Verizon drops BlackBerry Storm price to $99.99 on contract

With all signs (and by "all," we mean "all") pointing to a new Storm joining Verizon Wireless' lineup in the not-too-distant future, it's just about the perfect time to start discounting the current model in hopes of working that inventory down before the inevitable launch of numero dos. Starting today, VZW customers can snap up the SurePress-equipped Storm 9530 for $99.99 on contract, which is a full Benjamin less than it has been since debuting last November. If you're looking for a word of advice on the situation, here's ours: hold out for the next revision -- you'll thank us later.

[Thanks, Cara]

[Jordan Biffle @ Jul 18th 2009 12:33PM]

I wouldn't give 2 cents, let alone $99 for this piece of crap.

[kerry9101 @ Jul 18th 2009 12:38PM]

easy!

[cj100570 @ Jul 18th 2009 12:40PM]

I'm sure you speak from experience because you own one. Otherwise what you think of it is about as useful as a piece of crap! As the owner of a Storm I think it's a pretty good phone. It hasn't given me any more problems than my iPhone or iPhone 3G have. And with the leaked .151 firmware I'd actually rate it slightly better.

[kerry9101 @ Jul 18th 2009 1:08PM]

easy!

[Jordan Biffle @ Jul 18th 2009 12:50PM]

@cj100570

Well cj100570, I have had a friend who had one, and I spent about half a day with one so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about when I say this phone sucks. As do you cj100570.

[Andrew @ Jul 18th 2009 1:17PM]

@ Jordan

Half a day is hardly enough time to form an accurate opinion on the device. With the newest OS installed, version .151, it's like a totally new device and I have no regrets purchasing mine. Your friend was likely running the original OS which the device shipped with, RIM has released numerous updates since.

[Alex @ Jul 18th 2009 1:41PM]

easy!

[The Heretic @ Jul 18th 2009 1:47PM]

@cj100570

I played with a relative's storm for an hour or so trying to figure out where everything was. The touchscreen on it is the worst aspect of it, with the rest of it being general crap. In fact, I'd say the only good thing about the storm is its support for themes.

ps: I never figured out how to take video with it.

[rinum09 @ Jul 18th 2009 2:06PM]

easy!

[Bonqueesha @ Jul 18th 2009 2:07PM]

How about 2 months then? The device isn't as bad now, but between November 2008 and March 2009, I lost faith in blackberry. I'm sure the Storm is fine for people who use the device casually. For business, it was a joke. Missed calls, lock ups, screen glitching. Clumsy touch interface, and god awful keyboard. Absolutely unacceptable. Our entire IT department suffered great headache from those god awful devices. The leaked firmware updates did little to help our experiences, then. Eventually we went back to the 8830s and life was good again.

Never again.

[zargon @ Jul 18th 2009 3:01PM]

@The Heretic My wife, who is some where between not tech saavy at all and some what not tech saavy at all (depending on the day it seems) had no problem figuring out all the features of the phone. In fact, shortly after we got the phone, she sent me video in an email (which she setup herself) of the puppy she picked up while I was on a business trip.

I think the phone is great, I did have some struggles at first with the firmware. Once I started loading the leaked firmware though, I have not had any problems with the phone. It also like the click screen, though it looks as though I am in the minority there.

[GadgetGeek @ Jul 18th 2009 9:13PM]

Screw that crap... No more contracts for me. I went over to Net10 which gave me a free phone, go month to month, and uses AT&T's network.... PEACE.

[iphonerulez @ Jul 18th 2009 11:35PM]

Now I wonder why they reduced the price to $99. Are they merely trying to copy some fruit company? I doubt it will fly since RIM's app store has only a couple of thousand apps, which is downright pathetic. All you're getting for your money is some cheap hardware. Now if it was $99 for use as a pre-paid phone, I definitely think that would be a great deal.

