TreoJohn, 

Maybe I am just getting old, but after having been burned repeatedly by what 
you note below, not just on phones, I now try to stay old school.

I started with computers etc back in the 80's, when it all began in a big way. 
Every upgrade brought dramatically increased functionality, interoperability, 
and standardization. It was almost always worth the trouble and expense. 

In the last decade, I would say, these products have matured, and improvements 
are incremental...and sometimes, non-existent...creating differentiation for 
marketing's sake, not to fulfill a real widespread need. 

It has been difficulty to wean myself out of the early adopter mindset. 

That said, I went to a "better" phone a couple of years ago, and returned to my 
Treo 680. I actually went so far as to have it repaired recently. 

It does just what I need it to. when it acts up, a quick Google finds the 
fix...it has all been done before. I don't have to wish that some software app 
would be created...the library is complete. 

So, the OS is dead. What difference does that make to me? They won't publish 
upgrades for it anymore? It doesn't need any. There is no functionality that I 
am wishing they would add. I am one of those that has used Palm organizers 
since the beginning, and I know the system like the back of my hand.. Perhaps I 
have adapted to its shortcomings, but, it suits my needs just fine. 

I do my  fast, fancy web surfing an other gizmos. I do navigation on other 
gizmos. I watch movies on other gizmos....each of which is better a those 
things . I also don't use my Swiss army knife when a chainsaw is a better tool. 

Who said that convergence is holy, complexity is divine?

Rant mode off.

Mike Hodish

>

The part that is most disappointing to me is that increasingly consumers 

are becoming beta testers, and being charged big bucks for the 

privilege. It's like much of the beta testing portion of development has 

been cut out.

With smartphones, the problem may seem worse than it is, but it 

seems so because the darn things cost so much and we buy them because of 

their promise. Too often, we discover their failure after the 30-day 

trial has run out, and we're left with a two-year contract.

That's kind of what happened in my case. I love the Pre. I'm glad I 

didn't go for the Hero or the Moment. But I don't know how long I've 

been trusting a sync that wasn't happening, and I'm about a week out of 

the 30-day thing.


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