I’m ready to chuck my Treo 650 across the room! I’m on my third one, having had two replacements due to the audio jack breaking–and the bloody thing just broke again. Incredibly poor design. I’ve been waiting for Palm to get their act together and release a new smartphone with an updated PalmOS platform, but [...]

I’m ready to chuck my Treo 650 across the room! I’m on my third one, having had two replacements due to the audio jack breaking–and the bloody thing just broke again. Incredibly poor design. I’ve been waiting for Palm to get their act together and release a new smartphone with an updated PalmOS platform, but it seems they never will. So it’s time for me to bid adieu to Palm and look for something else, and that (unfortunately) seems to mean Windows Mobile. Ick.

What’s that you say? Don’t I work for the largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world? Yes, yes I do. But I don’t want to leave Sprint, and Nokia makes exactly one phone for Sprint: the 6165i, an itty bitty flip phone that’s not exactly a valid replacement for a Treo.

My requirements:

• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP.
• WiFi.
• Java-capable (I believe any Windows Mobile device can run Java).
• Full QWERTY keyboard.
• Ability to tether to my laptop for modem use.
• Touch-screen.
• Sync with PC for contacts and calendar.

Browsing Sprint’s smartphone selection, I’m drawn to the HTC Mogul. It seems to cover all my requirements.

Any Sprint people out there with smartphone recommendations? Anyone used the HTC Mogul, either on Sprint or another carrier?

For once, anyway. In troubleshooting some annoying sync failures on my Speakeasy DSL service, the tech support guy mentioned as a possible solution this new program offered in partnership with Covad, and reported by Ars Technica: Back in the day (the mid 90s), dedicated-loop DSL was the primary means of delivering ADSL service. Now it [...]

For once, anyway. In troubleshooting some annoying sync failures on my Speakeasy DSL service, the tech support guy mentioned as a possible solution this new program offered in partnership with Covad, and reported by Ars Technica:

Back in the day (the mid 90s), dedicated-loop DSL was the primary means of delivering ADSL service. Now it looks to be poised for a comeback, as Covad this week announced a new dedicated-loop DSL offering in partnership with Speakeasy. Also known as dry-loop DSL and naked DSL, dedicated-loop DSL differs from the more common shared-line DSL in that the service is carried on a dedicated line that does not require voice service. Once regulators began requiring local telephone companies to lease lines in the late 90s to DSL providers such as Earthlink and Speakeasy, dedicated-loop DSL fell by the wayside, as it was more expensive and required the ISP to come out and do a custom installation.

So I said, let’s give it a try. The installation fee is waived because I’m a current customer, the new CPE (“Customer Premise Equipment” or DSL modem, for the acronym-declined), if I need it, will be fully rebated, and the extra $5/month will be more than offset by the $25/month savings of dropping our SBC landline.

Also, note the little “by the way” bit at the bottom of the Ars Technica piece:

With Covad and Speakeasy planning on offering a 6.0/768 dedicated-loop DSL package soon, it may put pressure on the ILECs to improve their offerings, or even to follow the lead of Qwest in offering naked DSL.

(emphasis mine) Mmmmmmm.