Woah... now this is kind of crazy. I received a couple of email tips on this last night, plus it's posted in the CrackBerry Forums AND it's posted at The Scenestar...
The word is there is going to be a BlackBerry Storm Launch Party tonight in Los Angeles that will feature the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age in action. Wicked! The best part isn't the entertainment though... it's the fact that every time we report on a Launch Party those in attendance have either received a free BlackBerry or an IOU for a free BlackBerry when it becomes available. If any of you get lucky and attend, be sure to report back to us with photos and commentary on the event. You can click the image above for more details. And for those of us who are not attending, at least we can take this as a positive sign that the launch of the BlackBerry Storm is on track!
Update: Sounds like there's going to be a Vodafone BlackBerry Storm Launch party in LONDON tomorrow too! *
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53 comments
Where the heck is this party at..I'm calling in Sick!
If you click on the pic it will take you to a thread that will tell you how to enter.
WTF! I want a launch party in D.C. area..
Forget LA, whats the jam for NYC??
I signed up for the Launch in Kansas City. We use Treos with Verizon and looking to replace. We use the Curve on ATT. We'll see if I get a Storm at the 8 am party. No bands, just bagels at 8 am.
How do you get signed up for the launch party in KC?
i cant believe they throw a huge party for a phone release.. i understand a movie premier but a phone is crazzy. i kno its a big deal to some, im excited for the release of the bold, but couldnt they save the money spent for throwin several parties and lower the cost??? im sure RIM considers the cost of promoting and the party into the MSRP..
Throwing a party is a great idea, because you create buzz and spread some good will by giving away devices. Plus you get free pub on blog sites like this. Even, if the cost to throw this party is $100000K, thats prolly a pretty reasonable cost when you consider all the free advertising and positive word of mouth.
$100000K...also known as $100 million?
That would be nice if the received free phones! I was at the Blackberry Bold launch last night in DC at Love and only 6 people won Bolds. There were no IOU's or anything. I hope they do throw a launch party in DC before the Storm is released.
They really need to have a release party in D.C. You'd think with all the agencies in the area that they would have the customer support for one.
Um, do we even know if Verizon is launching/will carry the BB Storm? I mean, weeks ago I signed up for VZs "email alert" for the Storm and I have yet to receive a single solitary email from them, so I dont know what the point was.
Also, do we have any sense of pricing? I *really* want to switch to the storm when/if it is ever released (am am out of contract on TMO), but based on my research, a VZ BB plan that is comparable to my TMO BB plan (voice/text/data) will cost more than double (about $110/mo) vs. what I pay now on TMO ($50/mo).
The Storm will be about first week in november...second week the latest so stop stressing.
Im not stressing, I just think it's annoying to advertise an 'email notification' system then not hear one squirt about the product. Again, what's the point?
Again, my concern is not the unit price, but the far far higher monthly plan fees compared to TMO (100%+ higher).
Ultimately I think I will wait for the storm to come over to TMO in '09, and then more of the bugs will have been worked out and WiFi will surely be included.
Verizon sent me an advertising email about a month ago. If you like I can foward it to you if you provide me your email address. I also went and paid my bill online yesterday and they was advertising it.
I think I found this link on this page. You are supposed to be a business partner to go.
https://www.vzwsolutions.com/rsvp/
That's for the first-look, first-touch events. Different thing.
I was supposed to attend the Verizon Storm launch event today in Minneapolis and I received an email last night saying it was cancelled and would be rescheduled for later in November. Kind of lame...
That is lame. It makes me wonder if those are really launch events or just an event put on by regional Verizon associated businesses looking to sell you on the device. Its almost as if these "launch" events planned in various cities are being rescheduled until after the actual launch - when these regional stores actually have devices to show/sell.
2 of my favorite bands and i live in NY...
I am definintley going tonight. It is a legit party. I was walking around the UCLA campus and some guy and gal with a video camera and Storm were walking around. The screen for the Storm is rediculous. It makes the IPHONE's screen look like a thrift store version of what BB has done. Furthermore, the party is free. Wow, free party with Foo Fighters and hopefully some free BB stuff. Loving it. I have decided to go by myself also, don't want any downers.
Ahhh...
Well I'll go anyway and see what we shall see.
I don't understand how the Storm is going to be released on Nov 15th in Verizon stores. That's a Saturday, don't most releases occur on a Monday or Tuesday?
