Audio

Sound from the BlackBerry Storm is strong, projecting loudly from the speaker on the back of the phone. Unfortunately, at the loudest volume the sound had some static and acquired a slightly tinny sound.

RIM BlackBerry Storm (9530)

Your Price: Free! with service

One way to open music files is to click on the music icon on the main menu screen, which then leads to files sorted into several categories such as artists and playlists.

Audio and other media files can also be accessed through the media icon, which pulls up a screen with options to select music, videos, ringtones, voice notes or pictures. The Storm from Verizon can play polyphonic / MIDI and MP3 ringtones, and comes with 68 preloaded ringtones.

The BlackBerry Storm supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA and WMA ProPlus audio formats.

Messaging

The Storm also provides a wide variety of messaging options with text, picture, video and instant messaging, in addition to email. Users can receive corporate email in real time by syncing with their company's server, for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino accounts, and they can also access up to 10 POP3 or IMAP4 email accounts using the BlackBerry Internet Service.

The Storm's SurePress screen offers two options for convenient dialing and messaging: when users hold the phone vertically for portrait mode, the phone displays a SureType keypad; with the phone held horizontally and the screen view in landscape, the virtual keypad is QWERTY.

These keys are smaller and it initially looked daunting to tap the right keys. But touch one of the keys lightly, and the possible choice is highlighted in blue - giving the users a chance to check whether they are about to press the correct key.

One problem some users have reported is the SurePress screen makes it more complicated, and ultimately slower, to type on the screen because in addition to touching a virtual key, they must click it.

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