• I eliminated the catchall feature so only email addressed to the main account name, and approved aliases would be accepted. In order to implement this, I had to create about 150 aliases. You use quite a few unique addresses over a ten year period. I checked the email in my saved folders to obtain most of the names before the @ sign that I had used. This step reduced my email by about 50% since all the spam email addressed to random names/characters, or addresses I did not create aliases for (no longer desired to receive mail from them) would be rejected.
  


• Since 400+ emails a day were still too many, I checked the addresses that received most of the spams. I found that about 10 aliases were receiving about 90% of the spam. Since the names before the @ sign are unique and generally used for only one contact each, it was easy to contact the companies the aliases were originally used for, usually via their webpages, and change the email addresses. I eliminated the 10 offending aliases, and reduced the amount of daily email from 400+ to less than 50 25 with only about 10 spam messages.
  


• I will continue monitoring the amount of email received, and if spam increases, I will check aliases again to determine the offending addresses. I would create a rule which filters all the email for the unique offending address into a separate folder so I can ascertain all the contacts I used that email address for (usually just one), and then change the email address with the appropriate contact(s). Once satisfied that I had changed the email address for all the associated contacts, I would delete the alias from the approved list, and again reduce the amount of email received to an acceptable level.

• The Sansa View has a 2.4" screen vs. the 2" screen on the iPod nano. Even though .4" doesn't sound like a lot, it does make a significant difference when watching video podcasts. Watching a 30 to 45 minute video podcast on the View is a more pleasant visual experience than viewing the same podcast on the nano. The nano definitely has a great screen dpi, but a 2" screen is just too small for me. The iPod Classic has a 2.5" screen, the View is only .1" smaller.
  


• I like listening to FM talk radio, and the local NFL Football Team is broadcast on FM radio. I may watch the game on TV, but I enjoy listening to the pre, and post game shows on the radio. The Sansa View has a built in FM radio, the nano required an accessory that I found a bit cumbersome to deal with.
  


• I like having a voice recorder with me for recording small bits of info such as a model number, price, web address, etc. I find a voice recorder easier than finding a pen/paper, or entering text into a phone or PDA. Chances are I am listening to music or FM when the need for a voice recorder arises, and it is nice to have the capability in the device I am using at the time. The nano does not have voice recorder ability, and no voice recorder accessory is available.
  


• One feature of the Sansa View that I originally did not think I would use, but have found very useful is the ability to record from the FM radio. The post game football shows are two hours or more, and there are times when headphones can not be used for the full show. If I meet someone I know, or attend a movie, I will record the part of the post game football show that I would miss for later listening. I have found this to be a real nice feature. The nano does not offer FM recording.
  


• The Sansa View has a micoSD slot to expand available memory. I frequently download video files, audible files, and music I have on my PC/Mac to a 2 GB card, and insert it into the View. The MicroSD expansion slot is a very fast, and convenient way to add files. The nano does not include a memory expansion slot.
  


• The Sansa View can sync via Windows Media Player, or just drag/drop files via Windows File Explorer. You do not have to start Windows Media Player to use drag/drop.
  


• The Sansa View can play some Windows Media, and H264 files natively without conversion. Do I wish the View supported more file formats natively? Of course I do, I wish every player I owned could play every video format, and resolution natively. If a file does need to be converted, SanDisk includes Sansa Media Converter which converts the files relatively quickly, and then transfers the files to the View's main memory, or expansion card. I have found that the Sansa Media Converter converts files as fast, or faster than other Windows/Mac conversion software I have used.
  

• Stock quotes
  


• Local weather
  


• Yahoo Sports NFL
  


• Several clocks
  


• Countdown timer to my birthday
  
  
• RSS feeds from my favorite tech sites
  


• RSS feed from this blog
  


• Ebay items I am bidding on, or selling
  


• Word of the day
  


• This day in history

Last Update January 24, 2008

• Screen Size
  The Archos has a 4.3", 800 x 480 screen, vs. the iPod touch's 3.5" 320 x 480 screen. The bigger screen of the Archos makes a significant difference in viewing pleasure, whether viewing movies, photos, or web pages.
  


• Storage Available
  The Archos 605 is available in 4GB flash (with SD slot), and 30, 80, and 160GB hard drive models. The iPod touch is only available with flash memory, maximum 16GB.
  


