Story or no story, the Verizon BlackBerry Storm OS has issues
We gave you our theory, we gave you RIM’s official statement and now people, it’s time to move on. The bottom line is that everyone who snagged a Storm from Verizon ended up with v4.7.0.65. The indisputable caveat – v4.7.0.65 has issues. No firmware is perfect and no future firmware revision will ever be completely bug-free, but what we can tell you is that the folks at RIM and Verizon know v4.7.0.65 might be just a little sub-par. How do we know they know? Why else would they be issuing OS updates just a few weeks after releasing the handset? That’s right people, we got our hands on a preliminary internal communique detailing a series of updates coming soon to a Verizon Storm near you. The first in fact, will likely come next week – just a few short weeks after the launch. Basically, RIM and Verizon have targeted a variety of major issues and will address them through a series of OTA software updates. The list below is split up between issues that will definitely be resolved with the first update next week and issues that will be resolved in a second OTA update that will likely arrive later in December. Hit the jump for the break down and rest a bit easier knowing that whether or not the various issues with v4.7.0.65 are deal breakers for you, Verizon and RIM know there are problems are are working to fix them.
Note that the following is not a complete list of issues that will be covered in the upcoming OS updates. Instead, this is a list of issues being circulated internally at Verizon to ensure that employees do not authorize any Certified Like-new device exchanges for customers citing any of the following as their problems… The first is our favorite by far and no, the last one isn’t a joke – it’s really on there.
Issues to be resolved by the first OTA update (Maintenance Release 1) – December, week 1:
- If a customer receives a call while listening to music at low volume using a wired headset, the music volume may suddenly increase to the highest level (!). Interim recovery instructions: Lower the volume using the buttons on the side of the handset.
- When using voice-activated dialing, incoming audio may be muted. Interim recovery instructions: Enter the menu and select “Activate Handset or Speaker”.
- The handset may reset itself while sitting idle or while using multimedia applications. No interim recovery instructions provided.
Issues to be resolved by a subsequent Maintenance Release:
- Customers may intermittently lose email connectivity via CDMA and/or international roaming modes. Interim recovery instructions: Main menu -> Manage Connections -> Select mobile network -> Turn radio off, then Turn radio on. If this does not resolve the issue, pull the battery.
- When powering on the handset, the radio sometimes does not turn on. Interim recovery instructions: Main menu -> Manage Connections -> Select mobile network -> Turn radio on. If this does not resolve the issue, pull the battery.
- Pressing the send key while the device is in landscape mode will open the phone application in portrait mode, but the speed dial function may not work. Interim recovery instructions: Press escape until the home screen appears, then press the send key with the handset in portrait orientation.
- Sometimes entering characters on the virtual keyboard doesn’t work. Interim recovery instructions: Re-select the character.
Thanks, krazyVZW!
Does anyone listen to Pandora on their BB Storm?
I am done with the Storm, returned mine this morning and bought an iPhone. The guy at Verizon claimed I was the second return and it was only 10 AM. The Storm is just too buggy and very crippled. I thought I would not miss wifi, I was wrong. I could not get GPS to work as it seemed to be locked. The lack of apps also bothered me. But mostly the damn thing should never have been sold with all these bugs. Quick dial did not work right, it would dial the wrong number!
The thing froze several times and the keyboard for me sucked. I hated it. Before the Storm I had a Blackberry Curve, but I got tired of it. So I went over to AT&T and bought an 16GB iPhone 3G. Best thing I could have done. I already put 25 apps on the iPhone. I could not believe the choices. I loaded BeeJive for IM, Pandora, Joost, Stanza ebooks, vlingo, 1password, Byline, AOL Radio, Blloomberg, Google voice search, guitar tuner, Handshake, FTP app, Jaadu, reQall, simplify media, Truphone, and some games. Many of them were free. Love it so far.
I gave the Storm a fair shot for a week. I just couldn’t take it anymore and wanted to return it before I was stuck with it.
I thought I would share this as it described many of the issues I was having. Respectfully, it also reminded me of some of what I read in the comments here.
Readers React to David Pogue’s Review of the BlackBerry Storm
About 100 readers wrote to say that they had bought the Storm and now regretted it. Some samples:
“I want to thank you for validating the experiences I’ve had with my new BlackBerry Storm. It has been an absolute nightmare. As soon as I return to New York, I will take advantage of Verizon’s 30-day return policy and get rid of this monstrosity.”
