The time has come again.

It's the time when your phone can't match up to primary school kids.
It's the time when you see the kopitiam uncles become cooler than you.
It's the time when your friends exclaim, "Wah this phone still exist ah!"
It's the time when museum curators approach you to donate the phone to their museums.

Wow, mobile blogging!!!!11

... Right. That's my current phone. Ok, maybe I have over-dramatized but the point is my phone is really old. My dad changed it for me when I was still serving NS. Back then the telcos are weeding out stupid 2G SIM card users (like me) who still haven't upgrade their SIM cards. They threw in a promotion to upgrade it for free and bundled it with a lousy free phone on a 2-year plan. I was actually reluctant for the upgrade because I was a year away from ORD so upgrading means I will be tied to the plan a year into civilian life... which did happen. You might say "Hey, there are always early upgrade offers!" While that's true, I am not a mobile freak and definitely not a fan of paperwork. I guess you must be surprised that a technophile like me doesn't use much of a phone but that's because I am surrounded by computers most of the time and most of the mobile tasks were replaced by my iTouch.

In any case, my current mobile plan will be ending in a couple of months time. However, today finding a new phone can be a major headache because of the myriad of models out there. In view of that, I am putting on my thinking cap (whoa finally!) in my quest for a new phone. The idea is simple: To get a phone that complements my lifestyle based on my current tech gear.

I have been a simple phone user in the sense that I don't call or sms much. I am also not concerned about camera qualities since I have an LX3 (definitely can't beat that muhahaha) and I don't forsee myself treating it like an MP3 player since I have an iTouch. The one thing that I need is good mobile internet access and a decent web browser. Currently I can only tap onto WiFi with iTouch and it doesn't load flash! I will also want a nice sleek looking phone that doesn't look too complicated. Lastly, being an interactive designer means I need to be constantly updated with the newest interactive innovations so there should be a constant flow of new apps for me to use.

Some technical requirements:
HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) for internet access
WLAN (Wireless LAN) for internet access
Expandable Memory (SD/microSD Card) for extra data backup
WVGA Display (Wide Video Graphic Array) for web surfing and using apps

My preference is leaning towards touch-screen phones. They have bigger screens, sleek & clean exteriors and more user-friendly at web surfing as well as gives more room for interactive creativity when it comes to apps. However I am also aware that it's harder to type on a touch-screen phone in the absence of a physical keyboard but most sources (friends & articles) say it's a matter of getting used to. As an owner of an iTouch, I haven't had much issues with an onscreen keyboard. Another criticism is the phone is will be practically worthless should the screen spoils; with any other phones (clamshell, candybar, etc) you will still be able to make/accept phonecalls. Well I don't make much calls and all the phones I used before are still working now so the probability is pretty low.

My source is from asia.cnet.com because I find the contents reliable with comprehensive reviews from the editors and numerous input from users. Without further ado, let me present my findings:

	HTC Touch Pro2 CNet Rating: 7.7 Users Rating: 8.7 Likes: Qwerty keyboard, lots of cool features & 3.6" display Dislikes: Thick, big, fat, heavy!
	Nokia N97 CNet Rating: 6.7 Users Rating: 7.8 Likes: 32GB onboard memory & a qwerty keyboard. Great preinstalled programs that I will use. Dislikes: Unstable, dated S60 software; unexciting design
	Samsung Omnia II CNet Rating: 7.7 Users Rating: 7.7 Likes: Task switcher to optimize performance. Massive 3.7" display. Dislikes: Interface and supporting programs issues; no stylus slot when the phone needs it. Prone to smudges.
	Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 CNet Rating: 8.4 Users Rating: 7.8 Likes: Qwerty keyboard, nice design Dislikes: Complicated, slow interface, poor battery life

Anyways my phone contract will end in roughly 3 months' time so I am also going to include upcoming models in the list below:

	Nokia N97 Mini No info at the moment.
	Nokia N900 Designed to surf web and good processing speed.
	Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 Looks promising, hopefully, it's much better than X1.

All in all, I have only managed to shortlist 7 models which I deem promising to buy. Each phone has its own pros and cons and it seems like everyone has mixed opinions on every phone. However, I have noticed the same issues like battery life, interface and lagness across all phones. I guess I will be deciding which phone to buy based on its flaws! I still have about 2 months left in my contract and should be finalizing on a phone based on the list above. Well but then again, should you have any good phones to recommend, do let me know!