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!
Is a phone a “smartphone” if it has NO WiFi, NO Apps, NO access to GPS services (without VZnav or BB Maps) and can not use voice and data at the same time? I question if this is a smartphone. Maybe the Bold is a smartphone or Windows Mobile. The Storm, I question if it is EVEN a “smartphone.”
Gee Wiz! Considering the first smartphone was introduced in 1992 before the advent of WiFi and GPS, I would say the answer is yes. Wifi, Apps and GPS does not a smart phone make.
“NO access to GPS services (without VZnav or BB Maps)” The dumbest blog statement ever made…so it has GPS but not the kind you want so it’s not a smartphone…riiiite.
ok, so my husband sent me a pix message of my Storm sitting on the kitchen counter and I’m at work. We were called by Verizon last week and said that they sent emails out letting us know that the order was being processed. Then we get a phone call from Verizon letting us know it wasn’t going to ship until Dec 5th, which I was ok with because I thought they would be updating the phone with the latest firmware. So who knows what will happen once I charge this bad boy up. I’m hoping it will work, but if necessary I’ll delete VZ Navigator. I’m hoping that I can use Google Maps because I’m a Geocacher, I have to have coordinates. Does anyone know if there was a update prior to today? Dec 1st?
Google maps works very well on mine.
@ Like-To-Spin:
The Mayor has spoken! Again Like-To-Spin calling other people names again. It is a fact written on this blog by many BB owners, that third party apps have no access to the GPS chip for location services. I have experienced this on my BB curve. Since thousands of apps on the iPhone take advantage of location services this is quite relevant.
GeeWiz makes a good point being is many morons like you, have claimed the iPhone was not a smartphone, in 40 comments at least as I remember it. Funny when the EXACT same statement (first smartphone was introduced in 1992) that Storm Trooper commented was explained to you then, you ignored it over and over again, as documented over there on the other post!
Therefore, the dumbest blog comment ever, then belongs to YOU SPINNER BOY! Especially since you made the statement without EVER OWNING an iPhone or a BB! So you Win the STUPID prize here!
Google Maps on the Storm is no where as good as the latest iPhone 2.2 version, but since you NEVER OWNED an iPhone (or another BB) how would you know that!
Since the Storm has “NO WiFi, NO Apps, NO access to GPS services (without VZnav or BB Maps) and can not use voice and data at the same time?” as pointed out by GeeWiz, How smart is it? NOT very I would say. HAHAHA
10,237 iPhone apps now with 285 just for navigation!
Paul,
You blast the GPS on VZW, yet it can use BB Maps (free and quite accurate BTW) or even Google Maps (free)…the same as the iPhone. But if I want an audio version of GPS, I can subscribe to VZW’s Navigator ($10 p/m), yet I cannot get AT&Ts Navigator on my iPhone ($10 p/m). Looks to me as if the Storm actually has a couple of more offerings and options…and good luck getting Wifi on route 66.
PS – 285 apps on Navigation for the iPhone? LOL…I didn’t realize that ‘BucksMe’ was an important, everyday application that assisted those in their travel. And I’m sure you have all 10,237 applications loaded on your iPhone as well. Right now, out of all the apps that they offer, I have 11 apps loaded on mine. 4 of them, quite honestly, will barely be used except once or twice a year when and if needed.
@ BlueHorseDick:
Google Maps on the iPhone are more advanced than BB! Subscribing to a $10 service per month is quite expensive as pointed out. That part you like to ignore. You can buy a Garmin or TomTom for $60 that is better! I doubt ANY iPhone owner, would pay for AT&T Nav as the Google Maps app is included and better than BB version, even has street view now.
OH, that’s right you are one of the FANBOYS the totally defend VZW lock in and use of ONLY their services! HAHA I thought the buyer paid for a device with GPS services, why can’t he use them? The same reason they have no choice of networks, music stores, or video services! VZW nickel and dime mentality where they cripple device after device.
BB maps totally suck, remember I OWN a BB!
What you completely IGNORE is the LOCK IN and the non use of the GPS location services that third party apps can tap. On the iPhone, since you like to compare, there are actually about 1,000 apps that make use of location services! These include the 285 apps on Navigation and most of the 175 Social Networking apps, 52 Weather apps, many of the 194 Photography related apps, plenty of the over 1,000 Utilities apps, and 510 Lifestyle apps!
Stupid stuff like this on the Storm and NO WiFi will make it impossible for RIM to offer anywhere near the 10,237 iPhone apps now available. The apps you think are not important have been downloaded over 300 million!
