Blackberry Storm - UGH (Atlanta, Hiram: buying, living, stores) - City-Data Forum

atlantagreg30127 · 11-21-2008, 10:31 PM

Verizon is an extremely strong cell provider in the Atlanta area, and offers the best coverage. Not since the iPhone came out (via AT&T's network) have people gone bonkers over a phone.

The Blackberry Storm hit Atlanta stores today (11/21/08) and at some Verizon stores there were literally dozens of people standing in line in the cold waiting to get them. All stores quickly ran out. A few got second shipments and ran out again. Well, I was interested in one because it has various organization features on it, email, plus a large touch screen. But since some of my work involves the need to take pics, the 3 megapixel autofocusing camera that they advertise on it made it most appealing to me (also with video capability). I already have a 3 megapixel camera flip phone, but it's a pain to text on those, so this sounded like the best of all worlds.

So I'm driving by a Verizon and decide to go in and look at a display unit. Surprise, a shipment just came in of 5 units - they offered me one. Dammit. I took the bait. Ok, so here's the quick scoop of it all: The "click" touch screen is fine - some people say it irritates the hell out of them, but it doesn't bother me. The screen is very clear, colorful, and bright. Phone call quality is fine - not the best but better than average. Battery life is ok, too.

Ah, but no - nothing can be perfect. The flaw of the Blackberry Storm? The Camera is HORRIBLE. Images are dull, faded and washed out, and there is almost no detail in the images beyond the very center of the image, even with the camera set to it's very largest and finest quality size photos. For techies interested, I'm not sure if it's simply a horrible quality lens, or that they're really 1024 x 768 pixel images that are blown up (interpolated) larger (suspecting this). Either way - junk.

Sample: While it's a crop of an image, this is the best detail and quality you can get from the camera on the Storm:

Now, for reference, here is a shot taken (resized smaller) from a Samsung Flipshot 3 megapixel camera phone (my old phone):

(so yes, they CAN be much better).

Ok, so for any Crackberry addicts out there locally who were thinking of signing up for this thing: If you need a good or even decent camera on your phone for whatever it is you do for a living, this probably isn't going to cut it unless you are just going to use tiny web image from it online. Wait for more user reviews. Proceed with caution. There's always a chance I got a dud, but I'm thinking it's more a bad quality lens put on a higher dollar gizmo.

BobKovacs · 11-22-2008, 05:02 AM

Did you remember to take the protective plastic cover off the camera lens???? lol

gt6974a · 11-22-2008, 10:27 AM

I love my Samsung Insting, the 2.0 Megapixel works pretty well with plenty of light, outside that it stinks. I think it'll be a while before there's a phone w/a camera that will actually replace a point and shoot camera.

DPAT · 11-22-2008, 11:37 AM

I bought a Storm also... of course they did not have any at the store I went to (Cobb Pkwy) so I had to have it mailed to me. It should arive by Tuesday, and I agree I would expect more (far more!) out of a 3.2 megapixel camera.

atlantagreg30127 · 11-22-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Did you remember to take the protective plastic cover off the camera lens???? lol

Duhhhhhhhhhhhh

Actually, there's no cover on it. So I got that right. LOL

Also, DPAT - let me know how yours is. I've been finding web posts where a good number of people are having camera problems, and a few are getting them with good working ones. Seems like a significant bad batch went out, while a few are fine.

They didn't have any more at the Hiram Verizon when I got back today. The woman who waited on me was extremely rude and kept interrupting me when I was trying to explain why I was bringing it back. When I said the phone camera was extremely poor, her response was, "You KNOW this is a PHONE and not a CAMERA, right?". I held back .. really.. I did.

I wound up not exchanging it for anything else after that. I just got a refund for the whole thing and left. Probably for the best, though. Samsung is coming out with a new one - the "Omnia". Looks like a good alternative, though I'm waiting for early adopters to iron out the bugs on it this time around: SAMSUNG OMNIA

jkjohnston · 11-25-2008, 10:20 AM

I've been reading a lot of complaints about a sluggish system performance so far, so I will also wait it out and see if future software updates can correct the issues that come with any new device.

atlantagreg30127 · 11-25-2008, 01:04 PM

Well, after digging around on the web a bit, I found some people who's cameras were working fine, and some more who had defects. Again, not good since RIM and Verizon's sites are selling it as an all-in-one multimedia device, etc.

Seems these days makers get their products out before fully testing quality in the factories. Over the last few years, I've seen a noticeable increase in out-of-factory defects in stuff like camcorders, digital cameras, etc. They're just too rushed now to get something out to stores so they can work on the next new model before fully testing the old one, so fuel American's "upgrade...spend...buy now!" addictions. Maybe the recession will help us curb our addictions for buying so they'll slow down some and start making quality products again.

I didn't realize that Blackberrys had such a high failure rate as they do compared to some other devices. The independant Squaretrade site came up with some interesting conclusions - article HERE.

DPAT · 11-26-2008, 12:36 PM

Atlantagreg just got my phone today. My camera works great! The picture quality is much better than any phone i've had before, and definately better than the one you posted, lol. Maybe you just got a dud

but it does take a while to snap (like 2 seconds or so).

martarider · 11-26-2008, 02:47 PM

The cameras on cellphones have been getting worse and worse with each new model. I'm not sure what's up with this. The pixel count gets higher but it means nothing when the image quality is total garbage. I have another hyped new phone (The G1 google phone) and the camera is AWFUL and takes 3-5 seconds after pressing the button just to take a terrible picture? I mean, the picture is so bad why not just snap it immediately instead of wasting time trying to focus?

SurekRZA · 11-26-2008, 02:54 PM

The blackberry storm is pretty disgraceful comparing to whats out there. I had the chance to play with it a few times and its not the greatest touchscreen phone out as Verizon portrays it. Verizon should have taken the iphone when Apple came to them before they got turned down and asked AT&T, but Im glad they didn't. Verizon just screws and locks up their phones far too much.