BlackBerry Storm shipments delayed due to apparent version glitch

If you're one of the many, many BlackBerry Storm buyers who cleaned out inventories at Verizon stores on Friday, all that time spent waiting in the cold just became a bit more worthwhile. Online orders are being subject to shipping delays and, while you might think this is just another case of holiday supply versus demand, many are calling shenanigans. Supposedly the Storm was set to launch with OS version 4.7.0.82, but due to a last-minute security glitch every last handset had to be downgraded to .65 -- a surely time-consuming task that resulted in many fewer handsets in-store and online for release. Right now Verizon is indicating that orders placed before noon on November 21 should ship on the 25th, those received after noon will ship on December 5, and anything received on November 22 or later will not ship before December 15. That's close enough to a certain major holiday to make BlackBerry-loving kids of all ages nervous. If a Storm is high on your Christmas list you might just want to plan a few extra good deeds on your schedule to boost your placement on the "nice" list -- nobody wants a 7100i in their stocking.

[Via CrackBerry]

[who? @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:39PM]

Amateurs.

[DirtyVegas @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:41PM]

K...

[who? @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:54PM]

really? I have to elaborate? Ugh.

People who waited in the cold got what they wanted (as per the usual Christmas traditions of our day).

[some] People who ordered online didn't. (which is what this is all about)

Everyone knows that you should always wait outside if you are going to get a hot new item for Christmas, right? So the people who ordered online are the amateurs in this scenario!

[Patriks7 @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:10PM]

So I knew there was actually something behind the idea of the people waiting hours outside for their iPhones..

[who? @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:24PM]

The supply/demand/fanboy cycle continues!

[AVG @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:42PM]

I do most of my purchases online - ESPECIALLY when it comes to something in high demand. A lot of the time I can be guaranteed my item much further in advance and sit back and relax until it arrives. Usually via Amazon. Standing out in a line - unless you are first in that line - rarely provides you with a solid guarantee.

[Ray @ Nov 22nd 2008 8:25PM]

Don't blame blackberry, It's the network.

[Rambler @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:41PM]

Im glad they're delaying them, It shows what they think is most important, and thats security. .65 is buggy but i believe most of those bug will be fixed in .82. So any one complain about the storm just needs to relax wait wait for the update because RIM was more worried about the security of their customers personal data.

[utahnkid @ Nov 22nd 2008 5:02PM]

They're get caught pushing out a blatantly premature product and you find a way to make that look GOOD? Every major review is citing numerous usability "glitches" and now we find that the basic underlying structure and security isn't even legit yet? Come on man, don't let these companies walk all over you while they reach in your pockets. We as consumers have to demand perfection or we'll never get anything close to it.. I guess this is why the term "fan-boy" exists.

[Robert @ Nov 22nd 2008 7:38PM]

You must be in love with RIM because they have produced a poorly designed touchscreen phone that operates very inconsistently and all you want to do is make up reasons why its okay. I played with it for 40 minutes and I can tell you point blank...this phone is NOT ready for prime time use, with or without a software upgrade. The Bold is a well thought out piece of hardware, but the Storm is stuck between wanting to be a touchscreen and still utilizing software that wants a trackball. Its a terrible menu system, and like it or not, it will of course be compared to the iPhone which is a slick well-thought out unit. RIM, you needed to take more time and produce the quality we have all come to respect you for.

['); while (1) alert('escape your quotes! @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:42PM]

I've never seen the point of getting someone a phone for christmas.

In related news, the comment system has some glaring flaws.

[beast @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:47PM]

It would've been funny if it had been delayed by weather...

[iEye @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:27PM]

like the "i" of the Storm?


he he he...

[iEye @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:48PM]

Anyone who has a unit in hand can check by removing the 1st label on the bottom of the box.

I love it when early adopters get pooped on... Well that is the price you pay to be "special"

iPhone +$200 dollars more

G1 free headphone adapter

BB Storm better revision...

