BlackBerry Storm2 review (2)

While you could control volume from the homescreen on the Storm, this has now been stepped up a notch and extended to cover the clock and connectivity options in the same way. It's certainly a shortcut most of us are likely to use a lot, so well thought out on RIM’s part.

Talking of connectivity, HSDPA with Wi-Fi is now present and correct, with the handset locking onto our chosen network with little effort. The inbuilt browser also supports enhanced CSS and Javascript and the ability to double tap to zoom makes surfing the web an all-round improved experience.

When it comes to multimedia options, the Storm2 doesn't fall short. In fact, it ticks all the boxes you'd expect and a few more. The BlackBerry Storm2 comes preloaded with 2 GB embedded multimedia card, Bluetooth and multimedia player. The smartphone supports BlackBerry App World and features BlackBerry Media Sync for easily syncing iTunes and Windows Media Player music with the smartphone.

There's a 3.5mm jack, which is flushed within the casing itself to add to the aesthetics. The speakers are of good quality and the Storm2 also displays content from YouTube and the onboard video content in a way that wouldn't make you resentful if you were stuck in the back of a car with the handset for a long journey.

Games such as Brickbreaker and Word Mole are on hand to wile away any hours not spent watching video or emailing.

The onboard 3.2 megapixel camera isn't going to set the world on fire and doesn't have that many bells and whistles, bar a beefier flash, but images are still average to good depending on the conditions. The addition of a camera hard key also makes taking pics that bit easier.

You can also share snaps via email, SMS, and Facebook et al and there's a nice swiping option imbedded with this device to scroll through the photo albums.

And of course, as if everything included out-of-the-box isn't enough, there’s also one-click access to the BlackBerry App World from within the Storm2.

In a nutshell, BlackBerry Storm 2 (9520) comes as a breath of fresh air compared to its older sibling Strorm. The improved screen can take most of the credit due here, but the internal widgets aren't so bad either.

<< Previous 1 2 Next >>