The Blackberry Storm!

This video appears to be the best representation of the upcoming Blackberry Storm. It is Research In Motion's first touchscreen mobile smartphone. As an iPhone user, this is the first smartphone I've seen that I actually like. It's stylish and large enough to be practical without being too bulky. However, it seems the Blackberry won't be intruding into the iPhone multimedia market anytime soon (and vice versa, the iPhone still can't compete with RIM's enterprise features).

The one thing I appreciate about RIM is that this promotional seems to be up-front about the performance of its device. Apple has been accused of deceptive advertising for the iPhone 3G. Because the video is so honest, it is also a bit heartbreaking. That's because the touchscreen performance is not even close to the iPhone. Blackberry users upgrading to this touchscreen phone may find it acceptable but iPhone users will find it harsh. After every selection, I notice a nearly one second pause. RIM shouldn't feel too bad because the Samsung Instinct, LG Dare and the T-Mobile G1 Android all seem to have this drawback.

I also question the screen size. You cannot view a full widescreen movie or television show at this screen ratio. Disappointing for a smartphone that was supposed to make strides in multimedia. The 3.2 MP camera, however, is superior to the iPhone. It has flash, autofocus and video recording, none of which the iPhone has. I have found, though, that the iPhone is able to take decent pictures. Check out my Flickr set full of iPhone photos: Street Hiking On Oahu.

One MAJOR feature that the Blackberry Storm is missing is Wi-Fi connectivity. Although 3G speeds are nice, a Wi-Fi connection is much faster and saves your battery life. The reason why I went with the iPhone in the first place is internet browsing. And so far, it appears I made the right decision.

Blackberry rules the business world and the Storm will have business users having more fun with its new touchscreen and upgraded multimedia capabilities. However, it doesn't appear it will make a dent into the iPhone multimedia market just yet.