LG Incite CT810 (AT&T)

Pros: WIndows 6.1 makes life in an "all Microsoft" work environment a piece of cake. IE, Outlook, Office, Remote Desktop, etc. very handy tools to have on a phone that knows how to make them work without extra effort.

Cons: MediaNet overriding wifi on many apps. Tiny screen commands impossible to touch. Weak browser zoom (compared to iPhone). Touch screen often does nothing. Biggest drawback is the touch keyboard is so huge you cannot see what you are typing into.

Summary: This is MY first smart phone although I have had experience (as an IT support guy) helping users with Blackjacks, iPhones, Treos and Crackberries. I love that this phone extends all the MS tools and functionality I need to my phone but am VERY frustrated with its operation 3 days into ownership. Phone has frozen twice (requiring a soft reset). It has confused itself multiple times when rotating the display. Often the touch screen does nothing possibly because I am touching the wrong spot but when your icons and command buttons are about 5x5pixels it is hard to be accurate with a fat finger. MediaNet keeps defaulting as the preferred means to web browse and surf even though I have strong wifi available, configured, and set as my preferred method for accessing these services. Secure wifi connection at work requires a one-time setup with username and password. Although I set the phone to save password, the device prompts me for password every time wifi turns back on. Bluetooth isn't communicating with my Vista machine after multiple tries and variations on firewalls and bluetooth preferences. When checking voicemail or using other automated phone service that requires keying in of a numeric password, the screen will often go blank while you are holding your phone to your head. Bring it down to type in your password on the touch screen and the screen is blank and unresponive to touch unless you hit the "power" button to restore your screen--very inconvenient if you are switching from ear-to-keyboard in an automated telephone service situation. The jog roller on the side requires significant "finger strength" to push when trying to achieve the purpose of a mouse click. I have accidentally triggered the camera button on numerous occasions. FM radio will only play through headphones. The apparently all plastic "metallic painted" case leads me to believe you will have a two-tone device a year from now when the paint rubs off the plastic back battery cover or hand dirt wears down side controls. Used the wifi quite heavily in the first day and blew through better than 50% of the battery from early morning to night. IE does not zoom like an iPhone so if you think iPhone browser zoom is the best, IE for Mobile 6 will disappoint.

Perhaps my biggest complaint is how the fully keyboard in landscape mode covers about 80% of the screen so you cannot see what/where you are typing...or if you are making mistakes. Plus the keyboard does not have a TAB key to help move through online forms.

I love the fundamental IDEA behind this phone: Windows OS, wifi, iPhone-ish touchscreen, better keyboard options than a Blackjack or similar device, dedicated numerals when phone dialing, etc....but it seems like I am putting in way to much effort to customize this phone into something useful and practical and consistent.

One final ding: Voice quality. Although I am happy with how conversations sound on my end either through the very loud speakerphone or the built-in earpiece, everyone I have talked to knows I am on a cell phone and several have assumed I am calling from a bathroom as there is apparently a significant hollow, echoey quality to the call.

I was very excited to get this phone. Now I am very sad and will be returning it. Glad I didn't cut up the box for the rebate.