidekick. those are the most perfect phones ever. they make good 2ndary phones. lets not forget the piece of crap the RAZR was! yet it was the #1 selling phone until the iphone recently took over. with ANY product, if it has a flaw or defect, get it fixed or supplement. even the sidekick and blackberry has flaws with their roller balls not rolling the screen. that’s major! but does that mean don’t buy one? no. when it happens, use your other phone until you get it fixed. simple.
I loaded it today. Still version 4.7.65 but has a build of .82 now.
@ bob the builder
RIM released 4.5 which added html capability in email. Also added documents to go…
This is all priceless. Not for those of you who are having issues with your new Storms, because there is nothing like waiting for something great and having it disappoint your expectations–we feel your pain. And those of you who are loving your new Storms, congratulations and here is hoping that you keep enjoying them for the next two years.
But for the Blackberry apologists/defenders (those of you who need to do “real work” and thus would never touch an iPhone), and then the “Verizon is so vastly superior to AT&T” crowd, and the Apple haters in general–it is great fun to watch the spinning and justifications going on here. Some might suggest you sound just like the “Apple fanbois” you were ragging on at the iPhone’s release days.
Let’s come together and do one thing though. We all come back six months from now and compare the sales of the Blackberry Storm, the T-Mobile G1, and the iPhone3G in each of their initial six months of being on the market?
Shouldn’t the marketplace ultimately decide the victor?
It seems like there is some kind of an update available at blackberrys site http://worldwide.blackberry.com/update/blackberrystorm.jsp. Has anyone tried this yet?
If RIM updates this dog, it will STILL be no iPhone or even a good Blackberry! I played with it in the store for about 20 minutes and could not believe what a piece of crap this thing is.
How do you build a device like this with no WiFi? My Windows Mobile piece of junk is better. It is obvious this thing was no ready for release.
I rather use a can and some string to communicate!
me personally, I don’t buy phones because of speed, or ease of use (although running multiple prgrams will slow a phone down). I buy phones based on “does it do the job?” if it doesn’t, who cares about how fast and easy it is to “not” do a job. its like standing in line to “not” buy tickets because its moving fast. get a phone that does what you need it to do and be patient. if you’re in to entertainment and touching phones get an iphone. if your a businessperson, get a blackberry or wing. but I suggest whatever you choose, get a sidekick too! its the perfect bridge. can’t wait for my storm to arrive!
I dont seem to understand what the hell people are talking about!!! What lag time or typing issues or buggy ui. I have had mine for two whole days and none of these issues even arise. My friend also has no issues. Many people whom i have spoken to and purchased one have none of these issues. i am so confused. we also found that when verizon takes the zip tie that they have on the phone off, all of those issues on the phones in store go away. it seems to be the pressure that there lock system is applying on the outside edges of the screen that mess it up in store.
I’m using my blackberry storm to write this and let me tell u guys wat a peiece of crap it is.the touch screen feels wobbily like its gonna break every time u punch a key or select an option, its slow as shit. It switches orientation randomly, and I had to pull the battery out about 4 times due to freezing.if u guys r lookin for an iphone killer keep lookin, this thing suks
Took my Storm back to the store today after 5 days. Gutted because the sound was superb and looked and felt great. Easy to use and sync. Worst things was the lack of connectivity to home network when 3G dropped out and also found it took 35 mins for the phone to reboot after running out of juice.was quicker to drive home than make a call.
I got a storm on Friday and I am mostly happy with it. I have to admit it took me about 2 hours to get the select & click thing down, but now I can type just about as fast as I could before. One thing I am having difficulty with and I was wondering if anyone else was experiencing it also is that I keep getting tex messages from two sources. It started immediately after I picked up the phone and I get them every hour or so. I just haven’t had time to go to a VZ store and ask them what the hell it is. They come from either “118012222269″ or “100198030192″ I know it’s 12 numbers, but that’s what is listed as the incoming number. All the messages say this: “//BREW:0104F4BC:OZMAILCI=22FD7E7DC3F3F205B3A2BCB655BB93C8 MC=1″ What the hell is tht and why does it keep being texed to me? Anyone have any idea. Thanks.
I managed to get a storm on the 21st, and despite all of the whining comments from a handful of cry babies – the phone works great. I have yet to have an issue with the software or hardware. It works like a champ.
As far as the idiots thinking they should patch the bugs and release the newest version, I’d have to ask you what kind of idiot juice you drank this morning? Throw a patch on the program and rush it out the door and hope it works, or downgrade to something you know works and let it go.
Some of you really are idiots.
So how have you had it for 5 days?
It was released on Fri. Your post is on Sun.
In my accounting, that is 3 days.
Anyone else have HORRIBLE battery life? Full charge at 5:00pm yesterday, very little usage: no browsing, 5 minutes of phone, handful of BBM and emails.
This morning at 10:00am it was at 15%.
Worse than the CDMA Razr I used to have.
I’m not seeing the issues a lot of other people are. This seems to be mine.
iPhone people, why are you in this blog? I’ve had an iPhone 3G myself, and I preferred the CURVE to it, due to its lack of most any of the Blackberry’s business features.
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry 9000
@ Angel
The financial crisis affects individuals all in a different way. with that said what i chose to do with my money i saved up and have to spare is my business because my money is exactly that MINE!!!
We’re in this blog to get back at you blackberry fanboys to prove that not every thing goes perfect. The Storms launched has far passed how horrible both iPhone launches went (combined). And the iPhone 3G is better
I got my Storm on friday night. so I started browsing the net and less than a minute the phone screen went black. So I press buttons to make it come back, maybe it went to sleep mode but no it did not started. I then took the batter off and restarted, it took a while but average. Well I start browsing again and 2 minutes after the phone did the same thing. All night on friday to Saturday Morning the phone kept turn it self off, yes it self with out me doing any thing. It would be on the table, an small clock (hourglass) would come on the phone would come back on then about 2 minuets after works turn off and do the same thing over and over. Yes the phone was fully charged. I took it to best buy, a verizon rep was on site and he said we never seen any phone do this. The best they could do was to exchange my phone as reset did not work. It died 3 times while they were using it. So now they wanted to exchange the phone but guess what they don’t have any in stock so I am with a phone that shoots down every 2 minuets. Any recommendations as what to do.
version 4.7.0.65
If you go to the blackberry website you can download the software updates on the storm that is currently available. That’s what I did and it moves faster than it originally started out.