I have to agree. Something is missing. It isn't ugly but unlike the Bold, there seems to be some "tension" missing on the Storm/Thunder. Unlike the Bold with its sleek black fascia framed by a beveled chrome rim, the Storm/Thunder seems to round off into its chrome rim. The chrome frets separating the key rows in the Bold with its bowing articulation and "U" insert below adds some tension to the flatness of the face and that makes it interesting.
Holding the Storm/Thunder landscape wise would be less than ideal (try flipping your Bold to the back and see since it has a similar profile). Your thumb resting on the sloping edge is not very natural.
What I like about the Storm/Thunder is the back. The glass lens cover and steel battery door gives it a very polished look. That is much nicer than the Bold's boxed double cutout for the lens/flash cluster.
It seems like RIM have two design language going on here - the Javelin/Storm and there's the Bold/Curve/Flip. Or, perhaps one is evolving into the other.
As someone here said, to each its own.
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