1. What PDA and/or mobile phone do I use today?
Palm 505 and Nextel (non-PDA) cell phone

2. Are you locked into a mobile carrier (i.e. Verizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, etc.), or do you prefer a particular carrier? Do you know if one carrier has better coverage in places that you need to be? New Carrier okay. Travel throughout lower 48 states. Often to rural areas.

3. Where are you based? Do you stay in one place or travel a lot? Do you travel internationally... how much and where? Do you intend to use your pdaPhone there? Travel throughout lower 48 states, often to rural areas. Need cell phone coverage in these areas, but probably not wireless connection. PDA more for organization like names, numbers, to-do's, calander.


4. Do have a preference of Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, Smartphone OS, Blackberry, etc.? Palm

5. Are you likely to run it the way it came out of the box, or do you intend to load a whole lot of extra applications and stuff on it? Do you know of anything now that you will need to run? Box.

6. How important is wireless data access, and what would you use it for (i.e. web browsing, email, remote terminal access, AOL Instant Messenger, etc.)? Not important

7. Will you need to view Microsoft Office documents on the pdaPhone? Will you need to edit them? No

8. Will you need to access a corporate email system? Will you do this while in a cradle (or via a sync cable), or do you need to do this while you are out of your office? No

9. Do you do SMS messaging a lot (telephone to telephone messaging)? no

10. Do you need a GPS for mapping and navigation? Nice-to-have, but lower on the list.

11. What is your size preference.. very close to the smallest cellphone, or you don’t care.. function over size? Small size very important.

12. How will you carry it... pocket, belt, purse, etc.? Pocket or belt.

13. Do you prefer a particular form factor… flip-phone, candy bar, etc? No preference

14. Do you prefer a QWERTY keyboard, numeric dial-pad, or stylus? Stylus is what I am use to, but can adapt.

15. Do you want to play a lot of video games on the pdaPhone? What kinds - puzzles, strategy, action adventure, etc.? No

16. Do you want to listen to music on the pdaPhone? What kind... mp3, streamed, etc.? No

17. Do you have any other hardware you intend to use with the pdaPhone? Do you intend to use any Bluetooth devices? What types of devices? No

18. What are your budget limits (pdaPhones range in price from below $100 for older used models to nearly $1000 for high end models without a carrier subisidy)?
No limitation

Other: I looked at Samsung 1500 and Handspring Treo 600 through Sprint, but am unsure of Spint's service availability. I liked Verizon coverage but have not looked at their phone offerings. Nextel coverage is unacceptable. Is the Consumer Report article from Feb. 04 a good guide for coverage evaluation?

Thanks!

The best guide for coverage is talking to people you know... it is SO spotty by geography. A matter of a few thousand feet can make or break you if it is a place you spend a lot of time. Sprint covers where I go the best, and I spend most of my time in a major city... just because of tower placement.

Any pdaPhone is going to cover you, because your requirement sare pretty flexible. But in reality, you will not be that flexible with what you like or dislike. I would seriously go to a Verizon store, Sprint store, and T-Mobile store... and spend some time playing with the phones.

Personally, I think you'd probably be fine with the i500 if Sprint does it for you. Sprint can roam on Verizon's network... other carriers can't. But depending on your plan and travel arrangements, this could incur additional costs.

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Mike - Been Converged?