- Apple has a terrible reputation for protecting privacy. Many actions on the iPhone sends information to Apple. Information that I do not necessarily want to send to Apple.
- Quite frankly, AT&T has a crappy network in my part of the country.
and wait...
and wait...
This phone was delayed, in part, because of the software. Apparently the OS on the Storm was very buggy. The word was that RIM and VZW wanted to get this one right up front.
Then they started sending out postcards to certain people talking of a VIP sale the week of 10 Nov. That ended up not materializing and VZW ended up with egg on their face.
Finally a solid date was announced...21 November.
The ads ramped up and the chatter had begun. Many stated that Verizon and BlackBerry pushed the date back to make sure there was no supply problem as is typical for a launch of any Verizon phone.
However, I should have known there was a problem when I noticed that the ads (which has suddenly gone in to regular rotation) disappeared as suddenly as they appeared around Tuesday of this week.
Due to a meeting, I could not go stand in line at the store to get the Storm. So I show up at VZW store 20 minutes after it opens to finally get my hands on one. Ten people are in line...and I am met at the door by the manager. "I'm sorry, sir. we are out of devices".
And apparently this is a common problem since there are widespread reports of outages...and it is not becuae of demand...it is becase of supply!!!
EPIC FAIL!!!
Then a friend of mine finds this on the web.
Verizon has a reputation for intentionally undersupplying phones on release date. Whether it was intentional or not, this will be seen as yet another failure by Verizon to properly handle customer demand.
So for the second time in less than a year, Verizon fails in its attempt to unseat the iPhone in touchscreen market. Remember how the Voyager flopped last holiday season as it was being hailed as the "iPhone killer"? Everyone was excited to see it coming...only to find out it was not even a smartphone...but basically a toy. Now BlackBerry has their run at it. And after delays, bugs and terrible marketing...early on in the game, it appears destined to be another big failure.
Early on...this looks like a route for the iPhone.
So here I am...still lugging around my gawdy Samsung i760. And have no idea when I can get a Storm.
Verizon would have been better served to have pushed launch back into the second week of December...than to allow this to happen.
The only proper thing to say at this point to Verizon and RIM is...DO BETTER.
1 comment:
Hi Jason,
It sucks that you weren't able to get the phone you wanted on the day you wanted it. I do wonder, however, whether you're sending the right signal to VZW by simply waiting for the phone you want to be stocked (if that's in fact what you're doing).
As someone who was a VZW customer for a little more than a decade, I'm fairly convinced that the only sort of customer feedback they hear/understand is "Not only did you lose a sale, you lost a customer."
I understand there are limitations on your choice of wireless providers, whether it be due to coverage, family constraints, contracts, or whatever. All I'm suggesting is that you consider voting with your wallet, which tends to be a very effective means of communication.
SK
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