Let’s see:

Two years ago, I had my [eye on getting a Treo](http://www.momathome.com/viewfromhome/2003/12/treo_600.php) (Eric now has the 650, by the way)

Since then, I’ve completely abandoned Palm OS devices and I’m quite comfortable with Windows Mobile. I have no plans to go back. Seems like the industry is heading in that directions as well.

I’m eligible for a phone upgrade in November.

I’m starting to get that itch to upgrade my PDA. My [Dell Axim x30](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=momathomedesi-20%26link_code=xm2%26camp=2025%26creative=165953%26path=http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%253fASIN=9043413585%2526tag=momathomedesi-20%2526lcode=xm2%2526cID=2025%2526ccmID=165953%2526location=/o/ASIN/9043413585%25253FSubscriptionId=02ZH6J1W0649DTNS6002) is serving me well, so I have no good reason to replace it other than “new stuff envy” and the fact that there’s no OS upgrade path (Dell is only offering upgrades for the x50).

There’s been rumors for quite some time that the next version of the [Treo](http://web.palm.com/index.jhtml?_requestid=328413) [would be running Windows Mobile](http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000867059961/) instead of Palm OS. Now Palm is supposedly having a [press conference](http://www.palm.com/us/company/pr/news_feed_story.epl?reqid=760556) tomorrow with Bill Gates and someone from Verizon. Ya think?

Looks interesting, but truth is I’m not biting yet.

Verizon isn’t Cingular. Folks say that Verizon has better coverage, and while that may be true I like the Fast Forward cradle so wireless calls will ring through to my home phone without counting against my minutes. Not ready to give that up.

What, no WiFi?!? The devices are obviously capable, is it the phone companies that are in control here? If your device can do WiFi you’re less inclined to pay their expensive data usage fees. I know [EvDO](http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobileoptions/broadband/index.jsp) is the next greatest thing and this phone is rumored to have it (which explains why it’s a Verizon guy standing up there and not someone from Cingular)…but it’s way too expensive right now. I can’t see paying $60 per month for access on top of your wireless voice plan and whatever you already pay to get a desktop computer online at home. Not to mention the cost of the device or $99 card to get your laptop capable of using this service. I imagine the folks who use this are either way geekier than me with more disposable income, or they have a corporate expense account, or both.

Maybe I’m missing something…but does your Internet connection on your cell phone/PDA have to be *that* fast? I can only understand getting this service if you have a Windows PC laptop and it’s your only computer and you’re on the road a lot. No cable modem, no DSL. I check my email from my Axim or I catch up on some RSS feeds. I don’t download 30MB files with it. It’s a 320 pixel wide screen (rumored to be 240 pixels on the new Treo) by the time you’ve frustrated yourself by scrolling to the right corner of the window, whatever you wanted has downloaded. I want to hop on, get my email, maybe read the text of a few websites and get off. I don’t want to make a day of it.

By the way…here’s a great tip if you use a PDA with a browser to check email. It’s well known that the email client included with Windows Mobile in a word…well, sucks. VersaMail (the Palm OS equivalent) isn’t all that either. My host has webmail, but it’s not a PDA-friendly environment. [Gmail](http://www.gmail.com) recently added a feature where you can send email from your Gmail account as if you were sending from another email address. You have to go through a verification step to confirm that you have the right to claim that email address (so no pretending to be George Bush or Steve Jobs) but it’s an easy process. Once you do that, you need to have your POP email forwarded to your Gmail account as well to your mail server. Most hosting plans have this as an easy option. Of course, I invited myself to Gmail so I could have a separate account just for my POP email (two actually, one for my personal address one for my work address). Now when I’m on the go I use the PDA’s browser to log in to Gmail in their limited mode (which is very fast) and I can easily read, reply, forward, etc. my email and the recipient has little clue that I’m doing it through Gmail. Bonus: mail backup! Pull up an old email from any Internet connection, even long after it’s off your POP server.

I still sync to Windows Mobile Messaging through ActiveSync so I have the last 2 days of synced email accessible to me on the go with or without a network connection. I can read & reply, it sends next time I sync.

Mayble I’ll just hold out for the [Motorola Q](http://www.motorola.com/motoinfo/product/details/0,,113,00.html).