new phone - HTC Touch Pro

Now that I'm about to go on overseas, I need internet access, and roaming phone to stay in touch. A new phone was in order. But I also need basic internet. Taking my laptop would probably brake it by the end of the trip, so maybe an Asus EEE with windows XP and wireless network connectivity. But then if I'm going to use this device for travel-related internet, typing etc then why not a phone with enough kick to do the trick?
After so many years of having crappy phones that did bugger all except make calls, I have pulled my boots out of the mud and decided to get a phone that solved my laptop and phone needs together. I've been looking around for a while, and did have my eye on the Nokia N95, knowing that it was at the forefront of this new wave of all-in-one phones for a while. But there was something that the N95 was missing, and that was a touch-screen. I immediately discounted the iPhone, because it's just a fad-phone, missing features that I would find useful, such as multithreading, bluetooth, and a tactile keyboard. And besides it is a Mac phone, and macs are just... well ... you know. So after a while of following internet reviews of phones and browsing around, the HTC Touch Pro came on the market. I snatched one up.
Since I got it, I couldn't be happier. It is very well designed, solid and user friendly. The touch screen opens up many navigational features that normal phones don't have. The qwerty keyboard is nice and responsive. The application load times and the way that HTC embedded their own 'skin' on top of Windows Mobile 6.1 makes it a pleasure to use. Besides the pleasantries it has all that what Windows Mobile OS has to offer, with some nice hardware additions such as the level sensor, GPS, HSDPA modem, it has it all. From a business user through to a casual user, this device comes highly recommended.
Another main reason for getting the HTC Touch Pro was that HTC are at the forefront of the adaptation of Android, an open source complete device stack from Google. I have done a reasonable amount of research into Android as part of my job, so it was good to get some time to read up about it. And I must admit it looks like Google have got it right from the beggining with Android. It has been taking a while, but once deveices start using it, it will change the mobile devices landscape. HTC Dream already runs Android as standard. I have also read that HTC touch pro has the required hardware to run Android, so it's a matter of just waiting for the Touch Pro drivers to get written, meanwhile I think I can still run the Android interface by emulating Linux in Win Mobile, then run the Android emulator from there.
Overall, a brilliant phone that has saved me buying a laptop, and interested in developing for the mobile platform again.
9/10