We figured that instead of making you comb the internets trying to hunt down the latest information on the BlackBerry Storm, we’d compile a nice recap of sorts. Some of it is new exclusive information, and some of it is just other things that have been floating around. Let’s get into it…
- We’ve heard that Vodafone UK has absolutely no intention of selling the Storm to BES users until 2009. We’re not exactly clear on this (since the two Vodafone Storms we have were converted to a business BES account after purchase), but we believe it means that there will be no direct-to-business sales of the handset. Not that you couldn’t as an individual purchase one and simply add a BES plan and convert it to a business account. We’re told that the reason of the hold-up is that Vodafone is worried the device, with the on-going hardware and software issues, isn’t up to snuff for their corporate users.
- For more information on the issues with the Vodafone BlackBerry Storm, hit Vodafone’s forum. You’ll see an enormous amount of complaints about signal reception, buttons falling off, and software issues.
- BlackBerry Storm OS 4.7.0.75 seems to be floating around in some circles. There’s been a ton of misinformation out there, but the update appears to be real, and is currently NOT — let’s stress the word, “NOT” — available to the general public. As many times as you might try to check for updates in Desktop Manager or in the Upgrade portion of Options on your device, you won’t get anything at the moment. We’ll obviously keep you updated on this, but don’t get your hopes up just yet.
- Some BlackBerry Storm users have complained about the difficulty of pressing edges of the touch panel on their devices. It’s a mixed bag, and out of the five Storms we’ve had, two were perfect and three were terrible. We noted this in our review, and the remedy seems to be inserting business cards or paper (you believe this?) underneath the battery or on top of the battery under the battery door. Don’t bother. Just return them and get them swapped out. It’s not your problem, it’s their problem.
- In terms of unlocking the BlackBerry Storm, you’ll have a much easier time getting the unlock code from Verizon. It’s rather simple, really. As long as you have an account that is current with no past due charges and the device on your account, you can call Verizon’s Global Support number and request an unlock code for the handset. Nine times out of ten they’ll give you the code while you are still on the phone. Easy. As. Pie.
Read [BGR’s BlackBerry Storm review]
Read [Vodafone’s eForum]
