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• allow you to use any song from your collection as a ringtone.
• allow you to share content-be it tones, music, pictures or video-over wifi/bluetooth with other devices/smartphone users.
• Let you simply use that entire 8 GB storage as a portable drive and copy whatever stuff u want onto it.(can it?)
• allow you to use any operator you like without having to be shackled to AT&T
• allow you to use any 3rd party application WITHOUT having to hack the firmware or do anything out of the ordinary.

Really?

http://www.xda-developers.com/
http://my-symbian.com/main/index.php
http://www.myphonegames.co.uk/
http://www.handango.com/home.jsp?siteId=1
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/download/skype/mob ile/
http://messenger.yahoo.com/mobile.php
http://www.agilemobile.com/download.html
http://www.pdamill.com/
http://www.adobe.com/mobile/

While I appreciate most of the applications you can get for a mobile phone are Java games, the market is heading towards smartphones using a version of symbian. The iPhone is really aimed at two parts of the mobile phone market, the first is the current PDA market (so blackberry's in the USA and Windows Mobile phones in the UK), the geek/hobbyist which would be the highend Nokia Symbian & Windows Mobile users, its price tag would young teen market (atleast in the UK) as most young teens (I am one and know many others) could afford one (sadly most have iPods) but own small cheap phones because they don't like taking expensive phones out and around with them. I don't understand that thinking myself but then again my last two phones have been free on contract.
I'm aware the American market does have carrier's which lock down phones but most of the rest of the world doesn't suffer this. About the most invasive I've seen is this annoying sidebar Orange stick on all their mobile phones, then again Orange is currently losing customers in droves (least in my home city) because of their new rigid pricing policy. By limiting themselves the way apple have to web 2.0 they've taken the java route on other lowend phones, sure Java can do all sorts of things but the only things that are prevelent for java phones are games. When you compare Doom and Snails (both of which are availiable for Symbian and Windows Mobile) the game selection for Java phones is not as good.
I have no idea how well this would do in American but if the pricing plan were to stay the same in the UK it would tank as its far too expensive for example, I believe the Samsung E900 or Sony Erricson W800i are the current trendy phone's for iPod owners both of which are £80-100 on pay as you go, for the more serious phone owner you have the Nokia N90, Blackberry and Windows Mobile selection all of which are free on 18 month plans, the iPhone is slated to be £200 on a 24 month plan (converting from american dollars.) Symbian and Windows Mobile 5 both have very good User Interfaces, I've yet to meet a person who could tolerate a non symbian phone once they had owned one and to this day every single person who has seen my Windows Mobile phone has been able to get to solitare in seconds (without assistance.)

Without a decent SDK I see the iPhone heading down the Java capable phone route, you'll get hundreds of cheap rubbish games oh and an expensive version of Pacman and Space Invaders.

Just to add a thumbs up regarding Wi-Fi in the e-series (I have an e70), though I don't do VOIP; I prefer text:

the Apple WebKit based web browser is pretty neat, supporting JavaScript and CSS. It's not as fluid as the iPhone demos, of course, but then again it is on sale ;) . Also, always on IM (MSN/AIM/Yahoo/ICQ) is well covered by Agile Messenger.

For text based stuff I find the e70 display (352x416) nicer than the e60 (320x240, but larger).

I currently use Agile Messenger for IM on my t-mobile GSM phone (in the U.S.) -- banning that would suck, and using SMS to send IM msgs is the most braindead stupid idea ever, well, except if each one sent costs money and you are a mobile operator.

I manage a bunch of Linux servers. When out and about I've had to just rely on whomever else was on call to respond whenever there is a problem. Or I've had to lug around my 12kg Athlon 64 notebook then head for the nearest phone plug and desk whenever there was a page.

Recently, (ok it was an xmas present to myself) I picked up a PPC HTC Apache. It runs WM5.

I've loaded it up with a few choice pieces of software to help get me the tools I need to manage or assist with pretty much any issue that would arise. Those apps include:

• Pocketty for ssh2 (twisted their arm to give me a beta, I wish they'd take my money...)
• agile messenger for IM (we co-ordinate between staff and communicate with customers via IM). IM beats sms for brief conversations any day.
• an imap client - using the one provided with WM5 for now. It handles the inbox and sending. I haven't managed to get it to display the contents of other folders yet.
• sms alerts (using the standard messaging software on the phone)
• IE for browsing - but no tabs (in fact only one open page at a time), and poor enough javascript support that ajax-based websites aren't a happening thing.

With these tools I'm often sorely tempted to leave behind my shoulder breaking laptop in favor of slipping the 200g HTC into my pocket when day tripping somewhere.

Now if only I could get tabbed web browsing, a 1024x768 screen, and a touch typable keyboard that then laptop could be relegated to being a dedicated Age of Mythology client for the kids.

--
Got yourself your own Linux server yet?

I used Agile Messenger all the time last year, when it was free of charge.

After reading your post and staring blankly at the screen for a few moments in disbelief, I can only come to the conclusion that:

A) You're a troll
B) You're drunk
or
C) You work with a bunch of saboteurs that intentionally crash their Treos to get paid downtime.

I've had my Treo 600 for about 2 years, now, and have experienced none of the problems you've described. The GP's description of no more than 1 crash per month is very accurate. Anytime it has crashed, it quickly boots right back up. I've never had to send it in to be serviced.

