BlackBerry Storm

[xor]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Speaking of phones the HTC Touch Pro is out for Verizon and I imagine for Sprint as well:

Unlocked Spec's
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_touch_pro-2413.php

GSM capable, 512MB of memory(yummmmy); but expect Verizon to cripple the GSM functionality. Though they do offer the Samsung Saga that is CDMA 1x EV–DO Rev. A 800/1900 mHz+ Quad Band 850/900/1800/1900 mHz.

So there may be hope for Verizon folks that travel.

I'm still 9 months out on my new every 2 discount (sigh).

xor

[DJ Jackalope]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

No one has said anything about Tmobile G1 yet.... ?

[barry99705]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

My htc kaiser (att tilt) has 3g turned on all the time. I've not had any battery issues. It's pretty good little phone really. I do want it's new big brother(touch pro), but I've still got a year before I can upgrade.

No one has said anything about Tmobile G1 yet.... ?

I've not even seen one in real life yet.

[Armyshanks]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Yep - we've got the rapid deployment of the iPhone vs. Storm going here - from what I can see so far, Storm users are complaining about the speed (or lack of) of it while the iphoners are complaining that the 3G is killing battery life...antelopes aren't they all...

[MissterY]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

I've seen commercials for the BlackBerry Storm and, while i'm not a crackberry user, the device intrigued me somewhat. I know many people in that crowd and they often rush out to grab the latest and greatest device (I have to say... the vendors would be able to absolutely kill the market if they would just release a "power user" version of the device that has all the features enabled (phones in different regions have differing menus and feature sets for some goddman stupid reason), allowed people to easily switch from QWERTY to QWERTZ operation (ever try to get a euro phone and use it here? it can be maddening if you're hoping for a US style keyboard), and the handset was unlocked (a whole other issue).

There was an article recently in the Times that totally blasted RIM's newest product, the Storm. What was more interesting to me was a follow-up piece (that the author could easily squeeze out during a 3-hour holiday season work shift) where he quotes some reader responses...
not all readers agreed with him, but most of them did.

I suppose i just wanted to toss this out there to ask what phones some people here have had particularly good or bad experiences with. I know we're getting really, really close to Christmas... but perhaps this thread can also serve as a warning to anyone who bought a Storm for someone as a gift. See if maybe you can get a Bold instead for your the beloved crackberry user in your life.

I just want to say that the Tour 9630 series is not a good option either. I bought it without doing my homework because my Palm broke and I desperately needed a replacement and I mistakenly thought I wanted a blackberry. I figured it would just take some learning and I tried to be patient, but I've now realized that my 14 day return policy is now up and Im still wanting to take the phone back. My Palm was about 2 years old, which is ancient in the cell phone world, but it was so much more efficient than my the blackberry, especially when it game to txt messaging. My first thought was that I bought the new latest and greatest power user level phone, instead of the "beginner level" phone that the sales associate told me the curve was and then I started to feel that maybe it just was in a sense on par with shovelware, because it felt like they never throughly beta tested it because if they had, surely someone would have said something about it being as hard to use as it is and about how inefficient it was. They have made it so hard to even add someone who just texted you as a contact; "add to contacts" is no where near the place where it needs to be for fast adding of new numbers into your contact list.

Im glad I found this thread, because I was seriously considering starting my own on blackberry default application permissions. Has anyone else noticed that if you don't manually go set your application permissions when downloading an app, the defaults will grant the app (like facebook, of all apps) access to an insane amount of information on your phone that it probably shouldn't be asking for, such as contact list/address book, and media such as pictures...At least I dont want it asking for all that. another damn good reason I dont want facebook accessing that kind of info, is that if I'm not mistaken wasn't there an attack on facebook publicized recently where they phishing accounts, gaining access to accounts, and then started collecting all the personal data that the user thought would be "safe" because they set their status to "private" and that only their friends can see their home address and mobile number...

