Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black) Reviews
Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
- 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 3G Network HSDPA 2100
- TFT capacitive touchscreen, 65K colors Size 360 x 480 pixels, 3.25 inches – Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
- 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, video, LED flash
- - Built-in GPS – A-GPS function – BlackBerry maps – Document editor – Java – Media player MP3/WMA/AAC+ – 3.5 mm audio output jack -
- Video player MPEG4/3gp/H.264/WMV – Organizer – Calculator – Voice dial – Built-in handsfree – Voice memo
Blackberry storm 9500; Quad band; 3.15 Mega pixel Camera; Bluetooth; Full Touch screen; SurePress Screen; 528mhz processor; 1 gig internal storage; 3.5mm stard audio jack; Document editor; Mp4 Player; MP3 player; GPS; Voice Dial; No US Warranty; Hot Swap; 3.25″ 65k color display
Rating: 
(out of 58 reviews)
List Price: $ 499.99
Price: $ 280.00
BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone, White (T-Mobile)
- Access all your email and messaging as well as social networking sites; full QWERTY keyboard with touch-sensitive optical trackpad
- Compatible with T-Mobile’s 3G network (available in select markets); unlimited nationwide Wi-Fi Calling with T-Mobile?s Unlimited HotSpot Calling service
- Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g); 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth stereo music; microSD memory expansion to 32 GB; access to personal and corporate email
- Up to 6 hours of talk time, up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time
- What’s in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 2 GB microSD memory card, USB cable, wired hands-free headset, BlackBerry Desktop Software, quick start guide, user manual
Powerful and refined, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone for T-Mobile includes built-in support for both 3G connectivity and voice calls over Wi-Fi networks (802.11b/g). Enabled for T-Mobile’s expanding high-speed 3G network, the Bold 9700 offers fast data delivery and an enhanced Web-browsing experience that lets you connect quickly to social networking sites such as Facebook. And, of course, you’ll enjoy all the communication and connectivity features you’ve come to expect from a BlackBerry p
Rating: 
(out of 3 reviews)
List Price: $ 499.99
Price: $ 49.99
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[...] garmingp пишет: I can’t properly sync my phone with my Mac given the software they include and the USB cable. However, thanks to Google’s amazing Sync application, I do all of my syncing wirelessly as often as I wish. ….. Lots of memory with the included 8mb mini SD card. Cons: It freezes constantly. Typing is not easy. I use landscape, which is easier, but it’s still not great. Software glitching a lot. Phone doesn’t always ring, or freezes when you try to answer … [...]
Review by D. Pearlman for Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
Rating:
I’ve now come to the conclusion that everybody who wrote reviews on the phone spent about five minutes with the device. Part of me doesn’t blame them. If I reviewed electronics for a living, I wouldn’t want to spend several days really testing the phone. However, with a cell phone as radically different as the Storm, it is unfair to make these judgments on the keyboard, etc. in haste.
Simply put, the phone is very good. It isn’t as breathtaking as I wanted it to be, however it is not nearly as disappointing as many critics want you to think (**cough** New York Times, excuse me). The keyboard is getting easier and easier to use as time goes by. If RIM put a tracker ball at the bottom of the phone where it is on all the other units, then this would in fact be, an iPhone killer. When I look at the phone, there is definitely room for that magical RIM trackball…(can you say Storm2?)
Starting from the top. The phone feels solidly built. It has a good weight to it and feels durable. My only fear is that my propensity for dropping phones will be disastrous for the glass click screen. I’m having bad thoughts about not being able to do anything with the phone because the click activator ceases to work or I’ll scratch up that beautiful screen. Three times in the last seven years or so I’ve had the misfortune of waking up from a night of drinking only to find giant cracks on the LCDs of my phones (can you say insurance? iPhone people can’t, and that alone will FOREVER stop me from getting one). Seriously though, I really hope this thing is bomb proof. I have a silicon condom on it, which better keep it safe at night.
I was perplexed when I powered it on for the first time. The phone takes several minutes to reboot. This is a laptop, not a phone, right? Thankfully I only have to reset the phone every so often… Pretty is a good word to describe the design and graphics overall.
The click screen is a trip. It is definitely takes adjustment, but I really dig it. It definitely limits the speed of your typing because you must remain in line with the speed of “The Cadence of the Clicker” (this is the name of my next album). I say that because when you are really going at it, it can create a steady beat like a metronome. This just feels like one of the drawbacks to writing novels on any mobile device. All keyboards have a handicap, but I sincerely miss being able to press to multiple buttons at the almost exact time (as we are accustomed to on a computer keyboard). This system causes you to be a little more accurate because you can’t barrel through your letters, so it may be a bonus after all. I also like the SureType keyboard in portrait mode. It uses the predictive text heavily, and it is a great fast type option with one thumb. This mode suffers most from the click limiter because the surface area is far too tight for dual finger typing as tempting as it is.
One of my friends voiced his displeasure with the auto correct function on the text. I find it useful. Just remember if it auto corrects something and you don’t like it, immediately hit the DELETE button, and it will revert to your perverted word or innocent typo. His changed the word “f*&^ing” into “ducking.” The best way around this is to add these words that you use when frustrated or talking dirty to your lover into the Dictionary. To do so, go to the HOME screen, then choose: OPTIONS-CUSTOM DICTIONARY. Now hit the BlackBerry button and select NEW.
I’ve also heard that the VZNavigator and Visual Voicemail programs should be removed to speed up the performance of the phone. After all, who is going to pay $10 and $3/month for such frivolous features? What I was jazzed to see is that Google Maps’ triangulation feature was not disabled here as it was on my i760 and Treo. This means that it will show your approximate location on the map for free. It is a nice feature to get you partially orientated at no cost (just keep in mind it is using cell towers to locate you, so you must have service for it to work, which is not the case with true GPS/VZNav).
The media player is good. It is not an iPod, but it has a great search feature, and is intuitively laid out. The resolution on the screen is better than the iPhone and video looks GREAT. The included headphones sound great and the speakerphone gets extremely loud, however it is very tinny sounding and has an over modulated feel when at high volumes.
The icing on the cake is that I am not utilizing the BlackBerry Corporate server, therefore, I do not have to pay for BlackBerry data access. I am now paying only $29.99 for data where I was paying $44.99 on my Samsung for the exact same unlimited data/email service. With this savings, my Storm will pay for itself in 14 months of service!
