A recent ChangeWave smartphone survey of 3,800 cell phone owners measured customer reaction to Research In Motion's (NASDAQ: RIMM) newest touch-screen phone, the BlackBerry Storm.

The survey was conducted just weeks after the Storm went on sale.

We also compared the Storm's favorability rating to those of the original Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, taken from a 2007 ChangeWave survey conducted a few weeks after the iPhone's release.

The original iPhone's "very satisfied" rating (77%) was more than double that of the Storm (33%).

Moreover, the original iPhone's unsatisfied rating (5%) was three times lower than that of the Storm (14%).

Research In Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) launched the newest BlackBerry "do everything" wireless phone this week to much fanfare. While some pundits has argued whether this was the reel first "iPhone killer" to come to market, most of the universe eagerly waited to test an actual unit and see if what the specifications looked like matched reality. Add to that the fanatical user base the BlackBerry has -- just as nutty as iPhone worshippers -- and it was a classic showdown. Would the new BlackBerry Storm hold its own against Apple, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) offering?

Being released today on the second-largest wireless network in the U.S. -- Verizon Wireless -- the newest BlackBerry offering is the first without a real, tactile keyboard. However, the touchscreen does have actual, tactile feedback. In other words, it can be "pressed" instead of just hovered over or lightly tapped. After having scanned an in-depth review over at Engadget, there may be some major adjustment to this all-new way of inputting information into a phone, just like when Apple released the original iPhone and touchscreens were the new "it."

The gamble RIM takes here is if the real "tough" screen will get customers who require some kind of tactile feedback when using phones to become BlackBerry customers over the iPhone. From a phone standpoint, this is a good comparison. But when looking at the complete multimedia package of the iPhone from top to bottom, I'm unsure the Storm is even in the same league.

As a phone and email device, you bet -- the Storm is every bit as good as the iPhone on paper (feel free to disagree). Since Verizon told Apple to take a hike when the iPhone was originally offered to it, it's now 18 months later and the company finally has an answer. However, the question and answer may have already been asked and answered by AT&T, Inc. (NYSE: T), who Apple chose to partner with when Verizon Wireless declined.

Consumers may be strapped for cash this year with Christmas approaching, but if there's one category which analysts expect to do well despite the downturn, it's smart phones. Analysts have called for Apple, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) to reduce its price on the 8GB iPhone to $99 (with a two-year AT&T contract), though reports that the company might scale back production point to somewhat depressed demand.

Will Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) finally have its iPhone contender; and just in time for the pre-holiday frenzy? Boy Genius Report has received a leaked presentation from Verizon management that indicates the Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) Blackberry Storm will be released in a "pre-launch special event" on November 20, the Thursday before Thanksgiving. The document indicates the Storm, Verizon's first chance at an iPhone-like device, would be available for testing and pre-ordering at 123 company stores, which would open an hour early for the extravaganza. Actual launch throughout the U.S. would occur on the 24th and 25th, Monday and Tuesday.

The Storm has no physical keyboard, instead using the touch-screen technology similar to the iPhone, a camera, and visual voicemail. Pricing will be $199.99 with a two-year agreement. With Verizon planning to stock plenty of these devices, the iPhone-style frenzy may not exist, but it should be popular for consumers who have been captive to Verizon for one reason or another -- and those whose loyalty lies with the Blackberry. Will this be the holiday season of the touchscreen smart phone? RIMM and Verizon can only put their nightcaps on and dream.

If you woke up this morning expecting to take a trip on JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ: JBLU) you may want to double check your flight before heading off to the airport. The airline announced that 215 flights have been canceled due to stormy weather forecast.

The hardest hit hub was New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport where over 200 planned flights were canceled. This comprises a little over one-third of all JetBlue flights scheduled for the day.

JetBlue thinks that canceling these flights will avoid the problems it had faced back on Feb. 14th when hundreds of passengers got stuck for long periods of time (some over 10 hours) on parked planes at Kennedy airport. During that storm the airline company decided to try to get all its passengers to their destinations, a decision which had severe backlash on the company.