Usually you think of an upgrade as something that improves the existing whatever-is-being-discussed… that is the purpose at least, right? Thus was the intention with the BlackBerry Tour firmware update version 4.7.1.53 but the reality was much, much different.

After several users downloaded it and experienced weird errors, Verizon and RIM halted downloads of the new OS and pulled any link/mention of it. Verizon then began suggesting users who DID download the update to get replacement units, which means the problem is pretty serious. And if that wasn’t bad enough, critics are absolutely panning the BlackBerry Tour after a period of initial acclamation.

Take for example Om Malik who said the Trackball on the Tour behaves like, “a 300 pound man running up a  hill.” That can’t be good. And it isn’t… because it only gets worse as he files complaint after complaint after complaint, concluding with this:

It will be a long time before I trust BlackBerry products. As it stands now, I wouldn’t even recommend the Tour to my worst enemy.

Maybe the company should shelve the BlackBerry Tour altogether.

[Via Crackberry]