Press shots of Verizon's BlackBerry Storm surface

So you've already seen what RIM's BlackBerry Storm looks like in Vodafone garb, but if your feeble mind just can't envision what it'd look like with a Verizon logo on there, feast your retinas on this. A few new press shots of the VZW Storm have swooped in, though there's nary a surprise to be found. Still, we know you enjoy gawking, so hit the read link for a few more angles. As for a hard release date? Puhlease.

[8r13n @ Sep 28th 2008 11:45PM]

Honestly? ...Who would buy this over the Bold? The Bold is sexy.

[wako @ Sep 29th 2008 12:13AM]

Id take the Javelin any day :)

[Andy TGD @ Sep 29th 2008 7:58AM]

@ wako

Id take the Discus any day :)

[Darren @ Sep 29th 2008 10:46PM]

Hardware keyboard for the win!

Power users just can't live without a plethora of keyboard shortcuts at their disposal.

[Alex @ Sep 28th 2008 11:46PM]

"Ok we give up, here's our "iPhone"

[gad get @ Sep 29th 2008 12:51AM]

"Wow, it's even more beautiful than the Apple version!"

[TheMagnificen7 @ Sep 29th 2008 1:15AM]

@gad get No. It's not. Just... no.

[gad get @ Sep 29th 2008 1:31AM]

In my opinion, the iPhone is so "sleek," it's boring. Does that make sense?

[collegekid13 @ Sep 28th 2008 11:49PM]

WTF is with the faux suede back?

[Rogue_Genius @ Sep 29th 2008 12:23AM]

"What is that, velvet??"

[Dahk @ Sep 29th 2008 12:30AM]

I'm like 90% sure its a metallic back. I think the textures on that picture just make it look like that lol. Plus, it seems sorta difficult to put a verizon sign on faux suede like that.

[Bob @ Sep 29th 2008 1:07AM]

It's a black stainless steel back. It's bad lighting in the photo of the back.

Rogue_Genius, great Coming to America reference.

[Jimmy @ Sep 28th 2008 11:52PM]

Too bad about the Verizon exclusivity thing... well for me at least. T-Mo is where its at (in my opinion).
That $59 BIS (1000mins, Unlimited Texts, Unlimited Data, Email, etc) is pretty tough to beat. Even if it is EDGE. Edge is all I need on my BB. But still... wow! BB has the Bold, Javelin, and Storm, all phones I would LOVE to own... now just gotta wait for T-Mo to figure out whats going on. Poor, disoriented, little Deutsche Telekom. When will you be able to get such enticing exclusivity agreements as VZW's Storm, ATT's iPhone, Sprint's Instinct? *tear*

[shravan @ Sep 29th 2008 12:01AM]

Heard of the G1 ? The google phone for the uninitiated.

[DefPo3t @ Sep 29th 2008 12:10AM]

G1.........while it might not b one of the one's you listed it is looking to be a nice tmobile phone

[Jimmy @ Sep 29th 2008 1:04AM]

I considered it, but
1. Im not a fan of sliding phones. I like to play rough. Sliding mechanisms usually dont.
2. It is terribly lopsided. It was poorly designed from an aesthetic standpoint. Very poorly designed.
3. It is not flat. Why on earth did they do that?
4. It is thick. 14-ish mm is about as thick a phone as I want.
5. Why Android when there is BB. Android is more on par with WinMo and mobile OSX.

I just need a phone to call (600+ mins), text (400+ month), email (300+ month), and do some BASIC web-surfing (Facebook, Google, Sports, Addresses, Reviews, Engadget)

I just want all that for under $60/month. This + $59/month BIS would rock. G1 + 'spensive 3G plan would not.

[zenun @ Sep 29th 2008 2:26AM]

T-mo will have real good exclusive contract once the United States government decides to abandon the 3G network they auctioned off to T-mo 2 yrs ago. Why do you think we had a lack of great phones...? because T-mo didn't want to sell them to you or make money at all for that matter? or do you think it had anything to do with not having a 3g network up and running until now, even thought its incomplete. Thankfully when they finally got it up(3g) they secured the first Android phone (not the sexiest device but is gets the job done) What more do you want? Blame your government for the lack of phones on the network which I believe has the best prices and customer service.

