Cell phone quagmire
So with Apple's release of iSync 1.1 yesterday, I'm once again horny for a new cell phone. I'm a year and a half into a two year contract with ATT Wireless, and I'm using a Nokia 3360 that, as a result of my two-year contract, they ultimately ended up paying *me* $50 to use.
So. iSync.
iSync is cool as hell. And I don't use a PDA too much, though I own one, but I do rely on my cell phone as a way to stay in touch with people -- especially industry people -- when I travel. Because I usually travel on business. It's a pain in the ass with the Nokia to synchronize my contact info because there's no way to do that on a Mac. Nokia's Mac support is virtually nonexistent.
If I upgrade to a Bluetooth-enabled phone right now, that'd require me to switch to a GSM-enabled phone too. And ATT Wireless' GSM coverage in this area -- and most others -- is wretched. So I've been reluctant. I've also heard a lot more bad than good about the Sony Ericsson T68i, which was the darling of early iSync adopters, and that also put me off.
But iSync 1.1 now supports USB-connected phones from Motorola. And several of those support TDMA, the network that ATT has deployed most widely, and the network I'm on. So it's got me thinking again.
But in order to find out which phone I should get, I have to compare Apple's compatibility chart with ATT's own list, only to discover that the actual "equipment upgrade" path for existing customers is quite different than the one offered to new customers.
And, of course, I'm distractable. So the next gen phones that support GSM specifically look MUCH more appealing to me than my TDMA-bound alternatives -- solutions like the Nokia 3650, for example, which features a built-in camera and Bluetooth support, and which works with iSync.
So I fret.
And I call ATT Wireless. After about five minutes on the phone with a customer service rep, I'm told point-blank to go to an ATT Wireless store to decide.
And I'm back to the drawing board.
It shouldn't be this hard. Really. All I want to do is buy a new phone.