Install overall feelings
I used the Desktop Manager for Mac to install the update from 5.0.0.323 to Official .328. The install itself was fairly painless from an interaction point of view. I hooked my storm up, it recognized the device model, and that there was an official update. I clicked a few things, mostly to have it make a backup and then let it do its thing. There was two (three?) reboots involved and after that, I was rocking Official .328!
Things I like
There’s a lot to like about OS 5. First and foremost: the load screen. No longer am I subjected to a bland white screen with a loading clock. I am now greeted by a black screen, with the BlackBerry logo and nice white progress bar. Granted, this really isn’t that much, but it feels more RIM/BB like.
Along those lines, I have noticed it take less time to boot my Storm now. I clocked in at under 2 minutes and 30 seconds…which I can’t empirically compare to my storm on 4.7 as I never really noted the time other than it too longer than I expected/wanted it to. I do like that I have a progress bar that seems to be reliable as far as “I’ve gotten 3/4 of the way there, I have another 30 seconds and I’m up.”
The speedier Boot up is accompanied by speedier transitions from portrait to landscape. It seems to be almost instantaneous. I haven’t had any issues with it being too sensitive.
One of the big pluses for me is in appointment creation. When I make a new appointment and need to adjust the time, it now shows up like a spin wheel, showing me the upcoming or previous number. For example, I create a new appointment but I need to change from 1pm to 2pm. When I go to edit it, I see 12pm above 1 and 2 below on a spinning cylinder. (I was going to have a picture in here, but apparently captureit isn’t working is OS 5…or at least I can’t find it right now.) It makes it easier for me to quickly adjust appointments which I love.
The best part of OS 5 (and BIS 2.8) is Google Contact Sync is now part of the official BB experience. I don’t need google sync to push my contacts up and down anymore. I still need it for my calendar…but I’m hoping in time the enhance Gmail plug-in will do that. I think part of this is because I installed the mail accounts again after a clean install of .328. It says the plugin supports OS 4.5 and better, but I didn’t see it until I installed 5, so I’ll give the praise to 5…because I can.
Things that lack
While I find the overall experience now to be enjoyable, there is at least one major thing that still lacks: The BlackBerry Browser. The OS 5 browser does seem a bit snappier, but I still have this overwhelming feeling like I’m using a dated browser. I feel like I’m running IE 3 or something while everyone else is on 8. Sure, I can get to pages, and text is displayed, but I feel like it has been stripped down. I know mobile browsing is NOT Desktop browsing, but I get this when I go to mobile optimized sites. I would love to do a speed test with another mobile browser device, but unfortunately the Storm 9530 does not have Wi-Fi, and my other VZW capable smart phones are old…like Moto Q Launch day old…and that would enter in too many variables for me to be satisfied with the results. I know RIM is working on a new browser…or at least they should be after their acquisition of Torch Mobile, but a new browsing experience can’t come too soon. Would this browsing update be applied to my now, almost a year old 9530? In the mean time, I can use opera Mini beta 5 to get a better Browsing experience, but I want it native, since BBB can’t be turned off.
Another Gripe I have with RIM is the Overall feel of OS 5. While it is a better experience, I feel a lot like OS 5 is RIM’s version of Windows mobile 6.5. This feels like Window dressing more than REAL improvements. I would love to see a new from the ground up OS from RIM for my 9530, but considering its age in Cell Phone circles, I’m not going to hold my breath. Building a new OS takes time, resources, and you have to draw the line somewhere as far as compatibility goes. Seeing OS 5 will officially be supported on some older phones, like the 8330 does give me a little hope.
Overall thoughts
I really do like my storm. I do have DROID desires, but I think that would have happened no matter what. If/when I get the droid, I’m sure I have a post up a year or so in talking about how I am lusting over the next iteration.
I can’t wait for that to happen.
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