The device lock is good. You can either hit the button on the top left of the phone, or you can use the “Lock” button in your home menu. I’m peeved at how the Mute/un-Mute button still functions while the device is locked. I’ve had the phone suddenly start playing “Rise Against” over the speakerphone (which can get pretty damn loud) at times that I wished it hadn’t. I understand that it is to let you control your music without unlocking the device, however I always saw locking as the way to prevent your phone from doing strange things in the privacy of your pocket/holster without your permission. FIX: just lower your media playback volume all the way to silent.
The ringer alerts are one of the best features on the phone. I can’t be happier in this department. This puts every phone I’ve ever seen to shame (I don’t know if all BBs do this, this is my first). You can select from a plethora of options including: Normal, Loud, Medium, Vibrate Only, Silent, All Alerts Off, and my personal favorite Phone Calls Only (all with the touch of a button). I’m used to an all or nothing world, or having to go into individual menus and make these decisions (time consuming/annoying? Yes). Furthermore, the alarm will sound in any mode other than All Alerts Off.
Where the Storm crushes the iPhone is in the folder organization possibilities on the home page. Where the iPhone only allows you to move your applications around, the Storm lets you create folders to keep everything organized as if it were a computer desktop. I absolutely love this ability because I’m very big at keeping things `tidy.’
I’m also a fan of how the screen fades down instead of cutting out when it is time to turn off. This is great because it reminds you that you have to do something to the device if you don’t want the image to go away completely.
Some tips:
To get IMAP to work with GMAIL, follow the instructions here: http://forums.crackberry.com/f86/storm-gmail-imap-99071/
Don’t waste your time like I did, just go directly to this website as per the forums instructions: https://bis.na.blackberry.com/html?brand=vzw
I was concerned that there was a charge to using this service (because I’m not utilizing Verizon’s BlackBerry email service), but there isn’t.
To copy and paste, you simply hold down one finger where you want to start, and then drag along with another to where you want it to end.
When entering text, if you spell something so terribly wrong that its suggestions aren’t helpful, then the best thing to do is just delete the entire word. This is frustrating. It doesn’t allow you to fix your mistake because when you click on a part of the word it makes you chose from the suggested list. I wish there were a way around this. Nevertheless, if you just give up, then you can move on without losing any more hair.
I can’t properly sync my phone with my Mac given the software they include and the USB cable. However, thanks to Google’s amazing Sync application, I do all of my syncing wirelessly as often as I wish. YOU MUST DOWNLOAD THIS PROGRAM!
Review by S. Brusco for Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
Rating:
May 4, 2010 I have a love-hate relationship with my Verizon Blackberry Storm 1.
In April 2010, I bought and returned an iPhone from AT&T and a Sprint Google Android phone from Samsung. I also tried out the BlackBerry Storm 2. My story unfolds…
When the antenna on my BB Storm 1 stopped working, my first instinct was to get the Storm 2 from Verizon as a replacement. I checked it out and I was unimpressed. Not much new there, except that it is now Wi-Fi capable. Now, you would think that Verizon Wireless would set up a simple wireless router at their showrooms to show just how fast their phones are, but Verizon is not that smart. Anyway, the Storm 2 is just as pathetic as the Storm 1 when it comes to internet browsing over the network. It’s so bad that the Attorneys General of the US should sue them for false advertising. Verizon calls it high-speed internet, but it truly is the speed of dial-up. Remember dial-up? 56K? It takes 30 to 90 seconds to load an average web page. At least it does in the Providence area. And around here, the phone coverage sucks too. At times, I have 5 bars, sometimes I have 3, sometimes no signal at all, and that’s all without leaving my house.
I decided to try the iPhone 3Gs and go over to the Dark Side. I LOVED IT! The browser is phenomenal and FAST! Almost as fast as my home computer, whether I was using Wi-Fi or in the car. The phone is much easier to use than the BlackBerry. The signal was ALWAYS 5 bars… EVERYWHERE, even in the hills of Connecticut where my wife’s old Verizon phone had maybe 1 bar. Worked great in San Francisco too. But this story does not have a happy ending. The iPhone went back 29 days later.
Although everything about the iPhone gets an A or A+, its calendar reminder system gets a big fat F! I almost missed a class, and I was teaching the class!! The iPhone only tells you about an appointment once. Then you’re on your own. I need to be reminded 5 hours out, 2 hours out, 30 minutes out and then every 5 minutes after that, until I say “Dismissed”. I looked into fixes and other possibilities. I called AT&T and Apple support and went to the AT&T and Apple stores. Everyone looked at me as if to say “Dude, this is the best phone in the world, your A.D.D. is not the iPhone’s problem.” One woman told me to set multiple appointments so I would be reminded adequately. My reply was “You want me to clutter my calendar because the iPhone does a terrible job of reminding me of stuff I have to do?” And every person I asked said “Well, I’m sure there’s an app for that.” The cop-out mantra of iPhone support “There’s an app for that.” No, there isn’t! Well, not unless you call getting sent emails and text messages or an entirely separate reminder app a good solution. Beyond frustrated, I Googled and started reading the forums. I learned that Apple did not open the SDK (the iPhone’s architecture) for 3rd party developers. No adequate fix exists for this problem, and apparently it’s not even on Apple’s radar. In May 2010, they are releasing a major upgrade to the software and snoozing is not part of it. Below I complain that the BlackBerry’s task and appointment reminders can only snooze a set amount of time. Oh ma Gah! This is heaven compared to the iPhone.
My other gripe about the iPhone was that it can only do one thing at a time… literally. It’s not multi-tasking. If you are listening to Slacker Radio and you get a call or you go to a web page, the iPhone closes the application. When you go back, you start over. The upside is you don’t have the nasty memory problems that the Storm used to have, but this was Apple’s best idea??? Wow, big brain trust there.
iPhone doesn’t have a flash for the camera. If you know anything about photography, you know the more light the better. Pictures without a flash indoors will be dark and/or grainy, even if you edit them after the fact.
Typing on the iPhone was okay, but merely okay.
I have heard that AT&T phone and data coverage is bad in major cities. A lot of young people live in big cities and they all have iPhones, thus the systems are overloaded.