And by the way, people putting too much information on their facebook gets to me too. Just because there's a form field asking me for personal information, does not meant I'm just going to give it up. Unless the site had a legitimate need of contacting me in the real world, none of them get my cell phone number or my home address. The only time I put my address online was when I wanted to order a magazine subscription. And if a site thinks they're going to be clever and force the field to be filled out before you can submit, I'll put in fictitious info, or better yet, I'll google that company's info and put give their own phone number and address. I bet they love that when they start receiving their own junk mail and telemarketing calls. lol

But the thing I hate most about the my blackberry is that theres a dedicated button to the dollar sign ($) but you have to hit the alt button to get a period (.) which you use a hell of a lot more often. My period button is on the (m) key, so I keep dropping (m)'s when I try for a (.) if I dont hit (alt) (m) in sequence fast enough. Im going to google it and see if theres a way to modify this, but I am not going to get my hopes up.

I hear the droid is programmable, is that correct? I'm not a programmer, but if I had a droid I could at least find a fix for my problem online.

Oh and dont buy from Best Buy mobile. If you want to take it back, it has to go straight to them, but if you buy from your cell phone service provider you at least have a chance at social engineering them into taking their p.o.s. phone back even after your 14 day grace period. I have actually done it before. When I bought a mobile wireless card and it didnt work but I got busy and kept it longer than I was supposed to be able to send it back...the took it back and didn't even charge me the contract cancellation fee for it nor a restocking fee they were supposed to charge me-.all because I had cell phone service with them. But with Best Buy Mobile, I have no chance. Though I think I still might go up there and raise hell anyway because the no-so-bright sales clerk told me that the blackberry was touch screen, and its not. Oh and one more thing, I edit a lot when Im typing, so I desperately miss the ability to cut and paste like I had on my Palm. I should have gone with my first instinct and gone with a Palm Pre or the droid.

So if you're looking at a blackberry, don't walk away, run!


And by the way, this is my first post here at Defcon forums and I just want to say how excited I am about defcon this year. ^.^

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

theres a dedicated button to the dollar sign ($) but you have to hit the alt button to get a period

yeah, that does sound pretty annoying. then again, maybe there's a joke in there somewhere about your typical crackberry user being so tied to their workplace day-in and day-out that they genuinely do keep referring to money, at least more often than they have to pause and break up their sentences.

I hear the droid is programmable, is that correct? I'm not a programmer, but if I had a droid I could at least find a fix for my problem online.

yes and double yes.

the Android program is open, so there is a nearly limitless potential for applications that do just about anything people want. for example, the built-in software keyboard (which is the only input method some of us have... like me, since i have an HTC Magic -- a.k.a. "myTouch" a.k.a. "G2") can be entirely replaced by something another party wrote (humorously named "better keyboard") which keeps growing and developing according to people's wishes. so that's the "software available in the marketplace" side of the equation

the Android platform itself also has native support for Python. so you can drop to a terminal prompt on the phone and just lay in code, or use the "Android Scripting Environment" to do more than just a line or two at a time.

in the end, yes... there are more customization options for an Android than for any other phone, but if you're not a programmer (and hell, even i wouldn't want to just start romping around all that unless i had a spare device) you're still looking for downloads as opposed to creating your own fixes. your downloads will be more unlimited than other phones, however... that's my view, at least

So if you're looking at a blackberry, don't walk away, run!

well now, be careful... you might upset some of the more fanatical BB users that are out there. i know that my buddy Babak (other director of TOOOL whom i mention on occasion and whom folk here have seen at cons with me) will use nothing but BlackBerry at present, in spite of that family of device's limitations. he has said more than once that he'd be happy to go with another piece of mobile hardware if it offered the following...

1. whole device encryption (certified or reviewed by some outside body)
2. the ability for remote wipe

... if you're wicked into personal data security, BlackBerry has all others beat hands-down. His phone takes a few minutes to boot up, but that's because he has 100% of the self-checks and self-validation settings activated. when it's shut off, the entire system is encrypted. and, even if the phone is lost... for it to be any good to anyone it has to re-connect to the RIM network at some point in the future. Customers can set their account at the network level to automatically send a remote-kill/remote-wipe command to the unit the very next time that it associates with the RIM network.

so... there are some pretty cool features of BlackBerries, from a strictly security standpoint. some of those phone models just got a little wonky when the company started trying to make them friendlier to the "non business" market segment. they may have done better just sticking to what worked already.

how excited I am about defcon this year.

sweet. we look forward to your first DEFCON being a terrific one. the key is involvement, so find projects and happenings that appeal to you and don't be a stranger to the rest of us in Vegas.

