The Storm's ClickThrough display: "A big hardware button"

RIM has an answer for those who doubted that dyed-in-the-wool BlackBerry users would warm up to a touchscreen phone: ClickThrough, a technology that (as one reviewer put it) turns the Storm's display into "a big hardware button." If the early word is any indication, the gamble just might work.

The Storm's 3.25-inch screen has the same "capacitive" interface as the iPhone's, meaning that the display senses your slightest touch. But here's the difference: The Storm's display sits on a springy, clickable surface, giving users a tactile response that's missing from the iPhone and T-Mobile's upcoming G1. (Check out the other details and specs about the Storm.)

It's a fascinating concept, and one that could have easily gone awry had it been clumsily implemented—but from the sound of early hands-on reports, RIM just might have a killer innovation on its hands.

Phone Scoop, for starters, says that ClickThrough opens the door to a whole range of new interface options: "This means the Storm has two distinct ways to press the screen … a light touch is just a 'touch,' while a more foreceful press results in a 'click,'" making "the Storm the first phone we know of with what could be considered a '3D' touch screen."

Engadget says the "floating" screen "clicks down evenly, which provides just the right amount of resistance and tactile feedback, while still allowing for rapid operations like typing ... the capacitive touch on top is perfectly sensitive and accurate." And as far as typing on the virtual QWERTY keypad goes, "we're in love," Engadget coos.

From CNET: "It's unlike any touchscreen smartphone we've seen so far," said reviewer Bonnie Cha, noting that it was "a little weird when I first tried it" and "it just takes a little acclimation"; in the end, though, Cha was "pleasantly surprised at how easy and accurate it was to compose messages and notes."

The bloggers at Gizmodo agree that "typing takes some getting used to … because you have to retrain yourself to actually lift your thumb back off of the screen to let it pop back up between ever single letter … I liked it, but I could definitely see people loathing it."

Wired's Gadget Lab went ahead and called ClickThrough "a flash of genius," adding that the ability to actually click the screen "makes a world of difference … there's no ambiguity to button presses"; meanwhile, composing text messages on the Storm's display "is a breeze … I was able to compose a lengthy detailed SMS without a single typo … a feat I have yet to accomplish with the iPhone."

So, what do you think: Does a "clickable" display sound like the future of touch screen phones?

[Image credit: Engadget]