No Verizon BlackBerry Storm Update for me- Windows Only
The news that Verizon and RIM were finally going to roll out an update for the BlackBerry Storm was big, and I was looking forward to getting my Storm improved. The update was significant news, as Verizon earlier chose not to provide the last update that RIM produced for the Storm, for whatever reason. The update is provided in two methods: either direct download and application via the BlackBerry Desktop program or over the air. I prefer the OTA method due to RIM’s continued refusal to support the Mac platform with the Desktop program and the update process in particular.
The OTA update was to roll out from Verizon and RIM on the evening of May 31, but as of this morning, my Storm is still showing no updates available. That leaves the manual update procedure, so I just hit up the Verizon provided link to go that route and ran into this, which made it all come rushing back to me:
That last part is the killer — since I visited the link using Safari on the Mac I get the message for “Other BlackBerry Smartphone Users.” As you can see in the image above, “This page requires Windows Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, running on Windows. If you want to update your BlackBerry Device Software, you will need to revisit this page using Windows Internet Explorer.” The update process stops at this point, as RIM will not even let Mac users download the update. There is no way around having to either fire up Windows on the Mac using Boot Camp or a virtual machine, or simply skipping the update. This is just ludicrous in this day and age, and RIM needs to get its act together.
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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In this day and age? Apple still only have about 3% marketshare worldwide so this makes perfect sense to me. Would you expect a Linux installer too?
You knew that most software wouldn’t work on your Mac when you bought it so why complain?
Furthermore, I’m always hearing that Macs are better than other PCs because they can run Windows and OSX so why not just boot into Windows and update your phone?
Booting into Windows is what I will have to do and more importantly I CAN do that. The point is I shouldn’t have to, this is a restriction that RIM shouldn’t be putting on themselves, and it affects their business which is what I mean by “this day and age”. Why put a restriction on who your customers can be for no good reason?
Haha that would make a good windows commercial
The smartest thing would be for RIM to allow you to download the update as single file (using any browser on any OS) and then copy this file to your memory card and install the update from the Storm…
RIM fail!
You need to get your facts straight kid you clearly have no clue what your talking about. You sound like an old outdated typewriter. Apple currently holds 10% percent of the marketshare worldwide and 21% percent of the US marketshare alone. So if your going to bash away at other peoples comments do your research first so you dont keep sounding like a complete moron.
If you’re going to show up and criticize someone for talking badly about a Mac, you should at least cite your contradictory “facts”.
Regardless, RIM is traditionally a business platform, and every business I’ve ever worked in has been a PC shop (and throw in a handful of Macs here and there), and I’ve been a system admin for 20 years now.
Even as JK said, he HAS ACCESS to Windows from his Mac, so why would RIM waste the effort and resources?
While the market share number is a bit off, the point of the original poster is valid… you know there are limits to running the platform, so quit complaining about it.
OK John, despite your unnecessary rudeness (although I have to admit it’s a while since anyone called me a kid, thanks!) you’ve spurred me to action.
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=759180&view=findpost&p=590849836
If you read through that thread you’ll see that there are all sorts of discussions about the validity of market share statistics based upon website stats but the post I’ve linked to compares Apples earnings report with PCMag’s figures for all PC sales in the same period. Both are worldwide and, as the person who posted them demonstrates, they point to approx. 3% worldwide market share as I stated above. Note that they are relatively recent statistics dating back to April 2009.
The 10% figure that you referred to is often bandied about but is based on completely unreliable website stats and only refers to North America. The 25% that you also referred to was a figure that came out about a year ago and was based on laptop sales, not all PC (i.e. desktop and laptop) sales and is also limited to North American sales.
It’s also worth noting that Apple’s market share is dropping this year because of the recession, the increase in Netbook sales and because of Microsoft’s “I’m a PC” ads.
Now then, what research have you got to back up your claims?
I agree w/ Jake. I’m just thankful that this update finally exist!
Apple’s market share is close to 10 percent, not 3 percent.
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8
See my last post above. These statistics are unreliable because they are based on website statistics rather than actual sales.
Or you could just use a real computer running an OS that doesn’t suck :-)
You mean like Vista? yeah I don’t think so. How about we downgrade our systems back to XP. Wait no.. still sucks.. Just because you can’t afford it, it doesn’t mean it sucks. So what are you going to tell us next… that Louis Vuitton products suck and your sketchers rock? yeah .. didn’t think so.
This turned into an OS war as fast as any post we’ve done before. :)
And that comes as a surprise to you? ;)
I have to admit the post title is somewhat strange, coming from an MVP. Or did all your Windows devices crash overnight? (my XP machine did, incidentally).
I do think it’s worth pointing out the silly restrictions (not even FF is good enough?).
