I've only had limited exposure to it, but I found web surfing on a Blackberry to be a very painful experience. Personally, I'd like a hell of a lot more screen than the BB offers, too.

Google phone, maybe?

And I don't have a laptop yet, but wouldn't a tethered phone be cool? Aaagh!

ARGH! yea I was just thinking I really, really need a new phone. I can't really justify or afford the iPhone contract but GOD I HATE VERIZON SO SO VERY MUCH! except that... they're the only provider with decent coverage here in the Front Range. Bah.

plus my contract is up and my razr has issues. Just this morning it was pissing me off that I can't easily 'poll text' more than one person in my contacts list, which sucks. And this is not motorola's fault, it's the fault of the shitty crippled software/firmware that Verizon insists on infesting their hardware with.

I think I may just get a pay-as-I-go phone and an iTouch. Rather not have 2 devices but eh.

I have a Blackberry Curve. It's great for email and texting. Sucks for web browsing. The Google Mobile apps help a lot though.

My boss just switched from a Blackberry to the iPhone--he was also really worried about getting used to the on-screen keyboard. Once he got a chance to play with the web browser, he decided to switch. So far he seems happy with it.

I feel ya.
I am up for a new phone and haven't really been liking my verizon chocolate (buttons are flat and slippery and bad for texting). I am waiting a few more months for the blackberry to come out with their new iphone competitor, which is supposed to be cool from what I've seen: big touchscreen etc.

I got a Googlephone last week. It's my first experience with a "smartphone" (my old cell phone was almost 5 years old), and I love it. (It has a keyboard, BTW)

This at least is one dilemma I am not burdened with.

My phone is 5 years old as well, BP. I've been putting off getting a new one for the same reasons, melismata. I mean, how in the world do you decide? And then I'd have to consider a new plan (I've been out of contract for 4 years...), which means figuring out what my "needs" are. They make this difficult to navigate on purpose, you know. Grrrr.

I have a Samsung Glyde (from Verizon). It's the cat's meow, as far as I'm concerned. It's a hardy little brick with no poking out pieces to snap off, when it's 'locked' I've never accidentially called someone. It's got a full keyboard and a big enough screen to read the internets while in bed but still be comfortable to hold.
(Downside: it cost about $200+ new with rebate, but the unlimited data plan thingy is only an extra $15/month or something.)

I got a G1 Googlephone at the weekend. Mixed feelings about it.

I like the snazzy interface with the capacitive touchscreen. Web browsing is great on it too.

But it still seems a bit rough and ready. The apps available are pretty crude so far, especially regarding ebook readers. It seems to really guzzle battery life if you switch on GPS or download a lot of data. It doesn't seem to work with my old bluetooth keyboard. The camera is absolutely dire: no flash, and some of the pictures come out very dark.

Maybe a sidekick? a friend just got one- it's got the keyboard and a bigger screen than a blackberry

If you're choosing between the google phone and an iPhone (and you don't mind the touch screen or don't hate apple )there really is no comparison. The iPhone is just a much more mature device. It runs circles around the google phone at this point.

I'm pretty happy with my iPhone (I many have mentioned this once before). The only drawback I have seen are that the keyboard takes some getting used to if you have large hands like me (the "landscape" mode keyboard is better but can't be activated for e-mail, when I need the keyboard the most) and, if you use it for e-mail/browsing/GPS the battery life is very short. Using it for playing music seems to hardly affect the battery at all, though.

The biggest plus for me has been the cool applications that are available free - gadgets that I had never even thought of but which I can no longer live without.