• Video Recording on Device
  The Archos records directly from most video sources using the optional DVR Station. This feature is essential for me. I have used an Archos AV500 to record shows before with great results, the 605 is even better. No direct recording with the iPod touch. The 605 has a manual VCR like scheduler as well as a graphical TV program listing via WiFi download to facilitate scheduling. Both work well.
  


• Editing on Device
  The Archos 605 allows basic editing on the device. You can mark begin / end points on a section of video recorded by the 605, and then copy the marked video as a new file, or overwrite the existing file. The iPod touch does not support editing on the device.
  


• Speaker
  The Archos 605 has a built-in speaker that has ample volume, and good TV quality sound. The 605 Flash has a very good speaker, the hard drive based 605's have an ok speaker. It is a nice option to watch your recorded TV shows using the built-in speaker rather than earbuds. The iPod touch has no built-in speaker.
  


• Flash Support
  The optional Opera browser for the 605 supports Flash. You can watch YouTube Flash videos rather than hoping your favorite has been coded in H264. Some Flash videos on other sites do not play, hopefully a Flash update will soon be available. I believe the 605 is Flash version 7 compliant. The iPod touch does not support Flash.
  


• Download to Device
  I can download video podcasts directly to the 605 via WiFi, and then play them without syncing with a computer. ITunes is needed for iPod touch video podcasts downloads.
  


• On-line Stores
  You can purchase music directly from the iTunes Music Store with the iPod touch. The 605 can not play DRM music from the iTunes store; however, now there are many DRM free stores that you can purchase music from using the 605. I have purchased music from the Amazon Music Store using the 605. Additionally, the 605 can purchase or rent movies directly from the Archos Content Portal. The iTunes Store does not offer movie purchases directly from the iPod touch.
  


• SD Support
  The Archos 605 (Flash model only) has a SD/SDHC slot which I use to add / transfer data without tethering the device to a computer. The iPod touch requires iTunes on a computer. Using the 605, I can take an SD card from a digital camera, and copy all files directly to the 605 for backup / viewing. The iPod touch does not have a memory expansion slot.
  
  
• File and Network Browser
  The Archos 605 has a file browser which allows me to delete, organize, and rename files directly on the device. The iPod touch does not have a file browser function. Using the 605's network file browser, I can access my Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices as well and copy files to / from the 605, and the NAS devices. I have all my technical documents on NAS devices in PDF format, as well as my vacation photos, and personal videos. I can either stream the documents / videos / pictures directly from the NAS devices to the 605 over the WiFIi network, or copy them from the NAS devices to the 605 for later viewing when a network is not available. I have streamed large PDF's, photo collections, and high bit rate videos via WiFi to the 605 with very acceptable performance, and without dropping a video frame. I have just started a project of converting hard copy receipts etc. into PDF's which will be stored on the NAS devices as well.
  
  I tried to access the NAS devices using Safari since the iPod touch does not have a file browser, but received a "Safari can not display local files" message. For me, the 605's ability to stream / copy files to / from the 605, and NAS devices gives a huge advantage to the 605 over the iPod touch. My NAS devices are on 24/7, my PC's and Mac's are not. In addition to the 605, my Windows Mobile, and Palm OS devices can access the NAS devices. Too bad, the iPod touch does not share this ability. It is nice having a central location for file / multimedia storage when using such a diverse selection of devices.
  


• Virtual Keyboards
  Virtual keyboards, what can I say, I just do not like them. I tried a landscape virtual keyboard on a 4" VGA resolution PDA several years back, and didn't like it. I still don't like virtual keyboards after using the virtual keyboards on the 605's, and iPod touch. I'll take a good slide-out physical keyboard (similar to the PPC-6700) any day over the overhyped virtual keyboards. That being said, I prefer the virtual keyboard on the 605 over the iPod touch because the 605 has larger spaces between the keys due to the larger physical screen size. I can type with fewer errors on the 605 due to the larger key spacing.
  


