Vodafone debuts BlackBerry Storm 9500

We're still waiting on Verizon to stop teasing us about this thing, but Vodafone (who's been hinting at the phone since last month) just announced the BlackBerry Storm, RIM's touchscreen flagship. As if you didn't know already, Vodafone is confirming a 3.25-inch 480 x 360 touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, automatic orientation flipping, 1GB of built-in storage and a host of multimedia capabilities, including iTunes sync.

[Thanks, Bob]

[attathomeguy @ Oct 7th 2008 6:41PM]

no mention of wifi anywhere

[Bob @ Oct 7th 2008 6:54PM]

No wi-fi. That's the only thing this is missing. Although on Verizon's network you will have a fast connection almost anywhere. So wi-fi is only a niche need for a few that like their battery draining fast.

I'll take the expandable memory, replaceable battery, 3.2MP camera with flash, excellent email support, cut/paste, MMS and great 3G network over having wi-fi.

[vandy1997 @ Oct 7th 2008 7:34PM]

The answer is that it doesn't have WiFi. Verizon probably crippled it as it does with all of its phones. That's the simple answer. Verizon's EV-DO offering is not quite as fast (or even close) as WiFi. And, as always, it will not do voice AND data. Although AT&T's 3G offering currently sucks - haha! Hopefully it will be a great phone so that Apple can make a better one that will kick its ass. It seems like only last year RIM's co-CEO was saying that the iPhone would not succeed since it doesn't have a physical keyboard - and now RIM comes out with one as well. That's pretty embarrassing, as is not having WiFi on a high end phone. I'll admit that the iPhone has plenty that needs to be tweaked, but RIM really gets a black eye for leaving out WiFi (I guess it's so that they can say that their battery life is excellent - because nobody will be able to drain it with WiFi). We will see in a month or two if this phone is a hit once it's in users' hands. Other so-called "iPhone killers" have been less than impressive once they are handled by users.

[Al @ Oct 7th 2008 8:08PM]

You do have some good points vady but two things.
1. This is Vodafone so the wi-fi facts are irrelevant(like the 8330 on vzw vs the 8320 on every GSM carrier).
2. Verizon has two phones currently on the market with wifi. I have the Samsung i760 and the wifi is not crippled and last I checked the same goes for the HTC VX6800 Mogul. So, not all their phones have crippled wifi.

[Ysleiro @ Oct 8th 2008 1:26AM]

Is it true that T-mobile will have a much faster 3G network than the other carriers?

[JJ @ Oct 7th 2008 6:51PM]

iPhone.
There. It's been said, now go about your business. And don't bring it up in this thread.

[Jon Nelson @ Oct 7th 2008 8:59PM]

I don't know why this guy was low-ranked. I think he, like everyone else in the damn world, is sick of the iPhone comparisons.

+1 to you, JJ.

[iKurt @ Oct 7th 2008 9:43PM]

Why wouldn't you bring up the iPhone? It's the most innovative and sets an industry standard for phones. You're just denying it. Shove it up, princess.

[Ray @ Oct 7th 2008 6:49PM]

Can someone say iBerry interface?

And arent "responsive touch screen" and "integrated messaging" a gimme for this device? Everyone knows blackberry for messaging, and its not like there are any unresponsive touch screens out there.

[telepheedian @ Oct 7th 2008 6:51PM]

I'm assuming the "responsive" bit comes from the way that the screen almost works like a button, you have to press the screen til it clicks to register a tap. Their term for tactile feedback.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 7th 2008 8:40PM]

I could tell your comment was stupid right of the bat because of that Bush picture of yours.

[Kelly @ Oct 7th 2008 6:53PM]

Can someone please shoot me in the head the next time I have to hear about i-anything.

[Game_playa @ Oct 7th 2008 10:44PM]

BAM! BAM!

[HOOPER @ Oct 7th 2008 8:43PM]

iPhone, you're dead.

[John @ Oct 7th 2008 6:56PM]

460x360 is 8% more than HVGA.... I wouldn't really call that HD.

[1234321 @ Oct 7th 2008 8:42PM]

they didn't call that HD, they called it High-res
(although I wouldn't call it that either)

[ThatOneKid @ Oct 7th 2008 7:08PM]

By the time verizon releases it Apple's gonna ruin iTunes support by making new DRM and releasing new updates to support it

[Sirdax @ Oct 7th 2008 7:18PM]

I hope the phone is faster than that awful flash demo!

[Ben @ Oct 7th 2008 7:17PM]

Yawn… : O

[Todd @ Oct 7th 2008 7:18PM]

I still hate the stick figure gray icons! Thankfully the iPhone and my BB Peal use color...

[steve @ Oct 7th 2008 7:38PM]

Todd,

You can change themes on a blackberry in case you didn't know.

[darx @ Oct 7th 2008 7:51PM]

This looks like the Touch HD...except not HD...

Honestly after seeing the HD I don't even want another phone.

