Blackberry Storm 9500 deals & review

The Storm 9500 is Blackberry’s first attempt at a full touchscreen phone. While other manufacturers have leapt on the touch-sensitive bandwagon some time ago, BlackBerry’s manufacturers RIM have held back. Given the popularity of the brand’s distinctive keypads that feature on all their Bold devices, they appear to have taken an ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it approach’ up until recently. Now that BlackBerry have finally embraced full touch screen technology, how do they fare? 

Reasonably well is the short answer. The generously-sized 3.25-inch screen is ideal for gaming, web browsing and viewing video content. Unusually, the 9500’s screen is fully ‘clickable’ - making it feel almost like a giant button that will respond to your commands. For those who still hanker after the QWERTY keyboard that was BlackBerry’s calling card, flip the Storm into landscape mode and the full keypad immediately appears on screen. Although nicely laid out, the menu is not as responsive as that of some rival touchscreens. 

On the plus side, social media is nicely integrated and email is as slick as ever. For the business person who’s looking for a handset that also doubles up for leisure purposes, the Storm 9500 is certainly a contender. It combines the immersiveness of full touchscreen technology with the work-related ethic that has made BlackBerry the de facto business handset. The Storm may not be a classic, but it’s a valiant effort from RIM, and a clear step in the right direction.