ONLY a moron, like you who thinks VZW is a union company and HQ is in Manhattan, would think third party app developers would not want access to ALL the devices resources! This is fantastic, as RIM gets blown away on platform development, YOU will wonder why. HAHA
Just try using voice and data at the same time on the Storm, HAHA. WAIT, I am sure the FANBOY in you will tell as all, no one needs that! HAHA
What will you say when the Storm has little effect on iPhone or Android growth and RIM falls further behind? OH, you probably actually think that won’t happen, while it already has! HAHA
Do you actually think the iPhone will not have turn by turn native soon? TelNav is already working on an iPhone version. So is TomTom. Most of the apps for iPhone totally outshine the handful for BB.
As the iPhone is bringing out almost 3,000 apps a month the BB has only about 700. That is like 100 per YEAR! Going to be a pretty boring App Store copy on the BB.
Just watch and you will see how developers matter a lot! HAHA
10,283 iPhone apps NOW! Still does not matter to VZW BB FANBOYS, HAHA
I hate this phone!!! Had it since the release and have had nothing but problems. Freezes up all the time and battery life sucks. If these problems aren”t fixed soon i”m getting an i-phone
Do it! Strike it down! Then your journey to the Dark Side will be complete!
I ordered on eof these on release day because the store was out of stock. All I wanted was a global phone with email/browsing. I didn’t have “Storm Fever”. So I finall got it via Fedex, and after 24 hours with it I’m heading back to the Verizon store today. What a huge pile of crap.
Mine won’t even power on half the time, I have to pull the battery and replace it just to turn it on.
VZW should be pissed at RIM for this fiasco
@ BlueHorseDick:
READ:
On Dec 2, 2008 @ 1:42 am, Karen Said:
Just installed Nav4All on new Verizon Blackberry Storm – apparently the GPS is disabled, it can’t find it. I did not install VZNavigator. Blackberry Maps does not include GPS, but the instructions talk about it, but it is not there. They’ve locked it down.
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/11/20/verizon-blackberry-storm-review/comment-page-9/#comment-332650
Do want to explain again your nonsense that the GPS chip and location services are NOT locked down? As I told you, I have seen this on my BB and many others have also.
THE BIG FANBOY in you refuses to OPEN HIS EYES and acknowledge the facts that are right in front of him! Just like when you claimed over and over that VZW was a union shop and their HQ in being in Manhattan, you live in fantasyland!
The Storm is yet another crippled device from VZW, NO WiFi, NO GPS location services for developers. Sure, VZW just wants to make more money, right. That is the way FANBOYS think.
I will ask you again, who paid for the hardware? Was it not YOU? Bad enough they put NO WiFi on it, but locking down the GPS chip. Give me a break. Defend away for your favorite company as they screw their users again!
NOW there are 10,351 iPhone apps. All this development is happening due Apple allowing it to happen by providing an excellent platform and SDK. Developers and Apple are both making money with this.
Paul: “You can buy a Garmin or TomTom for $60 that is better!” So if you can do this then why complain about GPS at all? I guess you only complain when it’s in attack of Verizon, right?
And my Storm does Stree View just fine buddy. But you don’t have one so you wouldn’t know.
@ Paul
Too bad because they work well on mine. And google maps isn’t dead on location on my iPhone. It’s off by a mile while bb maps is dead on via my Storm.
Keep trying.
@ Like-To-SPIN:
YOU JUST CAN NOT KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. NO ONE WAS SPEAKING TO YOU! HAHAHA THE FANBOY IN YOU HAS TOI DEFEND HIS FAVORITE COMPANY NO MATTER WHAT!!!! HAHA
I will point out that VZW cripples phones and forces ONLY their services on users, every time as I do for other carriers and companies that do the same. EVEN WHEN FANBOYS DENY IT!
Why wouldn’t I know about the Storm? You know everything and NEVER OWNED ANY of the devices you claimed! HAHA I work in the industry and played with the Storm before you did! It was a piece of junk then and seems to NOT improved much at release!
Locking out the GPS chip and NO WiFi are two big ones! FANBOY! If you want to defend your favorite company, after NEVER having service on another carrier, or owning an iPhone or a another BB, FINE!! Just exposes you as an even bigger FANBOY! Guess you are NOT finnished having the floor wiped with your carcass.
You should get a check from VZW for all the propaganda you spew! HAHA
IF VZW killed small babies when entering their stores, you would probably defend this saying well the babies where making noise and disturbing my FANBOY buddies!!! HAHAHA
@ BlueHorseShit:
Return your iPhone ASAP, IF you really own one, as it is broken if the maps do not work! We have three in my household and they all work fine. So does three of my co-workers iPhone. IF, the iPhone Google Maps did not work, it would be all over the web. In fact they were recently improved along with the Google Mobile App for voice search.
