** Update: In San Francisco TODAY? Check out the BlackBerry Storm Challenge that's going on right now! 100 FREE Storms to be won! *
* Update: Weird.. for some people the old static landing page is still loading, for others it's the new site. Not sure what's up with this! *
I just received five emails in the last five minutes from CrackBerry readers saying the Verizon Storm site has been updated! As I type this I'm still getting served up the old site, but the screencap sent in above (thanks Nathan!) shows what's in store. * update - new site now loading fine for me! *
In addition to the standard device features and specs stuff on the new and improved teaser site, a BlackBerry STORM Hunt (screw Easter Eggs!) has been planned for Manhattan from November 6th to 15th, so those who would kill for a chance to get their hands-on a Storm early might be lucky enough to do just that. To enter you need to locate the BlackBerry Storms that have been hidden around the city to find the keyword to enter the contest. Five grand prize winners will win a BlackBerry Storm and a $50 Verizon Wireless gift card. For full contest details and for more information on the Verizon Storm, check out the site at www.verizonwireless.com/storm
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77 comments
It shows for me.
i thought blackberry users hated iphones? this is almost identical to an iphone.
hope all that are fortunate enough to live in NYC enjoy your adult Easter egg hunt...candy is cool but Blackberry Storms are better!
According to BGR, 100 Storms are being given away in San Francisco using a "catch business cards in a very windy room" approach. Pictures seem to show it up and running now, and supposedly other cities will follow.
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/11/03/verizons-blackberry-storm-chal...
hmmm the page is not working. I just get a disclamer page, might be a lot of people on the site right now.
"Looks" like it's getting close!!!
Have all of the winners of the crackberry Win a Storm Contest been notified?
Does the Storm browser-being Webkit-render the desktop version of the ny times site, or is it the wap version like on the Dare?
Storm Contest Judging still taking place... over 3,000 entries for the judging team to go through so it's taking a *bit* longer than initially expected.
Hope to have the winners decided by Monday night so I can contact everyone on Tuesday.
Thank you. I am praying to hear from you Tuesday!
By the way, when you had your hands on with the Storm, did you notice if sites like the nytimes.com, cnn.com and espn.com rendered as the full desktop sites or the wap versions?
Thank you!
Alan
It's still showing the original page that was posted on 9/15 for me.
If you read the rules, it looks like the phone will retail for $499 (if I'm reading it right).
Well, I read it somewhere else (since I can't see the website) and it looked to me like $299. Who knows. LOL!
Actually, when you factor in the gift card, I would say the price of the phone (with a contract) is going to be $249. Without contract $499. That's how I read it on yet ANOTHER website.
According to this:
"Prizes: Daily Grand Prizes (50): A BlackBerry® Stormâ„¢ 9500 Smartphone and a $50 Verizon Wireless gift card Approximate Retail Value (“ARVâ€):  $299 each. "
It would seem that since the ARV is $299 for a $50 gift card AND a Storm simple algebra would give us a retail price of $249
I wonder if that's before or after a possible mail in rebate. If that is the case we could probably see the final price being $199 or less. And since the end of the contest is 11/15 I would say the 16th being the release date to be about right.
What do we all think now??? $179-199 after main in rebate and $250 up front with a 2 year contract? To be released on the 16th ... maybe the 15th if we're lucky?
Here's what it says when I look at it:
"Prizes: Daily Grand Prizes (50): A BlackBerry® Stormâ„¢ 9500 Smartphone and a $50 Verizon Wireless gift card Approximate Retail Value (“ARVâ€):  $549 each."
i thought verizon is getting the 9530 not the gsm 9500?
I found it interesting that about 3/4 into the "360 Tour" video, the screen on the Storm reads: "Blackberry Storm smartphone Available now from Verizon Wireless - America's most..." I wish the whole NOW part were true..
About time they updated the Storm page.
It' still not showing for me : (
was this a web designer testing it out or something? IE, Foxfire, and a restart and i get the same old enter your email page
I have used both Internet Explorer and Firefox, and it works fine.
Maybe pre-orders will become available soon since the price was slipped in the fine print of the contest rules and the release date was implied in the contest end date ...
Why won't they just take my damn money and guarantee me overnight delivery??????????
I've never seen a pre-order do overnight delivery. Only once have I seen pre-order people get phones before the release date because they were actually mailed days earlier.
