Check out hands-on photos of the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 for Verizon Wireless.
Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 is RIM's second-generation touch-screen smartphone. Though Verizon hasn't announced official details, the Storm 2 is expected to ship in November for a price similar to the original Storm, which was $200 with a two-year contract.
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New features and enhancements
The BlackBerry Storm 2 brings a number of new features and improvements, including a revamped SurePress touch screen, updated operating system, and Wi-Fi.
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Similar design
The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 doesn't look that much different from its predecessor. In fact, it has the exact same dimensions: 4.4 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick and it weighs 5.6 ounces.
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Storm 2 vs. iPhone 3G
For size comparison, here is the BlackBerry Storm 2 next to the Apple iPhone 3G.
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Touch screen
The Storm 2's glass capacitive touch screen measures 3.2 inches diagonally and has a half-VGA resolution (480x360). It also features a built-in accelerometer and a proximity sensor (RIM calls it face detection).
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SurePress Technology
RIM has revamped its SurePress technology, replacing the mechanical suspension system with electronic activators beneath the display that give off an impulse that simulates the feel of a click. The electronic SurePress technology also allows for key rollover and multitouch capabilities for copy/paste.
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BlackBerry Storm 2 disassembled
Here you can see the breakdown of the Storm 2. The second piece shows the four activators of the electronic SurePress system.
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Navigation controls
The navigation controls are also integrated into SurePress so they're no longer separate buttons; holding down the BlackBerry menu button will also bring up the application switcher.
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Right side
On the right side, you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker, and a customizable convenience key.
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Camera
The BlackBerry Storm 2 offers a 3.2-megapixel camera with video-recording capabilities, flash, geotagging capabilities, image stabilization, and more.
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Picture quality
The Storm 2's camera took some decent photos. Images could have been slightly sharper, but the colors were nice and rich.
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World phone, double the memory
Behind the battery door, you'll find the SIM card and microSD expansion slots. The Storm 2 offers world roaming capabilities and has double the memory of its predecessor (256MB Flash memory and 2GB of onboard media memory). RIM said some carriers will ship the smartphone with 16GB microSD cards; the expansion slot can accept up to 32GB cards.