• Firmware Updates
  Firmware updates can be downloaded directly to the 605's via WiFi without a computer, unlike the iPod touch which requires iTunes. You also have the option of downloading the 605's firmware updates to a desktop as well.
  Helpful Hint - If you use a Macintosh to download a firmware update, two items with a .aos extension will be copied to the 605, a data fork, and a resource fork. The data fork contains the update, and will be deleted after the update is executed. The resource fork will remain. The 605 will identify the resource fork as an update file since it also has a .aos extension. The 605 will try to execute any resource forks with .aos extensions as update files whenever you disconnect the USB cable, or power cord from the 605. Since the resource forks with .aos extensions are not update files, you will receive a bad file error code 203 anytime you try to do an update on the 605 until you delete the left over, unnecessary resource fork(s) with .aos extensions that were copied from your Macintosh to the 605 when you copied the firmware update(s). True update files may not execute because the 203 error code sometimes terminates the entire update process. The 605's file explorer does not show resource forks when you do a file listing. Connect the 605 via USB to a PC, and any resource forks on the 605 will show (file name begins with a period). You can then delete any left over firmware update resource forks (file name begins with period, ends with .aos) on the 605 from within Windows Explorer. After you delete the left over, needless (to the 605) resource forks, no more false update dialog boxes, and no more bad file error code 203 messages.
  


• Screen Display
  I like the colors on the Archos' screen better than the iPod touch. The iPod touch's colors appear overly saturated to me, the 605's more natural. I am making my judgment based on the default screen settings, and realize your judgment may be different. I also realize the default screen settings can be changed. The 605 has screen brightness, contrast, and gamma settings along with an overall LCD brightness setting. The iPod touch has one brightness setting. You can fine tune the 605's screen more due to the additional settings available. I am impressed with the quality, and crispness of the text displayed on the iPod touch.
  


• Sexy / Elegant Device
  The iPod touch is very slim, cool, and some would say elegant. I am not denying those attributes, the iPod touch is definitely a cool device. The 605 may not be quite as sexy looking; however, the Archos is a nice looking device, is well made, has a bigger screen, and meets my needs much better than the iPod touch.
  


• Touch Interface
  Both devices have a touch interface, and the Archos also has buttons on the right that can perform most functions. It is nice to have your choice of navigation methods which the 605 offers vs. the one navigation method on the iPod touch. I have been using a touch interface with my Smartphones, and PDA's for years. Although Smartphones, and PDA's come with a stylus, more frequently than not, I navigate with a finger(s), not a stylus. Both the iPod touch, and 605 use large icons, large menu text, and ample line spacing to facilitate touch navigation with a finger, and those enhancements are welcome. The iPod touch has flashier transitions, but I am not impressed much by eye candy.
  
  A stylus is supplied with the 605, but is not needed to navigate the 605's interface due to the larger icons, menu text, and line spacing used in the interface. The iPod touch does not support stylus input, I have tried. However, and this is a big however, sometimes the spacing between links on a webpage is too small to easily select the desired link with your finger. The ability to use a stylus results in a more positive user experience. Until all webpages incorporate the larger spacing that both the 605, and iPod touch use in their interfaces, the ability to use a stylus in addition to fingers for navigation is a plus.
  


• Multitouch
  The iPod touch also supports multitouch. I have only experienced one true multitouch gesture (multitouch by definition is responding to more than one touch at the same time), the grossly overhyped (bordering on nauseating) zooming in and out by moving two fingers simultaneously. Some would say that is two gestures (zoom in, zoom out), I won't argue the point. Frankly, I do not like the multitouch zoom feature. It seems unnatural, awkward, smudges the screen, and doesn't always work on the first try. Sometimes, I am forced to use multitouch to zoom on the iPod touch because the double tapping zoom doesn't work with all webpages. The more I use the multitouch pinching zoom feature, the more I find multitouch quite annoying to use. Pinching the screen to zoom looks cool in the commercials, but gets old very quickly.
  
  Although I do not particularly like the multitouch zoom in / out, I am sure it will impress the clientele at the local coffee shop. It is definitely not the best way for me to zoom in / out on a 3.5" glass screen, and certainly not the revolution in interface design that the overhype claims. The 605 does not have multitouch, and I do not miss it. Although I am getting old, I am still relatively arthritis free. Multitouch could be difficult for someone with arthritis, or someone with long fingernails. Although I am not impressed with the limited multitouch implementation on the 3.5" iPod touch, and iPhone screens, I do believe multitouch has a solid future, and could indeed be revolutionary in larger screen devices such as Microsoft's Surface Table, and the devices Jeff Han has demonstrated. I realize many are impressed with the iPod touch's multitouch implementation, and I respect your opinon. I just do not believe a very limited multitouch implementation on a 3.5" screen is that big a deal.
  