I just sent in my text msg for this free party I doubt I will get in being so late.
I've heard from a local Miami store manager that Verizon corporate stores will be receiving 5 demo models each middle/end of this week and they will be stocking them for sale on the 4th. If the launch party is tonight maybe stores could have the demo models by tomorrow morning giving them time to learn hands on and build excitement for a release on the 4th? Wishful thinking ... but maybe it will happen...
I sent the text message to register at 7am. I haven't heard anything back. My office is in downtown LA so this is a dream come true. I am planning on just showing up VERY early and hoping they let me in. When is this thing set to start? Also, if you won and you don't plan on going, feel free to PM the ticket info :)
9:05am here on the west coast and I have not gotten a txt msg
No text back with details on the party... Anyone ever consider this could be a scam? You may have signed yourself up for some crappy cellphone alerts that will be billed to your phone at $5.99/month.
I am attending the the first-look, first-touch event. Was wondering if a party in Chicago might come before/after that.
Has anyone attended one of these? Just wondering what to expect.
where's the info on the london party?
hey guys just a heads up.
i know some people were asking about the price of the bb storm.
i'm not sure with the contract how much it will be, but outside of the contract it is gonna be $699.99 according to the best buy inventory.
BestBuy always overcharges for their phones. Im sure if you walk into a verizon store and get one, it will be somewhere between 500-600. Im sure the phone is going to cost no more than $180 to produce, so charging/paying that much is a bit ridiculous (unless you have a ton of disposable income, lol)
I have registered but no response! This would be neat If I could get in. I live right in L.A. Anyone hear where and when?? What is the text code?? :)
Its not a scam!! I sent my registration in last night and received the invite text back this morning.
Its at Avalon @7:30. First 800 people with the text get in.
If i'm being scammed then at least BGR is too as their "team" will be there.
I woke up to a txt msg at 8:05 am telling me to respond to get on the guest list. After doing so I got the same message as the guy above. Now, what time to get there? ;)
Man, I hope this means the Storm will launch sooner rather than later. My iPod started dying yesterday and the Storm is going to be it's replacement. The sooner I get my Storm, the sooner I can start researching how to remove the DRM protection on the songs I've bought from iTunes.
Hey dude, I just happened to see your comment and thought I would help you out. Check out this program for your DRM stripping needs.
http://lifehacker.com/5069792/dvdnextcopy-iturns-removes-itunes-drm-with...
Cheers!
dumb post protocol... here is the rest of the link:
-virtual-cd-burner
Hey, that was easy homework...just post about it on crackberry. Thanks!
You are smart to strip the DRM from iTunes. Apple wants to force people to buy their products to use the music they own. Must buy iPhone to get iTunes music on your phone. Must buy AppleTV to stream music in your house. I use TiVo with DRM free music and it works great.
I have been converting my old iTunes music for a while. Still looking for the perfect product.
In the future buy mp3s from Amazon. Its higher bit rate than iTunes, its DRM free and the same price. Th mp3s still play in iTunes and on all Apple devices. Only thing that sucks about Amazon is the browsing of songs isn't as good. That's why I search/browse with iTunes then go to Amazon and buy the song I want without DRM.
XXX
that really sucks! i want to go so bad! how did i not know about this till it was too late to register. i live like 3 mins from the launch event!
I registered at 9:45 am, which might be too late but I have yet to receive a txt response. Boo!
I must i do love being a promoter in Hollywood Ca!!! Free tickets and red carpet access to tonights events, Plus a FREE STORM!!!! not to mention all the women and celebs and free drinks.... Well for the people unable to go, I shall be posting pics tonight, and will be calling into verizon to activate my new Storm 2night!!!!
I got an invitation but the earliest I can be there is 5:30pm, and Im worried there will be more than 800 there at the time so I dont know if I should go
Hey
if your don't think you can go you should send that message over here and put my name on the guest list! I could be down there within the next 30 min!!
I wonder if people are down there already.
The LA launch party was, indeed, a great concert featuring the Queens of the Stoneage and the Foo Fighters. The show was held at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood. They had a red-carpet (I didn't see a single celebrity...at least not one that I recognized!), and a team of RIM employees with functional Storms for demo. The biggest let-down of the night was that there was no free Blackberry...no free anything for that matter (a vodka soda ran $10). Biggest surprise of the night? The Storm's touch keyboard works really well (and I have huge problems quickly entering text on the iPhone).