How not to launch a product /the trauma one endures on an average day as a journalist

Before we start our official coverage of the BlackBerry Storm, we thought we’d rant a little for a while on how well it all went.

Firstly, events tailoring for journalists to attend should be just that – tailored for journalists that are attending.

So when one turns up at the allotted time we were given, then is ushered away from the main location into a neighbouring people-carrier then promptly bombarded with marketing jargon from the get go, things begin to turn awry for us.

Then when things just seem to go on and on and on, and we wish for the finer moments of Clover Field to happen just for sweet merciful relief – you know it’s going badly.

After a well rehearsed presentation from the double act that is the Vodafone and RIM product managers, we then began to ask some difficult questions. These they barely answered, but countered with well thought out diversions from the initial question in pseudo politician speak that would even make Jeremy Paxman proud. Some more questions hit very awkward chilling moments when brought up, these related to the flaws in the handset and things they’ve clearly overlooked.

When it moved on to the later stages of their handset demo and presentation, we brought up reader questions. To which they said we could answer on the actual Storm Bus, as we needed to set up the laptop and 3G modem connection.

After a while whilst standing in the pouring rain, we were told this wasn’t going to happen. As they needed to research the questions fully, in order to have them answered fully. Meaning these guys almost knew nothing other than what they’ve been told to say and their knowledge stretches no further than marketing gobbledygook.

We made some calls and have left them now in the well trusted hands of someone at their PR company to have them fully answered.

What added to the days disaster was the battery on both our phone and netbook giving up the ghost. Then having our rucksack with all the notes and life basically vanish in the best Paul Daniels routine – only to appear the next day with none of the content on eBay.

Here endeth the rant.