Blackberry Storm 2 – Beware the 2nd Coming!

Truth be told, Research In Motion’s first attempt into the world of touch Smartphones wasn’t exactly a worldly success. The original Storm was buggy and had an insane amount of performance issues. Yes, RIM did solve this with a software update, but they shouldn’t have had to in the first place. So this begs the question: Can the Storm 2 wash away the dirt of the original?

Under the hood the Storm 2 packs a hurricane punch in comparison to the original with its 256 MB of flash memory, 2GB of on board Media Memory (the Storm had 128MB and 1GB respectively), Wi-Fi, updated software and better touch interface. At first look the Storm 2 doesn’t look much different from its predecessor, in fact their measurements are exactly the same, other than that, the outside changes are very subtle. The biggest change is the SurePress screen. While the previous model had a mechanical component, the screen on the Storm 2 is completely electric. RIM has also included the standard GPS, Bluetooth, camera (3.2 MP with flash and 2x digital zoom in this case), Micro SD slot, and 3.5mm headset jack.

The Storm 2 certainly improves on many things, but it still misses out on some. For starters, the SurePress screen isn’t as accurate as it should be. Trying to type or select an item while in a hurry became frustrating. Also, the GPS is painfully slow. Not that it needs to be lighting fast, but it should never just time out. Finally, the browser needs a bit more work in order for it to be taken seriously. On the plus side, the Storm 2 performs much faster overall than the original. With the updated software comes a number of features and user interface enhancements. While the screen isn’t always accurate, its new design allows for key rollover and multi touch capabilities, although they are limited.

The Storm 2 isn’t perfect, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it is not a big enough step. Given the batch of new touch Smartphones about to be released, the Storm 2 is going to face some serious competition. It basically boils down to how much you really need a touchscreen phone from RIM. Keep in mind that Verizon is offering the phone in the US for $179 with a 2 year contract and $199 with a 3 year contract in Canada through Telus Mobility.