Two new smartphone opportunities will become available in the next week: the Palm Pre (only on Sprint) and the Apple iPhone 3G S (still only on AT&T). As soon as the media started reporting these events, my Indianapolis small business computer support customers started calling me to get my take. Everyone knows that the portable device is my weakness. True to form, I've been looking at all of the reviews and reading the pros and cons. As of this moment, I've decided to pass on either of these new choices. It just feels to me that the Palm brand has sailed, so I'll have to wait until I hear Earth-shattering advantages before getting too excited. I do, however, have a line on a couple of people who will be getting them so there will be some play opportunities for me. With the iPhone, besides the new name being dumb, I can try out most of the new features by upgrading my current iPhone to the new firmware, which I will do as soon as Apple's servers get over the initial shock of downloaders.

The bigger reason I won't jump to get one of these new devices (aside from the fact that my partner won't have anything to do with me buying yet another device) is that even more is coming. HTC is working on a couple of Android based phones. Palm has all but announced that they will debut more WebOS based phones very soon. And my iPhone is still a fabulous way for me to get things done while on the move.


I'm not making promises or commitments that I'll still be using my iPhone 3G at the end of the Summer, but I'll keep it thru June. Right now, if my computer network consulting customers asked me what to get, I'd start by asking what carrier they have. On Sprint, the Pre. On AT&T, the iPhone. On T-Mobile, the G1. On Verizon, well, you've got that great network.