Me, I wouldn’t want to be found dead with a Blackberry. Loving my new Android Google/HTC ION, though :)
Hey, this is entirely your fault. You have Windows on your Mac and could have just made the post “BB Storm Update is Windows Only” and left it at that! :P
I realize this is a tech site and you’re supposed to try all sorts of devices and combinations, but sometimes I don’t understand how you end up with such a hodge-podge of technologies that you expect to flawlessly support each other.
Personally, I focus on combinations that are A) easy to use for end-users, and B) easy to support when it all falls apart.
But Mac and RIM? Obviously not the best combo…
The update process doesn’t work with other mainstream Windows browsers either including Firefox and Chrome (my personal favorite for netbook browsing). Many, many, many website developers know that it’s good business practice to make their sites multi-browser and multi-platform capable. Why doesn’t RIM? As for a user’s expectations ‘going in’, RIM advertises Mac compatibility through a free third party solution. That ‘solution’ is not 100% and in fact has never worked for me. I had to buy a sync program from MarkSpace to help my BB play nice with my Mac.
BTW, the Verizon store from which I purchased my Storm assured full compatibility with the Mac Finally, Verizon claims OTA updates and therefore has an obligation to make those available concurrently with a desktop update.
Funny, I updated at 4:10 PM. I have no complaints that I had to use a PC or that I had to use Windows IE 5.5 or higher. I am kind of grateful that Verizon selected this update over the previous updates so that I could have a better phone experience at no cost to me. I like my Storm and find that there are too many so called experts, blogging information that is either biased through ignorance, or passed on without ever giving extended time to expererience the product. This creates a whining culture that runs from one phone to another expecting nirvana, finding reality, and then crying about it.
Considering the Storm was touted as the “iPhone killer” by both Verizon and RIM, its pretty sad that they wont support the computer hardware most of the customers are using with the competing product.
Pretty sad, but expected given both companies cannot truly grasp why the iPhone is a such a success to begin with and will never have the marketing/product development competency to compete with Apple/iPhone.
The Storm pretty darn well despite a glitchy OS. That OS should be much improved for users this week as the .148 update makes it way to each phone via OTA updating.
and never say never. Besides, what have you got against good ole fashioned competition, anyway Apple fanboi??
What a pointless, whiny article! You KNEW when you bought a Mac it doesn’t have the sort of universal support that Windows has. Get over it and stop blaming others for your buying decisions! Besides, you can boot into windows, so what the heck is your problem? Seems you just wanted something to rant about.
oops, typo: first sentence to read, “The Storm SOLD pretty darn well…”
>Besides, what have you got against good ole fashioned competition, anyway Apple >fanboi??
Nothing. Just waiting for it to happen. Like I said before, 2 years in and still nothing to even make me consider getting rid of my iPhone. Nobody else is willing to create a worthwhile competitor because they are stuck in their old ways and don’t realize they can meet their quarterly numbers by focusing on what consumers want rather than focusing on their quarterly numbers.
and nothing Apple has done with the iPhone (including whatever is in the latest non-replaceable battery iPhone to be announced on June 8th), makes me want to buy one. Ive got a Touch to play with, but I don’t want AT&T service; nor do I want to have a phone that drops calls (my LG NEVER drops calls on Verizon–and I do mean NEVER, in 7 states). While the iPhone floats a lot of folk’s boats, it doesn’t float everyone’s.
I ignore all the “iPhone killer” comments when a new phone comes out, as for me, it’s silly nonsense like “my dad can beat up your dad” drivel. All I care about is how a phone stands up on it’s own merits. The “wonderfulness” of the iPhone is irrelevant to my evaluation of another phone.
Good for them!
Well, I have to say, this might actually be a dealbreaker for me. I was looking forward to switching to Verizon to get the Storm, since my contract w/ Alltel is up. I run Linux, and while I wouldn’t expect the update to run in Linux, I *would* expect it to be available OTA… I’ll definitely be watching for updates to the situation.
How is it a dealbreaker, again?? The Storm DOES do OTA updates, so WHY do you have issues with it not supporting Apple’s OS?? IF you are a tinkerer and want to install the OS flavor of the day, that’s another story and there are forums out there to cater to such needs. AAMOF, there is a .151 version ALREADY out there, that supersedes the Verizon release yesterday of 148. :)
I think you might’ve misunderstood my point. I was coming from an outsider point of view, and didn’t know the update was on the way (something rectified when I walked into the VZ store this afternoon). I’m getting set to update to .148 now
While I agree every OS should be supported I also see you complaining too much. I admire Apple, but never was a fan of the Mac OS because it received too much credit for nothing more than a beautiful Linux platform. If Apple wants to claim they developed a great OS then develop something original instead of covering up Linux with makeup. Apple products are cool and they are small and sexy, but I went with the BlackBerry Storm. Reason being it is far more functional for work and the multimedia features are enough to cover my everyday needs. Your article does contradict your main point of universal support. It is true that RIM should support the MAC OS 100 percent, but on the reverse side Apple should provide users with more options like a removable battery (iPhone). Sometimes as a consumer of products like the iPod I feel Apple controls me with their closed platforms. Plus their product line is way too expensive.
