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While the iPhone 3G seemed destined to be the handset facing the biggest backlash since its much hyped launch it actually seems that award is now set for BlackBerry's first touchscreen handset, the Storm. Everything from that love it / hate it button display, lack of WiFi and buggy, slow software have held back the undeniable attractive smartphone since launch - so perhaps this is some much needed good news...

First up is news from BGR that the sluggish Storm is about get a much needed performance boost courtesy of not one, but two Over The Air (OTA) firmware upgrades and these are apparently some of the highlights:

Issues to be resolved by the first OTA update (Maintenance Release 1) - December, week 1:

• If a customer receives a call while listening to music at low volume using a wired headset, the music volume may suddenly increase to the highest level (!). Interim recovery instructions: Lower the volume using the buttons on the side of the handset.
• When using voice-activated dialing, incoming audio may be muted. Interim recovery instructions: Enter the menu and select "Activate Handset or Speaker".
• The handset may reset itself while sitting idle or while using multimedia applications. No interim recovery instructions provided.

Issues to be resolved by a subsequent Maintenance Release:

• Customers may intermittently lose email connectivity via CDMA and/or international roaming modes. Interim recovery instructions: Main menu -> Manage Connections -> Select mobile network -> Turn radio off, then Turn radio on. If this does not resolve the issue, pull the battery.
• When powering on the handset, the radio sometimes does not turn on. Interim recovery instructions: Main menu -> Manage Connections -> Select mobile network -> Turn radio on. If this does not resolve the issue, pull the battery.
• Pressing the send key while the device is in landscape mode will open the phone application in portrait mode, but the speed dial function may not work. Interim recovery instructions: Press escape until the home screen appears, then press the send key with the handset in portrait orientation.
• Sometimes entering characters on the virtual keyboard doesn't work. Interim recovery instructions: Re-select the character.

Early and late December are supposedly the target periods for this dynamic duo and we really need RIM to make their deadlines on this one.

In related news, the Storm has already been unlocked! Well, at least according to posters on Howard Forums. The process is rather convoluted at this stage consisting of generating an unlock code and running subsequent linked software (currently this seems to be for T-Mobile only) but you have to start somewhere right. Anyone care to risk trashing their shiny new (if, yes, sluggish) BlackBerry Storm to find out...?

Links:
Firmware Info via BGR
Unlocking thread

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