The Blackberry allows you to create amazing applications that leverage the Blackberry’s unique technologies:

• Phone, email, text messaging (SMS and MMS), browser, instant messaging and organizer applications in a single smartphone
• High resolution LCD screen with light sensing technology
• Full QWERTY keyboard and Trackball navigation system
• Next-generation media player
• 2 megapixel camera with built-in flash
• Bluetooth® headset, hands-free and serial port profiles supported

Well I m Blackberry Storm user and I m Jealous of the very cool search-by-voice feature available to Google Mobile users on both the iPhone and Android? Missing this facility……….. Coz Google said the app is available on BlackBerry smartphones running OS 4.1 or better, but it’s not yet available for the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm.

But it’s not all bad. The Storm has great media playback functionality and if the included trailer for Babylon AD is anything to go by, then video playback on a phone has been near-perfected by BlackBerry, which has had the best screen quality in the business since the BlackBerry Bold was launched.

The Storm also includes access to Vodafone Sat Nav, applications for Facebook and instant messaging platforms and an application centre similar to Apple’s iPhone App Store that alerts Storm owners to new software and updates. The built-in 3,2 megapixel camera with zoom and flash is above average and zooming by dragging your finger around the screen is cool.

The Storm is also the world’s first touch-phone with haptic feedback: you actually have to click the screen in when pushing on it. That’s where things get nasty. The on-screen keyboard on the Storm is clunky and difficult to use. With extended use you may get used to it, but I simply couldn’t. That will be a problem for users of email and instant messaging, who will be better served by BlackBerry’s Bold or Curve models that have decent keyboards with real buttons.

The Storm’s accelerometer used to automatically switch the screen to a landscape view when the device is turned on its side is also iffy and often switches when you really don’t want it to. The device mysteriously doesn’t include WiFi, although it does have high-speed HSDPA mobile connectivity to keep you online wherever you go.

The Storm is frustratingly close to being a great smart-phone but I can’t help feeling it was rushed to market and could have used a few extra months in development. But for users who love the BlackBerry platform and also need good functionality in terms of media features, the Storm might be just the thing.

As both the phones are touchscreen. But still lots of variations are there. Lets Compare this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

User interface

The iPhone’s iconic menu home screen looked great when the original model was revealed back in 2007. But it’s been two years since then, and the new BlackBerry OS on the Storm outclasses it both in looks and usability – multi-touch cut and paste being the piece de resistance.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm
Touchscreen talents
It might be worth trying out both, but if like us you’ve got giant digits, you’ll rate the Storm’s tactile, clickable screen, as you’ll know for certain whenever you’ve pressed a key. That said, if your hands are small and precise enough, you’ll be able to tap out emails at speed on the iPhone.

Winner: Tie

Sat-nav skills

No contest here. The Storm comes with Vodafone’s Find & Go service built in, and a six week free trial. The iPhone has GPS built in, but Apple won’t let developers create sat-nav for it. Say what?

Winner: BlackBerry Storm

Camera killer

The Storm beats the iPhone on megapixels alone: a 3.2MP compares to the iPhone’s measly 2.0MPs, so you’ll be abel tos ee the bigger picture, but that’s not all: a tap of the Storm’s tactile touchscreen and it’ll autofocus, with another press capturing the picture. Simple.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm

Screen size
The 3.5 inch screen on Apple’s iPhone 3G just tops the Storm, which taps out at 3. inches. You won’t notice that difference much, mind, especially since both offer the same 480 pixel vertical resolution.

Winner: Apple iPhone 3G

App attack

RIM has plans for a third party application shop for the Storm, but it’s got some catching up to do. Apple’s App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch is already offering thousands of programs to make you phone do just about anything.

Winner: Apple iPhone 3G

Net connection
Both the BlackBerry Storm and the iPhone 3G offers HSDPA speeds for near light speed (well) mobile internet downloads so it’s a close call. The iPhone has Wi-Fi, which boosts things considerably in hotspots, but we’re giving this to the Storm for the ability to tether your laptop.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm

Battery life
Whether you leave them on standby or running multiple apps, the Storm will always outlast the iPhone 3G – the trade off for no Wi-Fi, which is a serious juice drain. That, and there’s the option to remove and replace the battery on it once it’s on its last legs, unlike the iPhone.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm

Overall winner: BlackBerry Storm

Latest on the iPhone-rival (or killer) list is Blackberry Storm, the touchscreen phone from enterprise business phone maker Research In Motion (RIM). The eagerly anticipated touch-based iPhone 3G alternative has been launched in India by Vodafone.

With Storm, RIM aims to give a tough fight to Apple which added enterprise features in its second-generation iPhone. As an industry analysts said, with Blackberry Storm RIM is putting one foot on both sides of the smartphone fence, as this device will appeal to those who like the iPhone but also want BlackBerry capabilities.

Just like earlier BlackBerry models, Storm is compatible with enterprises’ BlackBerry servers, which offer email integration, security and management features. However, Storm adds these features to a slew of enhancements designed to go after consumers wanting a sleek, iPhone-like design.

So, does Blacberry succeed in its `iPhone makeover’? What is it that iPhone has that Storm doesn’t and vice versa.

Priced at Rs. 27,990/-, the innovative smartphone will be available across select Vodafone Stores nationally from January 15, 2009. Vodafone will create more than 150 ‘experience zones’ across the country in Vodafone Stores and Modern Trade Outlets to encourage customers to experience the revolutionary smartphone.

Blackberry Storm will come with many features it’ll offers easy access to voice and email, a range of social media applications, multimedia content, satellite navigation and many other services on the move in a single device.”

