Storm? Thunder! What was the deal with all that?! Think back to May 2nd and it was right here on CrackBerry.com where you first read RIM's touchscreen BlackBerry would be called the BlackBerry Storm. When I wrote up that post I was so sure it would be called the Storm I even promised to give away my old Curve to a lucky reader if RIM's first touchscreen hit the market under any another name. But soon after I wrote that post the "Thunder" name came on the scene, and over the next few months there was a bit of back and forth juggling going on, with most of the blogosphere adopting the device's second codename "Thunder" when referring to the device. Here's the story behind it all (after the jump), courtesy of the National Post:
According to David Smith, senior director of handheld product management at RIM and one of the leaders of the BlackBerry Storm team, it turns out choosing the name behind a BlackBerry didn't turn out as smoothly as RIM had hoped.
"When we created the product, we created internal codenames for the products. The codename that we chose for this product was the Storm. That was our internal, secret codename between Vodafone, Verizon and ourselves that we used when we had joint meetings between the three parties to work on the Storm," Mr. Smith told the Financial Post in a recent interview at the company's headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario.
"A couple months into the program we got to the point where we said we had to get our marketing team working on the name. They went off and do what they do in terms of coming up with the right name for the product. They came back and said 'We want to call it the BlackBerry Storm.' They just loved the Storm metaphor and what it would be - 'There's a Storm coming' and so on."
It turns out the marketers decision (or lack of imagination, depending on how you look at it) created a dillema for RIM. The company has a policy where they do not name the products whatever codename is assigned to it during development and production to protect against leaks. So, a new codename was created, Mr. Smith said.
"We don't want to because it if there is a leak or something gets out on a blog or something, we don't want it to be the name of the product. What we did is to come up with a new name, the Thunder. Thunder was our new internal codename," he said.
"In fact on my own BlackBerry, when I was sending e-mails about the product, I actually put in my auto-text, if I wrote the name 'Storm' it would auto-text and change the name to 'Thunder.'"
Pretty solid explanation, huh? I love the BlackBerry Storm name. I'm glad RIM's marketing team took the lazy approach on this one. I just hope they can come up with something equally good (or even better) if their next touchscreen variation goes to market under a different brand. Any suggestions? How about the BlackBerry Slash? Or the Swipe? Or should we be thinking weather still (Hurricane?!). Any suggestions? Post them in the comments!
Source: Financial Post - Great story David!
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18 comments
"if there is a leak or something gets out on a blog"
I believe he meant to say WHEN it leaks and WHEN it gets posted to a blog.
"It turns out the marketers decision (or lack of imagination, depending on how you look at it) created a dillema for RIM"
Talk about a slam to the Marketing team! I love the name and think it was a wise decision.
How about the Blackberry PUNCH for the next gen??!!
Blackberry Apocalypse; no other smartphone would be created afterwards because this would be the ultimate phone. So ultimate that Planet Earth would come to an end. Features would inlcude:
All GSM/CDMA bands 3G/4G/5G/6G/7G
10MP Camera
HD screen
4GB RAM
80GB hard drive
You get the idea..
I could have sworn i posted this earlier.
are you talking about Blackberry Apocalypse? What would be your apocalyptic features??
I do like the name, "apocalypse". My list of features (IMHO) I would like to see in this BB next Gen phone:
5mg camera auto focus with video recording
WiFi connectivity with WiMax optional
GSM & 3G Bands (like normal)
options for a 4gig standard, 8gig, and 16gig memory module and a microSD slot that can use a 32gigs card.
High Resolution screen, HD seems like over kill to me.
True HTML rendering
I guess making it a touch screen and with a slide out qwerty keyboard wouldn't be too bad (that would be 'different', since BB is trying to venture into new designs).
TV ready/XM/Sirius radio ready.
