Storm

Sounds like the Storm isn't much of a music phone

The reviews are in on the Storm, the new touch-screen phone from Research In Motion, and nobody loves it. Check out takes from CNET, Engadget, Gizmodo, and Time for a sample.

In particular, the mechanics of the touch screen--you have to press areas on the screen with some force, as if they're actually keys--have been greeted with almost universal frustration.

But for a would-be iPhone killer, the reviews are remarkably light on the Storm's music features. It's true that BlackBerry users are traditionally e-mail junkies, and the phone's communications features (apart from the touchscreen weirdness) are … Read more

Digital City: Episode 8

On this week's installment of the Digital City, Joseph previews some upcoming iPhone games, plus we talk about Xbox Live avatars, long lines for the Blackberry Storm, trouble at Sirus XM, and the world's biggest LED billboard -- right in the heart of Times Square. Listen now: Download today's podcast

Customers line up for new BlackBerry Storm

Hundreds of people lined up outside some Verizon Wireless stores to buy the new BlackBerry Storm on Friday, but many walked away empty handed.

The Storm, which has been hyped for months, went on sale Friday morning. The device is the first BlackBerry phone to have a touch screen, making it a strong competitor to the Apple iPhone on AT&T's network. Since Verizon Wireless announced it would be the exclusive U.S. carrier for the Storm, the wireless operator has been expecting it to be a hit. In fact, it's the only new phone the company … Read more

Latest Wowowow post: BlackBerry Storm and other iPhone alternatives

For your enjoyment over at Wowowow.com (Women on the Web), I'm dissecting the BlackBerry Storm and running through the short-list of touch-screen smartphones that are reasonable iPhone alternatives--plus, an embed of this week's Buzz Report, which I find to be possibly the funniest in recent memory (if I don't say so myself). Read my post and watch the Buzz Report on Wowowow.com!

Is Apple scared of RIM?

Is it a coincidence that Apple's iPhone 2.2 update was released on the same day the BlackBerry Storm hit stores with a touch screen, 3G connectivity, and enterprise-friendly functionality that rivals anything Apple has on the market?

I think not.

Today's iPhone update is Apple's first salvo of many in its fight against Research In Motion for dominance over the cell phone industry. Some might say Apple's decision to update the iPhone is pure coincidence, but I don't think that the company is that naive.

Apple realizes that RIM is releasing a major offering that could shake Steve Jobs and Co. to its core, and it doesn't want anyone to think it's not doing everything it can to continually update its own product.

But Apple's decision to release the update just as RIM releases the Storm strikes me as one of the most fascinating moves the company has made in quite some time. After checking out the update and considering the timing, I can't help but wonder if Apple is more than a little concerned about the BlackBerry Storm and RIM in general.

Sure, it's easy for some to say Apple has no reason to be scared of RIM, because the iPhone's popularity keeps growing, and its business functionality is now on par with RIM's, but I'm not so quick to agree. The BlackBerry Storm appeals to consumers who want a "next generation" cell phone, as well as company employees that want a new BlackBerry with all the extra fixins, to boot.

Say what you will, but Apple is scared. And it should be.… Read more

EIC Squared: Yahoo's new CEO, BlackBerry Storm and cheap gadgets

(Editor's note: Due to production issues, some readers may not be able to access this podcast. We hope to have the problem resolved soon. Please check back to hear the podcast.)

On this week's EIC Squared podcast, ZDNet's Larry Dignan and I discuss Yahoo's new CEO vacancy and the newly launched BlackBerry Storm. We also talk about the grim economic outlook for the holiday shopping season, which will be great for bargain hunters online and offline.

The 404 232: Where a machete is more accurate than Bill O'Reilly

Justin kicks off the show with some fresh haterade for Fox "personality" Bill O'Reilly and his views on the godless liberal city of San Francisco. Also on the show, Wilson goes hands on with the Blackberry Storm, an inmate gets $300 K for his lost genitals, NASA installs a fart detector in the space station, same sex couples can join eHarmony and PETA releases "Cooking Mama: Mama kills animals." We conclude with a geeked out discussion about X-Men.

Dan the Mantern here. In case you haven't seen it already, you should check out the above "documentary" from the O'Reilly Factor that claims that, should the Christian right not remain vigilant, all of America will begin to resemble San Francisco, the modern-day Sodom. If you analyze the video, you'll notice that several interviews were conducted with homeless people and burnt-out hippies, precisely the type of people who would make any city seem like an undesirable place to live. Obviously O'Reilly is running out of material. You better watch your back, Bill, because I know a 130-lb. Asian man who loves skinny jeans and ass-whupping, and his skinny jeans are in the wash...

UPDATE: If you're having problems listening to today's episode of the show, please re-download the episode. We apologize, but there was an error in the MP3 encoding, which caused the file to not play passed the 7 minute mark.

EPISODE 232 Download today's podcast … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 857: Dumber than a robot donkey

In today's show, we find out that the demise of humanity is imminent (or that all of our robot mythology is fundamentally rooted in self-hatred), the RIM BlackBerry Storm takes the world by drizzle, and Microsoft hopes that actually giving you songs will convince you to buy a Zune. Oh, and we don't care about Yahoo Glue. In case you were wondering.

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 857

RIM BlackBerry Storm arrives http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/rim-blackberry-storm-verizon/4505-6452_7-33311850.html

Meet the first multitouch consumer laptop: HP’s TouchSmart tx2 http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10102285-1.html… Read more

Eve of the storm: RIM BlackBerry Storm reviewed

It's been a little over a month since the RIM BlackBerry Storm was officially announced for Verizon Wireless and ever since then, we've all waited with baited breath for the first touch-screen BlackBerry to arrive. Well, dear friends, the day is nigh.

On November 21, the BlackBerry Storm will be available for mass consumption and with an enticing price of $199.99 (with a two-year contract and after rebates and discounts), the Storm looks to be barreling down the path to success. But is it? Is the SurePress touch screen truly functional or is it too weird? What … Read more

Verizon finally has its answer to the iPhone

Verizon Wireless may have found its iPhone killer.

On Friday, Verizon will be the first and only wireless carrier in the U.S. to offer Research in Motion's new BlackBerry Storm. The device, which costs $199 with a two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate, is the first phone that could give Apple's iPhone--offered exclusively on AT&T's network for the same price--a run for its money.

I checked out the new touch-screen phone this week and have been playing around with it for a few days. My first impression is that it's pretty … Read more