BlackBerry Storm gets a firmware update

electricpig.co.uk - 08/05/09

The BlackBerry Storm is to receive a firmware update aimed at putting right many of the problems that have plagued the device since its launch. The BlackBerry Storm arrived last year to a harsh criticial reception, splitting users into two camps - those who hated it, and those who really, really hated it. Stephen Fry called it “Shockingly Bad” in his Guardian gadget column and then (we assume) made one of those General Melchett “Baaah” noises to himself. In an attempt to put things right before the launch of the BlackBerry Storm 2, RIM is issuing a firmware upgrade to the Storm via Vodafone in the UK. The update fixes a load of bugs, adds a few features and even comes with a helping of cheap music. Following the upgrade, the BlackBerry Storm’s camera will be much more responsive and will capture images at a slightly higher resolution. Multimedia playback will support more file types and streaming music is more reliable too. Call sound quality gets a boost, and errors should no longer occur when using a headset. Sending SMS/MMS messages will be much easier as the messaging app will crash a lot less and users will be able to see a cursor while typing. Touchscreen responsiveness is improved and the screen can be locked to save power.

In addition, downloaders will get unlimited music downloads for £5 with Vodafone Live! Which is nice.