Verizon expects little from the BB Storm 2, so should you. Launch date and price set

In today’s world of launch events for new phones complete with anxious customers sleeping in the streets, it is very telling that Verizon has decided to push the BlackBerry Storm 2 out of the back door with very little fanfare, as Verizon announced today that the phone would be available October 28th for $179. Verizon’s dumped loads of cash to build interest in Droid, their forthcoming Android phone, but almost nothing on the Storm 2, a follow-up device that sold over a million units in the first go round. So what is wrong with this new phone?

Is it the screen that still clicks? A big sticking point for many reviewers was the oddity of the entire screen moving and clicking. While BlackBerry hung tight to the company line: BB users love positive click feedback, the rest of us were not so sure. Other issues remained making the phone cumbersome at best.

How is the Storm 2 different? The Storm 2 is faster and more responsive than the original, adds Wi-Fi and more memory. The display is gorgeous and is great for movies. The screen tapping feature is refined to allow faster typing than the original.

How is the 2 received by BB experts?

From Crackberry: “Picking up the BlackBerry Storm2, it’s clear that Research in Motion’s thought process here was simply to build a better BlackBerry Storm. They weren’t thinking about building an iPhone killer or worrying about what Palm is up to with their Web OS or what the next wave of Android phones might look like.”

From InfoSyncWorld: “Even with the improvements, and they are significant, using the BlackBerry Storm 2 was a real chore, as the extra pressure required to ‘click’ makes every action a bit harder compared to other touchscreens. The interface design was continually frustrating, even while newer phones, like the HTC Hero on Sprint, manage to surprise and delight with clever and adaptive touchscreen interface ideas”

From PCMag: ” The Storm2′s screen is much better than before, but the UI still lacks the intuitive response of a device designed with touch in mind from the very beginning.”

In any event, each review went on to end up with the same feeling, the Storm 2 is definitely an upgrade to the original but stops short of being best-in-class out there. For BB users, this may be as good as it gets, for others not hooked on BB servers, there are other choices, even on Verizon. Perhaps Verizon is gun-shy with the Storm 2, after getting a little embarrassed on the first one?

Press release: [Verizon]