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!
well you know what they say…the early adopters fund the bug fixes
the joke on wall street is no one upgrades blackberry until service pack 7 usually most glitches are ironed out by then.
anyone who bought the iphone or storm right away, you are early adopters so prepare for glitches. those who whine and complain about imperfection wait a year or two and then buy. you can’t have both–> early adoption and bug-free operation.
I am happy about most things on the storm and feel most everything else should be fixed with software updates.
Two big concerns though are the missed calls and lack of battery life. Now I don’t expect a touch screen to last for days. This phone is not just a blackberry for me, it is a phone that I rely on and can’t having it die right when someone needs to get a hold of me.
I got a Storm Friday at the release. Already, one of my bosses has returned the phone as unreliable. The other is seriously thinking about returning to the RIM World Phone. I’m in the tank for recommending new technology without testing it. I knew better and have nobody but myself to blame for this. I know what Verizon did to the Treo and should have suspected that they were pushing the release date for Thanksgiving/Christmas shopping. I’ve heard RIM strongly advised a more advanced and stable OS but good old Verizon couldn’t wait a couple of more weeks. My phone will dial and then I can speak without hearing anyone. I have connection issues with a Motorola 700 bluetooth headset; it works for 2 or 3 calls then locks the phone. I have to remove the battery to reset the phone in both cases. The accelerometer acts like a drunken sailor on a holiday binge. My fingers cannot seem to connect on a letter in QWERTY mode without a sudden change after clicking, and I cannot fathom the logic in the SmartType mode. But, I’ll wait for the first OS upgrade set for the first week in December. I personally think that RIM would not publicly state any of the OS shortcomings for legal reasons, but they will no doubt try to fix at least some of the issues I have recounted before the middle of December and probably with multiple OS revisions. Good luck to all of you out there; my instincts tell me that the Storm is basically a very good device that Verizon pushed to aggressively for early release.
I got mine Friday morning when the store opened. I find it absolutely ridiculous that you have to close EACH and EVERY app out that you open through the Blackberry menu. That you can’t just hit the END BUTTON. GEEE that would be to freakin simple! That you have NO “&” on the so called querty key board. OBVIOUSLY the IDIOT who designed this has NEVER fucking sent a text message. OH and like every one else Im sick of having to shake the phone to get the accelerometer to work. I feel as if I bought an etch O sketch. Also you high light a selection and you press AND press AND press your selection until you practically have to stand on the freakin selection to get it to take. NOT IMPRESSED! Shit the Dare was better than this over priced pizza phone. Ahhh what happened to the good ole days of the brick phones??? ahahahaha
FYI. When sending a text if you just hit the menu key twice, it sends the message. I just discoverd it. Hope that helps.
Finally, someone having a similar experience as mind. I’ve had mine since release day and while there are occasional hicups, I would have to say overall, I’m pleased. Updates are needed, obviously, but having the first version of a new phone doesn’t come without risks!
I do hope the accelerometer delay isn’t a hardware issue rather than a software one!
I love my Storm, I recognise there is lag in some areas and its not perfect, but I would not expect it to be perfect on launch, no devices is.
its black friday and i still dont have my fucking storm
This is my first blackberry and I wanted the best. What I got instead is a glitchy slow mess. I thought that I had a busted one but after reading all these comments this is exactly what is going on with my phone. It’s slow then fast, I type something and it plays catch-up with me. When someone calls I press the button on the screen to pick it up and nothing happens. Typing is a huge pain. Very frustrating phone, I want to like it but I just can’t…
I have had this phone for a total of three days and on four different instances while in the middle of writing an sms text, the phone switches to camera mode and won’t allow me to exit. I had to actually take the battery out to fix the problem. Has anyone else experienced anything like this???
FYI. When sending a text if you just hit the menu key twice, it sends the message. I just discoverd it. Hope that helps.
Jamie, this was one of the most helpful posts I have ever read on this board. It works and solves one of my small gripes about this phone. Thanx a lot!!!
Writing this on the stom. Seems to work ok. Interestingly the keyboard app died and you can’t even use the phone pad when that happens. So I figured out that I had to pull the battery. Is the storm supposed to work over Vs 3g network?
Truth is this phone is lacking in so many ways that it makes me want to give up and just admit that the iPhone is the best phone on the market and switch…
From a die-hard Blackberry/Verizon supporter, this is a sad sad event. You want to rekindle Blackberry passion RIM???
This OS is too slow, phone is too cumbersome, web hardly competes with iPhone, scrolling is atrocious, media is slow to load, volume of media not high enough, camera has noise, auto-focus on camera slow to react to surrounding environment, no application store or plans for (the biggest thing the iPhone has), cannot delete many items, no REAL word/excel support, limit on email attachment download size, lacking deals with major 3rd party support (Google Maps, Pandora, OTA MP3 downloading)…
You’re the biggest crack team of phone developers, have the most experience in mobile technology, and have seriously let down a slew of Crackberry addicts by letting VZW/Vodafone push you around and release this phone sub-perfection.