:) Perhaps instead of Jobs exclaiming things are “insanely great”, he SHOULD have been saying, “insanely expensive!”.
I have just been on the phone with VZ — the OTA update is not working for many right now, its hung up. I tried the connected update, via the Desktop Manager, with the support person on the phone and it didnt work either. They are working on it and are hoping its back up during the day…
I am on my second hour trying to get the update to work with the Desktop Manager too.
Thats strange…..i updated my storm late last nite and have been connecting and syncing to my mac all day here. I checked from my handset and did it via OTA. It would appear your search for whatever reason is coming up empty handed…. Best of luck. Update runs smooth as silk.
Cheers!
Same here. I updated OTA last night and this morning it is running just fine. Maybe there is a problem with the service this morning. I’m not completely sure, but if I get more information I will post.
Thanks, I tried it many times yesterday and today, so it might be a spot or regional outage. The support guy definitely acknowledged they were having issues.
Same here.. used OTA insteand of DM. Update took 3 hours (started at 9:30PM EST) and finished the setup this morning on my way in to work. Hands down a HUGE difference over .75 – this Storm owner finally feels like he has a functional device!
I might be missing something as well. I downloaded via OTA last night. I was going to run the update but it said it would take a couple of hours so I scheduled it for late tonight.
RIM isn’t the only one. I use quickbooks online for my business and the only time I use my Windows side of my Mac is when I have to use IE. A bit of a of pain. So, very unfortunate.
Rough crowd here today James. :)
I have not been able to get OTA update to show up yet, and have yet to try the manual install. Fortunately I can enterprise activate once the upgrade is complete.
My Guess is this is a Verizon Snafu, not a RIM one. If it were up to RIM it would just be available over the air.
Wonder what method Palm will use to update the Pre without a desktop app.
Same method Android and Symbian use – over the air.
Which is better – Apple or Microsoft?
………………..Runs away…….
Neither lol. I dislike both those companies. Go open source. Anyway, I will have to go with Microsoft for now just because everything seems to support their OS. :(
My Storm is still reporting no OTA update available as well.
OS Wars aside, I see this as one more reason to ETF the Storm and get a Pre…
Yes, I can agree with you on this point. However, I don’t think RIM is to blame. Verizon seems to enjoy controlling every aspect of the phone…much like Apple and Microsoft. Closed platform! As much as I love the quality of Verizon, sometimes they really do make me want to switch carriers.
UPDATE: I was eventually able to manually get the update applied on a Windows PC. It took 4 tries, got a Fatal Error the first 3. It’s now updated and working fine though.
Glad to hear that despite what sounds like pretty obvious RIM errors, that it “just worked” from Windows. :) ;)
4 tries indeed. You kids don’t know you’re born. I remember trying to sync my Cassiopeia E105 via activesync over a serial port on Windows 98. Oh how I would have loved only 4 tries.
;-)
Glad you got sorted in the end and are all updated. Guess we’ll find out what it added in due course!
Here is another way of getting the update through Verizon and using the Blackberry Asst. It is also a good method of downloading all of your Verizon Blackberry software in case you loose it.
http://www.vzam.net/blackberry/
THIS “UPGRADE” KILLED MY STORM. I kid you not. I started the OTA update last night at 5:30 pm. The screen went black, I couldn’t get it to turn on, and there was no sign of life except for the little red light flashing now and then. This morning I spent over six hours total on the phone with both Verizon and BlackBerry trying to resurrect it. All they could tell me was that apparently the upgrade went so badly wrong that it messed up some essential component. They couldn’t even reset it to factory!! They now have to give me a new Storm, which I’m not so sure I want. I’ve just lost six years of my life – well over 3,000 contacts and six years of hardcore networking are now gone. They’re tried every which way to recover the contacts and they can’t do it. Now, besides being royally pissed off about the loss of essential contacts, what really gets my panties in a twist is that THEY KNEW THERE WERE MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE WIRELESS UPGRADE. And not only did they not communicate that, they didn’t even communicate that there were OTHER WAYS TO GET THE UPGRADE, like downloading the upgrade on your computer. MAJOR, MAJOR, MASSIVE, COLOSSAL, EPIC FAIL.