[phill.meredith @ Jul 18th 2009 12:38PM]

A girl at my work has the storm, truly awful device.

[MONKEY @ Jul 18th 2009 6:13PM]

WE GET IT. You have used it briefly with outdated firmware, and you make a naive assumption that the phone then universally sucks.


As an owner of a Storm since November: yes, the available firmware for the Storm was troublesome 5 MONTHS AGO. But now that it isn't January, savvy owners have new firmware and the phone WORKS ALMOST FLAWLESSLY. SO SHUT UP ALREADY.

[Dan @ Jul 19th 2009 11:31AM]

No new firmware fixes this phone's fail level. Storm apologists have been saying "but if you upgrade to this leaked firmware it's perfect" since last November. Sorry, I'll stick with my 3GS. The tour isn't bad, though.

[Victor @ Jul 18th 2009 12:40PM]

If by new storm you mean new iPhone I care. if by new storm you mean a newer, shinier piece of garbage count me out. I have a phone upgrade coming in February and honestly, I don't see myself getting something other than a piece of crap flip phone, without a useless tactile keyboard (not saying they all are, just mine, env2). I hate you Verizon.

[Doc @ Jul 18th 2009 5:01PM]

Maybe Verizon hates you to. You ever think about that, huh?

[Kururugi @ Jul 18th 2009 12:40PM]

I can't believe you Americans still pay for contract phones.

[Bakkoda @ Jul 18th 2009 12:53PM]

Amazingly its still slightly cheaper than moving out of the country.

[redcard @ Jul 18th 2009 12:54PM]

Boring. Some Brits still pay for contract phones as well, dimwit. It depends on your usage patterns.

You probably don't pay cos you're a typical Brit who thinks it's better spending £30 a month for 2 years rather than £99 up front. Dimwit.

[FNG @ Jul 18th 2009 1:03PM]

redcard thinks you're a dimwit. that's all his post said.

[lawyer bird @ Jul 18th 2009 2:57PM]

Honestly it is bullshit that we're still having to pay anything for these phones, considering they mostly come now with mandatory data plans that are usually 30 bucks a month in addition to whatever else you're paying for voice. Even the plans in the UK and EU are far cheaper than they are here.

[Jay L @ Jul 18th 2009 12:41PM]

Verizon has been desperate for a long time now, this just proves it further.

I know a mother who called Verizon to say she was switching to AT&T for an iPhone from her original contract, and Verizon offered her two Blackberry Storm's so she could stay.

AT&T + iPhone > Verizon.

Please don't flame, it's kinda true guys..

[Jordan Biffle @ Jul 18th 2009 12:53PM]

While I think AT&T's service sucks, I still out up with it for my iPhone. I was happy with my iPhone 2G, up until they decreased the 2G network speed, but still, I got a 3GS.

[redcard @ Jul 18th 2009 1:08PM]

FNG, will I explain the monumental irony of your post?

No , I won't.

But if you sit there thinking for about an hour it might suddenly come to you.

Good Luck

[d889 @ Jul 18th 2009 2:33PM]

some people arent big enough tools to switch phone carriers just for ONE single phone.

if you are insecure enough about yourself to have to have an iphone ... bummer.

[Epsilon-Not @ Jul 18th 2009 2:34PM]

Since cellphone opinions are subjective, all users have different needs, and network quality varies hugely from area to area, I don't see how you can say any statement regarding which cellphone/carrier combination is better than another is "true" or not.

But oh no! I clearly must be a "hater".

[Quantic @ Jul 18th 2009 12:42PM]

Girl at my work has a storm, truly awful device.

[richb93 @ Jul 18th 2009 1:00PM]

May I ask what you were doing using her phone ;)

[The Dude @ Jul 18th 2009 3:03PM]

I activate and assign Blackberrys to people at work, thus having the extreme displeasure of dealing with the Storm. Calling it awful is still being too nice. The responsiveness of the clickable on-screen keyboard and the responsiveness of the whole device as a whole is truly an ordeal. It's a bit heavy as well compared to other Blackberrys.

