layout: post title: Buying wireless smart stuff? Choose unlocked and open created: 1123542812 categories:

• Wireless, Cellular, and Mobile
• Mac

Whoops! I was answering a different set of requirements (specifically, Blackberry vs. Treo as the only two choices) and Alex picked a Treo. She actually mentioned it on the phone again today, and I still didn't get that she was talking about *my* post as the impetus for her switch...

From the universe of all smart phone/PDA choices, I'm currently liking the Nokia/Symbian Series60 platform. I also quite liked my Sony Ericsson, and the P910 is a pretty good device. The Palm is still an open platform, and my main point is to go unlocked and open, whatever device you choose.

The other tool that Boris Mann points me to is OD4Contact. Since Boris’ offhand post re: buying an unlocked Treo is what tipped me over the Treo-purchase abyss, I’m inclined to follow-up on any tool that he tells me actually will make my life easier. I’m downloading it now — report to follow.

alexandrasamuel.com: The perfect note app for a post-Entourage world

My friend Jamie ended up getting a Blackberry, and I had a chance to play with it a bit this weekend. It has Bluetooth, but apparently only supports it as an audio interface -- we got it connected to my Nokia 6630, but only as an Audio Gateway. I tried to send vCards, photos, anything -- and nothing worked. What a waste -- it's email crack and nothing but. Call me back when you've built an open developer community.

And Alex: sorry to have pushed you over the abyss. I used Entourage extensively several years ago, but after the Nth database corruption of its proprietary system, I vowed not to play the lock-in game again. Mail, Address Book, and iCal are certainly not perfect, but they expose their data in open (enough) formats and interfaces that other tools can be built around them.