Get it together or move out of the way…
At least most people realize that there is no such thing as perfection. Hopefully the same ones will realize that using the Store demos with the old firmware does not justify the final product. I haven’t had any issues with mine. I love it and hope they get these updates out sooner than later. As is their purpose, it’ll just make the overall experience better by addressing the issues as they arise.
As a serious business man, I hope they resolve these issues before the release in Canada. I am still interested in getting this product, but as a very serious business man, I can’t jeopardize my business because of faulty hardware.
Wow I just ordered the Storm. I have not gotten it yet. They are mailing it to me. They told me it would have the new software.
I am documenting all the complaints. If I want to return the phone I am going to give Verizon an argument when they want me to pay the $35.00 fee. I hope I did not make a mistake in getting this phone. I use to have a Palm Treo. Now I have a mobile Q. Which I think is a piece of you know what. So I am hoping this blackberry will be better. I tried using it in the store and the manager came over to give me some help. Like where is the @ button when sending an e-mail. This looked like a pain to go from one screen to another? I also wanted to press an s and kept getting an a. He explained just keep typing it will change to what I want.
Here is some information that will answer your question:
HOPE THIS HELPS!!
public class AccelerometerSensor
extends Object
Provides accelerometer sensor query and listener registration methods.
There are two types of accelerometer data – orientation and raw acceleration values. Orientation value represents handheld orientation in regards to the Earth, such as #ORIENTATION_TOP_UP or #ORIENTATION_LEFT_UP. Raw sample is a vector of three coordinates – X, Y and Z. Each raw value represents acceleration along X, Y and Z axes. If handheld is lying flat on a table then X and Y raw sample values would be equal to 0 while Z would be equal to 1000 which represents G-Force or 9.80665m/sec2. In freefall all three raw components would be equal to 0. The G-Force value is specified by #G_FORCE_VALUE constant.
Accelerometer sensor hardware is limited by the following factors:
Maximum acceleration measured. This is typically 2 * G but is hardware dependant
Sensitivity – in the real world acceleration is never a constant while the sensor may provide duplicate values
Accelerometer sensor subscription is costly for battery and should be used only when necessary. In order to turn the accelerometer sensor on call the #openRawDataChannel(Application) or #openOrientationDataChannel(Application) methods. While the returned channel is open the accelerometer sensor is powered and is sampled for changes. When channel is closed sensor is not queried.
Here is an example for retrieving periodic acceleration data in a dedicated thread:
public void run()
{
// open channel
Channel rawDataChannel = AccelerometerSensor.openRawDataChannel( Application.getApplication() );
// create raw sample vector with three components – X, Y, Z
short[] xyz = new short[ 3 ];
while( running ) {
// read acceleration
rawDataChannel.getLastAccelerationData( xyz );
// process the acceleration
process( xyz );
// sleep for maintaining query rate
Thread.sleep( 500 );
}
// close the channel to stop sensor query routine
rawDataChannel.close();
}
Note that system doesn’t sample the sensor each time Channel#getLastAccelerationData(short[]) method is called. Instead the latest sampled value is returned. The internal query algorithm is hardware dependent and may be either periodic or value change oriented. In other words, the above query method may return duplicate values if queried very often or when handheld is still.
Similar query approach could be used for orientation type of data. However, a more convenient way is to receive orientation change notifications. This will save application another thread for periodic orientation checks. Here is an orientation listener example:
private Channel orientationChannel;
public void register()
{
// open channel
orientationChannel = AccelerometerSensor.openOrientationDataChannel( Application.getApplication() );
orientationChannel.setAccelerometerListener( this );
}
public void onData( AccelerometerData accData )
{
// get the new orientation
int newOrientation = accData.getOrientation();
// relayout accordingly
relayout( newOrientation );
}
public void unregister()
{
// close the channel to save power
orientationChannel.close();
}
Default channel configuration assumes that application requires accelerometer data only in foreground mode. When application switches to the background the channel is paused and no sensor querying takes place. This technique helps to save CPU and battery. Any query methods on the channel will return the latest known value. Accelerometer channel can be configured to provide data for background applications if necessary. Here is an example on how to specify background raw data listening:
// create channel config
AccelerometerChannelConfig channelConfig = new AccelerometerChannelConfig( AccelerometerChannelConfig.TYPE_RAW );
// specify background mode support
channelConfig.setBackgroundMode( true );
// open accelerometer channel that is active in background
Channel channel = AccelerometerSensor.openChannel( Application.getApplication(), channelConfig );
The background mode option applies both to raw and orientation data listening and querying.