NOT only does the Google Map app work, but thousands of third party apps use the location services and GPS in the iPhone. Something VZW cripples in their devices!
Please explain to Karen here:
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/11/20/verizon-blackberry-storm-review/comment-page-9/#comment-332650
That she is stupid, and idiot, or all the other names you like to call people that point out issues, you would rather ignore. I am sure she would appreciate it. Here and all the others that have complained about the GPS lockout issue would be so happy when YOU explain this is the way it is supposed to work, HAHAHA Maybe I will tell her for you.
You are a moron FANBOY, that never sees a problem, never acknowledges a problem, and even declares they don’t exist! Sounds to me like you should join the VZW union guys in the Manhattan HQ! HAHA OH that’s right their is NO union or Manhattan HQ. STILL have NOT seen you admit you were wrong!!!! OH, that’s right FANBOYS are NEVER wrong! HAHA
I am happy that the hundreds of people on this blog and others must be stupid, as YOU claim there IS NO PROBLEM. Funny my own BB Curve GPS is locked out of all but VZW supplied services!!
You morons also ignoring all the complains about the buggy mess the Storm is with people even returning them! The lines are gone, they were there ONE day! HAHAHA
You MORONS are like the Captain of the Titanic who denied there were problems as the ship sank! Kind of like the morons on the Banking Committee in Congress the last few years!
10,360 iPhone apps NOW! Where are the Storm’s? With NO WiFi, NO access to GPS, NO voice and data at the same time it does not leave too many apps that developers would want to create with having to struggle with Java for all those model BBs!
The iPhone will probably outsell the Storm and the Bold.
@ bluehorseshoe:
Glad you explained it to her. Now she knows.
@ Paul has nothing to do with fanboyism…if something works on mine I’ll gladly point it out. Just as you claim the three iPhones in your house work fine and bluehorseshoe’s doesn’t.
@ Paul (and your many other personalities)
You’re like the dog that chases its tail…keeps doing the same thing, over and over and over…
BB Maps works fine on the Storm. If others can’t get it to work, oh well. The device is still buggy. As for the iPhone, GPS works, just not accurate. It’s off by a little over a mile where I reside, and by a quarter of a mile where my office is located. It gives directions, but I’d have to enter the location I’m at currently in order to get accurate directions. For paid GPS systems, it’s not a requirement. Buy a Garman? Why would I want to carry it around when I can have it within my phone. I personally don’t mind paying for the GPS service for precision accuracy. I understand why others would rather not pay. But at the end of the day, all companies want to make money.
Oh…and I love how you drop the fact that AT&T also charges the same amount as VZW for navigation services that are audible. The Storm is not locked down if I’m able to use Google Maps and BB Maps without being charged. As for all the apps on the iPhone, you’ve got to be kidding me. 99.9% of them are useless. And I’m saying this as I am an owner of an iPhone as well. And I do like the iPhone, but for other reasons. It’s certainly not business class in my estimation, nor would I recommend it to my clients as a company wide solution. And if it would make you feel better, at this time I wouldn’t recommend the Storm as a solution either.
I call it like I see it.
@ BlueHorseShit:
Why tell me? Explain this to the people on the blog having problems. Maybe you can even do it without calling all of them names and attacking them personally. You claim the their is no lock down, so all the others are ALL wrong, I guess. ONLY a FANBOY would see it this way.
I never dropped the fact that AT&T has a charge service as I said and YOU ignored “I doubted any iPhone owner would want it”
What IS important, that you conveniently ignore is that the iPhone uses location services and GPS in probably 1,000 apps as it is not at all locked out! Adding a pay GPS service IS a requirement if you want to get access to the GPS chip is seems. Again you want to shoot the messenger. Tell all the others having this problem as there are so many!
Having a so called smartrphone without third party apps is like owning a computer where whatever is in the OS is ALL that is available. YOU can claim over and over again that the growing 10,374 iPhone apps are all useless as FANBOYS will always do. IT is always useless when their favorite TOY does not have it! HAHAHA
Going forward RIM will get its ass kicked if developers don’t come to their platform. Which I will note, they really haven’t in years. With over 300 million plus in downloads and more money being made everyday for Apple and developers on apps for iPhone, they are NOT useless. You only claim that as all good FANBOYS, always do. HAHAHA
Funny how you claim that BB can edit office docs and NOT acknowledge that it is a third party app from DataViz Documents to Go is what is used!!! This one of course IS important as it is available to the BB!!! HAHAHA
Just like WiFi was useless, voice and data use at the same time is useless, and GPS location services is also useless I guess! HAHAHA
Tell me is VZW a union shop and is their HQ in Manhattan? STILL can not admit you are wrong, I see. Like the good FANBOY you are! No smart person would take any advice for a biased FANBOY!
