My BFF’s and My Smartphone
October 18th, 2007 by Michael Gray in Random ThoughtsIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Read my top posts or learn more about Michael Gray. Want more frequent updates follow me on Twitter. Thanks for visiting!
I’ve been looking to upgrade from my Motorola Razr to a smart phone since July and here’s the tail of how my BFF’s help me get there
I’m usually not an indecisive person, who sits around handicapped by indecision, however finding the right phone was actually really difficult. In the end it turned out what I was really searching for was a small ultra portable computer/browser/email interface much more than a phone, and nothing was meeting my want/needs.
The above picture come courtesy of my flickr BFF Lee Odden who took it at the Sphinn lunch meet up at SES San Jose. It may look like I’m not paying attention and eating my lunch but trust me I’m taking it all in. On the far left we have my Google BFF Matt Cutts, and my applefan boy BFF Barry Schwartz working the iPhones. Next we have my Search Engine Land BFF Danny Sullivan on his windows smart phone and my buffy BFF Vanessa Fox on her AT&T 8525. What you see is a completely unscientific mobile browsing speed test going on. Who won, well I just remember lots of people talkin’ smack and don’t know that a conclusive winner was ever declared, but watching how people interfaced with their phones was interesting.
One late night in a moment of weakness after fighting with one of the new windows vista machines in my house having yet another issue with network compatibility, I fell off the wagon and slipped into a momentary delusion that I was never buying another windows computer again and was going all Mac. To complete my descent into darkness my lust for all things curvy and shiny overtook me and I wanted an iPhone. Thankfully my xoogler BFF was on IM that night did an intervention and saved from going over to the dark side, extolling the virtues of smartphones over iphones and blackberries. A few days later my IM-NY BFF Avi let me try try his iPhone hands on, and while it has one of the most beautiful displays, the lack of keyboard was too much of an issue for me. It’s probably a good thing the crackberry BFF was tied up with her own life or the possibility of a Blackberry would have been in the decision process too.
So there I was two months later in the middle of a 2 year phone contract, unable to take advantage of any price rebates, in a non 3G area with no really satisfying options. Then my new conference BFF Alex came to the rescue and totally hooked me up with her unused Samsung Blackjack. An upgrade to my service plan and I was in business.
My only real complaint with the phone is the keys are a little bit tiny and close together, other than that I’m really happy with the phone, and kind of annoyed I waited so long to take the leap from stupid phone to smart phone. If mobile telecom companies really want more people to upgrade, stop trying to lock them into 2 year contracts like prisoners. Let consumers be consumers, and be free to consume whatever they want however they want it. Chances are they’ll use and spend more when they do.
Sphere It
October 18th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Good choice. The Blackjack (or as it’s called here in Europe the Samsung i600) is great. I got it in May and so far have been very happy with it.
I recommend you download Opera Mobile for Smartphones, since it’s much better than the installed IE.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Yeah, i have a blackjack too for about 4 months, and also wondered why it took me so long to the leap. Totally hooked.
In the first paragraph I was like, why doesnt he just get a blackjack… at the end, i see you did. good choice.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
nice. yeah, the blackjack has some good features. wired recently issued their periodic new toys comparison issue which has some nice coverage of smart phones in it…
i’m still using my ipod more than my mobile device for now, so holding out for a more biz-practical friendly version of the iphone.. or until someone wants me on a crackberry or something enough to pick up the tab.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I’m actually still looking in from the outside. I’ve had no email on my phone since I sent the crackberry to the round file about 5 years ago. Now the conferences have me revisting the decision. I was going to wait for the new verizon phones, but sounds like blackjack is worth a look.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Ah, yes - phone contracts. I left one phone company because they kept bugging me to renew the contract, when I was quite happy going month to month.
What is it with some of these companies that they can’t rely on superiority of service to keep their trade and feel obliged to make you swear your allegiance?
(but can you quit with the making me want the new toys? ;))
October 19th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
[...] Share This [...]
October 24th, 2007 at 10:08 am
I recently got me a Sony Ericsson P990i - easier to say what it can’t do than what it can - although on the second thought I can’t really think of anything I need that it can’t do
October 29th, 2007 at 12:10 am
I have Sony Ericsson P990i and I am very happy, really