Vodafone and RIM Launch the BlackBerry Storm Smartphone in the Netherlands

Feel the power of the BlackBerry Storm smartphone – the World’s First “clickable” touch-screen smartphone

Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Waterloo, Canada - Vodafone and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the availability of the BlackBerry® Storm™ smartphone in the Dutch market. Purpose built for Vodafone and delivering the renowned functionality of the BlackBerry® solution, the BlackBerry Storm brings entertainment, information and communications to the tips of your fingers and incorporates the world’s first ‘clickable’ touch-screen. The beautifully designed BlackBerry Storm is available for free on a 24 month contract in Vodafone stores from November 24th 2008.

The BlackBerry Storm is a perfect choice for both consumers and business users looking for a state-of-the-art multimedia device that makes a statement in the office and out on the town. The stylish smartphone boasts exceptional performance, a stunning display and rich features including 3G (HSPA) network support, GPS, desktop-style web pages, advanced multimedia, a first class phone, camera and robust messaging capabilities – all designed to give users a fast and powerful mobile experience.

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone’s revolutionary SurePress™ touch-screen, which depresses ever so slightly when the screen is pressed, dramatically enhances the touch interface for both typing and navigation. The virtual keyboard on the BlackBerry Storm responds much like a physical keyboard to allow easy and precise typing and the interface also supports single-touch, multi-touch and gestures for intuitive and efficient navigation. The BlackBerry Storm can be used in portrait or landscape mode thanks to its built-in orientation sensor (accelerometer). When in portrait mode, users can type out a quick instant message or dial a number using either RIM’s SureType® keyboard system or a 12-key multi-tap keyboard layout. When the handset is rotated to landscape, the user is presented with a full QWERTY keyboard.

Whether shopping for a gift online, editing important documents or reading a map, the BlackBerry Storm smartphone brings images to life with stunning clarity through its gorgeous 3.25-inch, high resolution (480x360-pixels at 184ppi), colour display. A multimedia powerhouse, the BlackBerry Storm has a built in media player that handles a number of music formats. It can even be synchronised with iTunes® to enjoy music on the move** or synced wirelessly via Bluetooth® to the BlackBerry® Remote Stereo Gateway to enjoy songs through a home stereo. It features a 3.2 megapixel camera with variable zoom, auto focus and a powerful flash that also provides continuous lighting when recording video, and through its integrated GPS, the BlackBerry Storm smartphone can pinpoint its exact location, supporting the geotagging of pictures and applications like BlackBerry® Maps as well as other location-based applications and services.

Preloaded with a variety of powerful applications that were custom-built for the BlackBerry platform, the BlackBerry Storm from Vodafone enables the user to simply and easily keep web community pages current, continue instant message chats or even add pictures directly to Flickr™.

Preloaded applications include:

* Facebook® for BlackBerry® smartphones
* Windows Live™ Messenger for BlackBerry smartphones
* Google Talk™ for BlackBerry smartphones
* Yahoo® Messenger for BlackBerry smartphones
* AOL® Instant Messenger™ for BlackBerry smartphones
* ICQ® for BlackBerry smartphones
* Flickr™ Photo Uploader for BlackBerry smartphones

Not only do these applications offer many of the same functions and commands that users are familiar with on their desktop computer, the BlackBerry Storm also supports multitasking so that users are not forced to constantly open and close applications throughought the day in order to stay on top of their various communications and activities.

Tariff information *

* The BlackBerry Storm will be available for €79.95 on a €42.50 per month tariff. Included are 150 minutes and 150 SMS, plus free Internet access and push-email. For the first 12 months, users only pay €29.50 per month.
* The BlackBerry Storm will be available for free on a €57.50 per month tariff. Included are 300 minutes and 300 SMS, plus free Internet access and push-email. For the first 12 months, users only pay €44.50 per month.
* The BlackBerry Storm will be available for free on a €77.50 per month tariff. Included are 500 minutes and 500 SMS, plus free Internet access and push-email. For the first 12 months, users only pay €64.50 per month.

* All contracts are for 24 months and do not incur a connection fee.

Packed with Additional Features
The BlackBerry Storm smartphone includes a number of features and functions including:

* BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Unite!, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Sherver support
* Preloaded DataViz® Documents to Go® allowing users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset
* 3.2 megapixel camera, with variable zoom, auto focus, and a powerful flash that also provides continuous lighting when recording video
* Built-in GPS that supports location-based applications and services, as well as geotagging of photos
* 1 GB of on board memory storage and a microSD/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 16 GB of additional storage. A 8GB microSD card is included)
* Media player that can play movies smoothly in full screen mode, display pictures and slideshows quickly and manage an entire music collection; playlists can be created directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters – including “Lounge”, “Jazz” and “Hip Hop” – for customized audio ranges when using wired headphones or external speakers
* A 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, support for Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP) and dedicated volume controls
* Sleek, elegant design with contoured corners, stainless steel back and chromed frame
* Large (3.25") display with glass lens and capacitive touch-screen; its exceptional 480 x 360 resolution is crisp and bright with eye pleasing clarity
* An ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts backlighting for ideal viewing and an accelerometer that allows customers to view applications in either portrait or landscape mode by simply rotating the handset
* Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides approximately 6 hours of talk time on 3G networks and 15 days of standby time

** Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.