I've been a pretty happy i700 user for the past couple of years. I find I have to reset too often but besides that have had a generally good experience. I use it for quite a bit - synching with Outlook, emails, web browsing, GPS (Pharos receiver/Mapopolis software), and other apps.

I'm considering upgrading to the i730. My cost would be around $380 plus whatever for accessories (like a BT GPS and headset).

This might be a tough question but do people think I should go ahead and upgrade now or perhaps wait and get a phone with Microsoft Windows Mobile 5. Tough question because I'm not sure what devices will be delivered with WM5 and am guessing that it will take quite awhile for Samsung to offer the upgrade (similar to the WM2002 to 2003 upgrade delays).

So what would you do in my position if you were generally happy with your current device but at the same time looking to upgrade to something faster with Bluetooth. Bite the bullet and buy the i730 or wait a bit and see what develops with a WM5-compatible device.

Thanks.

If you can afford it, get the upgade. If you cannot, then don't.

At some point you are going to have to bite the bullet. If you do wait until WM2005 comes out something better would be on its way. Then you would have to make that decision all over again.

Would u really want to use the new operating system when it is first released? Could be buggy. Would your 3rd party apps even work WM5, at least right away? You might have to take a step backwards there to go forward three.

If the i730 fits your needs now, go for it!

WM5 will probably not be released for this phone until sometime mid-summer next year. You can search for "WM5" and find the post I did about it. I got some inside information and it talked about testing WM5 on the i730 internally at Microsoft.

I wouldn't wait for WM5. Go to the store and try out the i730 and see if you like the features of it enough to upgrade.

__________________
-Michael
Need help setting up your i730/i830 or other WM2003/WM5 Phone, as well as the other hacks I have done, check out the MRailing Guides and Links

He's also asking about waiting for some other device to appear with WM5. For US markets, I think that could be a long time too.

I think the i730 will be the first phone from Verizon with WM5 on it. I would almost bet that Cingular will have WM5 phone by the end of the year, but hey, that's Cingular, they got all the good phones (except the i730).

__________________
-Michael
Need help setting up your i730/i830 or other WM2003/WM5 Phone, as well as the other hacks I have done, check out the MRailing Guides and Links

Looks like Sprint might be working on releasing an HTC Wizard (Apache) phone (w/WM5) in the near future called the PPC-6700. Hobbes is Real (from the PPC6600 forums on these very boards) made a post at TreoCentral about this here: http://discussion.treocentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=91508

Confirmed with 2 Verizon reps at a conference that Verizon will upgrade the I730 to WM5 this fall, and that they "hope" to have it OEM for new orders once the upgrade is available.

Would love to see some verification that this "Upgrade" is gonna happen. Possibly a website announcement or something.

This phone would be upgradeable to WM05 when it was available.

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Where ever you go there you are!

soft keys -

WM5 includes 2 new soft keys. I wonder if that would take place of the two buttons on top?