gadget help revisited

Way back here, I asked for gadget help.

Then I postponed buying anything, as I've been so pressed for time, and I know that anything new requires time, especially if it's going to sync with my home computer via new software. So I decided to wait.

Now, one week from deadline, I'm anticipating more time on the horizon, so I'm starting to think about the phone again. (It looks like I'll have more writing work related to Spinal Network, but the huge project I've been working on since early July is coming to a close.) And I'm thinking myself in circles about this phone thing.

I really want a qwerty keyboard for texting. Although I don't text often, I do find it very useful, and I would text a lot more often if I didn't have to pick through my stupid alpha-numeric keyboard. I know many people like T9 but I find it maddening and useless.

As I looked through my qwerty-keyboard options, I saw this phone, a "Rumour" from LG. (Doesn't it seem like I should own a piece of LG?) I really like the look, but Rogers doesn't have it.

I'd have to switch to Bell in order to get the phone thrown in the deal. Do I want to change providers? I find Rogers super-easy to deal with. (Don't laugh! I really do). Any time we travel or I go to the US, I add on long-distance or US minutes for only that month. And since our we have cable and internet through Rogers, too, there's a discount. Do I want to take a chance on a new provider? Not really. But do I want to stay with Rogers so much that I spend $300 on a phone? No.

If I give up on the Rumour phone, and stay with Rogers, and I want a qwerty keyboard, I'm looking at a Blackberry.

If I get a Blackberry, I'll have mobile email. And I don't really want my email following me around. I'm at my computer practically all day and all night. When I'm away from it, I want to be away from it.

What's more, I would have to pay for that, right? There is just no way I can afford another monthly bill. I'm earning about half of what I was earning in 2006. Allan's earning slightly more, but the net result is way down. And even if I could afford it (which I can't), I don't want more expenses. I already wish we could simplify more, and we can't seem to. No need to add anything else to the pile.

But if I don't get mobile email, can I get an organizer that will sync with my computer? I've had that for so long, it would be strange to be without. Allan thinks I could wean myself away from it and eventually not miss it.

So now I'm coming around the other side. Maybe instead of ramping everything up, I should just get a new phone, not a pda, not a Blackberry, just a phone.

There is also this phone, a Samsung SCH-u740, which has a double hinge, for talk or text. Rogers doesn't have it, but it's inexpensive. I can't spend $300 for a phone Rogers doesn't have, but I can spend $30.

Or should I just give up on the qwerty? Get a cute little phone and pick my way through text messaging the way I do now? And can I give up a pda? I'm still vacillating.

And a tangential question, if I don't sync with a handheld device, how do I back up my Outlook data?

At least I've ruled one thing out. Higher monthly bills just to have mobile email and a data stream I don't need is out of the question.