My biggest complaint about the BlackBerry device software is that application memory is limited to whatever space is left after the operating system is installed. This means that, while my first-generation Storm has a MicroSD memory card, I cannot run applications from the card. As a result, I am somewhat limited in how many applications I can add to my device. To address this problem, newer BlackBerry models include significantly more Flash RAM than does my Storm or did previous BlackBerries.
Ironically enough, while OS 5 takes up more space than its predecessor, my Storm is more responsive with the new software. I regularly run low on memory, but even when the device prompts me to delete unused applications, its performance isn’t impacted. This revelation came as quite a surprise, considering the improvements to the interface’s appearance that OS 5 brought.
Perhaps the minor changes, such as reducing the 3D effect on buttons, reduced the processing power needed to render the Storm’s user interface just enough to improve the device’s overall response. Whatever the reason, I certainly don’t mind that my device rarely displays its clock-face-like “please wait” icon.