• Double Tap Zoom
  I do like the double tap zoom available on both the iPod touch, and 605; I wish subsequent double taps would keep zooming in rather than toggling between zoom in / out. I have found the double tap zoom to be more reliable on the Archos 605. On the iPod touch, sometimes a web page starts to zoom in when double tapped, but then stops. On the Archos 605, double tapping the same web page at the same location consistently zooms the page.
  


• Zooming Photos
  The 605 has a nice feature for zooming photos. You tap an icon, and a slider appears which you use to adjust the amount of zoom. The iPod touch does not have a zoom slider for photos. The best photo application I have used on a mobile device is RESCO Photo Viewer for Windows Mobile. There are three magnifying glass icons at the bottom of the screen. One zooms out with every tap of your finger/stylus, another zooms in with every tap, and the third displays a menu with 7 magnification presets along with fill screen, and fit screen options. I wish RESCO's zoom feature could be exported from the Photo Viewer application to all the web browsers I use, both mobile, and desktop.
  


• Scrolling Pages
  The scrolling by flicking the finger is glitzy, but I believe not very efficient, and designed more to impress than navigate. I am definitely not a fan of the scrolling by flicking interface at all. It looks cool, but it can be difficult to locate what you want. I'll take a well calibrated navigation button any day. I much prefer using the buttons on the Archos 605 to scroll web pages than scrolling web pages using the finger on the iPod touch. In fact, the more I use the finger scrolling / flicking on the iPod touch, the more I dislike it. The finger scrolling / flicking gets tiresome very quickly, and blocks your view of the page you are trying to read. In landscape mode, 10 to 12 lines are displayed when text is zoomed to a readable level on the touch. Flicking the screen every 10 to 12 lines makes you yearn for a page down button, real or virtual. Please Apple, add some buttons (real or virtual) to your mobile devices. On my PDA's, and Smartphones, a quick press of a button scrolls one page while reading a web page or document, and it works great, much better than constantly using your finger to scroll. I wish both the iPod touch, and Archos 605 had a page down button (real or virtual) when using the web browser. The 605 has page up and down buttons for other apps, but these buttons function as page back, and page forward in the web browser. I know Apple has an excellent reputation for interface design, and generally supplies a nice interface; however, Apple can learn from its competitors.
  


• Stand for Viewing
  The 605 has a nice collapsing stand built in the back to allow viewing from many angles. The iPod touch has a small plastic stand that could easily be lost. The built-in stand may seem like a minor feature, but for me, it is a welcome addition since I was always looking for something to lean the AV500 against on the table.
  


• Web Browser
  Safari is an excellent mobile browser. The optional Opera browser for the 605 is also an excellent browser. The 605 does support Flash video, the iPod touch does not support Flash video. Considering how ubiquitous Flash video is on the web, Flash video support is essential for the full internet experience, and its absence in mobile Safari is a major negative.
  
  I have encountered some links on tech websites that display as links in mobile Safari, but do not respond when tapped. Tapping the same links on the Archos 605 will load the linked pages fine.
  
  Zooming webpages with double tap on the iPod touch
  If a page is formatted in multiple columns, Safari does an excellent job zooming when double tapped. If a page is not formatted in multiple columns, sometimes Safari seems confused, and double tap zoom does not work. The page starts to zoom in response to a double tap, but returns to the original text size which is too small to read. You are now forced to use the multitouch pinch zoom. The multitouch pinch zoom will enlarge the text to a readable size, but the number of words on each line is not reduced. Because the number of words per line is not reduced with multitouch pinch zooming, horizontal scrolling is required to read each line which gets frustrating after about two lines. This required horizontal scrolling detracts immensely from the user experience. When viewing these same single column pages in desktop browsers (including desktop Safari), the number of words per line is adjusted when the window size is changed, and word wrap works correctly at all text sizes with Pocket IE. These single column pages also properly word wrap using NetHopper on an Apple Newton MessagePad 2100 which was introduced in 1997.
       Update 12/2/07 - Viewport Meta Tag
  If you add <meta name="viewport" content="width = 320" /> to the HEAD section of a webpage, the iPod touch, and iPhone will render fewer words per line. Single column webpages with this viewport meta tag can zoom to a readable text level on the iPhone / iPod touch without horizontal scrolling being necessary to read each line. I have added this meta tag entry to all my personal pages so iPod touch, and iPhone users can read the pages without horizontal scrolling. There will be many single column webpages that do not have the new meta tag added, and iPhone / iPod touch users will have to horizontally scroll when reading each line. Hopefully, Apple will update mobile Safari so all single column webpages can zoom to a readable text size without requiring the user to horizontally scroll each line.
  