[alcinoo @ Oct 7th 2008 7:53PM]

so .... they must have spent a fortune to develop this new phone, and the best they could do is cook-up a bad copy of an iphone.. hummmmmm total turn-off

[matt @ Oct 7th 2008 8:10PM]

nice Ui ...PPPPHH

[marty k. @ Oct 7th 2008 8:39PM]

Roxio media? It sucked big time last time I tried it. Other than that the phone looks quite solid. It is still a workhorse with touch screen and some multimedia (hope its media player and switching tracks/playlists/videos work well). It won't be as 'uberkool' as iPhone is; no 3D games, no (I guess) flashy UI/media player and definitely less apps than iPhone has.

However, I like RIM's approach as long as I can browse web comfortably and Storm's touch screen is responsive and easy to use, unlike Diamond's touch screen which I tried and it sucked (IMO).

[TTX1 @ Oct 7th 2008 9:03PM]

make it a slider with a real keyboard and we have a deal.

[KosherSalt @ Oct 7th 2008 8:55PM]

Looks like a...uh... nevermind. Way-to-think out of the box.

[rational @ Oct 7th 2008 9:33PM]

How come yall ladies cry about these iPhone comparisons when in fact its the king of touch screen phones? Jesus

[DP @ Oct 7th 2008 10:44PM]

Because iPhone is a terrible phone.

[OCEAN 'CLAK' NOW 20, SO HAPPY BEING AN EX ENGADGET EMPLOYEE @ Oct 7th 2008 9:11PM]

WELL RiM COULD OF DONE A BETTER JOB COPYING THE IPHONE, I MEAN THiS JUST LOOKS A MESS THEY GOT THE iPHONE ICONS ALL WRONG, THE DESiGN ALL WRONG TO NO APPLE LOGO, YUK, WELL AT LEAST THE TRYiNG TO MAKE AN iPHONE CLONE, NO BODY WiLL BUY iT, EVERYONE KNOWS APPLES THE BEST AT MAKING APPLE IPHONES

[Some Kid @ Oct 7th 2008 9:15PM]

WiFi isnt needed- idk about Vodafones network but i know when you can get a strong EVDO signal from VZW it is pretty fast, especially on a BB. Even though we all know this was a direct comeback to the iPhone (not comparing it, im sick of those too), this isnt the same thing. This is a blackberry- straight up business----no games (or bad ones), as far as i know no accelerometer, no (decent) music store,no fancy UI, and especially no curb appeal.btw, when will people take advantage of the actual HD mini-screens (in the US, Touch HD :-( ) like for instance Casios new 3 inch screen- thats High-res.
I know most people with a somehwat high importance job----the normal Blackberry user--- Would take this over the iPhone

[Killer @ Oct 7th 2008 11:26PM]

"This is a blackberry- straight up business----no games (or bad ones), as far as i know no accelerometer, no (decent) music store,no fancy UI, and especially no curb appeal."

Somebody didn't keep up with the leaked RIM documents or detailed information...but go ahead post a comment that doesn't have any facts being checked...it's only the Internet and a blog....It does have an accelerometer, $15 a month unlimited Rhapsody mobile, and desktop for music (known since the phone was first talked about), the latest 4.7 OS. It is a blackberry directly marketed at the consumer not business people. The Bold is business, the Storm is consumer market.

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/10/04/blackberry-storm-internal-product-positioning-marketing-points-blackberry-apex/ READ....

[marty k. @ Oct 7th 2008 9:25PM]

e-rage at its best, you made my day, mate!

[marty k. @ Oct 7th 2008 9:32PM]

e-rage at its best, you made my day, mate!

[marty k. @ Oct 7th 2008 9:33PM]

WTF, my two comments replying to our CAPS hero xD

[DP @ Oct 7th 2008 10:46PM]

How do we know that the Storm supports iTunes? Anyone got any details?

[urmomFTW @ Oct 7th 2008 11:22PM]

Verizon says it in the slides posted in this engadget mobile link. Just click through the pics.

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/09/23/verizon-tells-us-all-about-the-blackberry-storms-wow-factors/

[Jcoleman @ Oct 7th 2008 11:26PM]

umm it supports itunes because of

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/features/media/mediasync.jsp

Media Sync released like a few months ago.. hell even the 8130s support itunes now.... nice job keeping up with the tech news =P

[Curnsie @ Oct 8th 2008 5:11AM]

details of Mac suite for storm:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/10/07/blackberry_storm_debuts_with_app_store_mac_suite_on_the_way.html

[soobin27 @ Oct 7th 2008 11:11PM]

its reassuring that Verizon isnt the only phone company that cripples devices for their own profit.
before this phone even comes out on Verizon, there is a deal breaker for me which has to do with required data plan.

its a love hate relationship i have with verizon.
i love their network, but hate their management.

[Jash Sayani @ Oct 8th 2008 4:32AM]

Blackberry and iTunes sync.... I don't get it......