by KYW's tech reporter Bob Bicknell
First Google, with its "Android." And now, Blackberry with its "Storm." On Friday, the makers of the popular e-mail and phone devices were out with their answer to the iPhone.
The Blackberry Storm is the long-awaited touchscreen version of the Blackberry for loyal fans who were being wooed by Apple with its iPhone.
The Storm is the first Blackberry without a keyboard, offering instead a touchscreen. But it's not a simple slab of glass like the iPhone. The Storm’s touchscreen is actually one huge button, which makes it feel like you’re depressing keys when you’re typing -- although it takes some getting used to.
The Storm includes all of the features you’d want in a smartphone like GPS and navigation software. What the Storm doesn’t have is the trackball or scroll wheel found on every other Blackberry.
The Storm also wins points over the iPhone for its sharper, 3.2-megapixel camera, which can also record video, and its ability to send and receive multimedia as well as text messages.
The Blackberry Storm costs $199 after rebates with a two-year contract with Verizon Wireless.
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