  Zooming webpages with double tap on the Archos 605
  The 605 responds consistently when double tapped. Unfortunately, it also does not reduce the number of words on each line when zoomed, and horizontal scrolling could be required. The essential words here are horizontal scrolling could be required, not is required. The 605's larger screen size, higher resolution screen, and fewer default words per line allow most single column pages to be read easily without zooming the page which eliminates the horizontal scrolling for each line that is necessary with the touch. I do wish both the touch, and 605 would perform a new word wrap whenever a single column page is zoomed. Hopefully, future updates will correct this problem.
  
  Is the full internet always better? - hint - No!
  Apple sometimes dismisses (bordering on mocking) other mobile browsers; however, the various screen layout options available with other mobile browsers sometimes render a more readable web page with less effort, and less horizontal scrolling than Safari. Apple also mocks the mobile internet and implies the mobile internet experience is always inferior. There are times when the mobile internet is a better user experience than the full internet on a small screen. There are many web pages that contain too much data to read on a 3.5" screen no matter how good the browser is, and no matter how high the dpi of the screen. These web pages are very busy looking on a 1024 x 768 screen, and definitely not made for viewing on a small screen. This is not the fault of the browser, just the limitation of the small screen real estate. Many of the sites that are busy on a 1024 x 768 screen, but downright congested on a smaller screen, offer mobile editions which are automatically displayed for other mobile browsers. Since mobile Safari, and Opera (on the 605) are not identifed by a website as mobile browsers, you get the congested on a small screen full page. These congested full web pages are much easier to read on the 605 than on the iPod touch. Physical screen size does matter. I prefer reading some web pages with the "one column" layout option in Microsoft's Pocket IE vs. Safari on the iPod touch, but prefer reading those same web pages with the 605. I know, I have to dip my hands in acid because I wrote mobile Safari is not the best browser for every web page ever developed.
  
  Web Browser - Final Thoughts
  Overall, Safari is an excellent browser; however, it is not the perfect mobile browser stipulated by the hype, not the only mobile browser that can render full pages, and not the first mobile browser able to render full pages. Apple likes to tout the iPhone / iPod touch as supporting the full internet. Does a device that does not support Flash, Windows Media, Real Player, and Java really support the full internet? I don't think so. Also, single column pages that have displayed properly on every other desktop / mobile device I have tried sometimes require horizontal scrolling to read every line at an easy to read text size on the touch. Is this really the ideal, perfect mobile browser? The bottom line is the best mobile browser / device for viewing the web is dependent on which webpage you are trying to view. I certainly would not use the touch to view single column pages, and the full internet experience for me includes Flash videos. The 605 supports some Flash videos, but not all. The Nokia N800's browser supports Flash 9. I regularly use the N800 to watch Flash videos from the NY Times home page.
  
  Overall, Opera on the 605 is an excellent browser also. Although not perfect, it has been more consistent in displaying readable "full internet" webpages with a minimum of effort than Safari on the iPod touch. Opera, combined with the 605's larger physical screen size, has been a more enjoyable browser experience for me than Safari on the iPod touch.
  


• Fingerprints on Device
  As stated before, the iPod touch is sexy, cool, and ultra-slim. It is a fingerprint magnet though, both the screen, and the chrome back. The 605's matte touch screen seems to resist fingerprints much better than the iPod touch, and the aluminum body does not attract fingerprints at all.
  


• Optional Battery Dock / Mini Dock for 605
  The optional Battery Dock, and Mini Dock for the 605 expand the functionality of the 605 while vastly decreasing the charging time compared to USB. Both docks include an AC adapter which plugs into the dock, and charges the 605 much quicker than USB charging from a computer. In addition to the charging ability, both docks add a USB host port, and replicate the USB client port since the built-in client port is covered by the dock when attached to the 605. The USB host port allows the 605 to stream / copy files to /from USB devices like USB flash drives, and portable hard drives. I have successfully attached several flash drives, and a 160GB Western Digital USB hard drive to the 605, and streamed videos directly from the flash drives / 160GB hard drive as well as copying files to / from the drives, and the 605. The docks also include an AV out port which allows the 605 to be connected to a TV. The AV cable, and USB host cables are included with both docks. An unexpected added benefit of the AV out port is using it with your headphones / earbuds. The audio level from the AV out port is significantly higher than the audio level available from the headphone port on the 605. When I am in a high ambient noise area, I plug my earbuds into the AV out port rather than the headphone port on the 605. The battery dock also contains a battery which gives additional playing time to the 605. The battery dock does not charge the 605, but does provide additional play time when the built-in battery is discharged.
  


