"Most impressive phone we’ve used since the iPhone"

The next 30 days are looking to be exciting for those of us looking for a Smartphone to read wireless email that is not on AT&T.  Yes, I know that people who love their iPhone cannot believe that we would read our email on anything else.  But, some of us are in the Verizon Wireless world.  And, it looks like an incredible line-up of phones is happening:

• Windows Mobile devices
• Blackberry Storm 2
• Motorola Droid
• Palm Pre (next year)

If you are not following these devices, then you will have a lot of catching up to do as the commercials roll out.

Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 is probably the least exciting of the bunch.  (Sorry, Redmond.)   A collection of them have been shown in public with names like HTC Touch 2, LG GM730 and Samsung Omnia II.  They are running an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system.

The amazing thing is how excited we would have been about the new design and capabilities just two years ago.  But, the iPhone makes Windows Mobile look slow and unfriendly.  I could not believe that a stylus would be required for many functions and that there is a scroll bar on the right of the screen.  (It is now counter-intuitive to flick up to scroll down.)

"It's widely acknowledged by users, media, and even Steve Ballmer himself that Windows Mobile is in dire need of a ground-up revamp, and it's happening -- but not quite yet. That's Windows Mobile 7 you're looking for, and realistically, it's not going to be in your pocket for at least another year. That leaves Microsoft in a bit of a pickle: how do you facelift version 6.1 -- which is already a facelift of 6, which in turn was a facelift of 5 -- just enough to eke another year or two of life out of it? Is it even possible?," the Engadget blog reports.

I must confess that I once had a Windows Mobile device from a few generations ago.  I turned it back in for a Palm Treo.  So, I am not a fan and will not be getting one of these.

The RIM Blackberry Storm 2 is going to be more exciting, if you believe all of the reports.  It is a full-screen BlackBerry that is a vast improvement over the small screens that I had become used to.

"If you're a Verizon or Vodafone customer jonesing for a new touchscreen smartphone, you'll want to line up the day the BlackBerry Storm2 goes on sale and get one. Period.," exclaims the Crackberry web site in its extremely detailed review.

I currently use a BlackBerry because it is the best email device, in my opinion.  It is even easier than the iPhone (or, in my case, my iPod Touch) to go through mail quickly.  I think it is the best device for text email out there.

But, it falls apart with HTML mail and anything that requires a browser.  And, it would appear that the new BlackBerry does not improve on it.

"Web browsing isn't one of the Storm2's strong suits," reports PC Magazine.  "Its HTML browser renders desktop sites well, but slowly (even in 3G). It also streams audio and video but lacks Flash and two-finger zoom. Scrolling around Web pages felt jerky. Plus, the bottom icon bar was finicky; it didn't always appear on cue. Safari on iPhone, Android, and Opera Mobile all offer better mobile browsing experiences."

That leads me to something that I am getting excited about, the Motorola Droid.  I saw the first television commercials last night -- the so-called iDon't campaign.  The campaign is about all the things that the iPhone does not do. Click to watch the video:

So, what is the Motorola Droid? The reports say it is the name for a new smartphone running Google's Android operating system on Motorola hardware with the Verizon Wireless network.

It is clear that these powerhouse companies are planning to attack Apple head on.  It is hard to be more confrontational than the video on the right.

The very first reviews have been outstanding and, if correct, could make it an ideal wireless email device.  The first hands-report came from the Boy Genius Report web site.  They exclaim that it is the "most impressive phone we’ve used since the iPhone."  Here is a feature list from Boy Genius:

• It’s running Android 2.0. Duh.
• It’s thin. Just slightly thicker than an iPhone 3GS and the thinnest QWERTY-slider we’ve ever seen.
• It is the fastest Android device we’ve ever used. (It’s running a TI OMAP3430 processor)
• The feel of the device is very reminiscent of the OQO 02 model computer. Just smaller. It’s metal with a non-spring-assisted slide, very sturdy, and half soft-touch plastic.
• Awesome capacitive display. Plus it’s huge. Easily the best screen we’ve ever seen on an Android handset, and an amazing screen overall.
• The QWERTY keyboard is actually pretty usable and has a soft-touch rubberized finish. We’ve been told the keyboard design isn’t final on this unit, thus the two no-shows.
• Have we mentioned this phone flies? It’s the Android device to beat, and easily the most impressive. From what we’ve been told, Google had a direct hand in the Motorola Droid. Something to the point of almost dictating every move Motorola made when designing and making the phone. Interesting, huh?
• There’s a desktop cradle/charger that will ship with the Motorola Droid that we’ve been playing around with. It turns your Droid into a “multimedia station” and displays local weather, the time, etc.
• No one wants to listen, but it makes the CLIQ looks like a child’s toy (partly because it is, and partly because the Droid, even in its non-final form, is the most impressive phone we’ve used since the iPhone. It’s positively amazing).

I am looking foward to trying the mail integration based on Google software.  Will it be as good as the BlackBerry for email?

I do want to give a passing mention to the PalmPre.  The phone is impressive.  And, if it was on Verizon Wireless, I would have gotten it months ago.  But, it looks like these new devices will take the thunder out of the Palm.  (No, that was not intended to be a BlackBerry Storm pun.)

So, the next 30 days ought to be pretty exciting over at the Verizon Wireless store.  Which device, if any, interests you?