David Pogue gives Blackberry Storm the hairdryer treatment

Look, OK, it's not just me who's disappointed with the Blackberry Storm. David Pogue from The New York Times has laid into it in all:

Here’s a great example of the intelligence that drives R.I.M.: The phones all have simple, memorable, logical names instead of incomprehensible model numbers. There’s the BlackBerry Pearl (with a translucent trackball). The BlackBerry Flip (with a folding design). The BlackBerry Bold (with a stunning design and faux-leather back).

Well, there’s a new one, just out ($200 after rebate, with two-year Verizon contract), officially called the BlackBerry Storm.

But I’ve got a better name for it: the BlackBerry Dud.

Only thing is, I quite like the clickable touchscreen. In my opinion, its the Storm's saving grace. Mr Pogue is having none of it:

Hello? Isn’t the thumb keyboard the defining feature of a BlackBerry? A BlackBerry without a keyboard is like an iPod without a scroll wheel. A Prius with terrible mileage. Cracker Jack without a prize inside.

...On the Storm, a light touch highlights the key but doesn’t type anything. It accomplishes nothing — a wasted software-design opportunity. Only by clicking fully do you produce a typed letter.

The review gets ever more scathing. And, in case you're interested, RIM's share price went down but 1.5 per cent today.

Comments

[Rich O]

Hi, i am on the fence right now after 2 days. I am the only one that has noticed that the Storm has a wobbly screen, i have had 2 devices now from Vodafone in UK and its the same, its just not right!!

Cheers

[Alex C]

"A BlackBerry without a keyboard is like an iPod without a scroll wheel."

The iPod touch then?