<s>
The	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
is	O
a	O
touchscreen	B-Device
smartphone	B-Application
developed	O
by	O
Research	O
In	O
Motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
9500	I-Application
series	O
of	O
phones	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
RIM	O
's	O
first	O
touchscreen	B-Device
device	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
first	O
without	O
a	O
physical	O
keyboard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
featured	O
a	O
touchscreen	B-Device
that	O
responded	O
like	O
a	O
button	O
via	O
SurePress	O
,	O
Research	O
In	O
Motion	O
haptic	B-Device
feedback	I-Device
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
competitors	O
included	O
Apple	O
's	O
iPhone	B-Device
,	O
the	O
Palm	B-Application
Pre	I-Application
,	O
the	O
T-Mobile	B-Application
G1	I-Application
by	O
HTC	O
and	O
the	O
HTC	O
Touch	O
family	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
2015	O
book	O
,	O
Losing	O
the	O
Signal	O
:	O
The	O
Untold	O
Story	O
Behind	O
the	O
Extraordinary	O
Rise	O
and	O
Spectacular	O
Fall	O
of	O
BlackBerry	B-Operating_System
,	O
the	O
authors	O
argued	O
that	O
the	O
Storm	O
was	O
the	O
single	O
biggest	O
disaster	O
in	O
smartphone	B-Application
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
was	O
available	O
through	O
Vodafone	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
,	O
Germany	O
,	O
France	O
(	O
SFR	O
)	O
,	O
Italy	O
,	O
Ireland	O
,	O
Australia	O
,	O
South	O
Africa	O
(	O
Vodacom	O
)	O
,	O
The	O
Netherlands	O
and	O
India	O
;	O
Verizon	B-Application
Wireless	I-Application
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
;	O
Telus	O
,	O
Bell	O
,	O
and	O
SaskTel	O
in	O
Canada	O
,	O
on	O
Iusacell	O
in	O
Mexico	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
lime	O
and	O
Digicel	O
in	O
parts	O
the	O
Caribbean	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
9530	O
was	O
an	O
international	O
and	O
worldwide	O
electronic	O
communicating	O
device	O
,	O
featuring	O
CDMA	B-Protocol
with	O
EV-DO	O
Rev	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
data	O
,	O
UMTS	B-Protocol
with	O
HSDPA	O
,	O
and	O
quad-band	O
GSM	O
with	O
EDGE	O
data	O
access	O
speed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
9500	I-Application
does	O
not	O
include	O
the	O
CDMA	B-Protocol
module	O
and	O
is	O
destined	O
for	O
use	O
outside	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
only	O
has	O
European	O
,	O
Oceania	O
,	O
Asia	O
and	O
Brazil	O
UMTS	B-Protocol
and	O
HSDPA	O
frequency	O
bands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Therefore	O
,	O
if	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
is	O
used	O
with	O
GSM	O
wireless	O
carriers	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
will	O
only	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
access	O
wireless	O
internet	O
at	O
EDGE	O
data	O
speed	O
maximum	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
because	O
GSM	O
carriers	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
namely	O
AT&T	O
,	O
T-Mobile	O
,	O
Rogers	O
and	O
Fido	O
do	O
not	O
operate	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
frequency	O
bands	O
for	O
3G	B-Architecture
as	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
is	O
used	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
Africa	O
,	O
Asia	O
,	O
Oceania	O
or	O
Brazil	O
,	O
HSDPA	O
wireless	O
data	O
speed	O
can	O
be	O
achieved	O
,	O
provided	O
that	O
the	O
local	O
GSM	O
network	O
supports	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
phone	O
will	O
use	O
the	O
primary	O
network	O
technology	O
of	O
its	O
intended	O
carrier	O
(	O
Verizon	B-Application
)	O
when	O
traveling	O
domestically	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
,	O
and	O
rely	O
upon	O
the	O
GSM/UMTS/HSDPA	O
networks	O
of	O
Vodafone	O
mainly	O
when	O
traveling	O
abroad	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
currently	O
no	O
unlocked	O
and	O
unbranded	O
versions	O
available	O
for	O
the	O
GSM	O
Blackberry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
however	O
unlocking	O
the	O
phone	O
will	O
allow	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
any	O
GSM	O
service	O
provider	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Storm	O
utilizes	O
the	O
MSM7600	O
from	O
Qualcomm	O
,	O
a	O
dual	O
core	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
with	O
ARM11	O
