Buy An Unlocked Blackberry Storm Here & Save!

The 9500 and 9530 are the earlier versions of Blackberry’s 9500 series, with Blackberry Storm unlocked and locked versions available for consumer use.

These phones have been floating around in the market for around a year in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada, and they have gained a loyal following among Blackberry phone users with business in mind.

• Glass capacitative touch screen; haptic interface with accelerometer – the haptic interface means that pressure can be applied in order to ‘click’ a button on the touch screen. This greatly decreases errors and makes the Blackberry Storm much more user-friendly than capacitative touch screens. The built-in accelerometer also works to reorient the screen to whatever direction it is facing, making the Blackberry storm even more user-friendly than other phones.
• 3.25 inch TFT-LCD; 360 x 480 px flat screen – a generous screen with more than a modest pixel rate makes using the Blackberry Storm an experience that is very easy on the eyes.
• SureType and QWERTY keyboard – the SureType keyboard pops up when the Storm is oriented vertically, while the QWERTY keyboard pops up when the phone is turned horizontally. This allows users to select which kind of keyboard they are most comfortable with.
• 111.12 x 62 x 13.99 mm dimensions – these dimensions puts the Blackberry storm on par with other smartphones. Not exactly the thinnest phones on the market, but not quite big enough to be a bother.
• 155 grams - while the Blackberry Storm is not big enough to be a bother, it IS significantly heavy enough to cause a bulge in anyone’s pockets.
• 3.2 mp camera with flash, autofocus, video support up to 480 x 352 px support – while not extraordinary or industry-shaking additions, these features are a nice addition to any smartphone - especially for a Blackberry.
• 1 GB internal memory; up to 16 GB microSD memory – the 1 GB internal memory is enough to give music and a few videos ‘elbow room,’ but expanding the memory with microSD drives is the way to go for those looking to really keep a lot data on the Blackberry Storm.
• DX-1 lithium-ion battery – 15 days on standby, 5.5 hours of GSM talk time and 6 hours of CDMA talk time. These are very decent longevity rates for a smartphone, which makes the Blackberry Storm an even more attractive option for those with business in mind.
• Sold separately you'll find a ton of Blackberry Storm skins and cases. Coming in all sorts of colors designs and in silicon and leather you'll be sure to find a perfect protective case online.

Quick Review

Before anything else, it is important to note that the 9500 and 9530 are EXACTLY the same except for one little thing: network support. The 9500 is for Vodafone, while the 9530 is for Verizon Wireless, Telus Mobility, Bell Mobility and Iusacell.

This little quip aside, the Blackberry Storm’s greatest assets lie in its haptic or htc touch screen interface. E-mailing and web-browsing are a breeze, especially with the ‘clickability’ of an htc touch screen. Support for word, spreadsheet and powerpoint documents is a trademark of the Blackberry line, and the Storm does not disappoint.

One particular beef with the Storm, however, is the slow speeds of earlier operating systems, the weight of the set and the lack of Wi-Fi support. Later updates of the Blackberry OS have significantly improved the Storm’s speeds, but you will have to look to the  the Blackberry Storm 2nd generation, otherwise known as Storm 2, if you want Wi-Fi support. If weight is a problem, then you will either have to live with it or select a new smartphone that does not bulge in the pants. At 160 grams, the 2nd generation weighs even more than the 1st generation.

Despite their age, however, these features make Blackberry’s first forays into the world of touch screen technology very welcome indeed – especially those looking for an extremely functional smartphone. You will still have to save up to reach the $460 to $900 price tag for a piece, as the Blackberry line’s sleek design and functional features come at a cost.

You can get even lower prices if you purchase discount used or pre-owned phones. You can also look for unlocked Blackberry Storm phones at a discount online, but make sure to verify your sources first. Buy from credible sites dedicated to phone sales rather than private individuals to purchase a cheap phone while minimizing the risk of fraud.

Finally, here you can learn more about the functions of the Blackberry Storm!