The Blackberry STORM
Verizon Wireless announced recently the upcoming release of the newest Blackberry: STORM. It is the first ever Touch Screen Blackberry, following suit of most other major PDA phone manufacturers.
My opinion: It's about time! This has been one of the major holdups of not getting a blackberry. I like their battery life, the reliability of the blackberry, the built in features, and ease of use (for most tasks). But have usually stayed with Windows PDA's because of what they can do, plus they have the touch screen, which I find very useful. Upon announcement of the STORM, I decided to do more research on the phone. Here is what I found:
- 3.25" Touch and Feel Screen - Yes it is a Touch screen, but you also feel your selection, I'm sure its some sort of pulse. Some Verizon phones already have this feature-and it feels and works fine.
- Full HTML Browser - Allows you to view most web sites, in either PDA scaled down size, or full desktop PC version (handy for websites not designed for PDA use)
- VZ Naigator capable - Turns your phone into a handheld GPS! Whether you are walking through Manhattan or driving through Baltimore, this is a great solution for a GPS unit (for a small monthly fee)
- Microsoft Office Mobile - View and Edit Word, Excel and Power Point files no matter where you are, then attach them to email and send them to whomever, or sync to your PC.
- PDF Files - View PDF files! Another great tool for Realtor's. How many times have you needed to view a contract when you are on the road?
- Visual Voice Mail - One of my favorite new features! Just like on the iPhone, You can see a list of voicemails and who they are from, length and time of call, then you can selectively listen to each message - with just a click!
- Battery Life - 6 Hours of Talktime...higher than most windows PDA phones
- Memory - It comes with an 8GB micro SD memory card! TONS OF STORAGE! WOW
- Broadband Internet Access - Another PDA & Verizon benefit! No need for an aircard for your laptop, just use the USB cable to tether your phone to your pc or use a bluetooth connection to turn your phone into a high speed internet connection for your computer - no matter where you are! (A feature I use alot on my windows PDA)
- Built-in Mobile Video and Audio Streaming
- Global Capabilities - The phone works in CDMA mode for the USA, and can easily switch to a GSM network when oversea's...great for business users.
- Facebook for Blackberry - Built in Facebook program! I'm sure there will be more applications like this for similar sites in the near future.
- Too many other features to list!
Phone Release Date: 11-21-2008
There are a TON of features with this phone, and will be extremely handy for real estate agents. I really think this is Verizon's true comeback at the iPhone. However, one feature I would miss on my windows PDA (and which current blackberrys have, which this phone doesn't) is an actual keyboard. This phone/PDA only has a virtual keyboard which is something I will have to learn to love (or hate)
What do you think about this newest Blackberry? What do you like about your current PDA phone? Your opinions are much appreciated.
David Fox, The Real Estate Tech Desk - Technology Solutions for Real Estate Professionals
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