iPhone: I'm getting that nagging sensation again

Until yesterday, I would have told you that I was fully satisfied with my T|X, and in fact that's still true. It does just about everything I ask of it, and helps me literally in every aspect of my life. That said, even after 10 years of being a PalmOS user, I find myself this morning thinking more and more about the iPhone, and how it might just be my next handheld device.

Don't get me wrong: the iTunes compatibility is a non-issue in an era of 4GB SD cards and PTunes, and my cellphone needs are very modest. What really intrigues me, though, is that the iPhone is a real computer in a PDA format, but one that runs on gestures instead of a thumbboard. In essence, I'm seeing the iPhone as the logical successor to the T|X. It's got the same screen size (320x480), a similar thin form factor, lots of storage, and a fully functional touch screen. It also has both Wi-Fi and a high-speed cellular data service built in (finally!). The fact that it runs an open OS (OS/X) means that developers can and likely will be writing software for it. Essentially, what we're seeing here is not so much Apple's long awaited cellphone, but Newton 2007!

I've got a number of months to look at this, and make the business case for it. More to the point, I need to ensure that there will be both written (please port Graffiti 1, somebody!) and external keyboard text entry possibilities, since I will not be stuck tapping on any kind of little keyboard, virtual or otherwise. I also have 1 more year on my Verizon voice plan, although that's less of an issue. Even so, this is the first device I've seen since the T|X was announced that looks like a true worthy successor to it, and I will be following this very closely. {Prof. Jonathan}