So, to summarize, if you want to be entertained, take photos in broad daylight, and use social media all day long, get an iPhone. If you have actual responsibilities or have A.D.D like me, and you need a true PDA (personal digital assistant), stick with a BlackBerry… any BlackBerry. The iPhone grew out of the iPod — an entertainment device — and then they added a phone. BlackBerries started out as business devices and have added entertainment for those rare occasions that business people don’t have something else they should be doing. God, I sound old!
Oh, by the way, when people at AT&T say “try the iPhone free for 30 days”, they don’t mean it. I had to pay a $35 restocking fee AND I had to pay for almost 30 days of phone service. The 2-year contract did not kick in though.
Onto the Android. I tried the Samsung Moment. Its reminder feature was weak. I mean that literally. I didn’t hear it. And a bumble bee 10 feet away vibrates my pocket more that that phone. And the Android cannot snooze a task or appointment either, but you can set multiple (I don’t know how many) reminders in the calendar appointment, not that you’ll hear or feel any of them when they go off.
Oh, and you need to have Google Mail and Calendar to even try the calendar. If I could have checked out reminders in the store, I would have known right away that the Android was not for me. Regular Yahoo Mail accounts do not work with Android at this time. I didn’t even try my work email.
The phone functionality of the Android was slow and not well thought out (long story short). Google needs to fix that immediately.
Typing on the Samsung Moment was okay, but merely okay. I may have gotten used to its slide-out keyboard, but I didn’t keep it that long.
Sprint’s network speed was half of what AT&T’s is in Providence and San Francisco. (I live in RI and traveled to San Fran while I had the phone.) Luckily, Sprint’s policy is now not to charge a dime if you bring it back within 30 days, but they would not take back the overpriced $40 phone protector.
To wrap up this comparison of the 4 phones, I don’t think the BlackBerry Storm 1 is perfect, but it still does most of the things I need it to do and it does those things well enough. Oh, by some stroke of luck, my phone started working again 6 weeks later, so I’m sticking with the Storm 1 for now. If someone knows of a good phone/PDA/push email device that works better, please email me!
There’s more details about the BlackBerry Storm 1 below.
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A January 2010 update to the updates below.
#4 Desktop Manager 5.0.1.28 works well with Outlook 2007 on Windows 7.
In January 2010, I bought a new computer with Windows 7. I got a great deal on Microsoft Office 2007, so I installed the new Office. Well, that combination didn’t work so well with my ol’ reliable BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.2.2.14. I decided to upgrade to the latest version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager (something I said I would never do). It all works very well together. I was previously running Windows XP and Office 2000.
—————————-
This is a Dec 2009 update to my April 2009 review of the Storm 1 (this is not a review of the Storm 2). The numbers refer to my April 2009 criticisms (below the dotted line).
summary: much better since 5.0 operating system released in Oct 2009
#1 The Storm 1 was greatly improved when BlackBerry released the 5.0 operating system. Now I’d have to give the Storm 4 out of 5 stars.
#1B Those sub-second connections to internet pages that they show in the commercials… are still a big fat lie! To call the connection “broadband” is a complete deception perpetrated by Verizon. This is approximately dialup speed minus the wheezing and hissing of a modem. That said, I absolutely love that I can connect to the internet almost anytime/anyplace.
#2 To mitigate the fat-fingering problems I was having with the full QWERTY keyboard in landscape mode, I have been using the SureType keyboard in portrait mode. It’s a QWERTY keyboard in 3 rows x 5 columns. What makes it quick and effective is that the Storm starts suggesting words to select after typing in a few letters of the word. I can single-thumb or double-thumb most everything now. To change the keyboard default to SureType, in the options (the wrench icon), choose Screen/Keyboard, then change the Portrait View Keyboard to SureType.
#3 hasn’t changed. In April, I forgot to mention that in order to get turn by turn spoken directions, you have to pay Verizon a $10 ransom per month or buy software from Garmin for $100. You can use BlackBerry Maps or Google Maps for free, but it doesn’t talk to you.
#4 Synchronization works well with Desktop Manager 4.2.2.14 (released April 26, 2007). It doesn’t have the niceties that the current release has, but it actually works, unlike more recent releases. On several occasions, I spent an entire DAY upgrading to “the latest and greatest” only to have to uninstall it and then install 4.2 again. This happened more than once on the advice of Verizon technicians who don’t know nearly as much as the RIM techs. I will be using Desktop Manager 4.2 until the day this phone dies. Fool me once, shame on Verizon. Fool me twice (and then a third time), shame on me. There will be no fourth time.
#5 phrase selection has been vastly improved, but still isn’t great. It would be really helpful if double-clicking would highlight a word. And apparently BlackBerry is completely unfamiliar with the concept of “undo”. If you delete some text, well that’s just too bad. You can “discard” all the changes you’ve made since last saving or you can retype what you just blasted, if you can remember what it was.
#6 I hope BlackBerry changed the location of the micro-SD card for the Storm 2, because its placement on the Storm 1 was just plain stupid. You remember that board game “Operation” by Milton Bradley? It’s like that. “Take out memory card.” Bzzzzz!
#7 still a problem but they’ve made a half-hearted attempt of making the number pad easier to get to. If they made the number pad smaller and put the function buttons all in one smaller row, that way everything is available on one screen, it would be truly appreciated.
#8 there’s only one pre-set choice for a “snooze”. Honestly RIM, this is inexcusable. Do something about this!
#9 Actually voice recognition for contacts is quite easy to use. The button on the left of the phone is set up to do this as a default. Speak the name and choose from a few possibilities.
#10 The “can you hear me now?” geek from Verizon still has not been to my house to improve coverage at my place of residence. I am moving soon and if the coverage sucks at that house too, I will be shelling over another $250 to Verizon to fill in the gap in their network. Hey Verizon, can you hear this? [I'm making a gesture.] But in Verizon’s (or “VZ” to be cool because apparently teenagers can’t spell anything these days, nor be bothered to call something by its given name if it is greater than 3 letters long)… [Where was I? Oh, yeah.] In Verizon’s defense, their network beats AT&T’s coverage hands down; people who have the i-Phone constantly complain that they can’t make calls and calls are dropped.
One more thing, I’ve discovered that the Storm makes a very handy flashlight. No, I’m not joking. If you open the Video Camera application, the LED light (the flash) on the back of the phone comes on and stays on. It is bright!
