Red Laser - This blew me away

[Grieve]

That's what's holding me back from them there fancy iPhones and such.

Sure, lots of cool features, and I only have to pay more than my cable, phone and internet bill combined to get them. I upgraded to another basic phone just because I didn't see the point in an iPhone where if I'm not going to get music, internet or GPS packages for it. Without all that, it's just an oversized and mediocre cellphone.

It's really not that expensive. Around $80 a month, including all taxes, compared to the $50 or so I was paying at Verizon. But that includes unlimited data.

I'm not sure what you meant about music and GPS packages. An iPhone is a music player - that's part of the phone, you don't have to pay for it. You can copy whichever of your MP3s or movies onto there you want. GPS is built-in as well, you don't pay for it, although you can buy a better GPS app from the store if you really want to.

Here's what I primarily use it for:

• Browsing the internet - it's basically just like using the internet on your desktop
  
• Reading and responding to work e-mails (free)
  
• Accessing and using my work and Google calenders (free)
  
• Playing single-player games, from Doom to Worms to desktop-quality RPGs and fighting games (many free)
  
• Playing multi-player games with wife and family, from Scrabble to Monopoly to full RPGs (many free)
  
• Reading books on the free Kindle and eReader apps
  
• Keeping the kids quiet with Disney movies (ripped from the DVDs)
  
• Keeping the kids quiet with free games and educational apps
  
• Trading stocks with the free E-Trade app
  
• Using Facebook with the free Facebook app
  
• Getting directions using the build-in Google maps app
  
• Reading news using free news apps (AP, SciFi Wire, AllThingD, NTTimes, WSJ, USA Today, etc)
  
• Listening to music using the free Pandora app, or the build-in iPod
  
• Storing/transporting files (DOCs, XLSs, AVIs, etc) using the Folders app
  
• Storing passwords in an encrypted app
  
• Banking/financials with free banking apps
  
• Control my media center PC from the couch with Air Mouse app

etc, etc

So to me it's much more than a phone, and a bargain at the price. You can even tether it to machines for free internet, or make free phone calls with Skype. I think if you used it for a couple of weeks you'd be hooked.