[tom @ Sep 29th 2008 9:16AM]

T-Mo got the exclusive for BB flip as well

[Landon @ Sep 29th 2008 10:24AM]

Sprint actually has an "everything" plan starting at 69 although it only has 450 minutes; however, for me that is awesome because I don't talk that much but I use my phone for the net and txt. Sprint also works in a lot more places than TMobile where I'm at. Although excluding the HTCs that just came out/are coming out Sprint really needs to update the phones they offer.

[Cardbored @ Sep 28th 2008 11:59PM]

What's with the battery not matching the phone?

[Steve @ Sep 29th 2008 8:49AM]

"Unlike some other phones, I can change batteries at will"

[webterractive @ Sep 29th 2008 12:09AM]

I don't know if RIM has fully convinced me with the Bold, I find that they should've stuck witht he Curve and just add the nice looking OS which is really limited cause some other parts or programs of the OS look the same as the old one. But a touchberry I think touch phones are more of a fad than new.

[haX0r @ Sep 29th 2008 12:11AM]

GSM version is coming to T-Mob so hold on to your contract!

[zbot @ Sep 29th 2008 12:42AM]

where did you hear this? does anyone know if the bold is coming ot t-mo?

[Bob @ Sep 29th 2008 1:13AM]

Verizon has the exclusive in the US. No other carrier is getting this phone anytime soon.

[spyder91 @ Sep 29th 2008 9:14AM]

The GSM version (9500) may becoming to T-Mobile overseas, but so is the Bold. So that's not really surprising. As stated above though, Verizon has a US exclusivity clause.

So want a 95xx on T-Mobile US? A trip overseas or eBay will be the only way, for now.

[Steve Jobs @ Sep 29th 2008 12:19AM]

Omy... another iPhone clone. I guess Apple started the trend with touch screen phones.... Can't companies be more original?

[TheMagnificen7 @ Sep 29th 2008 12:23AM]

Seriously pal, I own an iPhone, and love it, but do you have a better idea than a touchscreen phone that is at all feasible in 2008? I agree the iPhone sparked the touchscreen era, and I don't like this phone, but c'mon. You're just asking to get low ranked. I think I'll oblige.

[Jim Halpert DM @ Sep 29th 2008 12:25AM]

Ummmm...was apple the first to use touch screens? Multi-touch maybe...but touch screens? Plus, what the heck else are they supposed to do, make phones you control with your mind? Not sure the tech is there yet.

[jooch @ Sep 29th 2008 6:11PM]

well, im dont agree.
touchscreens phones existed before the iphone, so apple didnt created touchscreen phones, maybe it just popularized it.

[PeterF @ Sep 29th 2008 12:51AM]

LOL Apple started touch screens? Ever heard of HTC? They have been making touch screen phones WAAY longer than crapple.

[Michael Scrip @ Sep 29th 2008 1:20AM]

What else could it possibly be? It's a big screen and a few buttons. You can't innovate that any more.

How similar are XBox and PlayStation controllers.?

[GON @ Sep 29th 2008 1:57AM]

Shut up Steve.

[gad get @ Sep 29th 2008 12:55AM]

*Drool*

[Bob @ Sep 29th 2008 1:33AM]

This phone is just what I've been waiting for. I don't care about the multimedia capabilities although it will be a nice bonus with the 3.2MP camera & flash. I like a Blackberry with a larger screen for reading & editing documents or spreadsheets on the go. I've been waiting for a Blackberry with a decent browser & a new input beyond the trackball that allows for easier use of the browser. I'm glad its going to Verizon with their never fail (in my experience ) EVDO network.

I don't think this will replace the iPhone from at the top of the multimedia phones. I also don't think it will be the best selling Blackberry (keyboard BBs are never going away). But this will make a great advanced business phone that I can count on (BES).