GPS
And then all of the other legacy features that make BB so wonderful. Oh and did I mention this phone would be free and it would come with fairies that can kill mean dogs? lol
Im sure everyone who checks this site remembers the abundance of info and teasers that were presented a couple weeks ago. Now were at a stand still with verizons one lame commercial and vodafone acting as if they are planning a release by the end of the month. I think the clouds are beginning to clear and the storm is moving on. People are beginning to get impatient(myself included) almost to the point where Im considering not buying one just to give verizon a good kick in the ba**s. Honestly why hype us all up and still no price nor a valid release date. Only big news is the stupid hands on meetings they are launching in several markets and thats still a bunch of crap because it for "business" customers only. So I suggest we launch a anti Storm campaign and show verizon they have pulled their last big mistake.
your comment sounds like "the grapes are sour"... there is no way you can discourage enough people from buying it to cause enough dent in verizon's pocket.
First and foremost, I am as guilty of this as the next crackberry addict. But we are entirely too impatient. But rather than us calm down, I think that RIM needs to up it's game and put phones out faster.
My Curve went scuba diving in June, but I thought "hey, why not just wait a few weeks and just get a Bold?". Well 2 months later I got tired of waiting and swore off the Bold for life. This delay BS pisses me off and I will NEVER use a Bold.
When RIM announces a product, or it gets leaked, we only have a few week attention span before we move on to the next big thing. For this reason, RIM either needs to put a clamp down on their leaks or get the phones to market faster because our collective ADD won't let us sit still for very long.
Why do I need to calm down when they hyped me up!!! I didnt do it to my damn self they put out all these leaks they need to get the ball rolling before they drop it I agree with what the other guy said once they keep u waiting so long u move on to the next big thing. SO no I wont calm down cause this is another BS wait just like the bold and I guarantee if its not out within the next few weeks I'm not touching it could care less "What it Feel Like" at that point
You're a moron. You're probably one of those people that screams about knowing what the latest and greatest thing thats in the works, and then once you find out you whine and complain about it taking too long to get here. OR if it actually comes out too soon and is a buggy device you btch even more and say they should have waited. Quit whining and grow up you baby. YOu're whats wrong with the world.
Oh, and I'm sure Verizon will go bankrupt when you don't buy ONE of their phones. I'm pretty sure that will do more damage to you than VZW. So stop annoying us with you crying.
I would just like to know a launch date already. That can't be too difficult for them?
Right...I mean then we can all plan on buying one. I'm just saying I can't wait for this phone to come out. I am itching for an upgrade.
Never said it would make them go bankrupt so your the moron and no I am not that type of person actually so before you ASSume just think of what you have to say before you have posted it thats why they have the "Preview Comment" button for retards like you. All I'm saying is it would take away their exclusive rights to the device and they would learn a lesson but I'm a grown as man and I dont feel the need to explain myself to your any futher than I have I was just giving me two cents and if you dont agree stop yourself and think why even respond cause Im pretty sure your not the CEO of Verizon thus the comment was not directed towards you! Thanks ASSumer
can anyone confirm the release of the storm to the 9th of november as kevin as said in earlier topics. only reason im asking is bc i just got a curve on the 13 of oct bc my old phone i was using broke, and i just wanna be able to get the storm while im in my 30 day return period any suggestions on what to do and what can be done to allow verizon to let me return the cuve after my 30 days if the storm is not out yet??? thanks for any insight zach
I asked when the Storm would be available and was told "around Thanksgiving"....er, that would be U.S. Thanksgiving, or late November.
If the BB Storm will not be out within your 30 day return policy. Ask Verizon for a holiday suspend. This allows you to have the option to return the phone you don't like for the device you want. I believe the period is good for 90 days.
Pros: get the phone you really want while keeping the number. Not being charged for service doing the suspend period. Sometimes there is a $15.00 charged to do this, however; I had mine waived.
Con: Not phone during the suspend period, however; if you have a business mobile maynot be a problem for a couple of weeks or so.
The one thing to remember is that when you hear a device name you are hearing the code name 99% of the time. The storm was an interesting case since they changed the name part way through the design. The marketing name for devices rarely leaks out in advance of the launch or atleast not until right before the anouncement.