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.

Will tomorrow’s release of the Apple iPhone SDK come anywhere near the levels of usefulness that start-ups and Fortune 500 companies need to create a business model?

I’m going to say no.

I’m also going to restate what I had mentioned a couple months ago and that is: Apple will not let you host your iPhone application on their ONLY method of global distribution unless you have a damned good and damned profitable application.

I’m personally very interested in the business applications piece since I’ve been looking for ways to a) use ONLY my iPhone for all facets of my life and b) connect my Bluetooth-enabled phone to the Web via the Mac.

Neither of these things will happen for a while, but I’m hoping that we can all benefit from a wide selection rather than grumble about a few and far between situation.

If you are one of the billion people in the world who accept the Apple method of control and, admittedly, the epitome of electronic distribution then Steve Jobs has news for you: they’ll handle your software applications for the iPhone and iTouch as well. No problem. They’ll take it all.

Why? Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen once the SDK finally reaches the masses and those masses clamor to strut their stuff.

Small development and creative firms will try to create the next $1.99 killer application and larger development firms will try to close the gap between business productivity and one of the coolest devices ever created.

Will this mean that there won’t be any freeware?

Of course not, but consider the stronghold of Apple in their distribution of electronic content. They’ll be certain to set strict guidelines surrounding QA, pricing and size than any standalone development shop. And, if they’re going to have the opportunity to charge you for their control, then they should implement best practices to refund or allow credit for items which do not meet specifications or the promise to customers.

The development community, as always, has the say on whether or not they’ll sign on for distribution with Apple. The choice to not join, however, would be detrimental to the bottom line. In reality, it could stop all means of getting the product out the door.

It’s not a good combination when you take new technology, an above-the-law carrier such as Verizon (full disclosure: I am a customer using a BlackBerry 8830) and a security division hell-bent on stopping the initial marketability from actually being delivered when you finally get your hands on it.

Think: Sidekick and T-Mobile.

Think: ATT (the old ATT Wireless) and Blackberry.

Think: Verizon and just about any phone they offer.

By hampering the functionality of a new technology, one is left with a novel but unfinished product. Why purchase the device? The lure is simply for people tied to the network who love the VCast option (why?) and can afford to upgrade, but don’t want to either a) pay to get out of their current contract or b) want to drop the extra $200 USD for the iPhone. With rebates, it was explained that I would be offered the LG Voyager for $199 without a 2 year commitment, but that information is far from verified.

I think the LG’s entry is a far cry from the beauty and well-thought interface (read: overall usability AND look and feel). As a matter of fact, when compared to the iPhone, the LG in this person’s opinion is downright ugly.

Too bad, LG. You had the time and the money to come up with something close, but this time it’s no cigar. Good luck.