SME and SoHo users wanting to run their offices whilst on the
road are not as positive as they could be about the new BlackBerry
Storm smartphone, a so-called "iPhone killer".
Despite large marketing budgets allocated to the Storm by
BlackBerry maker RIM, it was eclipsed by sales of the iPhone during
the xmas holiday season.
The
Wall Street
Journal reports that in the US for instance, the Storm sold
around 500,000 units against over 2m for Apple's iPhone.
The first users of the Storm have also complained about being
sold a "clunky" OS and of the poor reliability of the device when
using various applications.
RIM was forced to issue a fix to some of the glitches in
December, and is promising another for other problems soon.
The device has attracted mixed reviews, although many potential
reviews have been stalled as a result of developers not being able
to get hold of a promised free unit.
At the first ever BlackBerry developers conference in the US
last year, all attendees were promised a free BlackBerry from a
choice of three.
The majority chose the Storm, but many have still not received
their device, almost three months after the conference. RIM has
apologised to developers individually at least twice about the
delays in getting them their units.
Firms not tempted so far by the Storm, will also soon be offered
the new Palm Pre and the Nokia N97 - both devices aimed squarely at
the niche the iPhone has successfully carved out for itself.
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