Help me solve my cell phone dilemma...

[RicerX]

What's up, fellow techies?

I'm in the midst of a dilemma. I'm currently with T-Mobile. I'm under contract and I'm using a Nokia 6600 Slide from Europe. The phone is killer, but as I've recently changed jobs, I've outgrown it, and must go back into smartphone territory.

Now, as I'm under contract until the end of this year (12/31/09, to be exact), I don't have a full upgrade with T-Mobile. I'm not spending a crap ton of money on a phone if it's not going to be 3G speeds, so my only option with T-Mobile is the G1. For 349.99 without renewal, 299.99 with renewal. I haven't been very happy with my service with T-Mobile lately, and I've had my service with them since August of 98 (Powertel days!) and I've even had a 2 year run with them as a Sales Rep. So I'm not really inclined to renew for 2 years so save 50 bucks up front on a phone.

My family and a ton of friends have recently switched to Verizon, which brings me to my first alternative - the Blackberry Storm. I've done some reading on it and it seems to be solid. Anyone have one or have service with Verizon and can fill me in?

The other obvious choice is an iPhone 3G. Nuff said. The only thing is that I just don't like AT&T and have heard horror stories.

Basically... it'll be cheaper to stay with T-Mobile, but I can justify an increase in my bill if I'll be happier with the service and device. I've pretty much ruled out the G1 because it lacks Exchange Server support right now, which I need for work email. I can get the email support i need on either the iPhone or the Storm. Plenty of BB and iPhone geeks at the office.

My term fee is $100 right now with T-Mo. Add that to the $200 for either iPhone or BB and we're right at what it would cost me to renew with T-Mo for a G1. Hence the justification in costs.

Thoughts, ladies and gents?

[marlin29311]

Get the Storm - I've had mine for over a month and a half now and I love the device to death - it's my first blackberry device. I'll admit it's not for everyone, but if you are tech inclined and understand the advantages/drawbacks of a touch screen device, then you will love it. No matter what people say, the Storm is still a business device - the iPhone is more of the toy (I would say go with the iPhone if you want all of the apps and such (i mean, who can't live without an app that virtually pops popcorn???)). The .75 OS on the Storm right now is fairly stable, and RIM/Verizon is on the verge of releasing the next official update, which through leaked betas has shown users that the Storm can and will run much faster/efficent/better/less buggy. Plus AT&T sucks, and you can't send a picture message with the iPhone.

[Beancooker]

Get a gen 1 Blackjack. Unlock it, and you're good to go.

Hell, I'll sell you my overclocked and unlocked Blackjack for $150.

[RicerX]

Thanks for the input guys. So what's so neato about the Blackjack, beancooker? I'm a bit of a Nokia purist, so if I went that route, an E-series Nokia might just outdo that Blackjack in my book. But to each his own, of course.

[Beancooker]

Blackjack has a lot of cool options (most that I don't use) and I have an app package that has 400+ apps for it. The sync with Microsoft office (contacts) is awesome.

It is just a cool little device. I will say it is every bit as capable as the iPhone, just has a smaller screen, and isn't touch screen. (I would break a touch screen too easily)

[notslow]

The Storm is a great device. You will like many of the little features that make BlackBerry successful:1. If your battery is almost dead you can power the phone off and the phone will still turn on in the morning (or whenever) for your alarm clock. Excellent feature if you are on the road and forgot a charger or something.

2. The clicking screen makes it sssoo much easier to type as you can see the letter you are selecting before you 'click' it.

3. Doesn't matter what screen you are at you can change tracks on media player by holding one of the volume keys on the side. Super handy if you listen to music lots. Other phones you have to open up the media player to do this.

Tons of other features to like about these phones.

[Adeianos]

You may also want to consider the Samsung Omnia if you're going with Verizon. Their current deal is $99 with a 2-year contract, not bad for a $550 phone. It's about even with the Storm, but is more phone-like and less PDA-like. The screen doesn't click, but it has a vibrating feedback when you press a button.

[szh]

Hmmm ... I spent some hours comparing the Samsung Omnia to the Samsung Saga, and picked the Saga ... easily hands down a better phone.

Too many things are clumsy on the Omnia - it tries to be an iPhone clone and fails. The Saga (also called the SCH-i770) is simply a third-generation Windows Mobile phone that does its job pretty darn well - it is a replacement for the previous SCH-i730 and SCH-i760.

Z

[C-Kwik]

Hmmm ... I spent some hours comparing the Samsung Omnia to the Samsung Saga, and picked the Saga ... easily hands down a better phone.

Too many things are clumsy on the Omnia - it tries to be an iPhone clone and fails. The Saga (also called the SCH-i770) is simply a third-generation Windows Mobile phone that does its job pretty darn well - it is a replacement for the previous SCH-i730 and SCH-i760.

Z

The Omnia and Saga aren't all that different except for the keyboard. For heavier text uses, I'd probably say the Saga is a better choice, but the Omnia is pretty good despite being operated entirely by touch. I think if you are expecting the phone to work like an iphone, you will be disappointed (the widgets are lame). I actually picked up an Omnia through Verizon a few weeks ago and love it. Easier to use than the i618 I am replacing as the screen isn't recessed (which can make tapping the edges of the screen difficult) and is more friendly to finger touch (it does a pretty good job recognizing the center of your finger).

The key is that you should recognize it is a WinMo phone and use it as such. Though, if you want an icon based phone, one could use the Main Menu as their main screen rather than the today screen. There is also a shortcut page that can supplement it by pressing the corresponding softkey or swiping your finger to flip the next page). My GF also has the Omnia and she uses this page as her mainpage as she has no need for the features on the today screen.

For my phone, I added the applications I used on my i618, which included SPB Pocket Plus, SPB Time, SPB Weather, and S2U2(slide to unlock). They work beautifully and with Pocket Plus, I have the lower half of my today screen full of icons for my commonly used applications (I currently have 15 there now, but it can fit another 5 without forcing any scrolling). That includes the fact that SPB Time and Weather both fill some space on my today screen as well (with those deleted, I could probably fit 2-3 more rows with 6 icons in each).

My personal problem with the Saga is I value more touchscreen space and have little use for a tactile keyboard. I don't text a whole lot and the virtual keyboard is sufficient for my needs. Not to mention the Omnia is smaller. About the only big change I would have liked to have seen is that they add a slot for a portable stylus. The i618 I was using before had a telescoping stylus so that I can store it with the phone in case I needed it. The Omnia is better with fingers than my last phone, but there are times when a stylus would still be handy. The one they include basically is a dongle style that hangs off your phone. I didn't care for it there, so I just have it attached to my keychain for the time being. Problem with that though is I end up just working without the stylus instead.

One big thing I do like is that people have figured out how to tether the Omnia to a computer and use it as a broadband modem without the additional $15+ charge. I'm thinking most WinMo phones (perhaps even smartphones) are obtaining workarounds for this though. I'm hoping someone figures out a way to access the built-in GPS though (Verizon has it locked down pretty well apparently).

I think WinMo itself is one of the biggest limiting factors in being more touch friendly as its core is designed around the use of a stylus. WinMo 6.5 will probably be a big step forward (based on screenshots) as it appears to be getting a rather large UI upgrade, but the biggest change will be when they get WinMo 7 out as that will be a ground up design with a large focus on becoming a major platform for mobile phones. From some brief things a friend of mine who is working on it has told me, it sounds pretty exciting. I just hope they get it finished and released before its design is already obsolete.