[MissterY]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

yeah, that does sound pretty annoying. then again, maybe there's a joke in there somewhere about your typical crackberry user being so tied to their workplace day-in and day-out that they genuinely do keep referring to money, at least more often than they have to pause and break up their sentences.

Too funny. But yeah, because I have such small hands, I can't use it one handed and still try for punctuation. Which really irks me because I'm also obsessive about spelling and punctuation. So in order to have these little beauty marks in my sentences, I have to be texting with both hands with this phone, whereas my palm was one hand pilot-able. I am so not happy about this because I'm a text-o-holic and I sometimes need my left hand for other things...eating, gaming, driving, showering...etc....whatever else life throws my way.

in the end, yes... there are more customization options for an Android than for any other phone, but if you're not a programmer (and hell, even i wouldn't want to just start romping around all that unless i had a spare device) you're still looking for downloads as opposed to creating your own fixes. your downloads will be more unlimited than other phones, however... that's my view, at least

I think you mis understood or misread...I never said anything about trying to go from programming newb to reprogramming my phone over night. I believe my exact words were, "but if I had a droid I could at least find a fix for my problem online." Im in love with google, Im having it's love child. lol But yeah that meant exactly what you said about getting app downloads from the web.

well now, be careful... you might upset some of the more fanatical BB users that are out there. i know that my buddy Babak (other director of TOOOL whom i mention on occasion and whom folk here have seen at cons with me) will use nothing but BlackBerry at present, in spite of that family of device's limitations. he has said more than once that he'd be happy to go with another piece of mobile hardware if it offered the following...

1. whole device encryption (certified or reviewed by some outside body)
2. the ability for remote wipe

... if you're wicked into personal data security, BlackBerry has all others beat hands-down. His phone takes a few minutes to boot up, but that's because he has 100% of the self-checks and self-validation settings activated. when it's shut off, the entire system is encrypted. and, even if the phone is lost... for it to be any good to anyone it has to re-connect to the RIM network at some point in the future. Customers can set their account at the network level to automatically send a remote-kill/remote-wipe command to the unit the very next time that it associates with the RIM network.

so... there are some pretty cool features of BlackBerries, from a strictly security standpoint. some of those phone models just got a little wonky when the company started trying to make them friendlier to the "non business" market segment. they may have done better just sticking to what worked already.

Did you say remote wipe? I think I found the phone of my dreams. However my bb's behavior lately has been unacceptable and I simply cannot tolerate it. I'm breaking up with it as soon as I find a replacement, or social engineer something else out of the company I bought this damn thing from. When the blackberry has learned to mature and fix its problems, I would definitely be willing to give it second chance. However, as for right now, I'm just too hurt by the way its been treating me, and I'm not happy in our current relationship. We simply must separate.

sweet. we look forward to your first DEFCON being a terrific one. the key is involvement, so find projects and happenings that appeal to you and don't be a stranger to the rest of us in Vegas.

Don't worry, I plan to. And I can't wait for your lock picking events.

[AlxRogan]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Too funny. But yeah, because I have such small hands, I can't use it one handed and still try for punctuation. Which really irks me because I'm also obsessive about spelling and punctuation.

Just an FYI, on BlackBerry, if you press the Space bar twice, it will insert a '.' I use this so much it's become muscle memory in my hands. Still two keypresses to get one character, but at least you don't have to shift your hand.

Good luck.

[streaker69]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Did you say remote wipe? I think I found the phone of my dreams. However my bb's behavior lately has been unacceptable and I simply cannot tolerate it. I'm breaking up with it as soon as I find a replacement, or social engineer something else out of the company I bought this damn thing from. When the blackberry has learned to mature and fix its problems, I would definitely be willing to give it second chance. However, as for right now, I'm just too hurt by the way its been treating me, and I'm not happy in our current relationship. We simply must separate.

Maybe your issue is that a phone is not something you have a relationship with. It's a tool to be used, and it isn't 'treating' you in anyway. It's functioning, maybe not the way you like or expected.

Maybe you were just being cutesy by saying it like this, but I have seen people say these things and be serious. Personally I don't really care what phone I have, as long as I can get my email on it, it doesn't matter to me. I'll adapt to however the phone functions, so that I can continue to do my job. But personally I really like my Blackberry. So much so I even wrote some scripts so that I can view SCADA data on it.