Most pre-order people don't get their devices for days or even week(s) after the release. If you want the phone immediately its best to wait for the release day. If you want less hassle but dont mind getting a phone up to 2 weeks later, then go for pre-order.
tell us when it is coming out already jesus!
i have to say. this site has probobly made a lot of $$ with all this storm coverage, especially since it is taking a while to come out since the first rumors were posted here! I for one check the site at least 10 times a day...
The contest is ended the 15th?? Is this because the launch date will be the 16th???????? Let's hope!
Sooo, looks like I will be acting like a crackhead trying to get to every kiosk. Awesome they are doing it here in NYC though, and I'm guessing it will be pictures or something at the kiosks rather than the actual phones.
OMG . . .This is making me want the storm even more. Verizon quit teasing me and release it already!!! I can't wait much longer, the anticipation is killer ; )
The following would indicate a price of $175 for the Storm wouldn't it? I found it at:
http://estore.vzwshop.com/storm/
Activation fee/line:$35 ($25 for secondary Family Shareplan lines w/2-yr Agmts). IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agreement, Calling Plan & credit approval.
Up to $175 early termination fee & other charges. Device capabilities: add'l charges & conditions apply. Offers & coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere.
Google Talk is a trademark of Google Inc.
Research In Motion, the RIM logo, BlackBerry, the BlackBerry logo and SureType are registered with the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries -these and other marks of Research In Motion Limited are used under license.
© 2008 Verizon Wireless
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Oops. I guess that would be for the 2 year plan itself. I jumped the gun.
Clouder
No, that's just their standard disclaimer informing customers of possible additional charges. The $175 ETF is the standard ETF they charge for breaking your contract.
Tried IE and Chrome.... both are just disclaimer pages.
im still getting the page that has been up since september. i also called vzw customer service and they dont know anything about the contest or have any updated about the storm.
try clearing your browsers cache cause it does work
Hi Kevin. I am still getting the old webpage from the above link. Im in NYC and have heard nothing from my close contact at Verizon. Did get a free Bold the other day however!
It is still the disclaimer page. The site doesn't even pull up the old webpage.
A friend of a friend interviewed at Blackberry. He said that a few of the people interviewing him had the Storm and the let him mess with it a little. He said the performance of the new device was excellent!
which native new yorker (crackberry enthusiast) will be nice enough to post the key words and give everyone here a chance to win one?
That would decrease my chances of winning.
Clear your cache the page will load. Thanks spektakle.
Anyone else notice that GPS is missing from the specs? They have VZW, but GPS is not listed. Is this the confirmation that GPS will be crippled?
I think verizon is just trying to pimp VZW navigator. All indications are that the storm will have standalone GPS capability but you won't be able to get spoken turn by turn direction, autorerouting, etc w/o the VZW. I'm pretty sure they are just trying to emphasize their extra service over standard GPS.
i guess the loading cradle dock doesnt come with it and theres no info or price about it?
For those who cant see the site, try updating (or installing) Flash. I cant see it on my Treo (soon to be Storm) but the PC's with the latest Flash work just fine.
I am using a macbook pro, in the latest firefox browser I couldn't see the new site, but when I tried using Safari it works!
I have the latest Firefox and it shows up fine for me. I had to clear my cache, delete the estore cookies and then restart, but now it works..
Please dear god not again!
Ok maybe this is posted somewhere already and I havent seen it. I was at Best Buy today and while in the store I was in the cell phone area and looking at the bold demo they have.. I decided to ask the girl that works there if she knows anything about the storm. I told her I have Verizon and I'm just waiting for it to come out and I heard it should be out on the 11th or the 17th. She said she just came back from training on it from Verizon for the past two days and yesterday right before leaving they were all told it could possibly be end of november or begining of decemeber. She said the software right now isnt the best and BB and Verizon doesn't want it released and hear all the complaints they heard from the party in Cali last week. Now maybe this girl was full of shit or maybe she was just being honest and telling me straight up.. I duno. Just thought i'd throw my 2 cents in and share with everyone.
I hope she is wrong but the logic makes sense. I've got such a crappy phone I'd rather take a buggy/slow Storm now and do updates when its fixed over waiting for a perfect device.
when i used firefox to view the page, the old page came up but when i viewed the page with internet explorer, the new updated site came up. hope this works for ppl!
What about our little city - Simi Valley, CA? We'd like to have the Storm here as well. I can understand the hype and all that Verizon is doing, and it makes sense, to a point, and yet, even the iPhone wasn't this bad... Come on Verizon, give us what we want, that big o'l STORM