400MHz	O
and	O
ARM9	O
274MHz	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
features	O
1	O
GB	O
of	O
onboard	O
memory	O
,	O
128	O
MB	O
of	O
NVRAM	B-General_Concept
and	O
an	O
expandable	O
memory	O
slot	O
support	O
for	O
a	O
microSD	O
card	O
of	O
up	O
to	O
an	O
additional	O
32	O
GB	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Verizon	B-Application
Wireless	I-Application
,	O
Bell	O
Mobility	O
and	O
Telus	O
Mobility	O
include	O
a	O
preinstalled	O
8	O
GB	O
microSD	O
card	O
on	O
board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Storm	O
featured	O
a	O
3.25	O
in	O
(	O
8.3cm	O
)	O
TFT-LCD	O
capacitive	O
touchscreen	B-Device
with	O
360x480	O
pixel	B-Algorithm
resolution	O
,	O
able	O
to	O
display	O
65,536	O
colours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
default	O
,	O
the	O
Storm	O
uses	O
a	O
virtual	B-Device
keyboard	I-Device
implementing	O
the	O
SureType	O
predictive	O
text	O
system	O
used	O
by	O
other	O
Blackberry	B-Operating_System
phones	I-Operating_System
when	O
held	O
vertically	O
,	O
switching	O
to	O
a	O
QWERTY	O
keyboard	O
when	O
held	O
horizontally	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Newer	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
Blackberry	B-Application
OS	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Storm	O
allow	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
QWERTY	O
keyboard	O
when	O
held	O
vertically	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Firmware	B-Application
package	O
4.7.0.203	O
(	O
Verizon	B-Application
Wireless	I-Application
)	O
removes	O
the	O
predictive	O
text	O
feature	O
from	O
the	O
multi-tap	O
keyboard	O
configuration	O
;	O
the	O
feature	O
was	O
reinstated	O
in	O
later	O
updates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
features	O
a	O
built-in	O
3.2	O
megapixel	O
camera	O
located	O
on	O
back	O
which	O
features	O
a	O
flash	O
,	O
autofocus	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
video	O
recording	O
capabilities	O
with	O
a	O
maximum	O
resolution	O
of	O
480	O
x	O
352	O
pixels	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Storm	O
supports	O
CDMA	B-Protocol
with	O
EV-DO	O
Rev	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
data	O
,	O
UMTS	B-Protocol
with	O
HSDPA	O
,	O
and	O
quad-band	O
GSM	O
with	O
EDGE	O
data	O
access	O
speed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
9500	I-Application
has	O
a	O
firmware-disabled	O
CDMA	B-Protocol
module	O
and	O
is	O
destined	O
for	O
use	O
outside	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
only	O
has	O
European	O
,	O
Oceania	O
,	O
Asia	O
and	O
Brazil	O
UMTS	B-Protocol
and	O
HSDPA	O
frequency	O
bands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Therefore	O
,	O
if	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
is	O
used	O
with	O
GSM	O
wireless	O
carriers	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
will	O
only	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
access	O
wireless	O
internet	O
at	O
EDGE	O
data	O
speed	O
maximum	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
because	O
GSM	O
carriers	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
namely	O
AT&T	O
,	O
T-Mobile	O
,	O
Rogers	O
and	O
Fido	O
do	O
not	O
operate	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
frequency	O
bands	O
for	O
3G	B-Architecture
as	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
is	O
used	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
Africa	O
,	O
Asia	O
,	O
Oceania	O
or	O
Brazil	O
,	O
HSDPA	O
wireless	O
data	O
speed	O
can	O
be	O
achieved	O
,	O
provided	O
that	O
the	O
local	O
GSM	O
network	O
supports	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
phone	O
will	O
use	O
the	O
primary	O
network	O
technology	O
of	O
its	O
intended	O
carrier	O
(	O
Verizon	B-Application
)	O
when	O
traveling	O
domestically	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
,	O
and	O
rely	O
upon	O
the	O
GSM/UMTS/HSDPA	O
networks	O
of	O
Vodafone	O
mainly	O
when	O
traveling	O
abroad	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
currently	O
no	O
unlocked	O
and	O
unbranded	O
versions	O
available	O
for	O
the	O
GSM	O
Blackberry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
;	O
however	O
unlocking	O
the	O
phone	O
will	O
allow	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
any	O
GSM	O
service	O
provider	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Firmware	B-Application
updates	O
