A Stormy Day - it's raining BlackBerrys!

I'm sure I've posted this before, but I'm the polar opposite of a Macophile.  I use an HP computer/monitor/printer and a BlackBerry phone.  However, I was starting to get frustrated with my BlackBerry 8700g (the same phone Obama uses) after seeing all the fun that Yod has with his phone.  Plus, the 8700g does not have a camera and asking Yod to take pics with his cameraphone was getting embarrassing.

Then I heard about the Bold.  It would solve a lot of little dissatisfactions I had with the 3700g.  I'd get a trackwheel, camera, GPS, and 3G data, but I'd have to go to the Dark Side (i.e., go back to AT&T) and I wasn't quite ready for that frontal lobotomy.  Enter the Storm.  You've seen the commercials for the Storm, the touch screen that clicks.  All I can say is ... oh... my... yes yes yes yes!

I'm one of the few, the proud, the Storm owners.  But my tale is about luck, not foreseight.  About a lot of driving.  And about how awesome Best Buy can be. ;)

The Storm released last Friday (Nov 21).  I missed the pre-order window, or more correctly, didn't even know there was a pre-order window and still wasn't sure if I wanted to get a new release phone.  Some time between the 10th and the 21st, I realized that the Storm was for me.  Probably their evil advertising campaign.

I spoke to a Verizon rep in Best Buy Citrus Heights on Thursday and he said that they "should" have enough ordered for demand on Friday.  But I couldn't make it in when they opened because I had a meeting in Roseville 30 from 9 to 10:30.  After my meeting, I rushed out to Best Buy Roseville only to be told that they didn't have enough to sell, only enough for pre-orders, but to check back on Saturday just in case they got another shipment.  Hm.

Well, I was willing to wait, but Yod decided to call the Best Buy in Citrus Heights.  They had 6.  I was thinking of waiting until after work to get one since it would be an hour drive round-trip, plus set-up time.  Instead, we drove back to Citrus Heights and walked in to Best Buy.

At the Mobile Phone counter, I told the lady (Jasmine) that I wanted to buy a Storm.  She asked if I had a pre-order, I said no.  She said they didn't have any.  I whined (I admit it) that we just called and the operator said you had 6.  The other rep at the counter took it upon himself to do a little footwork and came back with a total poker face.  I was all set for disappointment when he got the keys to the phone cabinet, unlocked the case (still with the poker face, mind you) and pulled out a box.  Then broke into a smile and said that they receied a shipment that morning of 6, but 5 were set for pre-orders and I could have the other one.  YAY!

As I was sitting there getting set up on Verizon, one person called in and three people came up to the counter looking for the Storm.  If I had waited even a few minutes, I would've been turned away, too.  Or, if I had talked to the mobile phone center instead of the operator, I wouldn't have even made the trip.  A combination of luck and perseverence made my Stormy dreams come true on launch day!

This phone is soooooooooo nice.  I still am getting used to typing and selecting on a touch screen, but I've only had it for a couple days.  Even Yod likes the touch-click screen better because of that sound and feel feedback. 

There are still some bugs to work out, but if you're looking for a viable alternative to the iPhone, give the Storm a try.  Well, when they get more in stock.  Which might not be until December 15th.

Damn, I'm lucky!