The Blackberry Storm is to be the first full touchscreen mobile phone released from the Blackberry range by Research In Motion (RIM).

The Blackberry Storm is scheduled to hit the streets next month but will only be available exclusively to Vodafone.

The Storm is the latest Blackberry handset to compete in the market with features including a ‘clickable’ touchscreen and a 3.2 megapixel camera. RIM has advised that the touchscreen responds with a click when pressed providing the user with a responsive and intuitive experience. Other features of the ‘Storm’ include GPS and DataViz Documents to Go software allowing the user to edit Microsoft Office document when out of the office.

RIM president Mike Lazardis said: “The BlackBerry Storm is a revolutionary touch-screen smartphone that meets both the communications and multimedia needs of customers and solves the longstanding problem associated with typing on traditional touch-screens. Consumers and business customers alike will appreciate this unique combination of a large and vibrant screen with a truly tactile touch interface.”

Vodafone global chief marketing office Frank H Rovekamp said: “We are delighted to bring the power of the BlackBerry Storm, purpose built for Vodafone, directly into the hands of consumer and business customers. With its unique clickable touch screen, giving access to all the desirable multi-media features and services such as browsing, music and video, turn by turn satellite navigation, messaging and social networking the BlackBerry Storm is being brought by Vodafone into the consumer world.”