In summary, if the devil is in the details, this device is now a little mischievous. Theoretically, this is still the best phone available, except perhaps for the Storm 2 (which I assume is better than Storm 1). I no longer wish I still had that old, big, clunky, reliable and easy-to-use, brick-sized HP IPAQ.
——– original review from April 2009 —————————–
If this phone worked the way it was supposed to, there would be no reason to even consider any other phone. It has everything: phone, PDA, 3G web browser, multi-media player, sleek look, a 16GB expansion card (comes with an 8GB card), 3.2 mega-pixel camera WITH A FLASH, voice dialing, a big hi-res screen, email that gets pushed to your Storm, so you don’t have to log on to check your mail!!
Then why am I already wishing I had returned it during the grace period? I had an HP IPAQ H6315 for 4 years which was way better than this, but it didn’t have all the bells and whistles, so I got the Storm.
#1 it’s painfully slow. Those sub-second connections to internet pages that they show in the commercials… in your dreams!! Even opening and closing applications makes me want to slap it upside the head to get its attention.
#2 the on-screen QWERTY keypad is difficult to use for anyone with adult-size thumbs. I am constantly fat-fingering letters.
#3 Although it does have a GPS antenna built into it, it relies on the data network to show you the map and give you directions. No reception, no map. Again, it’s painfully slow.
#4 Synchronization has been a problem since I got the phone 8 weeks ago. I wrote many, many notes to myself over the weekend while at a conference. This morning when I synchronized with my pc, they all disappeared.
#5 Editing on the Storm is nearly impossible. I still haven’t figured out how to highlight words (double-click doesn’t work, nor does click and drag)
#6 In all their wisdom, Blackberry made the micro-SD nearly inaccessible. Most devices that use cards have them on the side, so you can swap them in and out without a big fuss. Oh no, not Blackberry, they put it deep inside this device. Brilliant.
#7 When you talk on the phone, your cheak will press buttons. RIM also thought it would be a good idea to hide the number pad after the call connects. Who wants to use the number pad during a call anyway??
#8 When you get a reminder, there’s only one pre-set choice for a “snooze”. If you want it to remind you an hour from now, sorry, you’ll have to open the calendar item or task. It will take you about 40 seconds to do so because of #1 and #2.
#9 Forget about scrolling through your contacts or tasks. That would take you forever. You have to know what you’re looking for and type in a few letters. Now see #2. Although in its defense, it does have voice recognition for contacts. Of course I haven’t had time to set this up yet (see #4).
#10 And that “can you hear me now?” geek from Verizon has apparently never been to my house. Although Verizon does have a device that essentially creates a mini cell tower in your house and then connects to Verizon through your hi-speed modem… for $250!!
In summary, if the devil is in the details, this device must be evil. From a detailed analysis of everything out there, this was the best phone available, because HP still had not put out a similar product. I wish I had that old, big, clunky, reliable and easy-to-use, brick-sized IPAQ back. When HP does put out an IPAQ with these features, I will absolutely buy it.
(I bought this phone from Verizon, not from Amazon.)
Review by Mohammed Rakkasgi for Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
Rating:
I ordered Blackberry storm , it was shipped by OEM.
The screen is very very bad. It is very lose and always shakes. looks like sumone has tampered it .
the item which i received is very bad condition..
dont ever order frm this site
Review by Donald Brent for Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
Rating:
All in all I am VERY satisfied with this phone! I have not found it to be slow at all. In fact in a side by side test, it loads web pages and apps much faster than my daughters iPhone. Also, I have not had any of the syncing issues described in other reviews (although I’m using a PC, not an Apple).
Some have said they don’t care for the clickable screen. I REALLY like it! Although my fingers aren’t huge they arn’t tiny either and the QWERTY keyboard works for me just fine (although I’d definitly recommend landscape mode when typing). I have noticed that the more you use the typing feature the more you get a “feel” for typing on the virtual keyboard.
My only issue with this phone was getting a well built unit. The first phone I bought had some kind of contaminant under the glass of the screen. Phone#2 had a bad mic, Phone#3 had a problem “clicking” on one edge of the screen. I’m on phone#4 currently and I think this one is a winner (knock wood). I will say that Verizon switched out the phone each time, no questions asked and sincerely wanted me to be happy with my purchase.
Minor complaints (not strong enough to deduct a Star):
1. Music data (album name, artist, etc…) should be editable on the device, instead of just on windows before you transfer the song over.
2. The data displayed while a song is playing does not appear to be configurable.
3. Hoping for a 32gb SD card option although 16mb is probably fine.
4. Agree with the previous review re:placement of the sd card. It would have made more sense to put it on the outside somewhere to make it easier to swap out.
Overall, I would highly recommend this phone and would advise that one just be picky to make sure your phone doesn’t have any functional issues.
Don
Review by C. Cruz for Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
Rating:
I got an email from Verizon today. It says I am eligible for my “New every Two”. I will have a nice new phone before the week is over.
I got my first Blackberry (the Curve) two years ago. I absolutely loved it! I told my husband it would be the last phone I ever had (as he shook his head, yeah right). But this review is not about the Curve, it is about the Storm- so here goes.
When I saw all the commercials and ads for the Storm, I was excited, since the iPhone was not available to me as a Verizon customer (and I am a Mac user). I researched and compared the two phones, and found they both had pros and cons of their own, but were fairly comparable depending on what you wanted it for.
Last Mother’s Day, my husband came home with a brand new Blackberry Storm for me- paying… (and please don’t shake your heads and roll your eyes- IT WAS MY GIFT!)… paying FULL RETAIL PRICE for it. Okay, so I thought of returning it… but I really was looking forward to using it, plus I was the only person I knew who had one! I gave my Curve to my husband. After the one month honeymoon of loving all the features and apps…. it takes great pictures and looks slick…. the honeymoon ended (of course it was also after the return window was no longer an option.)
The first thing I realized I hated was if you were talking hands-free by resting the phone between your shoulder and ear, the screen would depress and either mute or put the other party on speaker. I paid for an app to fix this (BerrySlider). In August, less than 3 months after owning this phone, I would hit the green talk button and the camera would start up; I would hit the lock button on top and the camera would start up; I would dial “one” for voicemail and the camera would start up. So I paid the 70 or so dollars for my “copay” under the warranty to have a new one sent to me. Great!
