A popular gift for techie folks is a new cell phone. But which one? As always, a lot of new models are released in time for holiday shopping... So many choices!
Windows 7 phones are the new kid on the block, having just come out this fall. Microsoft has been hyping these for a while as a competitor to the iPhone. Having owned a Windows 5/6 Palm Treo (came with WM5, I hacked it to 6.1) I just can't see any Windows phone seriously competing with an iPhone. Soon after I got the Treo (almost 3 years ago), I wished I had gotten the PalmOS version instead, even though PalmOS is also irrelevant in the current market. The UI may be updated and somewhat similar, but the whole MS philosophy just doesn't work for mobiles, if anywhere. Sales figures seem to indicate the whole mobile market feels the same way.
Okay, so, iPhone? Hm. Stylish, popular, very functional, perceived as fun. And a retina display! (That means the display is supposed to be so good, your retina wouldn't be able to notice if they made it any better.) But still, an Apple product, and subject to the Whims of Steve. A walled garden of available applications. If you're adventurous, you can jailbreak, but why support a company and product that even makes that necessary? Somewhat spendy, and oh, be sure to buy a case for it as you can't hold the 4G in your hand without killing cell signal? Hmph.
Well, what about Droids? Yeah. Which one? That's the question. There are literally dozens of Android-based phones on the market with varying features and capabilities. Not to mention, each carrier has their own version of Android. Can we say 'Market fragmentation'? Bigger screen? Better screen? Samsung's Galaxy seems to be well regarded for the big, high def screen. And an app store! But still somewhat of a walled garden... But Android is open source! Sure, and it's nice if you like to support open source, but again, each vendor has their own, modified version. We've seen the problems that can lead to in the varieties of Linux OS out there, and supporting apps for that. And some of these are pretty spendy, too. With 1GHz+ CPU and plenty of RAM, that's not surprising.
Aha! Blackberry! Can't go wrong... Except now governments have been pressuring RIM to give them backdoors into the Blackberry ecosystem for surveillance purposes. And RIM has been complying. Does Blackberry have an app store? And aren't they just for corporations? I want a fun phone!
What's left? Symbian-based phones seem to be a dying breed, though Nokia still sells shiploads of them. What's that new thing, Meego? Is anything available with that?
Well, I could get a pre-paid simple cell phone, like Tracfone. I don't need no stinkin' apps! Or fun. Or any amount of cool at all. I just want to make a call now and then!
Maybe I'm going to settle for two cans and a string. You all can decide for yourselves what you want!
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