BlackBerry Thunder or Storm - the debate rumbles on

Okay, speculation over RIM’s highly anticipated touch screen device has been building for months on end. Various names have been circulating the net including the BlackBerry 9500 and more amusingly the BlackBerry Apple Killer. For a long time it was strongly rumoured that BlackBerrys first touch screen device would be called the BlackBerry Thunder.

All that changed yet again recently when packaging from our neighbours across the pond was allegedly leaked and we all took a step back in surprise to see the name on the packaging was BlackBerry Storm. Wow! Even better by my reckoning. But does this mean it will only be known as the Storm Stateside, or can we look forward to the same Storm brewing in the U.K?

Predictably, neither RIM nor Vodafone are commenting on the Thunder—err, the Storm—but reading over the list of specs on the American packaging, it seems RIM’s challenge to the iPhone will be a dual-mode, CDMA/GSM world phone, with a SIM card pre-installed. Also included: an 8GB microSD card, a USB cable, and a 3.5mm stereo headset. Anyway, I digress.

So will it be the Storm or the Thunder? I know there are many out there who believe it will be known as the BlackBerry Storm in the U.S, and the BlackBerry Thunder in the U.K when it soon launches on Vodafone. I just don’t know which rumour to believe. Personally, I prefer the U.S version and hope that Vodafone goes with the BlackBerry Storm, or better still the Storm 3G. Maybe it will just be the BlackBerry 9500. Hmmm, will somebody please tell us.

Given the chance what you would name the new BlackBerry touch screen device? How about the BlackBerry Meteor, or my personal favourite BlackBerry Tempest. Give it a try by leaving your version in the comments section below if you think you can do better.