• Comfortable to Hold
  The Archos feels better in my hand, and the iPod touch's chrome back is too slippery to hold comfortably.
  

• 624 MHz processor
  


• 4" VGA screen
  


• WiFi (802.11 b/g), and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR built-in
  


• 256 MB ROM which should result in ample room for program/data storage
  


• Windows Mobile 6
  


• 128 MB RAM for program execution. The original spec I saw was 64 MB; however, the HP site indicates 128 MB which is much better. It will be interesting to see how much of the 64 MB 128 MB is available to the user.
  


• Compact Flash, and SDIO expansion slots
  


• Mini USB port
  

• Watch live TV
  
  
• Change the cablebox channel
  
  
• Watch any selection from the TiVo Now Playing List (programs that are currently on the TiVo hard drive)
  
  
• Schedule a recording on my TiVo
  
  
• Watch any DVD in the DVD slot
  
  
• Watch my favorite tech based podcasts, Cranky Geeks, and DLTV, which can now be seamlessly downloaded directly to the TiVo using the new TiVoCast feature.
  
  
• Utilize the same remote control funtions that I use with the physical TiVo remote at home
  
  

• Windows Mobile 5.
  


• 3.7" VGA resolution screen that was very bright, crisp, and easy to read.
  


• Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth
  


• 624 MHz processor.
  


• Ample storage memory (app. 200 MB), and about 50 MB program execution memory which allowed many applications to be multi-tasked.
  


• A nice solid feel that was comfortable in the hand.
  


• Non-volatile memory so the contents were not lost when the battery had no charge.
  


• An optional VGA adapter with appropriate software to allow presentations on the X51v to be displayed on a video projector and / or for the X51v's screen to be mirrored on a video projector.
  


• Replaceable battery along with the option of a high capacity battery for extra time between charges.

• A crisp 4" VGA resolution screen which is definitely one of the best I have seen on a portable device.


• Built-in Bluetooth, and WiFi


• 520 MHz processor


• 128 MB memory


• Removable battery


• A nice look, and feels good in the hand


• Both USB host and client capability


• An optional attachment that adds external VGA, and USB ports. The external VGA port allows the e830 screen to be displayed on a LCD projector at 1024 X 768 resolution. I have used the e830 to present at the local PDA User Group several times, and the e830 did a real nice job displaying my presentation on the classroom LCD projector. It was a nice touch to use a PDA to present a PowerPoint presentation about PDA's.

• No physical keyboard. I have tried the virtual keyboard on the iPod touch as well as other virtual keyboards on WM devices, and still don't like virtual keyboards. Give me a physical slide out landscape oriented keyboard anyday.
  
  
• No Bluetooth sync support or Bluetooth tethering to laptops, and/or other mobile devices.
  
  
• Finally, true 3rd party apps, but they must be approved by Apple, and distributed exclusively by Apple. No thanks.
  
  
• No background processes - does this mean no true multi-tasking like checking email, or downloading a file in the background while web surfing? I use IM+ frequently in the background on my PPC-6700, and have not noticed any performance, and/or stability problems. So much for Apple's excuse, and of course, their alternative is controlled by guess which company, Apple. No thanks
  
  
• No apparent file explorer that the user can use to copy files to / from other devices such as Network Attached Storage devices, or stream video from the NAS' to the iPhone 3G. I have so many mobile devices that my shared files are stored on NAS's for easy retrieval to / from my desktop / mobile devices, and I frequently stream videos from the NAS' to my mobile devices. Doesn't look like this will be possible with the iPhone 3G. Another no thanks.
  
