I had the opportunity today to get a hands-on feel for the new BlackBerry Storm.

To establish a baseline, I own a 3G iPhone (AT&T) and my primary device is a BlackBerry 8830 World Edition (Verizon).

My thoughts are such:

• The speed at which the device moves from application to home screen and back again is absolutely painfully slow. Boil water slow. Not good.
• Icons are almost “too” understated and you actually have to get used to which icon goes to which application. While this was a purposeful design element, it falls short of a true picture icon set.
• The device has just about as unusable a keyboard as I’ve ever seen / used. I was willing to get the phone today, thanks to a free device upgrade on our account, but I couldn’t get past the keyboard. I tried seventeen times to “press” the letter s. It wouldn’t do it. I had to position my finger in JUST the right place, and I was finally able to use one of our most popular letters.
• That “click” screen is actually more problematic than useful. Basically, under the hood is a single button depression mechanism that allows you to get “response” as you “click” or “type” as if you’re using a real keyboard. Nope. Not buying it. It’s actually a total and complete pain in the rear end to use it. It’s actually the opposite of easy.
• Web browsing has never been the BlackBerry’s strong point. However, this is actually a livable experience on the new OS (for Bold, Curve and Storm). It’s akin to the Opera Light version on any other device, or IE on a WinMo phone.
• Scrolling and sideways gyro functions are in competition with the iPhone, but it’s so clunky when you do it that you wonder if you did it right. Not only that, the real estate you’re given to scroll is so tight that you end up scraping your finger against another function or up in the text entry area. Not helpful if you’re in a rush or need to look something up while you’re writing a document or responding to e-mail.

Overall, the Storm is about 60% there. The screen is gorgeous, the colors are great and the feel of the device is no worse in form that an iPhone (in terms of weight, etc…).

I would, absolutely not, unfortunately recommend this thing for at least another generation.

Have a comment? Used a Storm? Work for Verizon and want to save your sales or represent? Leave a comment below.

I am a dog person. I like dogs because they actually tend to fare better when given commands and they’re slightly much less manipulative than felines.

In my life right now I have a very odd relationship with my two PDAs. On the one hand, I have my dog. We’ll call him BlackBerry. On the other is my cat. Let’s call her iPhone. Sound ridiculous? Hardly.

Characteristics of my dog, BlackBerry

• Reliable (thank you, Verizon).
• Loud enough to tell me that something is happening, sometimes obnoxiously so to the chagrin of officemates.
• Can keep up with my hectic schedule and willing to go where I go (again, thank you, Verizon).
• Gives off the impression that it wants to be touched and managed.

Characteristics of my cat, iPhone

• Reliable when it wants to be…
• Can not stand to be touched when it’s not in the mood.
• Never available when someone calls it; not even the owner.
• Gives off the sleek impression of something sexy that wants to be touched only to leave user frustrated.
• Can’t handle the data I try to give it, then whines when it’s not being managed well.

With the launch of the iPhone 2.0 / 3G today, I hold hope that the iPhone, which is downright fun to have, becomes more reliable and able to handle the workload. It’s not the iPhone’s fault, mind you; they’re just made that way and they’ve been partnered up with a dog of a network. (Trouble from the get-go).

AT&T needs to understand that the 3G service will only go so far to tackle the true shortcomings of any device on their network. More bars in more places? Not anywhere I’ve been in the past 3 months. Most reliable network? That goes, hands down, to Verizon.

If I were able to whisper in the ear of one Mr. Jobs, my broken record approach would be to force AT&T to look into the coverage grid as a follow-up to their recently touted 3G upgrades.

Enhanced data speed is great (and sexy), but I just missed a call from my client.

C’mon, BlackBerry, let’s get to work.

iPhone? We can play later. If you’re in the mood.

The new BlackBerry Bold is about to hit AT&T shelves (boy, do I ever hate exclusivity in technology) and it’s going to be a huge improvement on the personal / consumer experience BlackBerry offered in the past.

Bite the Apple?

But, if you’re waiting for RIM or any other company to kill the iPhone, you’ll be waiting for a very long time. The iPhone and the BlackBerry Bold are hitting two very specific yet similar markets: both are looking for a cool factor while conforming to their peer group. This isn’t so much PC vs. Mac, but it is getting pretty close.

RIM is getting closer to cool with the under-40 business crowd with the new device. One of the reasons for this is that the BlackBerry offers a stylish form factor, Wi-Fi and even 3G, but it’s both the tactile keyboard and the BlackBerry persona that’ll keep that same audience from hitting up the bank account for a personal iPhone.

As a side note here, I think it’s a brilliant strategy for Apple to work itself into the business mainstream through something OTHER than a personal computer (I realize, one definition of the iPhone is, in fact, a computer considering it’s running a locked-down version of their OS but this is more about the tools for getting the job done — especially in an on-the-go world).

My guess is that, from what we’ve read and heard, RIM is definitely going to take a bite out of the Apple with this device (and it’s eventual siblings).

Following Suits

I keep an eye on the market share and the application development of both platforms. Heck, I even own a BlackBerry 8830 and an iPhone. The reason isn’t because I can’t make up my mind; it’s because these devices are what shape my peers and clients’ mobile experience. I have at least one discussion per week about the interface and form factor of the iPhone. However, when I’m with my clients, who primarily use BlackBerry devices, I feel comfortable knowing their experience. It’s not a cheap way to understanding a small portion of their business persona, but it makes a difference.

Come Together

There is a great hope that someday I’ll either be so incredibly adept at using a virtual keyboard that my mobile life will become one device. This, I believe, will happen around the same time that I understand why today’s youth can only seldom use full words and punctuation when sending me an e-mail. So, it’s quite possible that I’m simply a mobile device user in training. Because, after all, whether you like it or not, Apple has created the new way for mobile interface design and it doesn’t have a key or a bunch of buttons.

When the best of both mobile devices come together (and I do believe they will), I’ll be there waiting for it with my 51% touch screen accuracy and my stereo, noise canceling headphones that double as a latte maker. I just hope I’m still young enough to enjoy it.