The new Storm worked great for about another month (although I still had the issue of not being able to rest the phone between my ear and shoulder, and I was getting tired of spending money on it, so I didn’t repurchase the BerrySlider). Now my issue is that it freezes. CONSTANTLY. Let me repeat that. CONSTANTLY. It will work fine, then I’ll get a phone call that I can’t answer because I have the stupid ticking clock symbol in the middle of the screen. Let me also say that I do update my phone when it calls for an update, not that I think it has helped! I clear my internet cache, cookies and history as well.
I went into a Verizon store last month with a friend who was purchasing a new phone. She needed her work email address, which I have stored in my contacts. Guess what? It froze when I tried to go to contacts. I put my phone on the counter and told the rep it was the worst phone EVER. He said I just had too many things on the screen, so he moved a bunch of apps (like Facebook, Amazon, [...], Maps, etc) to the Downloads folder. Yeah, okay. Guess what? It seems to freeze even more now. I am now at the point where I am pulling my battery out AT LEAST once a day.
Would I recommend a Blackberry to anyone? Definitely! Would I recommend the Storm? Not to my worst enemy. If you don’t believe me, check out the reviews on Verizon’s own website. There are only a few that gave good ratings, and many owned it from one day to less than a month. I’ve put up with two of them in the past nine 1/2 months.
As for my “New Every Two”, I am probably going to go with the Motorola Droid. I’ve owned Motorolas in the past and was not impressed, but it has great reviews, and I have a friend who has one and LOVES it, which says a lot to me. Hopefully, I will too!
Pros:
Sleek
Touchscreen (but nowadays, so many are!)
Pictures look great, especially on the big screen
The music player sounds really good
Lots of memory with the included 8mb mini SD card
Cons: It freezes constantly
Typing is not easy. I use landscape, which is easier, but it’s still not great.
Software glitching a lot
Phone doesn’t always ring, or freezes when you try to answer
Hopefully, this review helped. I’m a little sad to switch from Blackberry, plus their forums are great (Crackberry), but RIM, you lost me after the nightmare this Storm has been. I’m ready to try something new….
Now if I can just figure out what to do with this ridiculously expensive phone when I switch it out……
Review by Always Samsung for BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone, White (T-Mobile)
Rating:
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RBC5JL46QEXF1 I’ve been a long time AT&T costumer. I thought I could live without having an actual keyboard when it comes to texting, but after a week without my Sidekick Keyboard – I decided to ditch my Samsung Eternity for the Blackberry Bold 9700.
I was hesitant about purchasing this smart phone because I was never a fan of Blackberry’s (RIMM). I had a BB during their initial boom in the early part of the new millennium. However, the poor browser, poor cell phone network, lackluster screen color, non desirable keyboard, awful battery life, whack OS, & lack of T9 predictive text just couldn’t win me over.
After I realized that I couldn’t text on a touch screen phone, unless it was the iPhone. I decided that I must have a cell phone device with an actual qwerty keyboard, if I expect to survive my text message & email addiction.
I picked up the Blackberry 9700 with my corporate discount and walked away with a nice high end phone at a very reasonable price. I have to say that I really enjoy the web browser on the new BB. You can zoom in & out with ease. I thought no browser could compare to the iPod Safari besides the Android G1, but after getting this device – I can safely say that this browser is also one of the best. Its right behind the safari and G1. Prior models were confined to small screens, thirty-five dollar internet only data plans, and no ability to zoom in or out. You were subjected to a small screen and reading small text till your eyes was squinting like grandmas.
Pros:
3G
New Optical Trackpad (Over the old Trackball)
Big vibrant screen
Threaded Text Messaging
3.5 MM headjack
New OS (Runs a bit quicker without the lag time)
Decent call quality
Excellent new broswer
Mini SD up to 32GB
Use your songs as ringers
Wi-Fi
Personal Email (Up to 10 accounts can be added)
IM
Themes
App Store
My Favs
Full HTML Web Browser (Sometimes)
Excellent Multimedia Player (Accepts every format possible)
Includes 2 chargers (Wall Charger & USB charger)
Includes ear phones and carry case
Cons:
For long time BB users, this device is really just a cosmetic upgrade with a new OS (Flashier Icons)
Micro USB (No more Mini USB)
Video & Camera (3.2 Megapixel as oppose to 8.0)
Cheap plastic rubber casing
Non RIMM Consumer Changes Mind!
For anyone who has wanted a BB but held off on getting one and want an entry level Blackberry at a decent price – this is the model to get. Everything about it is an upgrade. The device is basically the BB Bold with a different casing. The battery life could still use some more juice. With excessive email checking & non stop texting, the phone usually needs a charge after a day and a half of usage (Sometimes i can go a charge for 2 days before a charge so thats not bad). I did set the brightness of the phone to the lowest brightness available and it has lasted for a little over 2 days with no charge needed. Even on the lowest brightness, the screen is still very bright, sharp, & crisp. And i still do unlimited texting & web browsing. However, AT&T doesn’t offer the best mobile minute plans on earth & their data plan is probably one of themost expensive around. They are fully aware that their signal is one of the best & in doing so, make up for it by charging their non-friendly services at non-friendly prices, which usually doesn’t offers an abundant amount of minutes, unlimited data, internet, email, text etc will end up costing you a lot!
I pay under seventy bucks a month for a decent amount of mins & unlimited everything else. My friend has a similar plan on Verizon, its not unlimited, and her bill is always over a hundred each month.
Review by J. Golton for BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone, White (T-Mobile)
Rating:
NOTE: This review is long and detailed, especially relevant for heavy users of Google services. It is identical to the review I posted for the T-mobile black model, which I own, and which only differs by color from this model.
This is my second Blackberry, obtained from T-mobile at an upgrade discount (now possible through Amazon). My first Blackberry was the T-mobile Curve offering (my review on the 8320 may prove helpful to provide context for this review and for first time smart phone buyers). Last time I purchased a phone, I was just looking for a really high quality phone, and the 8320 certainly delivered. However, over time I gradually used more and more smart phone features until by 2009 I was totally hooked. While the 8320 was great as a phone, its limited memory and sluggish processor made it painful to use for certain apps – and impossible to use for more than a handful of apps.
