Magic Cisco Box, originally uploaded by Tate Thatcher.

Avert your eyes!!!

EDIT: Original image removed — It was suggested that I should refrain from showing off (taking pride in) my company’s networking gear. Sorry!

Gryphon Being Cute, originally uploaded by Tate Thatcher.

So, which is the lesser of two evils — my contempt for Windows Mobile, or my dislike of Apple and their utter ripoff hardware pricing? Well, that’s really not an easy question to answer. Sadly, the iPhone is only available through AT&T in the US. I’ve had really bad experiences with AT&T’s customer service in the past, and I’m certainly not eager to leave Sprint for them. However, I decided to take a (somewhat) fair and balanced look at the new 3G iPhone, just for the heck of it.

First, there’s no way that AT&T can ever match Sprint on pricing. With my SERO plan, I’m currently paying $34 including taxes for 500 any time minutes, nights and weekends at 7pm, unlimited text / picture / video messaging, and unlimited data use. The cheapest plan at AT&T is a total ripoff; a whopping 450 any time minutes and 5000 night and weekend minutes for $40 / month + tax and made up regulatory fees. Mind you, that doesn’t include any messaging or data use. Unlimited messaging brings the monthly total up to $60, and the data plan AT&T forces you to get with the iPhone brings the total up to $90 before taxes. After taxes and all the made up fees that they tack on, the monthly cost is probably well over $100. Pitiful for a plan with only 450 any time minutes.

I can’t justify paying almost TRIPLE what I’m currently paying for my excellent (and reasonably priced) Sprint service, just so I can move into a locked down phone that I can’t even tether to my laptop without hacking some software. As much as I’d like to give the iPhone a chance, there’s just no way that I’d ever leave Sprint for AT&T. Yes, I could purchase an iPhone on the gray market and use it on T-Mobile, but their coverage is weak around here, and their pricing is just as laughable as AT&T’s.

So, unless a CDMA version of the iPhone surfaces, it looks like Apple won’t be getting any of my money.

Google — where are our Android phones?!

I can’t wait for the next trip!

Special thanks to Brian for graciously hosting the “post-dinner / pre-party bus” segment of the evening. I had an excellent time and I’m thrilled to have been a part of such an important event with my friends!

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