  
• No mention of changes to Safari - Although Safari overall is an excellent browser, it is far from perfect. Some single column webpages require horizontal scrolling to read each line when zoomed to a readable level in mobile Safari. Unfortunately, the double tap zoom does not always increase the text size of some single column web pages to a readable text size, and you are forced to use the pinch zoom to increase the text size to a comfortable reading level. When you use pinch zoom in mobile Safari, the text does not word wrap, and horizontal scrolling is then required to read each line. One of the more popular classified sites, Craigslist, is a single column webpage, and mobile Safari has a problem displaying the site at a readable text level without horizontal scrolling. When you double tap mobile Safari in portait mode on Craigslist, the text is too small to read. When you double tap mobile Safari in landscape mode on Craigslist, the text zooms to a barely readable text size that could easily cause eye strain due to the small text size. Also, some of the longer subject entries do not word wrap correctly which requires horizontal scrolling for those subject entries. I have to pinch zoom the Craigslist webpages in both portrait, and landscape modes to display the pages at a comfortable text size, and the dreaded horizontal scrolling is then required in order to read each line with mobile Safari. The majority of other mobile browsers, ranging from NetHopper on Apple Newton to the new Amazon Kindle (NetFront), word wrap single column webpages such as Craigslist correctly. Unless this problem is fixed before the iPhone 3G is released, or already is an unannounced fix, mobile Safari is still my last choice for viewing older single column pages unless you like horizontal scrolling each line which gets very old, very quickly. Also, no Flash video support is equal to no full internet in my book, no matter how much Apple says you get the full internet with the iPhone.
  
  I use Opera Mini 4.x on my WM devices. Opera Mini is the equal of mobile Safari when displaying full internet pages, and is far superior to mobile Safari when displaying single column pages like Craigslist. Opera Mini displays single column pages similar to mobile Safari initially; however, and this is a big however, when you hold your finger on the screen, a context menu appears for Opera Mini. One of the entries in the context menu is mobile view. When you select mobile view, single column pages word wrap again. With mobile view in Opera Mini, single column pages like Craigslist display perfectly at your preferred text size without any horizontal scrolling. The Opera Mini mobile view works flawlessly in both portrait, and landscape modes. Even those extra long subject entries on Craigslist wrap correctly with mobile view in Opera Mini, and no horizontal scrolling is necessary.
  
  
• The price reduction looks nice, but is it really a price reduction? Sure, it is US$200 less than the Version 1 iPhone; however, the dock is no longer included, and there are strong rumblings that the data costs increased by $10 monthly. If that is true, the $200 reduction is actually a $40 increase (plus dock cost) over a 2 year contract in the US. We'll know the rates for sure on July 11.
  
  
• The iPhone 3G, like the original version, is a sleek, sexy looking device, but I am not a fan of the grossly over-hyped interface. I have used finger scrolling, and the only true multi-touch gesture (two finger zooming) extensively, and just don't like them. If you do, fine, you'll have a nice looking device that meets your needs. It is definitely not for me though. For me, finger scrolling, and the pinch zoom are designed more to impress onlookers, than efficiently navigate. As for general screen navigation, I have been using finger navigation for years with my WM / Palm OS devices. Approximately 95% of my PDA / Smartphone use in without a stylus, and has been for years long before the iPhone was released. Selecting items by finger may be a tad easier, and slicker with the iPhone due to increased spacing between entries, but it is definitely not an iPhone innovation. Many devices have offered touch screens for years, and most can be navigated with a finger.

• Spreadsheets, databases, html editors, ftp client, etc. are critical for me. There was no mention of these types of apps being included, or support for third party apps being permitted in the first release of the iPhone.
  
  
• Virtual keyboards are ok for short messages. Anything over a sentence or two, and many will find virtual keyboards are not a preferred input method. I still enjoy typing on the slide-out keyboard of the PPC-6700; the keys are large enough for my fingers. I tried a virtual full screen keyboard on a 4" VGA resolution PDA about a year ago, and it got old quickly. I no longer use it; virtual keyboards for anything over a sentence or two are not for me.
  
  
• I am used to the broadband speeds of EvDO. A downgrade to Edge would be an unacceptable performance hit.
  
