"Dean" <dean173@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:S7rDh.40$8w5.34@newsfe12.lga...
> Ric,
>
> Put yourself in my place. I'm very happy with the coverage. A majority of
> the people I call are "IN-network", and overage hasn't been an issue, even
> though I'm on a 450 minute plan and use 1200-1600 minutes a month. We
> travel mainly on weekends, when calls are free. My phone works from
> Provincetown to Key West, with a side trip to Phoenix. (Yeah, somebody
> can't wait to jump on THAT one----the wife and I love P'town, and Key West
> was a one-time sightseeing tour LOL). We get a group discount, and my bill
> is about $38 per month total. I get a new phone every 10 months at little
> or no out-of-pocket cost.
>
> I own a digital camera, and I use it to take pictures. If an "emergency
> photo-op" arises, I can use my phone/camera and transfer the picture to my
> computer via micro-SD card. I can't use an iPod at work, it's unsafe to
> use one while driving, and I have no need for one at home.
>
> While I can't deny the "cool" factor of the newer crop of multi-tasking
> phones, I'm not a huge fan, for much the same reason I wouldn't buy a
> combination clothes washer/clothes dryer. (break one machine and lose
> everything).
>
> I just wanted a phone that worked, and didn't cost me a fortune. My VZW
> service gives me that. I don't particularly like the fact that they
> disable features to make money, but for my purposes, where's my complaint?
> And if I have nothing to complain about, does that make me irrationally
> loyal?


A lot of what you say has merit for many people, but as another poster said,
some do like convergence. For example, I enjoy candid photography. I don't
leave the house without a camera and I'm grateful that digital cams are now
available with great resolution, but I'd never attempt to take a photo I
intended to keep with the current crop of phone-cams. My all my phones have
had built in cameras...never used any of them. When they get to five MP and
above with a real flash, I'll consider it. I also work out at the gym pretty
much every day. A built in MP3 player sure does come in handy...for me. So,
if my dream phone comes on the market, it will be nice to carry one device
instead three or four.