[/IMG]http://www.palminfocenter.com/ss.asp?f=palm-centro-1-l.jpg[/IMG]

Fixed it for ya.

Tho' if hard buttons are needed, definately go with Lendaddys recommendation . .. the Samsung SCHi-760. Great phone, and you stay with Verizons great coverage.

It depends on what you want the phone for. Blackberries are best for people who primarily use it for email. It doesn't do documents very well and I don't think they do calendars or surf the web well.

The Treo synchs to Outlook so it is good for keeping your calendar, it does email easily, almost as well as the Blackberry, and it can be used to email and edit Word documents. I like it because I can be out of the office and receive a document, PDF or Word, and open it and read it (if I squint a little) and see what it is. You don't really want to write big word documents on it, but you can. You can surf the internet, but it's not real fast.

My sense is that the iPhone is more for people who surf the web a lot, need a media player, and do emailing without documents, but I am not very familiar with it.

I have the Treo 755p. It is the newer Palm version of the Treo that doesn't have the big external antena. I use it to keep my calendar, send and receive emails, organize pictures and some documents, and it gets good reception. I think it's the best all-around business-oriented PDA/smartphone available right now, but the new iPhone looks promising.

Blackberry curve, 8310 AT&T. Does it all. Good phone, good reception, good phone features, + camera, email, GPS, web stuff (i don't use this feature), and more. Good size, good display, good batt life. No Apple Taxes necessary...:cool:

MRM, my BB Pearl syncs easily to my Outlook calendar. If you like, you can also import contacts, etc. From the box it won't open MS Office or .pdf files, but there's a number of programs that allow you to do so.

I have yet to see a phone that is good for surfing the web. Many phones can do it, and the iPhone is the best I've seen . . .but it still sucks for actual surfing. --2 fundamental problems: the screen, and the input. An HVGA screen is only 320x480, which pushes the iphone to the top of the heap, for viewing the web, compared to the QVGA screens of most other web phones. But, still sucks. --the zoom out to fuzzy-over-view feature helps a bit, but still sucks. And then the iPhone only allows basic/crude inputs . ..you can't even select text on a page to be copied/searched for, or to copy into another document. ...and of course, the qewerty keyboard all thumbs.

If you want heavy web surfing in a small device, get a Nokia N800 or N810 (and a simple phone for phone calls) . .2.5 times more screen than an iPhone, and can handle Flash, etc... (real web content)

Sounds like I should check out a blackberry curve.

The last thing I want is email on my phone. If you agree then just get a rugged Samsung phone, or ask the sales personnel at the cellphone store.

I was suprised how many phones were desrcribde 'high return rate' when I bought my last cellphone.

Lendaddy's phone does look pretty sweet. It seems like it's what I need. What I really need is as much of a mobile office (with Internet) as possible - i.e., a mini WiFi laptop. Plus, Lendaddy's my boy, I know he wouldn't steer me wrong. I'll go over to Verizon today and check it out and let you know.

(Although Starnes is my boy too, and he really likes the iPhone, so I'll go and check that out too).

I would indeed not steer you wrong (as far as you know) :D

Seriously though, the Samsung is indeed a mobile office. It even comes with Excell/Word/Powerpoint., etc...

I even have an app on it so I can operate my PC at work from it just like I'm sitting at it ala gotomypc.

But if a big tree falls on it....

. . all of your work/info will be safe on your main computer.

--that's the idea ...the Pocket-PC phones are like a mini-me to your main cmptr. My old 6700 would sync once I walked into the office (WiFi) the newer ones use EvDO to constantly sync live from where ever.

The 10-key on that Samsung really helps it be a traditional phone. (the xv6800 is missing that nice extra)

Of course, it should also be noted; you could just use a real computer and a verizon EvDO card. THere are a lot of UMPC's (Ultra mobile PC) to chose from. Like I've said, This whole idea that every thing happen on such a little screen, with little buttons (phones)is limiting in thru-put. --both in and out. THe UMPC's help lessen both problems (and have faster processors) with the 'cost' of being physically bigger.

I've thought about an UMPC, but I really need to carry it on me at all times, so it needs to fit in my pocket.

Otherwise I'd have to get a man bag . . . and we've already discussed that.

Some smart phones and BBs can be used as a mobile modem for a laptop. I know my Pearl can be, and it's by no means cutting edge. It gives you a nice option for the full computer experience.

lol .... maybe you just need bigger pockets. :cool:

fwiw, I use a Samsung Q1U UMPC when I travel. It's very minimal in size, (even fits in to a few pockets) but it is fully functional. It makes for a better GPS, a better web & email function; offloads pictures, edits them, posts them . . .

Phones are doing a lot these days, but they are like viewing the world thru a straw, and on-screen or slideout keyboards are all thumbs. As long as you know/expecty the compromises, the 'smartphones' are great to have.

what sucks with using your phone as a modem is that now most carriers require you to spend anothe $20 to $40 a month for that ability even though the phone is perfectly capable

wow. same cell phone for 8 years. wow. I know of banks, houses, and marriages that don't last that long. I read somewhere that the average life of a cell phone is about 14 months. I have more chargers than ex-girlfriends, which is why when I go cell phone shopping, I say "show me something that doesn't play little girl music when someone calls me". That, and the fact that I don't like to "type" by pushing little chicklets gum pieces, which usually leads me to something black, flip to talk, and costs around $40 with a talk plan.

You need to describe a little more about HOW you plan use the device.

If you want something where you can do one handed, or not need a surface to type, you need a Blackberry or a Treo.

The "lengthy" portion of the description says to me you plan more to do the typing on a surface, to replace bring out the laptop. This sounds more like a Windows Mobile platform. I really like the look of the AT&T Tilt.

Reading attachments, The Treo and the WM will do the attachements better than a Blackberry.

Wifi - Treo does not have. Nor does it have 3G, so it is slow web-browsing.

Wifi - The Blackberry Curve and the AT&T Tilt have it. And the Curve doubles as a VOIP phone.

3G - The Tilt has it, so you have high speed network anywhere.

Over-seas Travel? Get a GSM phone.

I didn't hear you have an iPod, so I will discount the iPhone. Lengthy e-mails and attachments, are not iPhone friendly.

How I will use it - basically as a portable office to read and respond to e-mails, which may often include attachments, and to look info up on the Internet that I need to get while "on the scene." I don't need to use it one handed, finding a surface is fine.

No overseas travel.

I do have an iPod and of course iTunes. To be honest, I don't use it all that much, but it would be kinda cool to have all the songs on the phone.

I won't have hugely long e-mails to read and respond to, but more than one liners. Stuff around the length of your post would be average. But they need to be "proper" e-mails - fully written out words, properly spelled, proper punctuation and spacing, etc.

I meant to go to Verizon today to look at Lendaddy's unit (har har), but will have to do it tomorrow.