By most measures, iPhone owners should have been pleased last year when Apple sped up the phone, slashed its price and introduced a revolutionary App Store. But ask iPhone users how they would improve the device and most will have suggestions at the ready, including a longer-lasting battery, a higher-quality camera and cut-and-paste functionality.
The same is true of every phone on the market. No matter how many features manufacturers manage to pack into their pocket-sized devices, consumers inevitably want more — or less — or something just a bit different.
So, how does the current crop of smart phones measure up?
Nokia N97
With its touchscreen, physical keyboard, tons of storage and tight integration with a suite of software, Nokia's N97 is certainly a contender for the title of perfect smart phone. (Not that the company calls it a smart phone; Nokia's preferred term is "mobile computer.") Potential drawbacks include a high price (around $765, unsubsidized) and a long wait (the phone is slated to go on sale in spring 2009.) Also notable: Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.
See All of the Top 10 Smart Phones
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
Before the N97 was announced, Sony Ericsson unveiled its own take on a touchscreen-turned-Qwerty keyboard phone, the Xperia X1. The phone's metal-finish body is light, yet sturdy. Users can customize the screen with panels that offer quick access to sites like Facebook. The screen lacks the iPhone's flash, though, and U.S. users will have to shell out $700 to $750, because operators aren't subsidizing it.
HTC Touch Pro
HTC is an old hand at touchscreen smart phones. Its Touch Pro marries a touchscreen with a keyboard for greater functionality, while its Touch Diamond is compact and stylish. The pros: HTC's visually striking TouchFLO 3-D software, which aims to make mobile multitasking and Web browsing as easy as on a regular computer. The cons: Downloading apps isn't quite as fun or intuitive as it is on phones from Apple. Also notable: HTC Touch Diamond.
Palm Treo Pro
Meet Palm's latest take on the Treo. The Pro's design has elicited comparisons to BlackBerrys, but Palm says the handset's productivity software, navigation features and 3G connectivity set it apart. A lack of carrier support in the U.S. means that consumers have been forced to seek out the phone online for $549. That could change soon; Sprint is rumored to be picking up the Pro for 2009. Also notable: Palm Centro.
Samsung Omnia
True to its name, the Omnia is designed to offer users anything they might want in a smart phone, including a 5-megapixel camera, FM radio and specially crafted software called TouchWiz that offers one-touch access to commonly used applications and features. Some users have called the handset's virtual keyboard challenging. Samsung's BlackJack II comes with a physical keyboard but generally trails BlackBerrys in sales.
LG Incite
LG, long a leader in multimedia phones (the Chocolate, the enV, the Viewty), is diving into the U.S. smart phone market. Its Incite sports a customizable "favorites" menu, streaming radio and a reflective screen that can double as a mirror. But its fall 2008 release, in the wake of flashier phones, may keep it from grabbing a larger audience.
BlackBerry Storm
The best thing about the Storm? It's like no other touchscreen phone. The worst thing? Ditto. Users have raved and ranted about the Storm's "clickable" touchscreen, prompting carrier Verizon to defend the phone as its best-selling device.