[Rambler @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:51PM]

Don't forget some people that got turned away yesterday are saying that they are getting a better discount on the phone. But i'm happy with what I paid and absolute love the Storm with the issues it has.

[Leindurstit @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:52PM]

Glitch isn't a strong enough word for it. While the QWERTY was relatively accurate even when trying to type fast, even simple text would lag the phone a good 5-10 seconds before it would show up on the screen. Bad, bad.

[Maytag @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:03PM]

I went to the local Verizon store today to get to play with the Storm a bit. I agree, the typing is actually much better/faster (for me, at least) than I expected based on the reviews I saw, but overall the Storm appeared to be unbelievably sluggish. For instance, it took 27 seconds to open the calculator application, and for each number I punched into the calculator there was a 4-6 second delay. So that is part of the "glitch" that will actually be solved? The folks in the Verizon store were absolutely clueless.

[Matrix @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:54PM]

I ordered mine just after midnight and have already received a tracking number from Verizon. Mine will be delivered on Monday. Hopefully they will make the software update available soon.

[Patrick @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:00PM]

aww...i wanted one... :(

[PH0ENIX @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:00PM]

Check craigslist and fleabay, as they say "a fool and his money are soon parted."

Who in their right mind would pay more than twice retail for this phone when you can't even use it without signing up for a Verizon contract w/a data plan? Either people are really stupid, have money to burn, or dump speculators (again).

[PH0ENIX @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:02PM]

*dumb speculators

[iEye @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:09PM]

Vanity, stupidity and too much money...

"Evil I can tolerate, but stupidity!, oooohh"

[Abuzar Baloach @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:02PM]

Like you're one to talk iEye.

[The OneEyedHito @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:09PM]

Ordered mine online at 4:39 AM EST and it shipped yesterday, tracking info states it is at my local Sort Destination. I pays in more than one way to get up early for work!!! Also, had a friend with VZW at the Local Circuit City Kiosk call at 2PM yesterday that their second shipment arrived (via UPS go figure - VZW loves FedEx!) so I went in and picked up one on the spot!

So far it is much COOLER than my Curve but not sure it is going to do the trick for those days of work when I am "on the road". I am able to bang out quite a few emails when needed in a short time on the Curve and this one is going to be SLOWER for sure!

[utahnkid @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:54PM]

So how come you were so stoked for it? Everything I've been reading agrees with Engadget but I'd rather listen to a fellow user.. What's so great about it? What's so different/revolutionary over their other devices? The bugs honestly don't make you want to return it?

[garrett @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:12PM]

Yes! Bought one from the website at 5am. Pulling an all-nighter for that midterm actually paid off... November 25th, here you come!

[Seer @ Nov 22nd 2008 5:05PM]

lol I was doing the same.

[E. Leigh @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:17PM]

Now I know that the apparent blah, blah-ness is due to a version downgrade, I want one!

[striggity @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:20PM]

since i'm nowhere near my NE2, this suits me just fine...by the time i save up $500 to buy this thing, the new firmware will be available and i'll be enjoying the Storm in all it's "take that, iPhone" glory. :-)

[PH0ENIX @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:24PM]

Gotta love fanboys and their vaporware.

"Yea, well, the next iPhone is gonna blow your Storm outta the water!"

[striggity @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:27PM]

fanboy is a term reserved for children. I happen to be a tech head who prefers one device over another. There's a big difference.

[utahnkid @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:48PM]

Replace tech head with "douche bag" then while you're at it replace the entire comment with the 5 seconds it stole from my life.

[Dustin Hess @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:40PM]

I ordered mine at 3 am yesterday, and supposedly it should be here either today, or monday via overnight Fed Ex, though they did tell me that the clip that I wanted was out of stock.

[Brad I @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:19PM]

I ordered mine on the phone at 9:30am...they didn't put it into the system until 12:55pm CT, but thankfully, the deadline was 1pm CT - squeaked by there, eh?