[shrdlu]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

...Personally I don't really care what phone I have, as long as I can get my email on it, it doesn't matter to me. I'll adapt to however the phone functions, so that I can continue to do my job. But personally I really like my Blackberry. So much so I even wrote some scripts so that I can view SCADA data on it.

Okay, this goes on my list of stuff I'd want if I was still working. I almost want it anyway, and I can't imagine what business I'd have with it.

I've had a long running love affair with the blackberry, and have been sorry to see it try to be everything to everyone. I don't care about having music on it. The camera is nice, although I'd like a high end version that didn't have one (if I were still working, even having such a thing in my car in the parking lot might have been a problem). Every time a new bunch of phones comes out, I go look and them. I poke them, and try them out, and end up keeping the blackberry. Encryption is what it's all about.

[streaker69]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Okay, this goes on my list of stuff I'd want if I was still working. I almost want it anyway, and I can't imagine what business I'd have with it.

If you're coming to Shmoo, find me I'll show it to you.

[MissterY]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Just an FYI, on BlackBerry, if you press the Space bar twice, it will insert a '.' I use this so much it's become muscle memory in my hands. Still two key presses to get one character, but at least you don't have to shift your hand.

Good luck.

Wow... you have no idea how much easier you have just made my life. Thank you so much. If you're at Defcon, I would like to meet you, and I would gladly holster my blackberry (or at least switch it to my left to free up my right) if I was presented with the opportunity to shake your hand.

And I know I'm obsessive about punctuation and I do try to have good grammar most of the time to the best of my knowledge, and don't even get me started on spelling...okay its started. If theres a word I want to use but I can't spell it, I either look it up in the dictionary to get the correct spelling, or if I'm on my phone and can't do it online with much ease, I will think of a synonym word that fits that I can use in lieu of the word I couldn't spell. Be that as it may, I think I'm going to give up apostrophes ('). ...at least in txt chats. They take up precious space that could be used for one last word I need say to complete a sentence, or at least an idea of one. I guess I could always study up on the "text language" or lingo that people use to shorten their messages, but I kinda like my IQ where it is. I also like the people who chose to communicate with me to get the impression that my IQ is higher than my age. sry, bt I jus dun tlk lk ths

I'm usually the type who tries to figure stuff out on my own before I go look up the cheat codes/walk through/manual, but this phone is hard for me to crack. No pun intended..lol. I welcome any advice you may have that might help me. When I get time, I think I'm going to google if there is a way to disable the automatic apostrophe adding function. That is probably my biggest gripe about pretty much all the cell phones I've used though. Not just Blackberries. I just haven't had the time lately to poke around with some of this stuff I keep saying I need to do.

Thanks again for the tip and the idea you gave me to try and disable it auto-apostrophes.

[MissterY]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

Maybe your issue is that a phone is not something you have a relationship with. It's a tool to be used, and it isn't 'treating' you in anyway. It's functioning, maybe not the way you like or expected.

Maybe you were just being cutesy by saying it like this, but I have seen people say these things and be serious. Personally I don't really care what phone I have, as long as I can get my email on it, it doesn't matter to me. I'll adapt to however the phone functions, so that I can continue to do my job. But personally I really like my Blackberry. So much so I even wrote some scripts so that I can view SCADA data on it.

To address your concern: Yes, I know I'm not supposed to date my tech wares, and yes, it was a joke. However, I seem to find them a tad more interesting than men lately. lol jk

Is that invitation you sent to shrdlu open to me as well? I love learning.

[streaker69]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

To address your concern: Yes, I know I'm not supposed to date my tech wares, and yes, it was a joke. However, I seem to find them a tad more interesting than men lately. lol jk

Is that invitation you sent to shrdlu open to me as well? I love learning.

Surely, if you want to see. If you make it there thursday night, I'll probably be in the lounge. Look for the amish guy. :)

[shrdlu]

Re: BlackBerry Storm

If you're coming to Shmoo, find me I'll show it to you.

I travel less and less all the time. I suspect that even if Shmoocon was within a 100-mile radius that you would not see me, but I double dog guarantee that I'm not willing to go through the misery of flying, and I don't have a ticket in any case. Thanks for the offer, but I'll just have to be entertained with the mere idea of it.

Remember when traveling was fun and easy? Bleagh.