So this time around my goal was to get a smart phone that made good sense for my current desired usage. Here were my requirements:
Keep costs down
Great phone (sound quality, speakerphone, quick dialing, coverage, vibrate options, international use, etc.)
Alternative reception if needed (WiFi UMA or femtocell)
Great e-mail (must handle Gmail well)
Sync contacts/calendar with Google and otherwise works seamlessly well with Google
Works seamlessly with other cloud apps I use heavily (Evernote, Dropbox, etc.)
Media player with 3.5mm jack
Camera of high enough quality to use in conjunction with Evernote OCR
Easy to use (configuration, speed of device, shortcuts, etc.)
Popular model with many accessories available
Long battery life
Enough memory so I don’t have to manage it
Feels good in hand
Able to charge by putting in a cradle
Tethering possible (Bluetooth preferred)
Reliable
Optional but nice:
Great browser
Maps
Turn by Turn navigation (free preferred)
Other sections at the end of this review:
Screen
Keyboard
Trackpad
Battery Life
Summary
The 9700 with T-mobile strongly delivers on most of my requirements, and surpasses the 8320 in almost every respect by a wide margin. One by one:
Costs: Was able to keep my grandfathered T-mobile Blackberry contract for 40/month for voice (1000 anytime, unlimited nights/weekends) and 20/month for unlimited data (but no text/SMS). Our family also has the hotspot home service for an additional 10/month to provide an unlimited domestic calling home line. And a 12% AAA discount off the bill – so this is far less expensive than we could get for these services than from any other carrier. On the other hand, for users who require few voice minutes, heavy data, no tethering, and no home phone, iPhone with AT&T could be only slightly higher in cost (and perhaps even competitive for light data users given the new June 2010 ATT 15/month 200MB/month plan option)
Phone: Terrific – just as good as 8320 which was also great. I find the phone quality I experience to be better than using an average phone with a land line (cordless or corded). The speakerphone and internal phone is of higher quality but lower volume – so may be more difficult to hear in very noisy conditions, though ear buds or headsets can be used in such circumstances. The alternative UMA reception works just as well on 9700 as it did on the 8320. The quality of the speakerphone is so good that I often use it for music if I’m not in reach of my earphones – while of course not as good as what you get over a high quality headset, it is the best speaker quality I’ve heard from a cell phone – and I thought the 8320 was good.
E-mail, Google apps: Built in Email function is great but is not geared for IMAP Gmail so I downloaded the Google Mobile App and then the individual components Gmail, Sync, and Maps. Gmail and Maps are outstanding, Sync is adequate. The search by voice feature of Google Mobile App is amazingly useful in so many ways I could write a couple pages just about this one feature (watch what happens when you do voice searches for “Phillies” or “Black Widow” or “3+11″ . . .). By using Gmail I give up push E-mail (it checks every 20 minutes or if I force it to with “refresh”) but is otherwise better – including the ability to search g-mail very quickly. None of this is any different from the 8320 – except that everything is much quicker – and I can use Maps without having to reboot the phone to get memory back. The Google Reader icon merely invokes the Blackberry browser with Google Reader RSS – and it is so tiny that it is unusable. I did figure out that I could use Google Reader reasonably well with the BOLT browser (which I had to download and then set to 3x Large font rendering). I also use Google Voice to replace T-mobile’s voice mail and it works great, though you have to wait a few minutes for voice mails and their transcriptions to show up on your phone. Of course, all of these things work way better on Android and the iPhone, but with the exception of Google Reader, they are plenty good enough on the Blackberry.
Other Cloud Apps: Unfortunately, Blackberry is harder to develop for than the iPhone (and probably Android too), partly because Blackberry has so many models (too many, IMHO). The result is that Evernote for the iPhone is fantastic while it is passable on the 9700 and downright primitive on the 8320. The screen is bigger and the browser is better and faster on the 9700 (OS 5) than it was on 8320 (OS 4.5), and this accounts for why I’m actually beginning to use Evernote do search within the app and it brings up the notes with that term in the browser – you have to wait 5-10 seconds but it works. On the 8320 this was too slow to be workable. Dropbox does not have a client for Blackberry but is expected to release one by the end of 2010. Roboform has a primitive Blackberry client that doesn’t sync wirelessly – I have to manually copy over my passcards every once in a while. Blackberry is a major platform so I am assuming these apps get better over time, but they will always trail the iPhone.
Media Player – the media player functions (mp3, pictures, video, voice notes, etc.) works just as well as it did with the 8320 – there’s probably been some changes but I didn’t notice them. However, the Pandora app runs much better on the 9700 than the 8320 due likely to some combination of 3G coverage and a faster processor. On the 8320, the application paused often in weak coverage areas and had a tendency to stop in the middle of a song and skip to the next on occasion.
Camera quality – I am a huge fan of Evernote but the 8320 camera was not able to take pictures of regular size text that could be recognized as text by Evernote’s OCR. The 9700 camera specs are better and this proved out with Evernote in my initial tests. I found that with bright light and a distance of at least 11 inches away, I could take pictures of restaurant menus and Evernote was able to index most words in the picture. So I will have access to the menus of all of our favorite restaurants through Evernote once I take pictures of them all. This could also be done with business cards, wine bottles, white boards . . .
Ease of Use – This is where Blackberry’s fall flat. It took me many many hours of fiddling to master the use of the 8320. While most of this knowledge transferred over to the 9700, it still took many hours to set up the phone as I downloaded apps, set preferences, etc. The iPhone is obviously much better in this regard, and for a heavy Google services user like myself, so is Android, from everything I’ve read. The menus of preferences were moderately better laid out than the 8320, which helped some. But here are some of the issues:
1) The Apps store experience is frustrating (i.e. Quickpull is an app that worked for 8320 and appeared on the 9700 app store so I installed it but it froze up my system – why does this appear at all if it hasn’t been updated yet for the 9700?). Installing apps is slow and requires rebooting. Some apps are NOT in the app store (Google mobile app, Bolt, etc.).
2) The profiles system for setting alert preferences is powerful, and a bit easier to use than the 8320, but still complicated.
3) The initial layout of icons on the phone screen was so cumbersome (including many links to useless apps promoted by T-mobile) that I spent quite a while rearranging them so I could more easily find what I was looking for.