Ms. Frenny Bawa, Vice President, India, Research In Motion, said, “The BlackBerry Storm is a truly unique touch-screen smartphone with its powerful combination of communications and multimedia features. It is a marvel of engineering that meets both the business and personal needs of our customers.”

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone combines the powerful communication features, global connectivity and personal productivity advantages of the BlackBerry platform with a revolutionary touch-screen technology that dramatically enhances the touch interface and enables easy and precise typing. The world’s first “clickable” touch-screen responds much like a physical keyboard and also supports single-touch, multi-touch and gestures for intuitive and efficient application navigation. The innovative SurePress™ touch-screen depresses ever so slightly to aid in typing and navigation and to give users an experience they can actually feel. It also features a built-in accelerometer, which automatically switches the display for use in landscape and portrait as the user rotates the handset.

Whether shopping for a gift online, editing important documents or reading a map, the BlackBerry Storm smartphone brings images to life with stunning clarity through its 3.25-inch, high resolution (480×360-pixels at 184 ppi), colour display.

With a variety of powerful applications that were custom-built for the BlackBerry platform, the BlackBerry Storm from Vodafone enables the user to simply and easily keep web community pages current, continue instant message chats or even add pictures directly to Flickr™.

These applications include:

• Facebook® for BlackBerry® smartphones
• Windows Live™ Messenger for BlackBerry smartphones
• Google Talk™ for BlackBerry smartphones
• Yahoo® Messenger for BlackBerry smartphones
• Flickr Photo Uploader for BlackBerry smartphones

As an added benefit when using such applications, the BlackBerry Storm supports multitasking so that users are not forced to constantly open and close applications. Other features and functions include:

• BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server support
• Preloaded DataViz® Documents to Go® allowing users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset
• 3.2 megapixel camera, with variable zoom, auto focus, and a powerful flash that also provides continuous lighting when recording video
• 1 GB of on board memory storage and a microSD/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 16 GB of additional storage per card.
• Media player that can play movies smoothly in full screen mode, display pictures and slideshows quickly and manage an entire music collection; playlists can be created directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters – including “Lounge”, “Jazz” and “Hip Hop” – for customized audio ranges when using wired headphones or external speakers
• A 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, support for Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP) and dedicated volume controls
• Sleek, elegant design with contoured corners, stainless steel back and chromed frame
• Large (3.25″) display with glass lens and capacitive touch-screen; its exceptional 480 x 360 resolution at 184 ppi is crisp and bright with eye pleasing clarity
• An ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts backlighting for ideal viewing and an accelerometer that allows customers to view applications in either portrait or landscape mode by simply rotating the handset
• Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides approximately 6 hours of talk time on 3G networks and 15 days of standby time

Above all, these outline some of the big changes we’ll see on handheld software version 5.0. Right now we sit at 4.7 on the BlackBerry Storm, so it might not take long at all to segue into the new OS – maybe one or two updates. No word on a release date, but the Wireless Enterprise Symposium next April sounds like a good bet.

- Flag messages and set reminder times on your BlackBerry.

- View personal contact subfolders and edit contacts! Until now BES used to put all of your contacts into the Contacts application even if they were in different folders.

- You will be able to view and use contacts that are in public folders and copy them to your local contact list if you have permissions.

- You will have a file browser to access shared network locations to open, add, or save documents. You will be able to see document information from there such as file type, size, and date.

- Forward meeting invitations and calendar entries from your BlackBerry.

- Ability to add, delete, move, or rename personal folders.

- Ability to view personal distribution lists that you have in your Outlook contacts and send email to them.

RIM is working on a solution to make emails that come from your BlackBerry look exactly like they would if they came from Outlook.

A pretty solid list of improvements all around, and no doubt welcomed by the enterprise crowd.

Just keep in mind that both the the server-side BES software and handheld software will both need to be installed in order to enjoy these new features.

“The lifecycle of the BlackBerry 8700 Series smartphone has been long-lived and it remains an essential tool for a variety of industries so we’ve gone back to the drawing board to offer something new,” said Curt Richardson, CEO of OtterBox. “Those in military, construction and other fast-paced work environments need protection without bulk and the OtterBox Defender Series offers the best of both worlds.”

While BlackBerry Cool is always focused on the cutting edge of BlackBerry news, I do notice many 8700’s still in use during my daily excursions around Ottawa. Although you could probably shoot an 8700 through a brick wall without damaging it, I’m sure there are those that need that extra bit of protection.

The handheld device, which was first released in 2002 by Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM), has been a hit with businesses in North America and Europe as it allows users to access closed corporate e-mail servers through a special software package.

The handset also comes bundled with Web browsing and personal organizer capabilities. It is used by more than 20 million people worldwide, according to RIM.

SK Telecom said it plans to release the BlackBerry Bold smartphone and related software programs. The device will be sold at around 800,000 won (US$586.70), excluding VAT, and at a special discount price of around 700,000 won when subsidies are applied.

The Blackberry e-mail service is required to be purchased at an additional monthly rate of 26,000 won, along with standard fees for voice and data, according to SK Telecom.

BlackBerry Storm launches at Bell Mobility

Bell today announced that the BlackBerry(R) Storm(TM) smartphone, the first BlackBerry(R) smartphone to feature a touch-screen, is available today at select Bell Mobility stores in the Greater Toronto Area and will be widely available tomorrow at stores nationally. The BlackBerry Storm delivers innovative new features and fast performance with the many benefits for which BlackBerry smartphones are known – exceptional wireless email capabilities, premium phone features and multimedia, full HTML Internet access and support for a wide range of mobile data applications.