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Dear Berry: Bold or Storm?

by Mara Blumenthal on 4 Nov 2008 11:20 AM
20
 

Dear Berry Dear Berry,

So which blackberry in your mind is better and why?

Regards,

- Bold vs. Storm

 

Dear "Bold vs. Storm",

This is a very difficult answer. There are things I like very much about both devices. The most obvious distinction between the two would be the touch screen on the Storm which doesn't exist on the Bold. On the Bold you have the actual keyboard which BB is known for.

If carrier selection is not a factor, my suggestion would be to wait until both devices are on the market so you can have a hands-on experience with each device. For me, I know I prefer the keyboard however, the Storm is very enticing. So take your time in making sure that whichever device you choose you are comfortable with using it and all of it's functionality. For information until you get hands-on time with both, be sure to read CrackBerry.com's in-depth Bold and Storm reviews. Also, I'm certain many of our CrackBerry readers have strong opinions on this subject, so check the comments to this post and click into the forums more insights. 

Either way, you are getting a piece of the wonderful world of BB.

Enjoy and congratulations in advance on your purchase. Please let us know what you decide to purchase.

- Berry

Need some Advice to Help Balance Your BlackBerry and Life? Contact Dear Berry!  

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20 Comments

Posted by ghostzapper Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1196 days ago

2nd choice the new flip phone from Rogers. Since I am a RIM and RCI.B shareholder I had hoped to buy a Storm from Rogers but such a device appears too far into the future. Most likely the Storm through Telus. I really like the alarm clock feature while it is in its cradle charging. I will await reviews before I make my purchase decision as this will be my first cellphone/smartphone purchase.

 
 
Posted by Josh_wa Wednesday, Nov 26, 2008 1173 days ago

JUST GET THE BOLD Already....
LOL

 
 
Posted by serpico Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1196 days ago

Staying with my Curve 8330. The Storm might make me switch if typing is as good.

 
 
Posted by doctorkaraca Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1196 days ago

I just have to have physical keyboard, really.

 
 
Posted by Anonymous! Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

I like the physical keyboard and wifi.. but the Storm seems to be just a beautiful phone overall. And with the 3G network is there really a need for wifi?

So, can anyone give some REALY good reasons of why I should wait for the Storm and not go out the bold today or tomorrow?

Thanks.

 
 
Posted by crkline2 Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

I like the form factor of thew Bold, but I really like how the Storm looks. Plus the big screen is so freeing. Easier to surf the internet, easier to view pics, and most importantly, easier to read text - make the font bigger and still alot of the message on the screen.

But the Bold is a proven form factor, and hi-res screen, and has an actual physical keyboard.

This is all from me reading websites, so I need to see each one and feel each one. Problem is, the form factor is so different than my current BB (the 8800), I am not sure if just a look at the Storm will allow me to make an informed decision.

As for Wi-Fi, not a deal breaker for the Storm to be lacking if I stay in the States, but I hear when traveling overseas that Wi-Fi is important to keep costs down. Since I will be traveling a bit OUS this upcoming year, I will need to discuss that with the Verizon folks.

 
 
Posted by crkline2 Thursday, Nov 20, 2008 1179 days ago

Well I have seen both and like them. The Bold has a tried and true form factor, but the bugginess of AT&T's 3G network mitigates some of the speed advantage.

Based on the early reviews of the Storm, I think I will hold off for a few months, to see if the initial software bugs can be worked out. Then I will look harder at the Storm.

In the meantime, I will hold onto my BB 9000, and also look at the iPhone. I have an iTouch, and the keyboard does not really bother me that much. So maybe the second generation iPhone will be the way to go. That may be another reason to hold off on the Storm - if it comes to AT&T, perhaps they will allow a wi-fi connection, which Verizon did not allow.

Must have patience, but the toys are sooo shiny. :)

 
 
Posted by Russell C. Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

I prefer the kickstart. yes im still calling it the kickstart. I like the fact that its a manlier version of the pearl and that it has wifi. thats my 2 cents

 
 
Posted by BLOOD4U Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

In Puerto Rico the Bold model if only for ATT.

 
 
Posted by Telliedog Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

Form factor is about personal preference - so therefore one is not neccessarily better than the other.

