Why I'm not thrilled with my Blackberry

I got my first mobile phone in 1988. Since then, I've had lots of different devices, but typically they've never been your run-of-the-mill, basic mobile phone. Whether it was custom portability options in the early 90s or email synchronization today, I've always been willing to pay a bit more and stretch the capabilities of my device in order to gain some additional benefit.

For me, the cars I have had have been, for the most part, acquired under a similar vane. For those that don't know, I've owned approximately 45 cars, and have usually kept them less than a year. Typically it's been a financially positive experience, although there have been some times where I did end up losing money.

In any event, the cars that I have bought have always had some level of "special-ness" to them, without some key tenets - like reliability - being at the top of the list. For Pete's sake, I've owned a few Alfa Romeos, and not because they had stellar reliability! But what I haven't owned have been things like Honda Accords or Toyota Camrys (well, I did have one, but that was one for my wife), or what most would term "appliance" cars. Nothing too exciting, but they are uber reliable and generally cost very little to maintain. But without a fun factor, for me, what's the point?

So as I've recently been given a Blackberry Tour by my employer, I've found myself amazed at certain things. Like how the battery will last more than a day. Like how email and calendar sync just works. Like how bluetooth pairing doesn't require three reboots and a short prayer to sync.

Yet, I still long for something else. Something that maybe doesn't always do those things as reliably, but has a "cutting edge" quotient. Like a really cool user interface, or really nice web browsing. Rather than just doing what it's supposed to do - handle phone calls and emails. Something that's not like a Honda Accord.

But for now, the economic realities of having a tween in middle school, a home near the beach, and [insert lame excuse here] have put both my car buying and phone buying on hold. Someday, however, I will have another Alfa and a phone that makes me grin from ear to ear whenever I use it. That is, in between the cursing from when it breaks down.

Yes, both the car and the phone.