Mobile Phones Guide
Design
Honey, I Did Not Shrink the BlackBerry
Unlike the BlackBerry Bold 9700 that was reviewed just a while back, the Storm2 retains the exact same dimensions as its predecessor. This includes the same 3.25-inch screen at 360 x 480 pixel resolution, with not many changes on the aesthetics of the device either. The Storm2 now tips the scales a tad further, weighing at 160g instead of the previous 155g. While the additional five grams isn't that much of a difference, you have to remember that the original Storm was quite hefty to begin with.
Handling the Storm2 won't be as easy, compared to its lighter non-touchscreen cousins. Though it fits quite snugly into one's pockets, we do feel weighed down by the excessive bulk. On hand, the Storm2 fits just nicely into our palms. Its width does pose some problem with speed typing, requiring us to stretch our thumbs to reach the edge of the screen.
With near similar design aspects on the Storm2, there's not much surprise when it comes to the button layout. Below the screen, we have the usual Call/End buttons flanking the Back and Menu buttons. Elsewhere, most of its other button placements didn't see any shuffling. So for the loyal BlackBerry users, the familiar layout will give you a head start and plunge you straight into the experience.
The rear of the device does have some slight aesthetic makeover. The Storm previously had its speakers fixed at the rear, with two little plastic 'feet' to raise the device. While you might not be using the speakers much, having it stuck behind the device with only a small pivot to release the sound while it's lying flat isn't the best design concept. Fortunately, RIM identified this problem and relocated the speakers to the bottom of the device.
