Blackberry Storm 2 lands in SA

Posted on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009. Filed under Blackberry, Technology.

Blackberry Storm 2Research in Motion (RIM – the company behind the Blackberry smartphone brand) has launched the Storm 2 in South Africa. This is the reincarnation of Blackberry’s first touchscreen device that was developed in cooperation with british cellular giant Vodafone.

The first Storm was a tad clunky, especially compared to Apple’s iPhone – which still boasts the best touchscreen interface in the market after some two years. The Storm 2, however, is slick and feels more polished than its predecessor. I can actually type on it this time, whereas I had trouble with the original Storm.

I love my Blackberry Bold and am yet to see another model I’d replace it with – but the Storm 2 might be the one.

That said, I must add that my opinion of the Storm 2 is based on less than an hour’s experience with it, so I’ll ice the review until I’ve spent more time with the device.

The Storm 2 has a capacitive touchscreen, which is the same technology as the iPhone. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera that shoots video and offers zoom for stills and 2 GB of internal memory that can be expanded via a MicroSD slot. It also has WiFi, which was missing from the first Storm. And it’s dead sexy.

While the original Storm was available exclusively through Vodafone subsidiary Vodacom in South Africa, the Storm 2 is carried by both MTN and Vodacom. Final pricing has not been announced yet, but I’d expect it to be available as a cash purchase of around R8000, or on similar contract terms as the original Storm.

Deon Liebenberg, who heads up RIM in most of Africa, first showed me the device at a recent industry event and it was immediately more appealing than its predecessor. And with Blackberry AppWorld now available in South Africa this might be the iPhone killer we’ve all been waiting for. I said might.

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  • Nicolene
    I got my storm 2 in January after being told that the Bold 9700 is not coming to SA. Initially the Storm 2 seemed like a good phone due to the large viewing screen, but since I have been having endless problems with the touch screen not doing what I request it to do. Most recent problem is dropped calls... MTN says log onto website for software update. Sounds easy, but try doing it with a touch screen that has a mind of its own.... Impossible.

    I read that the Storm 2 (9520) has been recalled in the US due to all the screen problems. I am waiting with baited breath for it to happen in SA!!
  • louis
    When cell phones were introduced in SA some time back, i got a Nokia. I had Nokia phones till September 2009 when i decided to change to Blackberry.
    Unfortuanlty i got the Storm which was one of my biggest mistakes in life!
    I am sitting with a phone which i want to throw against the wall daily, you cannot refer to the keyboard as functional at all, the phone change by itself from portrait to landscape and visa versa all the time regardless of the setting being on portrait.
    I am dissapointed in this phone and is it going to be a very long 2 years before i can exchange this Storm for a Nokia again.
  • TJ Rapoo
    Could you please tell me the differences (software, hardware, functional and legal) between the blackberry Storm 2 (9550) and the blackberry Storm 2 (9520) for the purposes of the South African consumer market? Can both be used in SA legally without any major issues/problems?
  • I don't think RIM should be trying to create an iPhone killer.

    IMHO you should have a phone that is either great for business or great for home - not both.

    You can have a phone that is great for business and good for home - like the Nokia e71 but RIM will always lose if they compete with the iPhone.

    A Blackberry should always come with a keyboard, finished.
  • Yeah, might! Although all this talk about iPhone killers is very silly. Beating the iPhone isn't exactly the pinnacle of technical achievement. Producing a truly great device that doesn't suck in a number of respects is. Looking forward to your review.
  • If beating the iPhone isn't such a big deal why has no one managed to?

    And when you release a product with a dedicated touchscreen, especially a capacitive one, you are going to be compared to the iPhone - because it introduced touch interfaces to the world and is still best at pulling it off.
  • Sorry, I didn't express myself well there at all. The technology was innovative and ahead of what was available at the time but there is such emphasis on beating the iPhone and producing "iPhone killers" that I wonder if anyone is thinking about producing a truly great, next gen phone that isn't just about beating the iPhone. There is way too much "iPhone killer" hype.
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