First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I have a really crappy birthday date (12/23); right before Christmas, which SUCKED as a kid. I always got the really crummy combo-presents that were supposed to cover both occasions, but never did.

Oh, goody...socks! How wonderful! Happy birthday you 12 year old crazy guy... (socks suck as a b-day present, BTW, even at 41...)

I'd like to see more on Mac and mobility. I know you have a Mac, and would love to hear your comments about Leopard as well.

Congratulations on the anniversary! Its quite an accomplishement!!

Chris Spera

After a very cold first half of Winter, 2 kids under the age of 3, and a drama filled teenage daughter had all hunkered down for the evening, I took my wonderful (and largely exhausted) wife out to dinner at Red Lobster.

We actually went on 2/13, to avoid the extra crowds and to give her a chance to sit, relax and enjoy the meal we had at one of our favorite (but seldom visted) restaurants.

We actually got a chance to have some real, engaging, adult conversations that didn't include Thomas the Tank Engine, GeoTraks, diapers and potty training, or Caillou. We had a wonderful time, and really enjoyed being with each other (which, after 3 pregancies in the last 4 years, a job transfer and move away from Nashville :( , and two Chicago-land Winters, was a welcomed and warming change).

Julie,

I think you hit the price point on the head. Most people will consider the $150-$200 range discretionary and affordable. Any higher than that, and you have to budget for the purchase (in some way).

Like you, I carry a phone with a camera. The iPhone has a 2MP camera. The Tilt has a 3MP camera. I bought my daughter a 8MP Kodak camera for $139 at Wally World. I think it was originally $179 and was on sale. Its a good camera, and uses the Kodak software (which my wife really likes); so it was easy to hook my daughter into that photo library as well.

Just my 2 cents...

I switched from VzW to ATT, and won't go back. I like the conveniences you site, but VzW is too expensive. Period. Yes, their 3G network is built out more and is more stable than AT&T's is proving to be with the iPhone 3G and its many problems (AT&T's network clearly isn't, and wasn't, ready for the influx of new iPhone 3G subscribers it got...)

At the end of the day, I think its going to come down to cost and not convenience. I think you're likely going to switch based on the cost savings you've outlined, but you WILL miss the convenience of GSM/SIM telephony when you want to swap phones (SIM swap is instantaneous. VzW's website solution will take a while to register the phone and allow you to call out...)

Chris Spera