The Storm is coming Nov. 21. Verizon Wireless announced that Research in Motion’s “clickable” touchscreen BlackBerry Storm will be available online and at its retail stores on that date for $199.99 after a rebate.
The $50 rebate will require a two-year commitment. The Storm has been generating a significant amount of media buzz — and, according to Verizon, customer interest — because of unique features that Verizon and RIM hope will provide some shelter against Apple’s popular iPhone 3G.
‘Tactile Click Response’
There had been speculation that the Storm might be offered for free, as Vodafone said last month that it will do in Great Britain. To get the free Storm, British customers also have to sign up for a two-year contract.
Vodafone has exclusive rights to the device in Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand, while Verizon has the U.S.
The Storm is the first BlackBerry touchscreen model. But it’s a unique kind of touchscreen, called SurePress, which provides a “tactile click response” when pressed.
This approach, which RIM has described as “revolutionary touchscreen technology,” is intended to enhance user interaction and typing. To make a selection, the user pushes down the screen in an action described by RIM as “much like a physical keyboard.” The screen also supports single-touch, multi-touch and gestural interaction.
The Storm is packed with features, including a media player for movies and music, a 3.2-megapixel camera, a full HTML browser, and the ability to view and work on Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. There are also tools for easy connectivity with Facebook and Flickr, and the Storm supports Verizon’s EV-DO Rev A network.
A ‘Big Release’
It also has a built-in accelerometer so the screen can automatically switch between landscape and portrait orientation as the device is turned — similar to the iPhone. Double-tapping allows users to zoom in, while sliding fingers…