On the bright side, there are many handy shortcuts available on Blackberries. I especially like having each letter assignable to a speed dial, so I use the first letter of last names for home phone speed dials, and the first letter of first names for cell phone speed dials. As you learn the shortcuts, the phone becomes very fast to use, far faster than a computer for some things.
Popularity – Blackberries in general are among the most popular smart phone brands and 9700s in particular appear to be a big hit. Within months there will be a flood of accessories but the phone is so new that there’s not too much yet. Many apps have not yet been updated for the 9700 or the OS 5.0.0.330 which powers the phone. However, it is harder to write Blackberry apps, so I am expecting iPhone to always have better and more up-to-date apps, and probably Android as well as that platform matures.
Battery/Memory – Battery life is amazingly good – I have been unable to use more than 30% of the battery in one day despite a lot of fiddling, syncs in the background, Pandora use, etc. There is enough memory for apps that I don’t have to worry about it any more. This is a vast improvement over the 8320, which was a pocket computer in theory but in actual practice memory limited to less than a dozen apps, and required constant fiddling to manage memory if you used it like that. However, as application developers start increasing the size of apps, it’s easy for me to imagine 256MB of memory getting to be a problem a year or two from now . . .
Phone in Hand – The 9700 is the perfect size for my larger-than-average adult male hand. The 8320 was very slippery and I kept dropping it until I bought a Seido protective cover. It was already thick and the cover made it thicker, so that I didn’t like holding it for long phone calls. The 9700 is only thinner by a few mm, yet it is much less fatiguing to hold, and it is not slippery so I will probably not use a protective covering. There are a few very minor things I like less than the 8320, though: The right convenience key is so low on the phone that I have to contort my thumb to reach it. This is especially problematic when using the autofocus feature of the camera to focus on a specific distance – which uses that key. The battery cover and micro SD cards are both a pain to take off. Both require using two thumbs to push away from your body with a lot of pressure. The manual does not explain this – took lots of trial/error and online googling to figure this out.
Cradle – I bought the Blackberry Charging Pod for BlackBerry Bold 2. I dock the phone each night and while charging it goes into bedside mode, which is a customizable alarm clock (which gives you options to turn off every kind of alerting if you want, including phone rings). Assuming you buy the dock, you won’t need an alarm clock any more.
Tethering – It’s a bit cumbersome to set up but I had done it on the 8320 before so knew how. It works – and it is much faster than the 8320, likely mostly due to 3G. I did not do speed tests but some who have claim to be getting 3G speeds (which are 10x-20x faster than the EDGE tethering that happened on the 8320). I don’t plan to use this feature much – only while traveling and no WiFi is near. I am hoping people don’t heavily use this feature because if they do, T-mobile will be forced to stop allowing it or maybe charge for it. But having this as a backup internet connection (especially traveling) is a huge plus for me.
Reliable (NEW SECTION added June 8, 2010) – My previous model, the BB 8300, was very reliable. It froze up twice in 2 years and never had a dropped call. The BB 9700 has not been reliable for me. I received a 3rd unit after 2 units developed defects. I just decided to start insuring the phone at $5.99/month. I’ve have also occasionally experienced dropped UMA calls, during the handoff from UMA to 3g or EDGE – but this part has supposedly been solved by the OS update that came out in June 2010, and is on my replacement unit. Here are the details:
2/26/10: Around mid February (2 months after I purchased the 9700), my external speaker began to go. At first I (incorrectly) thought it was glitch in the profiles settings but then it went out for 20 hours straight. After thorough testing I found that the internal phone speaker and headsets still worked fine – but the phone did not ring for incoming calls and I could not play music without a headset. I called T-mobile. After 15 minutes of troubleshooting and verifying that the phone was not water damaged, a replacement phone was authorized. I had to pay $9.95 for shipping, but otherwise no cost to me. I received the replacement phone, made sure it worked, and shipped my old phone back the next day. T-mobile customer service was terrific for this incident and in every other instance I’ve contacted them over the past 2 years.
6/8/10: In early May I began to experience random crashes and reboots. The first few times it it happened I kept thinking it was likely due to some new app I had installed. But in the past week it started happening more often, until 6/7 when the 9700 no longer booted at all. So once again I had to get a replacement unit from T-mobile. Once again T-mobile was very responsive, and this time waived the $10 shipping fee. The service was great but having 2 defective units in 6 months is getting to be a real chore – especially this time as I was not able to back up the phone before returning it.
Browser – The 9700 Blackberry Browser is significantly better than the 8320 browser, partly due to more screen real estate (in pixels) and the faster processor. Disabling images makes it even faster. I didn’t try to analyze what all the changes are, but I do know that I can now use Evernote, where as it way too cumbersome to use Evernote with the 8320. Less busy web sites are now usable. But the browser is still nowhere close to what you get on an iPhone or Android device. I downloaded BOLT and it seems better for single column sites where I really need to reflow text, such as Google Reader. But clearly something better is possible. Opera Mini 5 is in Beta and is getting reviews so that may be available in a few months. But the big leap will likely happen with the webkit-based browser that was acquired a few months ago and is likely to be incorporated with Blackberries by the end of 2010. Based on what I’ve seen in the week I’ve played with my 9700, I’ll likely only use the browser for certain specific things like Evernote and Google Reader or the results of a Google Voice Search – but avoid general browsing as much as possible.
Maps and Voice Navigation – I tested the Maps App for a few minutes and it did the job quite well when outdoors. Note that GPS can be used not only in Map apps but also in many other applications such as weather, search, geotagging pictures, etc. and all this comes in handy. To get high quality voice navigation you’ll generally need to pay $10/month, which is much more than I’m willing to pay. If I’m walking, then voiceless navigation is good enough, and if I’m driving I’ll use my Garmin Nuvi – which I would want to do anyway as it has a much bigger screen and is much easier to use while driving. I would use such a feature if I had it – and I’m sure users of Android 2.0 devices such as the Verizon Droid will greatly appreciate it. But this was not a critical feature for me.
