As you may know RIM is working on the Storm 2 9950 (aka BlackBerry Odin), the successor of the Storm 9530. CrackBerry is able to get a pre-production BlackBerry Storm 9550 and show it to the world on the video below:
Quick thoughts:
- the hardware is much nicer – this is what Storm “1” should have been. It feels nicer in the hand and the concept is executed more cleanly. Improved engineering all around. Examples: better battery door integration (no need for “feet” for an ill-placed speaker port or hooks to hold the door in place; tighter tolerances (no gaps/light shining through); buttons are part of display
- the click screen is more user-friendly – assuming when the 9550 hits the market the operating system is running as fast and smooth as it does on a non-touch BlackBerry, I *think* maybe I could give up my physical keyboard and make this my daily driver. Watch the video to see it in action. RIM’s premise of separating navigation from confirmation is the same, but the actual SurePress / TruePress / Whatever It Gets Called technology is better. Definitely a better feeling while typing. The display still moves downward a bit (you can feel a physical movement as you push down) and the glass is solid.
- the operating system is basically the same – the hardware in the video is running a version of OS 5.1, so with the Storm 9530/9500 to be upgraded to 5.0 soon, the basic device software difference between Storm 1 and Storm 2 will likely be negligible. The new Storm has more device memory so will be smoother running, but from a basic usage / visual / apps standpoint nothing major is changing.