  
• When I turn on my PPC-6700, one of the softkeys on the home page is Contacts. The Contacts softkey can be selected with a finger, stylus, or the hardware key below the softkey entry. Once the contacts are displayed, I press the navigation control down to scroll the contacts quickly while the first letter of the last name is displayed in a large font. When I reach the desired contact, I select the desired contact with my finger/stylus, or depress the navigation control. An even quicker method is to use the alphabetical index at the top of the contacts screen. With a maximum of three taps with my finger, or stylus, I am at the beginning of the listings with the same first letter of the last name that I desire. When I select the contact I desire with my finger, stylus, or navigation control, all of the phone numbers for that contact are displayed with appropriate labels (work, home, mobile, etc.). I select the number, or label I desire with my finger, or stylus, and the number is immediately dialed. If an email address, or url is included with the contact, you can select either the email address or url entry, and the email app. will start a new message, or the web browser will open the selected url. The iPhone has a vertical alphabetical index for contacts which is a nice feature although I do not remember it being demonstrated during the keynote. Maybe, the iPhone's contact application is a big improvement over the free phone you get with a 2 year contract, but nothing really new in this area when compared to a recent Windows Mobile Smartphone other than a little extra eye candy. The finger scrolling on the iPhone looks slicker; however, the button scrolling is quicker on the PPC-6700, and both devices have an alphabetical index. I can turn on the PPC-6700, and make all the selections outlined above using the fingers on the same hand I am holding the device with. Not sure if the same steps could be accomplished as easily with one hand on the iPhone. FYI: Contacts on Windows Mobile devices sync with the calendar app of the full desktop version of Outlook which is included on the CD along with ActiveSync.
  
  
• With Safari on my Mac desktop, I frequently encounter pages which will not render correctly. Only time will tell whether a Safari based browser is an asset or a liability for the user. The inability of Safari to render some pages correctly occurs so often that I leave my five year old Sony Vaio laptop in sleep mode next to the iMac G5 so I can view the pages Safari can not render properly. There has been a plethora of overhype regarding the mobile Safari browser. It is definitely a good browser, but the overhype would make people believe every other Smartphone had a WAP only browser. In 2004, my Clie TH-55 PDA with WiFi using the included NetFront browser would display a fit to width version of a desktop (not WAP or mobile version) webpage after you entered an address. The TH-55's initial page rendering looked very similar to the feature being touted by Apple as new in 2007. Although the TH-55 was not multitouch, an icon on the bottom of the screen could be tapped with a finger or stylus to zoom the page. In the summer of 2006 (6 months before the iPhone was announced, and a year before the iPhone was released), I was regularly visiting the desktop versions (not the mobile versions) of my bank and credit card websites using NetFront 3.3 on a Windows Mobile device. The NetFront browser supported all existing web standards, and had no problem displaying all the features of the secure banking sites. In fact, I do not recall any pages that NetFront 3.3 could not display properly. The browsers in the other devices may not have been as slick or smooth as mobile Safari, but they were not the weak browser siblings that the Apple overhype would lead you to believe, and they were available long before the iPhone was announced.
  
  
• I use several Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices to share data among my plethora of PC's, Mac's, and PDA's/SmartPhone. The NAS's are available 24/7, and I do not have to leave a PC on 24/7 as a file server. Even with the latest version of OS X Tiger, my Macintoshes cannot connect to one of the NAS devices. Every Windows Mobile device I have owned is able to connect to all NAS devices flawlessly using the included File Explorer. If a Macintosh cannot connect, will the iPhone be able to connect? Robust NAS connectivity is a critical feature for me in all my devices. Update - Since the iPhone does not have a file browser, and does not support third party apps, you cannot connect to a NAS device, and have no data to save.
  
  
• I already use a full featured, rich text email client on my PPC-6700, FlexMail 2007.
  
  
• Resco's Photo Viewer can zoom pictures by tapping on an icon with your finger or stylus, and the pictures can be moved around the screen easily with a finger or stylus. Also, with Resco's app, you can select the percentage you wish to zoom directly. Increasing/decreasing the picture size on the iPhone by expanding/closing your fingers on the screen looks cool (although I suspect a user with arthritis, or longer fingernails may have a problem), but bring your screen cleaners. Just about every photo app I have used on a PDA or Smartphone allows the user to move the picture with their finger or stylus.
  
  
• CorePlayer on the PPC-6700 can play more video formats than iTunes can without have to convert the video.
  
  
• There is a lot of buzz about the large icons on the iPhone as if the concept was new. Every Palm OS PDA, or Smartphone device I can recall had program icons large enough to select with your finger as well as the stylus. The program icons on my Windows Mobile devices are large enough to select with my finger as well, and a virtual keyboard appears when data input is needed. I frequently use my PPC-6700 without the stylus. Within an application, the icons may not be a large as the iPhone's; however, they are usually large enough to select with a finger.

I took the SD card from my PPC-6700, and inserted it in the H610. All the WMV video clips, MP3's, and JPEG pictures were immediately recognized, and the H610 did an admirable job displaying them on its quality screen. In addition, the H610 has a calculator, tipping calculator, measurement converter, currency converter, and multi-national clothing size converter. All the extras can easily be updated via a USB connection to a PC.