It has been a while
since I was part of the Verizon Network. Ever since the death of my beloved
Treo 700w (the first Palm device to feature Windows Mobile), I had strayed
Verizon to join AT&T.  Coverage wise,
Verizon seems to work better inside buildings and AT&T is better in remote
areas (such as Route Sixty in Arizona (check photos).

My rebirth to the
Verizon network was thanks to a very 
well planned out device- the BlackBerry storm. At first, the Storm is
not appealing to someone used to a full {hardware} QWERTY keyboard. I found the
clicking of the screen and selecting letters a bit awkward, but with any device
there was a learning curve. After a few minutes out of the box, I had visited
the "Applications" folder, where a list of applications available to
download/install were displayed to me. Among them V-Cast with Rhapsody, a
service in which you can purchase songs on your phone for instant listening and
then download a higher quality version on your computer at no additional cost
and VZ Navigator.

VZ Navigator in the
past has never pleased me. My  first
experience with the software package was on a Verizon Razr a few years back,
the user interface was confusing and typing in destinations was painful.
Verizon has done major work on VZ navigator, and it shows. The new package
includes a helpful "Where am i?" 
feature which will locate you, and can help find movie times, places to
eat, weather and a lot more. Plotting favorite locations was a snap, I have
used it to plot places where I park my car, and have used it once or twice
(okay, a few more times) for that purpose.

A few analysts have
chosen to criticize the screen of the BlackBerry storm, which is suppose to
simulate tactile feedback as you press "buttons." I like it, as far
as it makes me feel as if I am pressing something just not a sheet of glass. Be
alarmed, the screen does make a clicking noise that can not be muted, for those
of us that send out quick SMS messages during a class or dinner may be caught
when "click tap tap click tap tap click click" emerges from your lap.

Unlike most Verizon
branded phones, a majority of the Blackberry operating system has been left in
peace. BlackBerry messenger is one of a few instant messaging clients
preinstalled on the phone; AOL, Yahoo!, 
and Windows Live.  Setting up and
receiving e-mail was the same as on other newer BlackBerries. However unless
you are completely switching from one BlackBerry to another, I would not use
the BlackBerry transfer wizard. I had unfortunately saw it as a quick way to
copy all setting from my curve to the new Storm. The program actually reroutes
all your BBM contacts and e-mail to the new device. I was unable to receive
BBM’s or e-mail on my curve for a few days. It gave me and the storm some
quality bonding time.

By the time
everything was setup again, the clicking screen did not phase me at all. I was
enjoying it, though I did go back to the curve for longer writing
sessions.  Overall, the Storm is a great
device, despite its sometimes over-click screen and slow internet browser, I
would purchase this phone for someone that enjoys gadgets with even more
gadgets built in.

Currently Verizon is
having a "buy one BlackBerry get another free" sale. If you  and someone else in your family ever wonders
what it was like to having a BlackBerry like big important business people, the
Storm or the Curve are both first and replacement BlackBerries. The Storm comes
with an 8gb micro SD card to store all of your media to view wherever you are
on it’s large screen. The Curve is a classic that will be around for a while.

The  Storm is not  the iPhone. For RIM’s
first shot at a touch screen, they are headed in the right direction.

To get your own:

Current Price: Amazon.com : $465.00