BB Bold 2 (9700) vs. BB Storm 2 (9550)

T

Two Legs Bad

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I need a phone for work and my office gave me two choices, the Bold 2 and the Storm 2.

Past experience: My wife has a Bold 2 and I'm okay with it (keys seem a bit small). I'm also comfortable with the virtual keyboard on an iPod touch, but I'm no pro.

Uses (in order of importance): 1) voice and email 2) Web browsing and media consumption (videos, audiobooks and music) and 3) apps, as needed.

I'll be on the Bell network in an area where HSPA+ is available, if that matters.

Any suggestions, opinions and direction gratefully accepted!
 
Sounds more like the 9520 here (Storm2 for GSM, 9550 is for CDMA).

You will definitely see more screen on the 9520 for web browsing.

If you're comfortable with the touch screen on the iPod Touch, you will definitely NOT be comfortable with the Surepress screen on the Storm/Storm2. Speaking from experience because that experience truly annoyed me. Its because the screen on the Storms work differently, requires actual presses, instead of light touches, for the keys to work.

Some apps definitely has to be reformatted for the Storm's screen. Some platform fragmentation there due to the display. There is much more support for the Bold2's screen, since its also the screen used for the Tour and the Curve 8900.

My pick here would be the Bold2, even if the screen is smaller for the web browsing.
 
While the screen real estate is larger on the Storm 2, they both have the same resolution (just rotated 90 degrees) so you'll actually get the same raw amount of information from the Bold 2's fantastic screen.
 
Thanks, Drillbit. You're right: Bell is/was CDMA (EVDO). But they recently upgraded to HSPA+. Not sure of the migration path, but that's what's been reported. The Bell website says the model is the 9550.

And thanks friend'scatdied and ant1pathy for the opinions. The consensus seems to say Bold 2.

I better give this some more thought to this choice because, frankly, I'd been leaning towards the Storm 2. The 9700 seems to get almost universal love. What makes this device so good? On the other hand, people are tepid towards the Storm 2 but I haven't heard a really definitive reason why.

Drillbit, I hadn't heard about the problems with apps on widescreen, but it makes sense. Also, I think I could get used to a screen with a more tactile feedback.
 
SurePress technology is the downfall of the Storm family. It's clunky and inefficient compared to regular capacitive touch input. Additionally the Storm 2 doesn't confer many of the benefits you'd expect from a touchscreen phone. It's not very fast nor intuitive to operate, and the web browsing isn't very good. The Bold 9700 also has a faster CPU than the Storm 2.

The 9700 is not a compromised device, you get a solid phone that functions perfectly.
 
Yes, everyone has the 9700 it seems. The Storm2 is one sleek black device. But the Surepress thing is annoying to use, at least with me and so many others too. The Blackberry UI is a poor match to a touch screen and the Surepress which requires deliberate screen pressure, makes it worst.

The Bold2 is much more agile and responsive with its trackpad, and everything feels lighter and faster. The keys, once you get used to it, is a joy to use. It seems overall a much more ergonomic device.
 
I would go with the 9700 personally. QWERTY keypad will win every time if you plan on doing any amount of typing. Emails are much easier with a physical keyboard. It really comes down to personal preference and what fits your needs the best.
 
Thanks for the added input friend'scatdied, Drillbit and HeavyFluid. This is exactly what I was seeking and explains the fundamental differences between the 9700 and the 9550: Ergonomics.

Disclosure: I have a gimpy thumb that doesn't bend much at the top joint. So typing on my wife's 9700 isn't necessarily effortless. I was hoping that the added real estate on the 9550 would compensate. But it sounds like SurePress, despite the updates, isn't perfect and may offset the advantages of the added area.

The videos I've seen online suggest that the interface on the 9550 is pretty much lifted from the 9700 and other BB devices, just overlaid with a virtual keyboard. I think I can live with that. Less intuitive than the iPhone interace, but manageable. Unless BB decides to come up with a touchscreen specific OS or until they have some middle-layer between the OS and the actual interface, I doubt that user experience will ever be seamless or invisible (as I'ver heard the iPad's referred to).

I really need to try the new SurePress for myself. The one Bell store I've visited only had a dummy, no working 9550s. Is this typical? Any suggestions on how/where to find a functional Storm 2?
 
I've found that typing is easier on a virtual capacative board, as there's no fatigue after long emails and with a good predictive/autocorrect/spellcheck there's no loss of accuracy. To each their own, but I'll never go back to physical after having an iPhone for a while.

OP: you seem determined to like the Storm2, so go with that I guess. Everyone has extolled the benefits of the Bold, but go with whatever you want. And clicking the SurePress screen is worse by far than using the Bold keypad.
 
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