RIM CEO on BlackBerry Storm: "nobody gets it perfect out the door"

If there's one two things we love, it's hearing RIM's own Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis open their gaping traps. While the former was sufficiently panned back in January for exclaiming that buggy smartphone software was simply the "new reality," his partner in crime may have just done him one better. In a recent sit-down with Laptop Mag, Mike was specifically asked to address that aforementioned quote. His response? "That's our first touch product, and you know nobody gets it perfect out the door. You know other companies were having problems with their first releases." If you're struggling to translate that into layman speak, allow us: "Tough luck, early adopters!"

As the interview progressed, the co-CEO took the opportunity to snub Apple on its inability to get Push Email out early on, noting that BlackBerry OS has "constantly been underestimated" and was "designed to multitask from day one." He also stumbled all over himself when it came to speaking about the BlackBerry's web browser, stating that "by writing our browser in Java, that provides our CIOs and wireless managers the assurances they need, to allow the browser to access internal information at the same time it accesses external information." We've literally meditated on that for a solid half-hour, and we still have absolutely zero idea what it means in English. Nevertheless, the whole thing is a pretty great -- if not comical -- read, so give it a look and share your colorful opinions in comments below.

[ZeitgeistXiii Posted Apr 16th 2009 1:54PM]

Well it does everything I need for work and now it has Pandora and uses just plain ear phones. Overall I am pretty happy with it.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2009 2:08PM]

The storm isnt bad....reallly! The BB OS is great. But I would agree it does need some updates. On that note what version are some of you guys using?
In the past i did put leaked updates on it, and it did make it zipper. But ran into other problems! Any version that works the best?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2009 4:20PM]

Currently running 4.7.0.122. Also liked .109 and .113 a lot

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2009 2:17PM]

I have a Storm and I think it’s the best phone ever and I regularly evaluate all brands of phones (including the Iphone and the G1) because of my job. I will admit that it was rough when I first got it and I was going to return it, but with the regularly leaked updates (I have no idea why VZW hasn’t made any of them official since .075, my Storm is currently running .113), the BB OS (which gives multitasking, push email, copy and paste, multimedia text messaging, etc), the new app store, and just the fact that RIM fixed all the issues people have had with the IPhone in their first phone is just awesome. The click touchscreen is just fantastic and once you get used to it its hard to use a traditional touchscreen again. BT is great, and the fact that you can use it with audio devices is a no brainer (still cant listen to music wirelessly with the IPhone). Think about it, if you have a vehicle with BT you still cant listen to ITunes with your Iphone but with a Storm you can listen to your music library, Slacker Radio, Pandora, IHeartRadio or whatever music program you download). Add to that the Storm has had a 3.5mm head phone jack from the begining, and that that jack can be used with all the aforementioned programs, and with the speaker phone (which allows for hands free calling in vehicle without the need for a BT device) and you have a phone that has more professional and multimedia uses than the Iphone. Yes other BBs are better at doing BB stuff (meaning they are better suited for the busy professional). But for those who want a truly great all-in-one touchscreen phone that can satisfy you’re every need, there is no phone better in my professional opinion.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2009 3:44PM]

"designed to multitask from day one."
Yes, because os x isn't optimized for battery life conservation and multitasking.

[webterractive Posted Apr 16th 2009 5:00PM]

As a fellow canadian and blackberry user I think RIM needs to concentrate in what they have out now, and work on their OS to make it a more stable and usable system. If they (RIM) cannot fix the browser then elect to have webpages make blackberry friendly pages. But just slapping phones together and ending them with the sufix 00/20 with/out WiFi, 3G is just stupid. You're just saturating the market with lots of problematic blackberries.

[erasure25 Posted Apr 17th 2009 4:43PM]

Is it really fair to compare a first-gen Storm to a third-gen iPhone?