[ZeitgeistXIII @ Sep 29th 2008 1:35AM]

Well I am sure it was a nice phone before Verizon got it now they will cripple and lock up all the cool features to force you to pay for their special service. ie: navigator comes to mind. All these phones are going the way of bloatware fairly quickly. I like my xv6800 but had to reflash the rom and radio. At least the network is somewhat reliable just greedy people in the phone layout dept.

[HalfJoey @ Sep 29th 2008 1:54AM]

Come on Verizon, give us the Bold and/or the HTC Touch Pro sometime soon. This would be nice with a QWARTY keyboard.

[Bob @ Sep 29th 2008 2:17AM]

If its going to have a physical keyboard insist on a QWERTY keyboard. A QWARTY keyboard would take some re-learning to master.

[El Taco @ Sep 29th 2008 7:10PM]

lol!

How do you even misspell qwerty? It's 6 keys in a row!

[GamerJunkie @ Sep 29th 2008 1:59AM]

If you take a proven email app, backend email delivery system (BES), rarely ever frozen or locked up OS, RIM's well thought-out touches such as copy+paste that works, and a not FAIL 3G network (EV-DO) then you got one helluva combination.

The iPhone no matter how great the hardware has to succumb to AT&T's mediocre network.

While the iPhone boyz will tout their AppStore is better, most people who has a smartphone is only interested is email, web browsing, and reliable phone service. The iPhone has only 1 of the 3 criteria, this device has all 3 criteria met.

[Diggit @ Sep 29th 2008 2:22AM]

I dig the Storm, too bad it's not going to be available on Sprint. I can't switch and even if I could probably wouldn't because I like their Everything plan and surfing speeds are supposedly faster in my area than on other carriers. Everyone I know who has an iPhone here in Phoenix loves it but the call quality is crap and sometimes when I talk to somebody who's on an iPhone they drop out, far more than on any other carrier.
Man, Sprint needs to get on the fricken ball. The Instinct just isn't cutting it for me, and the Curve is too bulky for my tastes. This Storm baby though...oh yeah!

[Jash Sayani @ Sep 29th 2008 2:41AM]

Wow! RIM has now learnt how to design phones, The cool Bold and now the awesome Storm !
I love this one !

[gad get @ Sep 29th 2008 3:01AM]

Just a few years ago, BB's were all ugly bricks. Then, they released the Curve and the Pearl, and suddenly hip college students were whipping out BB's in public. Now, they've got the Pearl Flip (I like it, I don't care what you RAZR fans say), the Bold, and soon the Storm and the Javelin. They have officially gone from beast to beauty.

[gad get @ Sep 29th 2008 2:47AM]

I wonder if the only color option will be the black one we've been seeing. Because I really think white would look great too.

[Ysleiro @ Sep 29th 2008 3:00AM]

I'm absolutely loving this phone.

Only thing I don't like is the camera design. I wish the camera was more flush with the surface. My 8100 collects so much dust in that specific spot.

[ash @ Sep 29th 2008 8:42AM]

My buddy works at RIM here in Ottawa and is on the test team. He says the "screen as button" is cool but ultimately a novelty and not going to swing business users from not having a physical keyboard. He also said the interface doesn't suit the touch screen since we're accustomed to the iPhone's polished UI.

If you guys have any questions, let me know and I can ask him.

[tom @ Sep 29th 2008 9:25AM]

Woa, there are still RAZR fanboys? LOL. I thought they were all extinct by 2007

[Steven M @ Sep 29th 2008 9:38AM]

I like what ive seen so far but before im convinced im gonna have to try the screen is a 'button' feature in person...

[Chris @ Sep 29th 2008 1:42PM]

I like this design alot, but what I really like so far about all my blackberry's I've used (currently have 8800) is the dedicated keyboard. I have tried several of my friends' iPhones and it's just not the same. Don't get me wrong...the iPhone is a superb gadget, but since I do a LOT of email for work I just don't know that a soft keyboard will do the trick for me.

[ThatOneKid @ Sep 29th 2008 5:32PM]

I actually might buy this