Note that sensor querying greatly increases handheld power consumption and will cause shorter battery life. Keep the channel open to a minimum, close it when phone is idle, for example, in holster or locked.
If an application performs raw samples analysis not very often but requires the whole history of data then its logic would be to collect samples into a buffer and periodically perform calculations. An example of such application is a pedometer – it gathers acceleration readings and tries to recognize human steps every second. The channel can be configured to accumulate raw acceleration data in a buffer. The application would keep the data query rate lower. Here is an example on how to configure channel to accumulate samples in a buffer:
// create channel config
AccelerometerChannelConfig channelConfig = new AccelerometerChannelConfig( AccelerometerChannelConfig.TYPE_RAW );
// specify number of raw acceleration samples to keep in buffer
channelConfig.setSamplesCount( 500 );
// open accelerometer channel
Channel bufferedChannel = AccelerometerSensor.openChannel( Application.getApplication(), channelConfig );
And here is an example how to query for accumulated raw acceleration samples:
AccelerometerData accData;
while( running ) {
// query for buffered accelerometer data
accData = bufferedChannel.getAccelerometerData();
// get the number of new acceleration samples
int newBatchSize = accData.getNewBatchLength();
// get samples buffers
short[] xAccel = accData.getXAccHistory();
short[] yAccel = accData.getYAccHistory();
short[] zAccel = accData.getZAccHistory();
// process new batch
process( xAccel, yAccel, zAccel );
// sleep for some seconds
Thread.sleep( 4000 );
}
The acceleration buffers contain the most recent sample at the array index 0 and the oldest sample is at the end of the array. If application needs samples reading timings then the following method should be called AccelerometerData#getSampleTsHistory(). The arrays lengths are the same and equals to the samples count passed during channel registration. Only the first number of samples are new from the last query method which is specified by newBatchSize variable. If the new batch size is equal to buffer length this means some samples may have been lost, on the other hand, if the size is 0 then application queries too often and sensor was not queried yet.
Looks like ‘fixtheiphone.com” is under construction….been there before when everyone listed their complaints of the iphone and what they wanted to be fixed. Better check it out before you switch…
@ Likeabite:
What do you know, your device is virtual and ONLY in your head! HAHA
Even the virtual Storm is NOT perfect! HAHAHA
I’m usually a “bleeding edge” kind of guy and I didn’t expect the Storm to be perfect. I picked it up right when Best Buy opened on the release date and at first I was on the fence. My biggest gripe was the speed of changing between applications and/or functions. I have been using an 8830 for a couple of years now and I wasn’t expecting to be able to type on it as fast but was willing to sacrifice this for the screen.
Then I watched the babylon ad trailer that came on the phone already and was completely blown away. The following week I used the camera and video capture which resulted in clear/crisp videos that look better than an HD SD cam that I have recently purchased.
When it came to my first couple of emails for work it was VERY frustrating because it took me at least 4 times as long to get the emails out but I’m much faster with it now. It has forced me to write shorter emails or to use my laptop for emails more which is better for my poor little thumbs anyway.
The accelerometer can’t seem to determine it’s position when the phone is parallel with the ground but when I am holding it perpendicular with the ground it is always accurate….just SLOW!!!!
All that being said, I LOVE IT!!
The past week I was in Vegas and took a bunch of pictures and used the video capture quite a bit. I
10,016 iPhone apps now available!
Sue, you can get an @ sign by simply pushing the space bar while typing an email address.
What???! The IPhone worked flawlessly the first day?? Hmm, seems to be I remember how it was crashing everything the first day, especially the iTunes server.
Personally, I don’t like a phone that INSISTS I have an app on it such as iTunes. Of course, Apple always is proprietary about everything.
I’m new to the Storm and the only thing I’ve noticed so far is a slight lag but it doesn’t bother me. I keep in mind that it’s a new type of phone from a company with a great history and expect there will be issues which will be addressed and yes I’m talking about RIM.
I know 3 people who have already abandoned their IPhones and gone over to the Storm.
I think the IPhone fanatics should go back and figure out how to use that storage…oh wait, that’s right they don’t HAVE storage card capability do they?
Just give RIM some time to issue an update, jeez. As for that so-called release saying what the first update would address I would rather doubt it’s real…but that’s just IMO.
i love most everything about the storm EXCEPT the fact that i can’t type a @)#( email or text message without correcting every 3rd letter or so. the spot on the touchscreen where the backspace is is already getting worn out. i can’t take it, i’m gonna have to take it back & go back to my 8330 until RIM/Verizon come out with a Storm V2 with a real keyboard. Give me a Storm with WI-FI, real keys & trackball, then you’ve got the perfect device for me.
yes you can unlock the phone but not for a couple more weeks. the system or phone will not reconkize your t mobile sim.