For those that think that a Palm is just an "organizer" and a PokcetPC is a "pocket computer", don't buy into stereotypes. I use my Treo as a computer. I have an ssh client installed that I use frequently to work on some servers I admin for. The thing came with a capable web browser, but I have many options to install something else, if I want. I also have a Samba client that works great, an FTP client, a VNC Client, and an Instant Messenger. Somebody already mentioned the superb movie player TCPMP, but that's not all, I also have a Video recorder that makes use of the Treo's built-in digital camera. I use a perl script I found to convert the video to mpeg1. I use a Photoshop-like image editor that has support for complex things like layers and blending modes. My Treo is also my mp3/ogg player and I use it to listen to podcasts in the car. I read ebooks and even /. using Plucker. I take audio notes using SoundRec. I even have a Python interpreter, and can code native apps in C right on my Palm. I won't even bother to mention all the games that are available. You can google for them yourself. I've seen apps out there for viewing/editing Word Docs and Excel files, but having never had a need for that, haven't installed them.

• proxied web access only
• NAT with most ports blocked
• NAT with all ports open ( internet2.voicestream.com as the GPRS gateway)
• A real IP with no ports blocked, or firewalling; incoming connections allowed ( internet3.voicestream.com as the GPRS gateway)

Disclaimer: I work for a T-Mobile Indirect Dealer. I also sell Cingular. I hate Cingular and think they should die though.

I pay $10 a month for unlimited SMS and $5 a month for unlimited MMS (the MMS is a promo and goes down to 50 at the end of Jan so I'm dropping it down to $3 for 25) on T-Mobile. I also have unlimited WAP access for $5 a month (which used to work for unlimited GPRS until T-Mobile locked all of the ports down; I would pay for the $20 a month unrestricted GPRS option but my credit class won't let me) that works with Agile essenger so I get unlimited AIM/Jabber (MSN and Yahoo if I used those).

The $10 a month SMS promo is over technically but T-Mobile added it back for use with the Nokia 6800 only...but the activations and account management tools still show it as an option on any plan. Supposedly I get fired if I add to anyone not activating a Nokia 6800. If you want to add it to your plan, just use My T-Mobile, go to the account management stuff, change my options, and set your device as a Nokia 6800. Supposedly there is a chance of unlimited SMS being brought back as an option forever (note that once you add it you keep it forever, but it's not guaranteed to be offered to new customers forever) now that SprinTel is bigger than T-Mobile.

If your PPC doesn't have internet access, then get a nice large memory card and put Wikipedia on it. Having Wikipedia so instantly accessible is largely responsible for my loss of long term memory. Other than that, I use the Netfront browser, because of its superior JS/Java support, and Agile Messenger (which is free) to handle all my IM needs. Pocket streets is also good, but they've stuffed up the Melbourne coverage, which finishes 5km south of the city (which is heavily populated), and 30k north (which is mostly empty country). Useful!

Agile Messenger works in your mobile. You dont have to stuck on your seat, but you can roam freely and also see people.

Works quite well in N-Gage. The cheapest business class phone available.
(yes, I can hear somebody whining when n-gage is mentioned. Stop crying and buy a bigger memory card for it, so you don't have to change it.)

At the time I bought it here in the UK it was one of the cheapest smartphones available at only 100 pounds (about 170 dollars I guess). I liked that it was flexible as you could add a wide range of software to it. Also since it does so much it makes a wonderful tool/entertainment system that I always carry with me, something thats' very useful for passing the time as I commute on the train. With a 256mb MMC there's a lot you can do with it.

I Currently use my NGage for the following.

Watch Movies - SmartMovie
- Great piece of software. I can also convert my home movies for showing friends/family wherever I am.

Games
MicroPool
- Great 1/2 player pool game. Good GFX/sound

Sky Force
- Scrolling shooter (like Raptor) with GREAT gfx/sound - especialy for a handheld

IM - AgileMessenger
- IM (MSN/Yahoo/AIM/ICQ/Jabber/QQ) on your phone. Works great and good for keeping in touch wherever you are.

Email (built in)
- A great addition/compliment to using IM as well. I mostly use it for posting to my blog @ blogger.com automaticaly from my phone. Good for instant updates for my family.

Sound/Call recorder - eRocorder
- Allows me to record phone calls and use my phone as a dictaphone. I use it for recarding my son's new words so my extended family can hear them.

FTP - YFTP
- Good for posting recorded soundclips or pictures to my website.

EBooks - Mobipocket
- Useful if your're bored. Also uses less battery than playing games. I also have a version of the KJV bible with Greek/Hebrew dictionary and concordance. You can also export word/excel files to be read with this app.

C64 Emulation - Frodo
- Play some old classics. Good sound emulation as well.

MP3 playback (built in)
- Good playback. Stereo (so better than other phones) but limited storage compared with (more expensive) dedicated players)

Radio (built in)
- Also in Stereo.

PIM (built in)
- I have over 200 contacts and I can store most of their contact information, including notes/photo's if I want.

My ONLY gripe is that the NGage does not have a built in camera. As to sidetalking I find it more comfortable than most normal phones and I could'nt care less what people think it looks like. At least not when I have a phone/mp3 player/radio/PDA/games console built into one device.

I'm glad that Nokia are addressing some of the critisms of the current device, but they've removed some of the features I bought it for (radio / stereo MP3 playback / USB). I would'nt buy the QD version for that reason. If they're procucing a cut down version I'd also like to see one with the USB/radio/stereo output back in. Add a camera and an IR port as well and I'll buy one tomorrow.

P800 Ogg Vorbis Player
Agile Messenger IM client

Okay, so it's not many, but they are out there, and if you really want free apps, download the SDK:

http://www.symbian.com/developer/

Having been frustrated with the P800's input system after using email and an ICQ client got me interested in this, but also P800's IR port is on the left side of the phone.

As the parent suggested, bluetooth should be used for this. Indeed, considering the cost of a BT module these days, why put IR on new gadgets at all?