RIM’s SurePress wins “Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough” award

By on Feb 19, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Opinions February 19, 2009

It’s no big secret that industry awards are often nothing more than a sham with awards earmarked here and there so that each company can walk away with another excuse for a bad press release. Some of the awards given out this past Tuesday at the Global Mobile Awards in Barcelona however, are making us scratch our heads more than usual. We don’t mean to single out any companies in particular, but when we saw that RIM’s SurePress got the nod for the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough we were absolutely flabbergasted. Breakthrough in what way? And don’t give us that whole “precision typing and navigation enables a whole [sic] range of applications and features that have not been possible on a touchscreen mobile device” spin that some random PR intern cooked up.

We honestly struggled for a long time to think of a single application for the Storm that is better than any of the alternatives for other touchscreen handsets and we simply couldn’t do it. Now before some of you go off and start whining about how “BGR hates BlackBerry” you should know how untrue that is — there’s room enough in our hearts and on our belts for all phones. If you knew how many BlackBerry devices we’ve owned (and still own) collectively, you’d know how much we love the ‘Berry. The simple fact of the matter is the more time we spend with SurePress the more frustrated we get with it.

We would love for a company to come up with a touchscreen that issued the same sensation one feels when typing on a physical keypad, but until it happens with a capacitive keypad we plain and simply aren’t interested in it. Why? Because technology such as SurePress slows down even the most basic tasks. Typing a quick email on the Storm can be rather frustrating as half of the time typing any text requires that you momentarily pause while the screen “clicks” and resets to its natural position, thus allowing you to type the next character. It’s definitely something that some people can live with, but we bet you would be shocked at the number of times we hear from people who have a Storm along with other touchscreen devices like the Touch Diamond, Omnia or iPhone and say they can no longer stand the Storm because of its keypad.

If only RIM would have set its sights less on trying to outdo Apple (denying the fact that RIM wanted the Storm to be an “iPhone” killer is preposterous) with gimmicky technology. It could easily have selected a pre-existing capacitive touchscreen and created a heavily modified OS to better suit it. Had it chosen to do so, we think RIM would have hit one so hard it might have hit the lighting at Tigers Stadium. But instead RIM wasted time, money and credibility because it tried to do something that it just isn’t ready for or fully-capable of doing. It’s a damn shame too, because we were really rooting for RIM to have a unanimous hit on its hands.

Read

Tags:
, , , , ,
75 Comments

Related Articles

  • http://www.reduxsoft.com justin

    I agree. I have a storm and I’m now waiting for the Niagra so I can throw my storm on ebay. Sure press gets more annoying every day.

  • Jeep14

    That is such BS…I rode that phone out all the way and with each update something else made it worse…you can say I should have stayed on .75…but that was pure dogshit. You RIM apologists are so over the top that you can’t realize that it is unacceptable to have a phone with that many problems.

  • Mike M.

    I can sorta with Sure Type winning, because it actually IS more efficient than typing on a traditional 12 button keypad but, then again this WAS introduced a couple years ago with the BlackBerry Pearl. So, I dunno. Yeah the Storm is nice, I didn’t really like the whole “screen” click thing but that’s just a matter of personal preference. Lol I thought when they said “haptic feedback” they meant that, not the entire screen clicking down haha.

  • random person

    sad to see that people hate so much on the storm, its a darn good phone but rim rushed it out because of greed, maybe vzw should take notes on how microsoft fixed vista, software updates! as long as verizon is not pushing out new software updates the mass number of people who just own the phone to have it are going to keep complaining about the much inferior .75 software most have more so about the article, surfing the web on the blackberry browser is way more accurate with surepress even though it is slower. accidently click on a link next to yours and all that wasted time of loading and reloading

  • G_Money21

    its obvious the iphone shoulda won, its got 3G

  • Frank Castle

    I have the luxury of having any device I want as I support them at work. I have an iPhone, Bold and Storm and have been using the Storm the past 3 months.

    yeah Storm is a work in progress and it took a good 2 weeks to get adjusted to typing on it. I’m prob 75% as fast as I was with a normal BB keypad and by far Bold is the best classic BB out there, you just wish the screen was a little larger. The screen and the clarity on it are what keep me using the Storm. It’s the best I’ve seen so I deal with the random reboot and OS beta’s until they work it out.

    iPhone is what it is. I would literally have to jump off a bridge if I had to use it for work all day, typing on it is just slow no matter how fast you “peck”. The novelty of iPhone wears off and you yearn for a device that just works. The email is clunky, you are often launching and closing apps as for all the good things it does, you can’t run things in the background so AIM, FaceBook etc all lose functionality if you have to constantly open and close to check and respond to email. iPhone is really entertainment focused and a great weekend companion for web, music and lite apps. The core work functionality is basically what Blackberry offered in 2001. A Bold on the latest BES is so far beyond what iPhone can perfom isn’t worth comparing so those that have access to both know exactly what I’m talking about without pointing it out. I simpley use both as I need to.