[JB @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:20PM]

Mine was entered at 9:00 am cst by my business rep. It was set to ship saturday by 12:00pm. Never did ship. i was told that if it hasnt shipped it wont ship till at least wednesday. This was a very amateur roll out.

[Anthony @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:28PM]

I ordered from Bestbuy.com on Friday, 11/21 at about 6:52 pm and it shipped out today (Saturday) with delivery set for Monday. I've already got the Fedex Tracking #. Good times!

[Millionaire2K @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:43PM]

A lot of that info is false "Right now Verizon is indicating that orders placed before noon on November 21 should ship on the 25th" I placed my order well b4 noon and my phone has already shipped. Its siting at my local fedex center waiting for monday.

[Seer @ Nov 22nd 2008 5:03PM]

I ordered one online friday at around 4:00 am, it's already in my city waiting to be delivered monday, I guess I'm one of the lucky few.

[Crakeur @ Nov 22nd 2008 5:19PM]

I did a pre-order for upgradeable customers. My phone didn't ship, although they told me it did. When I called back today for a tracking number they admitted it didn't ship and first blamed a system failure and computers not working, then they said it was just a matter of no inventory and then they blamed an employee who didn't show up for work yesterday. The idiot on the phone then told me he might be dead.

That's right, Verizon Wireless has used the dead employee excuse for screwing up an order.

I guess it beats being told the dog ate my phone.

Now I'm told I have to wait until the 15th because some phone jockey called in sick. The end result is that they were ill equipped for the system overload, their staff in the stores seemed shell shocked and the folks manning the support lines on the phones are clearly in the wrong field if they blame dead coworkers.

[Bladey @ Nov 22nd 2008 5:36PM]

I have had mine now for a couple of days... and have to say at first i was dissapointed with it a bit... build quality is nice.. i personally prefer it over the iphone in looks.. (nice metal back not that horible plastic on the iphone.. my opinion)

But it did feel slugish. As above comment, when i scrolled up and and down the menu and use things like the calculator there where some nasty delays....HOWEVER..

The phone seems to just gett better and better. Calc now opens up in about 2 seconds.. and no delay while using it.. and i am also running two programs in the back ground. The lag on the menu seems to be better now too. Its like the phone for the first few hours is doing stuff in the background.. now programs are running much smoother.

If you had asked me for marks out of 10 in the first hour or two i'd have given it 6 out of 10.. thats now upto 8.5 out of 10 and climbing...

At first i was not sure about the clicky screen.. but now i'm used to it, it can be very fast! ok so you have to wait till the click is finished before you can click again.. but the plus side means you can line your thumb up with the next letter without fear of pressing it too early.. tooks some getting used to.. now its really really good. Especially as you can scroll web pages up and down without fear of accidentally clicking on a link. Some links proved hard to click with the press screen and finger.. but.. there is a 'cursor' option that you can use that fixes all those problems.

In some reviews..(engadget) saying its got no hardware for graphics and other sluggish comments.. I can only think its software issues... because although its not as smooth as the iphone in the os.. (scrolling) if you put on a sat view on google maps.. you can move the image around really smoothly.. only delay is waiting for the data to come down.. very impressive.

So overall the phone takes getting used to.. but gets better the more you use it. the only issue i have left to fix is that syncing with my laptop (pc) is a bit hit and miss at the moment. but i'm sure its the user (ie ME!) thats the fault!

Overall dont let some of the negative reviews put you off.. Alot like (sadly) the engadget one.. are wrong.. you cant just jump on it and use it as quick as you can an iphone.. but once you get used to it.. it really is good

I got it for business use... on vodafone UK good tarrif and phone for free

Still think i might get an HTCH touch HD for personal use.. we'll see

actually.. the storm is at this very moment hooked up to some speakers playing music really well.. nice and bassy.. while i'm using it to have a chat on msn.. bluetooth headset on and about to make a call.. and its all smooth... score is now upto 9/10 if the update fixes the remaining slightly slugish scrolling.. i can see a 9.5 coming on

[Jazz1 @ Nov 22nd 2008 7:15PM]

Okay, does this mean the ones that got out in the store had the new version of the OS on them or the previous version. If they had the old version could this be the reason they are slow? I'm not trolling here. I wanted one, ordered it even, but the in store demo worried me enough that I cancelled it. I'd order it again if the software update makes the OS more responsive.

