When it was rolled out back in November 2008, BlackBerry really seemed to be the first true iPhone competitor, as the hardware specs and functionality features recommended it as one of the most advanced mobile devices on the market.

However, when it did hit the stores, endless complaints about the phone came out from nowhere, as users blamed the steep learning curve needed to get used to the onscreen emulated keyboard, the numerous software glitches and the overall quality of the smartphone.

Moreover, people also complained about the clickable touchscreen, which RIM proudly calls “SureType,” which actually worsened the use of the keyboard when typing longer messages or emails, instead of delivering a smooth experience, as the company promised.

At that moment, it looked like Research in Motion’s decision to turn BlackBerry from the “email phone” into a multimedia powerhouse did not turn out well. Several researches confirmed this statement, as consumer satisfaction studies revealed that overall, BlackBerry Storm users are not very satisfied with the product.

In addition, sales figures also pointed out that the iPhone competitor has not been well received by potential customers, as RIM only managed to sell just over 500,000 units during the first two months since the official release, four times less than Apple did with the iPhone during the same period.

And it seems that the state of affairs regarding the Storm smartphone is getting worse, as people expect the release of the Palm Pre multitouch-enabled smartphone, which promises to become the first in its class, according to the popularity it gained during CES 2009.