I got my Google phone! I have used a number of different PDAs and cell phones over the years, all of which have had their strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a quick run-down of the ones that stand out, and what I did and did not like about each:

Palm III

After using a Franklin planner for years, I made the jump to the Palm as my first “real” PDA. At the time, I was quite impressed with what it allowed me to do. I missed my old Franklin a little, and I thought the handwriting recognition sucked, but battery life was great, and this was a solid machine. Unfortunately it also belonged to my employer, so I had to give it up when I left them (March, 2001).

Palm IIIc

I bought the color version of the device I had gotten used to. It was a little larger than my old III, and battery life wasn’t quite as good, but it was still acceptable (I could go a full week between charges if I didn’t use it a lot). This still stands out as one of the best, most solid devices I’ve ever used.

Sharp Zaurus

Being a Linux lover, I fell in love with the Zaurus before I ever got my hands on it. My wife got this for me as a Birthday present, selling my IIIc (with my approval) to buy it. I still have it kicking around, my kids play with it occasionally. The Zaurus was and is an incredible, full function Linux computer. Unfortunately, it was huge, and had terrible battery life. I would’ve loved a larger screen (greater resolution). I am still amazed at what I could do with it (full root access!). Even though it was uncomfortably large and heavy for a pocket, I could deal with it. But its poor battery life was the nail in the coffin. Under moderate to heavy usage, I couldn’t get through a full day without risking a dead battery. It was just impractical for that reason only. I miss it in a lot of ways, even the basic PDA functions were actually very nice, better, in my opinion, than almost anything else I’ve used.

Dell Axim X30

I got a good deal on the Axim, and went over to the dark side . To its credit, the Axim was a solid device, performed well, and had battery life only slightly worse than my IIIc. For a while there was a swell of support for Microsoft devices, and I was able to find a lot of useful apps. I missed the keyboard on my Zaurus, but the on-screen entry wasn’t too bad. I think I still have this one sitting on my workbench, I suppose I should go re-charge the battery.

Verizon XV6700

I bit the bullet and went for a smartphone. At the time, the Windows Mobile devices were fairly popular, and this phone got good reviews. It did everything my Axim did, same resolution, etc. I was able to get a Cisco VPN client, and was thrilled to be able to connect to work and SSH in to my servers. Battery life was acceptable, I could get a couple of days out of it without charging, and I enjoyed the Internet access, though the low screen resolution (320×240) made it difficult to use. The worst thing about the XV was shoddy hardware. I went through three devices, and the third one conked out within a month of switching to my G1. It just didn’t stand up to everyday use.

T-Mobile G1

All this brings me to where we are today, my G1! My first impressions are all positive! Battery life looks great, at least as good as the XV6700. The devices feels solidly constructed, but I’m worried about the keyboard and the whole slider mechanism. The interface looks good, better than the Windows Mobile for sure. It’s a little difficult to use with my big fingers, and I’m trying to get used to not having a stylus, but it’s not too bad. I haven’t checked out the apps too much yet, but I can’t find a Cisco VPN client, which is going to be a big bummer if one is not available. T-Mobile coverage isn’t as good as Verizon, but for where I need it most, it’s not too bad.

I am still trying to figure out the best way to access my email, since I do not use a GMail address, I’ve been using my own domain for years. I’ve been using Yahoo Pro as my email client for a while, but in order to get the most out of my phone, I guess I’m gonna have to make the switch to the Google world. I suppose if my data is out in the cloud, nothing’s really private, but Yahoo, especially with a paid account, at least gives the appearance of privacy. Anyway, once I get it all figured out, I’ll post another update.