The Why-Phone babe magnet. "Can I touch it" Yes sir.

http://videoplayer.thestreet.com/?clipId=1373_10367348&channel=Good+Life&cm_ven=YAH OO&cm_cat=&cm_ite=&puc=yahoo&ts=1184232097017&bt=N S&bp=WIN&bst=FF&biec=false&format=flash&bitrate=30 0

The iPhon hype seems to have spooked Nokia somewhat anyway :)

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/08/nokias-aeon-full-surface-screen-cellphone-concept/

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.en...-concept-2.jpg

Actually a simple 610 is more versatile than you might think.

Download (if you have not already that is) Google maps, Opera Mini and enjoy!

Buy a bluethooth GPS (~$60) , download free nav4all.com and have fun.

And it can do stuff the iPhone cannot, i.e. UMTS speed, camera and also work as a modem (via bluethooth) which is great IMHO.

The K610 rock....ehhh....somewhat SmileWavy

Even if the battery life isn't stellar (depending on usage... and a 5 Mpixel camera, with flash, might use some battery) I can change it. I can carry a spare. Like I do for my camera, or my PSP... but now I'd just carry a spare for all 4 devices.

I thought the Nokia interface was great... it didn't have the slick of the iPhone, but that's not so important to me. There was nothing "clunky" about it. The real GPS is great, and I like the idea of putting as much memory as I like in my phone (and being able to change it).

This friend with the N95 mentioned cell coverage, and he'd researched that... finding that, in our area, the coverage was satisfactory and increasing dramatically in the near future. There are enough dead zones in upstate NY that I don't count on coverage everywhere anyway. YMMV.

Not for nothing, but an 8.0/10 is about the lowest rating cNet or anybody could've given the iPhone w/o being besieged by the Apple Kool-Aid drinkers... :D

JP