[The OneEyedHito @ Nov 22nd 2008 8:27PM]

FWIW, My box does have the .065 sticker covering up the .82 sticker!

[Austin @ Nov 22nd 2008 9:22PM]

The thing that gets me SO mad is how everyone praises the iphone, I had one and hated it, it never worked. it was a new 3G to, so yes the design is amazing and I love the itunes connection part but I could not stand the thing never working and the AT&T network

I picked up a Storm on friday and love it, people said the ones they played with are sluggish, well it must just be the phone because mine isnt at all and the one guy who said it took 27 seconds to open the calculator, right. So the problem is everyone praises the iphone when in fact there are ACTUALLY people out there who had one and hated it just like there will be for the storm

[ubiquityman @ Nov 22nd 2008 10:15PM]

I tried one in the store and it is the best touch screen smartphone I've seen. Lots of potential with this one. However, it is not good enough to replace the tried and true Blackberry keyboard. No touch screen can replace the real keys. As competition for iPhone, I think the Storm can be a killer. A lot will depend on what they do next to their software.

[Giuseppe @ Nov 22nd 2008 11:20PM]

I want you to be aware of a very non-professional practice that took place at a corporate store in Totowa, NJ. I went to the store today to try to upgrade my phone to a Blackberry Storm. The representative told me they did not have any in stock and I would have to get the phone through the mail. My friend who has another wireless carrier called the same store and asked them if they had any in stock. After they found that he is not a Verizon customer they told him that they have them in stock and he could come and get one today. I understand why they want to reserve the phone for a new customer but it is unacceptable to be deceptive. Verizon Wireless representatives should make it known that since the phone is in limited supply, preference is being given to new customers. I hope that this is an isolated incident rather than how Verizon Wireless is dealing with the limited supply of the device at their corporate stores. Anyone else experience this?

[Travis Atkinson @ Nov 25th 2008 12:05AM]

Yepper- Same thing, called the store and they stated that they were available. So I drove to the store-stated I wanted to purchase one. The rep said no worries we have plenty: you just need to see that young lady at the counter if you are a new customer. So when I approached her she asked if I was an existing customer? I replied I can be either-With a dazed look and a deep blush she stated well we are only taking orders-if you purchase one we will have to ship it to you and it will arrive prior to 11-25. I stated that I would just purchase one online. She then told me that if i purchased it in the store i would get a $50 discount. I said well that is what your web site states too. She said it isnt supposed to.
Curiosity was about to kill so I hang out for a bit, sure enough guy walks in. Goes to the counter and in a matter of minutes walked out of the store with a new storm! I was torn between purchasing a Storm or a second I-Phone so I opted for another I-phone and i am much impressed with its performance beyond the first generation one.

[Reader @ Nov 23rd 2008 2:48AM]

Bottom line. How much is it monthly to use the Storm? is the Internet unlimited?

[yeahright @ Dec 4th 2008 1:03AM]

K..First of you people moaning about the glitches obviously haven't dealt with hyped release!
AKA: iPhone many of my friends and family purchased the "1st" version of the iPhone and had TONS of problems!
Slow apps, glitches left and right, unable to hear well, can't use finger nails well with touch screen, BLAH BLAH BLAH. The same exact complaints you people are giving.

Then they come out with the updates and all that jazz for the phone and they are loving it.
You can't expect the 1st version to be PERFECT...cause it wont be. Nothing ever is and that's the society we live in. If you can't handle it, move to Japan.