an electronics dilemma

like this Sony Ericsson w580i, which comes in a lovely pink color and is kind of snazzy looking? It's a slider phone, which I'm not crazy about as a format, but I don't hate it. There's some small issues regarding keys "cracking" on the number pad? Although as I understand it this is mostly the paint on the keys and not the keys themselves...which leads me to think "is it really such a big deal?" not to mention those problems seem to only exist in pre-week 44 production models which I shouldn't run into anyway... I think. It has a place to hang straps (a must for me, I've got tons hanging off my current phone - feels too light without it, actually!) and... well, it's pink! haha... I'm so excited someone is finally making a pink phone that isn't an awful hot pink and that AT&T is selling it so I don't have to go the unlocked route. Plus with the rebate and everything it's around $50 which is a pretty good deal. However... the phone itself can't do very much and while I don't actually use my cell phone a lot, when I do want to use it... well.


My other choice, which seems completely opposite to the above, is the AT&T Tilt, a.k.a. HTC's TyTN II, Kaiser. This is one awesome phone, in terms of features. Bluetooth, Wifi, GPS, Windows Mobile 6, full keyboard (well, all the keys, they're small though, obv.), 3mp camera... it's like a mini laptop, basically. Not quite Ultramobile PC worthy, but for a phone, this is pretty much everything you'd ever need, I think. It's just... well, kind of blah. Grey & black? Come on. The least they could've done is stayed all black, like the original version - I think AT&T's the only one who went duotone on it. I could get a case for it, cover it with sparklies and hope I learn to love it but I just feel so unsure. It doesn't feel.. cute, or me. I mean, the features, wow, I can't imagine ever needing another phone (until tech takes a giant lead forwards, at least) The price is equally... astonishing. Uh, but not in a good way. Around $450, since even with contract it only gets down to $400 - I'm not eligible for any rebates because I don't have a $45+ data plan (since my house doesn't get phone reception, this shouldn't be a surprise but), I'd rather just get it contract-free and worry about renewing the contract when the time comes. Unfortunately even though I'd like to get an unlocked version, the price in that case skyrockets to $700 which I really cannot justify. $450 is pushing it, to be honest, but it's a PDA device which I've been wanting to replace my old (dead) one for over a year now. I was waiting for this to come out so I could upgrade to it, but the upgrade trade off is kinda low.. It's an awesome phone but will I come to hate it because it's not cute enough? Why can't companies make cute, really functional tech? It's like, either we make it cute and dumb it down for 10 year olds who would only use it for myspace, or make it superawesome but the most ugly design ever? I mean, the TyTN II's not so horrible I'd feel like smashing it, but it really gives off a "oh, that phone" kind of vibe. Could I possibly adorn it so you could barely recognize its former self? I think it's got a place to loop a strap, but I'm not positive. .... Hmm.