Summary:
The Blackberry 9700 with T-mobile is a great phone and communication device that is also a pretty good pocket computer, all in an attractive, easy to hold and use form factor – all at a very reasonable monthly plan cost for the heavy phone and data user. It is a huge improvement over the 83xx series in almost every respect. The only significant disadvantages compared with other smartphones are a barely usable browser, a cumbersome setup for third-party apps, and the general complication of customizing the device. For those who value a browser and ease of use above all and are willing to pay for it, the iPhone is better – but for those who want a great smartphone on a budget – this is a great choice.
UPDATE 1/20/2010: After owning/using the 9700 for a week, I wrote the above review. I intentionally said little about the the keyboard, screen, and trackpad because I felt these kinds of things may take getting used to, so I didn’t want to be too hasty to judge. I now have enough data to comment:
Screen: The screen is very high resolution which means that it is very easy to read text in 8pt type. Unfortunately, this sometimes means the browser or certain apps decide that they can cram more text in at 5pt or 6pt type, which requires that I use my reading glasses – those with better eyes than mine may appreciate cramming in more text with a smaller font. Pictures are crisp and vibrant. The backlight brightness is extremely bright – too bright for night in fact. I do have the “Automatically Dim Backlight” feature enabled which dims the 9700 automatically at night and I have screen brightness set to the minimum setting of 10. It is still too bright to me for use in a room with no light on. Furthermore, the unit occasionally has an abrupt change of brightness – getting brighter all of a sudden for a few seconds or just staying that way. It is impossible for me to know if my unit has a defective light sensor or this is an O/S issue – I’ve read that others are experiencing similar issues so perhaps it’s the O/S and it will be fixed some day with one of the O/S updates. Another brightness issue is that the difference between maximum brightness and minimum brightness is pretty narrow. I never have viewing problems in even the brightest sunlight so it’s the lowest brightness setting which I think is not low enough.
Keyboard: I do not use the Blackberry extensively for typing – The rare e-mail I write or reply to is usually less than 10 words, and I don’t use text messaging in any form. So it took a while for me to conclude that the keyboard is slower for me than the 83xx keyboard, which had spacing between the keys. I actually timed myself and found I did around 30 WPM (words per minute) with the 83xx and 25 WPM with the 9700. If I try typing faster (say, 30 WPM), I hit several double keys per minute which needs correcting and ends up lower than 25 WPM. So the result is I purposely type slower and more cautiously to avoid hitting two keys simultaneously. For the way I use a Blackberry, this is not a big problem – I use the keyboard mostly for things like speed dial, quickly looking up a contact, navigating the menus, etc. and there is no speed hit that I can notice for that. But for those with big hands who type a lot, the Bold 9000 is going to be faster, and probably the 83xx series as well. Note that my fingers/hands are slightly larger than normal for an adult male.
Trackpad: Most people rave about how great trackpads are on Blackberries but for me it’s a mixed bag. I find it to be sometimes jumpy with applications that require frequent moving around – particularly with the game Ka-Glom, which I tried both on the 8320 and the 9700. I have better control on the 8320 and can score significantly higher as a result. Also, any form of moisture on your fingers – sweat, water, lotion, etc. can have an impact on the responsiveness. Nevertheless, I find it easier to use than the old trackball style when my thumbs are dry and I’m using a typical app – it is easier to use a light touch to move just a tiny bit, and it is very easy to swipe it all the way to one side or to the top/bottom. The trackpad is harder to accidentally press than a trackball. And it is quiet. Overall, I prefer the trackpad because it is yet one more little thing that reduces the weight/bulk of the unit and is much less likely to go bad than the trackballs on all older devices.
Update 2/14/10: Battery life is possible to kill if you get too adventurous with your phone. I have found 4 ways to kill it so far: Themes, heavy syncing, tethering, and upgrading the O/S. The theme I tried for a week caused sluggish performance and battery to deplete twice as fast. Bluetooth tethering caused me to go all the way through the battery in less than 6 hours while using an tethered EEE PC constantly during that time. Syncing is not a big deal if you just have two or three apps syncing every 2 hours or so, but some apps will sync every few minutes if you let them and if you have a few of these running the battery can drain quickly and the phone becomes sluggish during syncs. And while I haven’t experimented with a different OS version myself, I have read that the 5.0.0.330 Blackberry OS that comes with the T-mobile 9700 is the most battery efficient OS ever – later versions are all less battery efficient. If you keep things simple on your phone you’ll have great battery life – just use one of the preloaded themes, don’t tether much, sparingly set up syncs, and don’t upgrade away from OS 5.0.0.330 that T-mobile ships with the 9700 model.
Changed Summary/Conclusion: Overall, my conclusion about this device has changed slightly over time, so I here’s a rewrite of the Summary incorporating my extensive testing of the physical features:
Summary: The Blackberry 9700 with T-mobile is a great phone and communication device that is also a pretty good pocket computer, all in a slim, light, attractive, and easy to hold and use form factor – all at a very reasonable monthly plan cost for the heavy phone and data user. It is a huge improvement over the 83xx series in terms of speed, memory, and connectivity options. However, the keyboard is slower for me to use than the 8320. For me this tradeoff is worthwhile, as it is no longer a noticeable lump in my shirt or pants pocket and does not fatigue my hand on a long phone call.
I’ve had to return 2 defective units in 6 months, compared with none for the 8320 in 2 years.
The only significant disadvantages (compared with other smartphone brands) are a barely usable browser, a cumbersome setup for third-party apps, and the general complication of customizing the device. For those who value a browser and ease of use above all and are willing to pay for it, the iPhone and perhaps certain Android-based phones (such as Google’s Nexus One) are better – but for those who want a great smartphone on a budget – getting the Blackberry Bold 9700 with T-mobile service is a great choice.
Review by Javier for BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone, White (T-Mobile)
Rating:
This is the first and last time I’m buying a phone on Amazon, the experience was terrible. I ordered the phone and the first ordere was cancelled, the reason that amazon gave me was that my credit had not been approved to go ahead and contact t-mobile. When I contacted t-mobile, they said that my credit was excellent and that they hadn’t denied credit or even requested a deposit or flexpay. I called amazon again and they practically told me it wasn’t their problem. After speaking to a customer care manager (which was quite a feat) I was told to purchase the phone again and the same credit application from t-mobile was applied to it. Resulting in my phone arriving one week later than it sohuld.
By the time it arrived I expected it to be activated. Not only was it not activated, but t-mobile had no record of the rate plan and data plan that I wanted this phone on. So I had to go through that process all over again.