[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by Donbp

Of course it makes them nervous, it does corporate email and it does it with security. Also, in the US at least it does it on VZ and not ATT. Two huge advantages right off.

iphone does Exchange. Also AT&T, not Verizon, has the most amount of BB user in the US. RIM does have the security thing nailed, for now anyway.

[zehnmm]

My take on all this is that I disagree with Mr. Pogue's opinions about the Storm, although I always look forward to his articles. I realize that I, often like others, tend to defend my purchases and perhaps be biased a bit.

But:

a. Voice call quality: in my house and around the area, (mountains in southern New Mexico) reception is decent and voice quality is better than average. In my business, the most important feature is reasonable voice call quality. So far, so good. Good score here.
b. Email: Storm continues the BB tradition of what I believe is the best email device around. I give it top scores.
c. Internet browsing. I find it not as good as Iphones that friends have demonstrated. But, it is better than my Q Smartphone, and works reasonably well for my uses. My opinion: above average.
d. Touchpad. I wanted this versus a keyboard. (Because my area does not get the 3G ATT signal, the Iphone was not a choice for me. ATT phones get virtually no signal at my house.) Coming from my Q, the touchpad experience is better. Perhaps those who are already used to other BB's and their keypads, this phone is not for them. I find the touchpad experience to work for me and work very well. My view for my uses: above average.
e. Other features, including camera, video, picture viewing, music handling, and other items. IMHO, above average scores here. Pictures that I have downloaded to my Storm look absolutely stunning. Some have dinged the Storm for lack of wi-fi, but for my uses, that is a non-issue. I am a road warrior business traveler on occasion and for wi-fi, I take my 2.5 lb. laptop....

So far, I give my new phone a very good grade. Time will tell as I use it in my business. FYI, this is the first new phone that I have been really excited about since my Motorola Startac, with internet and email capability. Great phone, that Startac.

Regards to all,

Steve

[TheBigNewt]

I've decided that I will not pay any attention to any "review" from someone who's spent a few minutes at the store (like me) or a few hours in the office (Mr. Pogue) with the Storm. I've read countless opinions from users and owners and the "20 minute store users" generally are frustrated (I was too) and the weeklong owners are generally pretty positive. The lagginess and slow to switch keyboards are the most common complaints from them, as well as touching the screen with their face during a call and goofing it up. Typing does not seem to bother the weeklong owners much at all, whereas it bothers the "store people" a lot. That tells me something right there. Keyboard BB people will not go for the Storm just like QWERTY people didn't go for the Pearl. But most people can do either, and that's good to know.

[4Runner]

Originally Posted by Donbp

Of course it makes them nervous, it does corporate email and it does it with security. Also, in the US at least it does it on VZ and not ATT. Two huge advantages right off.

On our Corp Exchange servers my iPhone did secure email without issue. It is the other controls the iPhone lacks as to why we, IT, keep it off our network. We are waiting for it to mature a bit. However, secure email and remote wipe are nice additions and is why we are testing it now. Also, given Alltel/Verizon merger, we will probably be offering AT&T to our corporate account as well.

[Frank Castle]

Nervous in the fact that while yes they offer a small subset of the ActiveSync controls it no way nears what BES provides the enterprise. It makes a nice option for the small / medium size company that doesn't have the regulation / controls we need and likely is cheaper to support (no BES).

Blackberry though not as sexy and having everything iPhone does (perhaps of questionable value to enterprise) DOES provide the things we care about (device management, reporting, policies). Until Apple can equal or better those controls its really not even a comparasion. I was at an event with our at&t reps and some of the apple "enterprise team" was there and mentioned all this and they basically said it's not a priority at the moment (read consumers) so until Apple wants to get serious about enterprise mobility in the 10,000+ space it will be a niche for those that can get favors from the CIO.