“I rushed out last week to try the new Storm–and was frustrated, confused and bewildered by the device. I couldn’t use the browser, and was even hard pressed to make a phone call.”
“My Storm was like something from a Stephen King novel: possessed of its own mind. Touching or selecting on the screen highlighted something totally unrelated. The lag in switching from horizontal to vertical almost made it seem that the screen was deciding its own when to shift.”
“One of my co-workers, who is almost militant in his disdain for all things Apple, couldn’t wait to get his hands on a Storm. Lo & behold, 30 minutes later, he was trying to figure out a way to get his money back.”
“I think there’s an important distinction between quality control (whether or not something works as designed) and quality of design. This device fails miserably in both categories.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/technology/personaltech/04pogue-email.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&em
I guess I was not alone.
The Storm may become a better device sometime, I was in no mood to wait. With the amount available downloads for the iPhone, I am convinced I will rarely have to lug my laptop around much.
CJ…I mean Paul and all the other names you use
You just can’t stop. lolololol
I received my storm from Verizon. I ordered it online on the 21st of November when the site finally calmed down. I received it 12-1-08 and trust me I use the hell out of my phones. I have a couple of very very minor issues with it but overall this thing is phenomenal. This is my first blackberry I have been an avid treo user from the treo 600 to the 650 to the 700 to the 700wx. This is hands down the most powerful communication tool i have ever owned. Its software is for the most part seamless, its glitches don’t even compare to 15% of the treo issues. The only issue that bothers me is when the battery is low the radio turns off and it took a while to figure out how to turn it back on as a master power cycle did not help. Issue two is occasionally the sub menu and or sms texts don’t scroll correctly, but I can deal with it by backing out and re entering the text. To me they are annoying but i am confident software patches are coming soon. Everybody is so worked up over these issues but come on be real what revolutionary technological product was glitch free on its release….name one please………..even the iphone had more problems than this
Yesterday’s bugs. Well yesterday I experienced my first bug which really bothered me. I have my sone on speed dial 3 and my daughter on speed dial 5. I called my son late last night (#3) because he works nights, and my phone ended up calling my daughter (#5) who was asleep. This needs to be fixed ASAP and I can see that others are having the same problem. I like the phone, it’s my first BB, so I have a learning curve as well. Does anyone know if the speed dial dialing the wrong number will be fixed in the next update? It really annoyed me yesterday. If not, I’ll probably return my phone, which I really don’t want to do.
Just remember, the first realease of anything is always shakey…what for the second revision of the device.
its a software issue, the new updates make it run smoothly
I have issues with Storm.1) Lagging while keying the alphabets 2) multi tap sure type…what the heck is it so difficult? 3) Calls comes in and HELOOOO!!! Anyone on the other line?? 4) Next time,wait for the Storm to past by and then wait for clearer skies,then you might buy once that is done,The problem is we consumers are too quick in getting our hands on these suckers. Ending up being fools as usual.
I went through 4 of them in a month.
#1 came with a loose screen.
#2 developed a very loose call button within 3 weeks.
#3 developed a loose call button within 4 days.
#4 developed a loose screen within 3 days.
Returned #4 and went back to original phone.
My phone is glitchy when I try to answer incoming calls. I push the answer icon and nothing happens. Sometimes, after 3 or 4 attemps, it will answer, but usually the call is lost. Battery really wears down fast. Java script errors on downloaded pages. Have trouble scrolling in the vertical position. HATE THIS PHONE.
I was so worried that I had a defective phone too but it seems that there iss amajor problem with the phone. WE need to get some action out of Blackberry as we cannot be spending all of this money for an expensive phone that does not work. It should not matter who your carrier is…If the phone design is defective then they need to fix it and compensate us!
I listen to Pandora regularly on my Storm. I use Bose earphones (over ear, not buds) and the sound quality is rich and awesome.
Pandora offers a very good array of music (categories and artists) which you can arrange to suit your listening tastes.
Well I am on my 4th Blackberry storm…and now having issues with this one. Spoke with their tech department last night and they stated that with the problems I was having they would have to replace it.but they gave me an options of going to the Tour at no charge, replacing the current Storm no charge or I could upgrade early to the Storm 2 for a fee. Now my question to them was why should I have to pay for a Storm2. What has happened to customer satisfaction? I would love for them to show me one other customer they have had to replace a storm phone five times.