Verizon Prepping Two BlackBerry Storm Updates For Imminent Release

Verizon and RIM are preparing two imminent updates for the BlackBerry Storm, in an attempt to address multiple bugs in OS v4.7.0.65.  The first OTA update is expected to be released next week, and tackle sudden volume changes, problems with audio during calls and spontaneous restarts, among other things.  The second, which is expected sometime in December, will tackle disappearing email and CDMA network connectivity, keypress misses and screen orientation issues.  While the full roster of fixes is unknown, a leaked internal Verizon document has laid out a number of issues for customer service reps to be aware of, which you can read after the cut.

The purpose of the list is not so much to reassure customers that their faults are known and being addressed, but to prevent Verizon reps from handing out replacement Storms for those affected.  We experienced several bugs and unpredictable restarts when reviewing the Storm ourselves.

Some of the issues seem somewhat inevitable to a manufacturer making its first orientation-switching touchscreen device, while others – volume jumps to the highest level when using headphones – are less excusable.  It's Verizon's workarounds that are most laughable, however, particularly the final suggestion.

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

• If a customer receives a call while listen 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:

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• 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.