Seconding the iPhone suggestion. Get the 3G if you can, over the 3GS...it's $100-$200 cheaper (they're going for $99 now). Compass isn't very necessary in a phone and while some apps may make use of the compass, it's not like it's really a huge improvement over straight GPS (which the 3G has). If having a better camera is important for you, go with the 3GS.
I owned the original iPhone and have had the 3G since around the beginning of the year (when I gave my old iPhone to klynn330). She has found the 1st gen invaluable and I knew she needed it when she'd call and ask for assistance getting someplace...I could see where she was through Google Maps and then switch to street view, having looked up the address. "You should see a blue sign on the right with the name of the place..." That did it.
Now? I don't really think I could trust another phone, really, to fit what the iPhone does. It's not just that it does what other smartphones can do, but it does it with Apple's minimum of fuss and then heaps on more and more that other phones just haven't caught up to doing. Want an app? App Store. Tens of thousands of apps, searchable right from the phone. Looking to buy music? An audiobook? TV shows? Same thing. Right from the phone, right over the air.
If you do get an iPhone, be aware that it syncs best on a Mac...but if you have a PC, it'll do fine there, too. By default, it assumes you want to do contact management through something like Outlook, which isn't ideal...but you can set it up to use GMail for contact and calendar syncing, which is awesome. I'd be looking to do that even if I had a Mac anyway, as GMail and GCal are the best things ever in those regards ;)
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I owned the original iPhone and have had the 3G since around the beginning of the year (when I gave my old iPhone to
Now? I don't really think I could trust another phone, really, to fit what the iPhone does. It's not just that it does what other smartphones can do, but it does it with Apple's minimum of fuss and then heaps on more and more that other phones just haven't caught up to doing. Want an app? App Store. Tens of thousands of apps, searchable right from the phone. Looking to buy music? An audiobook? TV shows? Same thing. Right from the phone, right over the air.
If you do get an iPhone, be aware that it syncs best on a Mac...but if you have a PC, it'll do fine there, too. By default, it assumes you want to do contact management through something like Outlook, which isn't ideal...but you can set it up to use GMail for contact and calendar syncing, which is awesome. I'd be looking to do that even if I had a Mac anyway, as GMail and GCal are the best things ever in those regards ;)