I think that a major difference between the two is the network so therefore carrier selection is a major factor. Where and how you use your device should help dictate what you need for connectivity and data speeds. I am mostly an email user and travel mostly in the US to cities and suburbs. But I see more web apps creeping into my daily BB experience. So the Storm is intriguing but since I am an 8820 ATT customer now, I need to determine if the claims about VZW having a faster network with better 3G coverage are in fact true.

 
 
Posted by Blank Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

I think it comes down to what is more important, a physical keyboard or a large screen. I am going for the Storm, I do not message so much, so the physical keyboard is not important. The larger screen makes reviewing spreadsheets and surfing the net easier. Also, I spend about 2 hours a day on public transit so I can watch something on the larger screen.

 
 
Posted by Chipsthaman Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

Does anyone know if mobile TV is going to be an option for the Storm?

 
 
Posted by nixyz123 Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 1195 days ago

I have played with both the phones....

Bold is much bigger footprint than any other bberry i have seen. in fact, when compared to my curve it felt almost 25% bigger...

The storm/9500. I am interested in buying unlocked and using on t-mobile... so i dont have 3g but whatever i saw I loved.... its beats my iphone ...i daresay by a huge margin...Mind you I am an apple fan boy...I know more than 6 apple products

The video, pics, the keyboard everything I loved...Never in my life have I spent over 300 bucks on a phone btu on this one I am willing to spend 700 bucks in a heratbeat

 
 
Posted by papped Wednesday, Nov 05, 2008 1195 days ago

Price and what I commonly use the phone for are the issues for me. I primarily chat, sms, and web browse. Bold wins for chatting and sms due to the keyboard by default, but the Storm has a newer browser and touchscreen is always easier to navigate and gives you a larger viewing area.

The deciding factor is going to be the network though. I can't really justify the $30 or so increase in monthly costs for Verizon, even if the EVDO is more consistent than AT&T's 3g (the bold Wifi will help that issue as well).

 
 
Posted by Anon Wednesday, Nov 05, 2008 1195 days ago

If you write a lot of emails on the go, the storm simply can't compare to a blackberry with a proper keyboard even if the touchscreen is still nice to use.

One other thing, to the person that mentioned getting the storm due to wanting to watch content on it, you shouldn't immediately discard the bold as the screen on that is lovely as well.

At the end of the day, no one device is perfect for everyone and rim keep expanding because they recognise that fact by adding new form factors to their range.

 
 
Posted by slapisaurus Wednesday, Nov 05, 2008 1194 days ago

This was my first purchase of a blackberry. probably one of the best decisions i have ever made! form follows function, or is it the other way? anywho I LOVE this phone, i don't know why i never bought from RIM before. As cheesy as this sounds it true, "this phone changed my life." Thank you RIM, thank you vert much!

 
 
Posted by BB_Storm4me Wednesday, Nov 05, 2008 1194 days ago

I've been hooked to my Treo 700p and Sony Clie before that for years and thought I would have to have a keyboard. Everything I hear about the Storm says the virtual keyboard is just fine. Having a larger screen and the best network is more important than hard keys.

 
 
Posted by papped Wednesday, Nov 05, 2008 1194 days ago

Yeah the keyboard is supposed to be very good for a virtual keyboard. You just have to keep in mind that even if the virtual keyboard is "perfect" as far as they go (which is a somewhat large assumption unless you've already used it and are happy with it), it is not the exact same as a hardware keyboard. No matter what it will be a bit slower.

 
 
Posted by CrackedoutCurve Wednesday, Nov 05, 2008 1194 days ago

I remember the days when the "click" style keyboards were in demand. Also, why haven't we gotten rid of the small raised "finders" on keyboards? The answer is... touch typing. When typing on cell phones that is all irrelevant. Although there is something to be said for the buttons on a BlackBerry, it is our facination with big displays that will eventually decide this debate. As cell phones are being used more and more for multimedia, there is a clear demand for bigger and clearer displays. Storm is the answer to your question. I think we will continue to see more and more keyboards/phone pads replaced by bigger and better screens.

 
 
Posted by dotsme Friday, Apr 17, 2009 1031 days ago

I love my bold, but am very unhappy with customer service. The door latch froze and ATT will not cover it under warranty. I'm still up in arms over it and seeing how many people have posted the same problem, I'm thinking small claims court. Also I know the trackball is not covered. What is this??? As for the Storm, as a long time BB user, I just can't see the touch keyboard being of use if you do a lot of texting. Maybe you can get used to it, but nothing beats that keyboard on the bold. In my opinion :)