    The beauty of having options is you find the device that works best for YOU and what you want in a mobile device.

  • iHype

    I don’t think the typing is horrible. I’m a lot more quicker on it than the iPhone. But that’s my opinion. I enjoy your site BGR, and I enjoy your heated passion towards all mobile technology, but come on… the iPhone is farther from perfect in equally as many categories as the Storm.

    We can throw shit back and forth all day about which one is better, but different options for different people is good.

    I love Apple computer’s and I love Apple TV, even my iPod’s, but the iPhone? The iPhone reminds me of everything that was wrong with Sony when they were still relevant. Proprietary ports, controlled software or software store i should say, limited hardware, no thank you.

    RIM’s sollution isn’t the best, but it feels good to have a berry that’s a more media focused, you want typing get back on the QWERTY models.

    How about that Pre now?

  • iHype

    interesting, a phone with many problems is unacceptable. iPhone v. 1 anyone?

  • evilhomer

    Making SurePress even a bigger fail is the fact that the software is so bad. Making it a bad device all around.

    Hardware failure: Clickable screen wobbles around, leaks light around the edges, and allows dust to accumulate under the screen. Repetitious pressing of only a single button for a device that is designed for heavy typing points toward a very good chance of wearing that single button out quickly. No software upgrade will fix any of these issues.

    Software failure: Too many to list but the main problems are inaccurate keyboard; highlighted keys are hidden under the finger so they are no assistance in accuracy; difficult to scroll through text on email or web without highlighting/selecting text; YouTube application is a complete fail with almost unwatchable video quality; and of course an accelerometer that simply can not keep up with the phone orientation. Software issues can be fixed with updates, but so far, in 3 months, VZW has released only on “official” ROM.

    You can certainly download the flood of leaked ROMS, but in doing so you technically void your warranty and have to flash your device every couple of weeks. I haven’t had flash a crappy WinMo phone that often to keep it half way stable.

    So, yeah, this “award” was like trophies at a pee wee football game. You get one just for showing up…

  • will

    @frank castle.

    best post on here. you get a point.

  • Len

    The storm may not be the greatest device but
    I think SurePress was definitely a breakthrough. It does make operation on a touchscreen more accurate than a hard surface (iphone), which was the whole point of the technology. As hardcore of an iphone fanboy you are, you have got to agree that SurePress is more accurate which makes up for the tiny bit of speed you lose in pressing the Storm’s keys.

    SurePress also becomes a factor for those who would like a bigger screen but are afraid of the inaccuracies that come with a touchscreen device.

    I do think that it would be nice if there was an option to turn on and off the SurePress, for those who like hardsurface touch screen typing. That could make the Storm more appealing to the masses.

  • evilhomer

    Sorry but clicking a button isn’t revolutionary. It’s still just a big button. And there is no way the Storm is more accurate with the touchscreen that the iPhone. Heck, it’s not at accurate as a WinMo or Palm Treo.

    People keep talking about needing “feedback” on a screen but with the iPhone, it’s simple. When the tip of your finger or thumb touches glass, you’ve executed a key press. That simple.

  • evilhomer

    Derick Said:

    I love the iPhone, but AT&Ts network is SHIT.

    AT&Ts 3G network is shit.

    AT&Ts are over priced.

    If you left VZW for AT&T, your the biggest idioet.

    I had AT&T for 12 years.

    __________________________________

    If it took you 12 years to figure out that out, you are the idiot. :-)

  • Dott

    i cant understand why people think that you have to press extremely hard on the storms screen to make a selection. i type a tad bit faster on the storm than i did on my ex-iphone (i hate that phone). i made plenty of mistakes on the iphone and much fewer on the storm due to the “sure press”. like i’ve said in my previous post, most haters of the storm never owned one. i’ve had mine for a few weeks now and the only complaint i have is the browser. it’s nothing like the browser on the last phone i had (the G1). out of all the phones i’ve owned, the G1 had the best browser and that i do miss. the iphone browser was a close second but the storm’s browser is nowhere near these other browsers (G1 and iphone). all in all though, i wouldn’t by a long shot choose those phones over the storm.

