I thought I had finally found the perfect cell phone, but (once again) I'm having second thoughts...

I have a friend who is a certified cell phone junkie. He carries three of them (yes) with him at all times, and even during business meetings he is constantly checking them for calls and messages while they are set on vibrate. While I'm not quite that mesmerized (or addicted?), I admit that for years I have been on a constant search for a cell phone that seemed best suited for my needs at the time. It started with my first "mobile" phone -a big, ugly gray thing (nicknamed the "brick") some 14 years ago. It was a heavy, awkward, expensive unit that was still somewhat rare and a sort of status symbol, used at the time mostly for business purposes. It was the forerunner that evolved into the handy communications tool that for most of us is now an essential part of our everyday business and personal lives. Even my young grandchildren carry cell phones.

Looking back, I now realize that for me that first ugly phone was the beginning of a never-ending quest. Each time a new model hit the market, I soon investigated the new "toy" -a seemingly better gadget that I often became convinced I had to have. Fortunately for my wallet, manufacturers didn't announce technological advances as frequently as they have in recent years. Sometimes I waited until I my previous contract was up to avoid the painful early termination fees, and sometimes I couldn't wait. I admit I was fickle. Along the way, I also flirted with the original Palm PDAs, and for a time carried both a cell phone and a Palm Pilot. Later on, I was ecstatic when the so-called smart phones came along. I had a romance with the original Motorola Startac (a client of mine paid $1900 for one of the early exclusive, monogrammed versions, but I not quite so recklessly opted for the $900 -ouch-general edition). I was sad when they stopped making them. And so my quest over time had continued through all the advances...reduced size and weight, text messaging, email capabilities, color screen, web surfing, and camera phones. In recent years I have been through several versions of the Palm Treo, and also compared experiences with the Motorola Q and a Blackberry worldphone.

But-you've probably guessed what's coming- in August of 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone. Oh my! I tried to be blasé and resist the hype, but as soon as a friend showed me his on the second day after they hit the market, I was hooked...I knew I had to have one. Wow! A bright, clear, colorful display, easy to use icons, fast user-friendly setup of email, crisp GPS maps, and dazzling technology that enables one to zoom in on photos by simply brushing fingers across the display. And more. I was enthusiastic. Also, it was a conversation piece. Strangers would stop and ask to look at it if they saw me using it. At first, I more or less overlooked the slow web access. As time went on, I also realized the slow downloading of various email messages was trying my patience...the phone seemed to choke on some messages. And for such a marvelous piece of technology, I missed having a flash on the camera feature.
So what's the problem? It's not really the phone. I realize it's me. I just can't seem to find a phone that is absolutely, perfectly, without question the final solution to all my needs and wants. Maybe I never will. Finding the "right" phone seems to be such a personal thing. My dear wife, for example, is still happily using a Motorola flip phone that I handed off to her a couple of years ago. It has a number of desirable features that she seldom uses, and with quiet amusement she tells me "it's just a phone" and it's all she wants. Oh, if only I could be so content. Instead, like a cell phone Don Quixote, it appears my quest will continue. I'm thinking of either convincing my wife she should take over my once-coveted iPhone (that might help avoid the expensive early termination fee on my AT&T service contract), or else I may sell it on eBay. Hmmm... I wonder what I'll end up with next.

Any recommendations? Please write and tell me of your cell phone experiences and choices. I'll be back to write more and update you on my next purchase.

--Gadgeteer