were	O
released	O
after	O
December	O
2008	O
that	O
addressed	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
critic	O
's	O
issues	O
;	O
updates	O
can	O
be	O
downloaded	O
online	O
or	O
over-the-air	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
installed	O
by	O
the	O
user	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
by	O
default	O
is	O
SIM	O
locked	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
subsequently	O
unlocked	O
on	O
both	O
the	O
9500	O
&	O
9530	O
Storm	O
editions	O
to	O
use	O
on	O
any	O
GSM	O
network	O
if	O
the	O
code	O
is	O
obtained	O
from	O
the	O
respective	O
provider	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
9530	O
is	O
not	O
compatible	O
with	O
AT&T	O
Mobility	O
's	O
3G	B-Architecture
UMTS/HSDPA	O
network	O
because	O
its	O
UMTS	B-Protocol
transceiver	O
only	O
works	O
at	O
2.1GHz	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
frequency	O
not	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
for	O
UMTS	B-Protocol
,	O
but	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
will	O
still	O
work	O
over	O
the	O
slower	O
EDGE	O
network	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
and	O
respective	O
EDGE	O
network	O
from	O
Rogers	O
Communications	O
in	O
Canada	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Blackberry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
sold	O
500,000	O
units	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
month	O
and	O
1	O
million	O
units	O
by	O
January	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
had	O
to	O
replace	O
almost	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
one	O
million	O
Storm	O
smartphones	B-Application
sold	O
in	O
2008	O
due	O
to	O
issues	O
with	O
the	O
SurePress	O
touch	B-Device
screen	I-Device
and	O
claimed	O
$500	O
million	O
in	O
losses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Storm	O
was	O
met	O
with	O
generally	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
,	O
some	O
focusing	O
on	O
serious	O
usability	B-General_Concept
problems	O
in	O
particular	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
gadget	O
reviewers	O
,	O
including	O
Bonnie	O
Cha	O
of	O
CNET	O
,	O
Joshua	O
Topolsky	O
of	O
Engadget	B-Application
and	O
Sascha	O
Segan	O
from	O
PC	O
Magazine	O
noted	O
the	O
Storm	O
's	O
much-improved	O
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
and	O
impressive	O
call	O
quality	O
,	O
while	O
also	O
deeming	O
the	O
SurePress	O
touchscreen	B-Device
difficult	O
to	O
learn	O
and	O
a	O
hindrance	O
to	O
fast	O
typing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
reviews	O
also	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
was	O
still	O
unable	O
to	O
handle	O
complex	O
webpages	O
correctly	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
iPhone	B-Device
's	O
Safari	B-Application
is	O
a	O
better	O
mobile	B-Application
browser	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
lack	O
of	O
Wi-Fi	O
support	O
also	O
irked	O
a	O
few	O
reviewers	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
noted	O
by	O
Jeff	O
Rauschert	O
of	O
MLive	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
's	O
wireless	O
network	O
somewhat	O
makes	O
up	O
for	O
this	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
Haskin	O
of	O
the	O
Reseller	O
News	O
noted	O
that	O
BlackBerry	B-Operating_System
's	O
major	O
business	O
features	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
enterprise	O
e-mail	O
integration	O
and	O
Microsoft	O
Office	O
document	O
editing	O
capabilities	O
were	O
on	O
par	O
with	O
BlackBerry	B-Operating_System
's	O
previous	O
offerings	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
these	O
features	O
would	O
likely	O
make	O
the	O
Storm	O
more	O
popular	O
with	O
the	O
business	O
crowd	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
Pogue	O
of	O
the	O
New	O
York	O
Times	O
bashed	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Application
Storm	I-Application
calling	O
it	O
the	O
BlackBerry	B-Operating_System
Dud	O
and	O
said	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
head-bangingly	O
frustrating	O
"	O
,	O
particularly	O
for	O
lacking	O
Wi-Fi	O
and	O
being	O
prone	O
to	O
too	O
many	O
glitches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stephen	O
Fry	O
called	O
the	O
Storm	O
"	O
the	O
Edsel	O
of	O
smartphones	B-Application
,	O
an	O
absolute	O
smeller	O
from	O
top	O
to	O
bottom.	O
"	O
</s>