UNION? HQ? STILL NO ANSWER!
@ Like-T0-SPIN:
CAN NOT help yourself. Just go call all the other people with pointing out their problems names. That is what you spend every waking moment doing on here. When you ignore problems and downplay missing features that is being a FANBOY!
Again no one was talking to you. WHY? You never even OWNED the devices you claimed. This is your first BB, if you really even have one! You lied for over 100 comments and I exposed you.
You claimed problems with devices you NEVER EVEN OWNED!! On carriers you NEVER had!! Stop the lies and shut up.
We would like to see a picture of you with YOUR Storm using it posted next to all those bad stupid videos on K5Live that you waste bandwidth and your employees time on. Maybe even a bill of sale! You were exposed as a moron and a liar. I am not even sure you “played” an IT guy in high school. You seem too stupid.
Quickly now, there are toilets to clean.
Again stupid dribble. All my comments you responded to on here on countless other posts, was I talking to you? But yet I respond once to you and you’re up in arms. Can’t have it both ways fool. How many missing features on the iPhone do you ignore and just want to talk about the number of apps the store has???
And I host that site on my own, independent of my work Stupid. Glad you’re trailing my every move like my little bitch. Hopefully you’ll get to lick something too, just like a dog does. If you want a video of me using my Storm I’ll gladly post it up, not that it makes a difference because you don’t have a clue of what’s going on. I say I worked in the IT department at the third most expensive college in America and you say high school. Pay attention moron.
I returned the buggy Storm I bought and walked over to AT&T in the same mall and looked at the Bold and the iPhone 3G. I liked both better then the junky Storm.
I ended up buying an iPhone 3G as it is supported better with apps and I liked the multitouch screen. So far I am loving it. I already downloaded a bunch of useful apps and this is the most fun I ever had with a phone. My mail was no issue and the Google Map app is fantastic. With all the problems the Storm has and with all the limitations I know I was smart to return it.
I recommend others to consider what I did and put the smile back on your face. I am now running YouTube & Joost videos. I am using Pandora in my car over 3G without any issues and set up sharing my music with friends on my home computer with Simplify Media on the iPhone 3G. The games are fantastic. This is my advice.
BGR, seriously, I’m begging you, kick Paul the hell off of here. Ban his IP, do something. You can’t have regular discourse without this fool sounding like a 5 year old kid bragging about his popsicle.
Paul, what I can’t seem to understand about any of your arguments is you brag about how far the iphone has come. If we gave a damn, we would have iPhones. Plus, the iPhone had serious problems when it was first released and you can’t deny that. So if the storm has only been out for a couple of weeks, why do you not give RIM time to improve on its phone the way you have allowed apple to? No, you come in here sounding a Verizon/RIM representative kicked you in the nuts and refused you a phone. Please, grow the hell up. If not, BGR, kick him the hell out of here.
Before you accuse me of anything, I had a BB8703, then a first gen iphone. It was buggy but fun and not useful for business and I got a BB8830, now I have a Storm. My storm is great since I took the time to learn a new phone instead of criticize it.
@ Like-To-SPIN:
Oh, you host the site that is full of copyrighted material! Great. Maybe I should point the RIAA and the MPAA to take a look. You never seem to respect other peoples opinions or experiences. So why does it not surprise me that you do not respect other people’s copyrighted property!!
See every time I wipe the floor with you and EXPOSE you further, nasty language follows! Always proves you lost the argument and are not too smart.
Seems your momma should ask for her money back if she sent you to an expense college! HAHAHA WOW, now are we impressed, HAHAHA You walked through and IT department once! HAHAHA SURE you did, like you owned a iPhone, a BB, and used another carrier other than VZW. You are the biggest FANBOY on here. You are full of shit as you are not smart enough to have went to any college! HAHA
You are wasting your employer’s bandwidth and time right now!!!! HAHAHA
I responded to you when YOU attacked me for agreeing with the POST on BGR!! Then you called me more names and attacked me further challenging me to debate you as BlueHoresShit. Remember VZW was union and their HQ was in Manhattan? That was YOU too, right? HAHA
10,378 iPhone apps now!