The popularity of social networking and media is growing via the use of mobile technology, and especially on the Storm. With this in mind, social networking giant Facebook has just recently implemented a new version to incorporate new features with their site. These new features include:

• Up-to date status updates to stay current with what is happening with your friends.
• Highlights to view your friends’ activity with events like: photo uploads, quizzes, and videos.
• Instant wall access where a BlackBerry Storm user can write a statement on friend’s wall with just one touch of their profile picture.
• Slide-show arranged photo album viewing with easy scrolling to view individual pictures from their thumbnails.
• New language support for: Indonesian, Thai, and European Portuguese.
• Calendar style arrangement for your events page.
• Instantaneous photo upload to Facebook albums right after you have taken them on your Storm.

…and many more.

To get the new Facebook v1.6, you can:

• Download it straight to your BlackBerry Storm
• Download it to your computer

or

• Download it from BlackBerry’s App World website.

Please feel free to leave any feedback on this new update for Facebook users.

• Storm 9500: OS 4.7.106
• Storm 9530: OS 4.7.103

If you are wanting to download these OS leaks, please note that these are unofficial and are not a complete release of an OS, so you may encounter some bugs here and there. If you cannot tolerate bugs on an OS, I would recommend waiting for the full official release. I have specified the downloads for these OS’ below:

This download is for the 9500

This download is for the 9530

Please leave any feedback with regard to these leaked OS’ here.

Now, Verizon’s wireless partner is planning for a subsidy in the BlackBerry Storm for the UK market to increase its prospects and also to initiate a price war in the market. A similar strategy is on the cards for the US launch. But the question is who started all this. Was it not AT&T that drastically reduced the price of Apple iPhone and started selling it for $199? It’s well being anticipated by the industry experts that BlackBerry Storm would be priced lower than the iPhone.

There was anticipation that Verizon would even go to the extent of selling BlackBerry Storm for free in order to tap the smartphone market. The approaching holidays would be targeted for being the ideal time to offer heavy discounts on the BlackBerry Storm so as to hook the iPhone customers. The touchscreen market is also on the watch.

In the event of the BlackBerry Storm being a hit, Verizon as a player in this segment would establish itself on firmer grounds. The ultimate idea would not just be about tapping new customers but also luring the existing lower-paying customers to costlier contracts. As a customer you won’t end up just getting the BlackBerry Storm, but also would have to sign up for BlackBerry calling and e-mail plan which starts at more than $75 a month.

The 3.25-inch 480 x 360 display which has been dubbed as “1/2 VGA+” actually places BlackBerry Storm above the Bold’s 480 x 320 display. The 3.2-megapixel camera with automatic focus and flash positions BlackBerry Storm far above the other camera phones available in the market. The onboard memory of 1GB with microSD expansion together with the 8GB card distinguishes this from the rest. Not just this! The BlackBerry Storm actually has a lot more to offer. The voice quality is exceptionally good and the enhanced background noise cancellation is an added advantage for greater voice clarity. The software support takes care of every minute detail. It was not a surprise that RIM has referred to the BlackBerry Storm’s web browsing experience as the best in class.

The BlackBerry Storm emerged at a time when the market is already flooded with iPhones. The market was really waiting with bated breath. Because of the enormous price pressure existing in the industry, a serious slash in the price of the BlackBerry Storm can also be on cards if Verizon wants to make its presence felt in the market especially during the approaching holidays. With the launch happening, get ready to have a glimpse of the BlackBerry Storm in some more than 120 corporate stores with the demo unit. So wait no further! Get ready to place the order in person when the BlackBerry Storm hits the market.