RIM unveiling its new touchscreen BlackBerry Storm

By siliconindia   |   Friday, 16 October 2009, 14:43 IST   |    2 Comments
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RIM unveiling its new touchscreen BlackBerry Storm
Toronto: Making its latest move in the fight with Apple's iPhone, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) is launching a new version of its touchscreen Storm smartphone. The Storm2, as the device is known, is "a biggie for us," said RIM Co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie. The smartphone retains the original Storm's clickable touchscreen interface, but improves upon it with faster typing and "multitouch" capabilities, which allow users to type on more than just one part of the screen at a time. The phone is enabled for networks and also has Wi-Fi capability like some of the other devices in the BlackBerry lineup. Balsillie had first said in May this year that a new version of the Storm was in the works, given the "huge success" of the original smartphone. While Apple is expanding its smartphone's availability by offering it to a bigger number of wireless carriers, Ontario-based RIM has found itself forced to fight for previously uncontested territory. Balsillie said that the Storm2 will be a key to maintain RIM's growth in the retail consumer market, as it expands from its core base of business, government and other professional users. According to mobile communications giant Vodafone, the Storm2 will be available in time for the Christmas gift buying season in seven European countries and South Africa.