Early BlackBerry Storm sales figures look strong

It may be a Stormy Thanksgiving for Verizon Wireless, if preliminary sales estimates for Research In Motion's BlackBerry Storm, which the carrier launched Nov. 21, are to be believed.

Verizon has not released any definitive weekend sales numbers yet, but analysts cited by Unstrung put preliminary sales in the range of 100,000 to 120,000 units. Analyst Avi Greengart of Current Analysis said he had not heard any definitive sales numbers yet, but that indications were that sales were strong.

Customers from coast to coast complained of long lines to get the first touchscreen BlackBerry. Verizon notes on its website that there is limited availability of the Storm, and that orders made online will ship Dec. 8. It is unclear whether this means there will be limited availability in retail stores ahead of the Black Friday shopping rush. It is also uncertain how the Storm availability issue will affect RIM, whose third quarter ends Nov. 29.

For more:
-see this article
-see these photos of the lines for the BlackBerry Storm
-see FierceWireless' review with photos

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