  • http://www.k5live.com Likeabite

    The thing I don’t get is that it is not for everyone…as you can clearly see a lot of people on here love it and others hate it…so the credit was given to them for trying something to unique…if they hadn’t and had just adopted what was already out you are the same guys what would’ve bashed them even harder for just copying the iphone and not bringing about nothing new…and when they do you still bash them…whether it worked to perfection or not is besides the point, it is groundbreaking and it was a breakthrough award so they want it…do u have anything or anyone else that deserved it better than RIM? If so please enlighten us…while I wouldn’t say you hate blackberries, as you clearly use a plethora of them and love their services, your love for the iphone always get the benefit of a doubt whenever discussing anything blackberry…that, is the truth.

  • jazzyl

    Well I’ve been reading all the comments here that all the Storm lovers and haters. As of me I’m upgrading to the Storm so I don’t care what everyone says about the Storm. One other thing the iphone is suppossed to be a media device (music player)but it still lacks the stereo bluetooth support no mms no push email no cut and paste no video no no no no no. Apple needs to step u its game I like other apple products but the iphone is crap compared to the Storm. Congratulations for the award RIM deserved it stop hating on Rim. My 8310 Curve is better than the iphone coz it can do more than what an iphone can do the only difference is that the iphone has a touch screen that’s all don’t believe the hype Rim rules………

    Sent via BlackBerry

  • hdvbcx

    I can’t belive I’m reading this bs from bg.
    Probably the last blog i read here.
    Good bye

  • Rosario

    Oh god, all the crazies are out today. If its not the apple fanboys its the rim fanboys. Im just gonna ignore this article and pretend it wasn’t it here, too many crazies to respond too.

    And BG, don’t worry about these people screaming bias because apparently thy keep coming back.

  • backbeat

    @Likeabite: Agreed. If ‘Jibi’ isn’t on a sebattical, it would be really nice to hear from him regarding virtually -anything- on the Storm, especially this hardware innovation award.

    What say you, Jibi? :)

  • Piper

    I too have a Storm. I came from a non-Blackberry with a full qwerty keyboard. Yes, it took some getting used to. My iphone friends say they took some time to get used to it too. They also said that the initial software for the iphone was flawed and got better. They also exhibit frustration when the phone part of the iphone doesn’t work nearly as well as the next guy with a different ATT phone.

    I like my Storm. I’m running version 99. If you are on this forum and don’t have anything newer than what Verizon has released, don’t complain. Better software is out there. Mine works very well, has great battery life, and does not restart on its own.

    And what is this about “waiting for the screen to pop back up to click the next key.” Mine follows my finger as I release it. It is immediate. That complaint is not valid.

  • Trevor

    People have to remember this is about the most innovative. Surepress although it does require getting use to, it does help with miss touch.

    WHY are people still comparing the storm to the iphone in this article. Srly BGR if you dont think it is innovative enough, I would like to see reasons and comparisons to other nominees etc.

    I hope people understand this is the opinion of the author. No need to get your undies in a knot.

  • Daddy’s Leather Belt

    BGR is just a couple of WoW playing emo consumers with a couple nerd friends they label ‘ninjas’ that give them an inside scoop. I only come to this high school drop out web feed because of their uber nerd connection’s info, not BGR’s keyboard tough guy opinions. BGR sucks apart from their news.

  • Mike M.

    @ backbeat

    “Rocket-surgery” ?
    lol seriously ? ahahahahaha wow.

  • ??

    did you upgrade ur OS with a leaked OS?? RIM or Verizon probably wont tell u to do dat but itll make ur phone better. i also dont like the storm but im just a any touchscreen phone hater. my friend loves da storm after he upgraded da OS.

  • http://palfrei.blogspot.com palfrei

    I think this clickable-screen idea is pretty original. I haven’t had a storm in my hands yet but it looks interesting. Perhaps, It needs to be better implemented but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.

    Did you hear/read me, BBerry? I stood up for you and I’ve never used one of your devices, but that could change if you felt generous [towards me, of course]

1 2 3
blog comments powered by Disqus