[phalgun.shenoy @ Jul 18th 2009 3:27PM]

A girl at my work has a storm, truly awful device.

[MONKEY @ Jul 18th 2009 6:18PM]

A repeat comment deserves a repeat response.

WE GET IT. You have used it briefly with outdated firmware, and you make a naive assumption that the phone then universally sucks.


As an owner of a Storm since November: yes, the available firmware for the Storm was troublesome 5 MONTHS AGO. But now that it isn't January, savvy owners have new firmware and the phone WORKS ALMOST FLAWLESSLY. SO SHUT UP ALREADY.

[jjbecerra909 @ Jul 18th 2009 12:47PM]

Rather get the Tour

[redcard @ Jul 18th 2009 12:57PM]

Please. Can everyone stop saying AT+T is better than Verizon, or Verizon is better than AT+T. You know you don't really have a clue about either network, and you're making a judgement on a nationwide service on the basis of the signal strength you get in your mom's basement.

[o29 @ Jul 18th 2009 1:56PM]

Agreed. I've had both, and while I get a much better signal with Verizon where I live, I'm not naive enough to think that my experience with the networks mirrors everyone else's.

AT&T will give you a stronger signal in some places, and Verizon will give you a stronger signal in others. There is also no shortage of anecdotes about bad customer service experiences with both companies.

In fact, if we're honest, I'd say all U.S. wireless carriers pretty much suck.

[fsphl @ Jul 18th 2009 2:38PM]

You people should consider Sprint. You get a network near as good as Verizon's (laugh if you like but it's true), and none of the phones are crippled. And the prices are cheaper than any other carrier. And the whole 'customer-service-sucks' thing is real old news that's just no longer true.

[Hey @ Jul 18th 2009 3:17PM]

@fsphl i agree but the reason for that is because they roam off of verizon, lol. Then again it doesnt matter cuz your not paying roaming fees in most cases.

[richard @ Jul 18th 2009 12:59PM]

Drop the storm and run!
I had that phone for 7 months. (Oh my god, how did I do it?)
Worst phone ever.

Get the tour. < < Best advice ever

[MONKEY @ Jul 18th 2009 6:22PM]

Maybe some better advice would have been update the firmware on your Storm 7 godamn months ago. If you still think its a crappy device with the .151 firmware then you deserve to be shot in the anus.

[richard @ Jul 18th 2009 8:42PM]

Used it with .151 firmware and if you love the phone so much would you be looking to buy a spare?

[Hardcore @ Jul 18th 2009 1:01PM]

I don't see any literally pointy signs.

[jon @ Jul 18th 2009 1:17PM]

I have to agree. Sorry, Murph but:

"I don't think that word means what you think it means"

[richard @ Jul 18th 2009 2:18PM]

Pointy signs > subcomment as a reply.
If you had the storm for half a year and haven't had the urge to throw the phone you're an extremely patient person.

[Alex @ Jul 18th 2009 1:40PM]

That makes it $99.99 more expensive than it should be still.

[Perspective @ Jul 18th 2009 1:41PM]

It's too bad this thing's problems have nothing to do with its price.

[Todd D. @ Jul 18th 2009 1:48PM]

Good point

ToddDiroberto

[o29 @ Jul 18th 2009 2:00PM]

I think I speak for everyone when I say that I cannot thank you enough for your invaluable contribution to the comment section. It's posts like yours that bring me back to Engadget day after day.

o29

[Jk @ Jul 18th 2009 1:46PM]

Verizon is pushing out the inventory sitting on shelves and getting ready for Part 2.

[Teh Lup @ Jul 18th 2009 1:59PM]

Drop a Benjamin?
The only thing that would be even more corny is if you said 'Bennie'

Darren, no one will be thanking you for anything.. except your resignation letter.