Five Ways to Get Over Your iPhone Envy

Okay, I admit it: If I weren't so stingy, I might own an iPhone too. But I just can't bring myself to drop $400 on what is really more of a status symbol and a toy than an essential tool. (There, I said it. Have at me, Apple fanboys.)

You might have your own reasons for not buying an iPhone. Maybe you don't want to switch to AT&T, or risk hacking your phone and ending up with a $400 brick. Maybe you don't like the iPhone's smallish on-screen keyboard, the lack of support for Flash and multimedia messaging, or AT&T's relatively poky EDGE network. Or maybe you need something that lets you carry your Windows documents with you on the road. Take heart. You can still have a pocket status symbol, even if it lacks the Apple logo.

Here are five hip alternatives, all of them released after iPhone Day last June. Because the coolest phones are usually exclusive to one carrier, I've also listed models from other carriers that look and work in much the same fashion.

Carrier: AT&T

If not for the iPhone, the AT&T Tilt might be the coolest handset on the market--and certainly one of the most powerful. Made by HTC, the Tilt has an 2.8-inch screen that slides up to reveal a surprisingly roomy QWERTY keyboard capable of tilting up to 40 degrees, making it more like a mini laptop than a cell phone. Adding to the laptop feel is the Windows Mobile 6 operating system, which allows you to work on Office files and swap information with Outlook when you're on the go. Built-in GPS, a 3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and support for high-speed 3G networks complete the package. Of course, if you mostly want a cell phone with a QWERTY keyboard, the Tilt is overkill. At $400 with a two-year plan, it's no cheaper than an iPhone; and since it's 4.4 inches long and 6 ounces, you won't forget it's in your pocket. But if you're a corporate type who takes the office along wherever you go, you can bring the Tilt and leave the laptop at home.

Similar models: T-Mobile Wing, Sprint HTC Mogul

Carrier: AT&T

One problem with the Tilt (and to a lesser extent, the iPhone) is that it's not really cell phone size. That's not the case with Pantech's Duo C810, which is almost as slim and trim as your typical slider phone yet as capable as the Tilt. In fact, it's kind of a slider times two. Hold it in the traditional fashion, and the screen slides up to reveal a numeric keypad. Turn it on its side, and the screen slides to the right to reveal a backlit QWERTY keyboard, while the display adjusts 90 degrees to match. Like the Tilt it runs Windows Mobile 6, so you can surf the Net, download e-mail, and even watch live TV (though you'll need to fork out another $10 per month for MobiTV). The keyboard is a tad small, so you probably won't use it to work on your novel. But for short e-mail and text messages, it's fine. With Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and 3G support, the $200 Duo (with a two-year contract) is both slick and relatively inexpensive.

Comparable models: Helio Ocean, Samsung SCH-i760 (Verizon) 

Carrier: Verizon Wireless

If I seem obsessed with phones that have hidden QWERTY keyboards, it may be because I've spent too much time tapping out text messages on tiny cell keypads. The LG Voyager sports an iPhone-like touch screen on the outside, and flips open clamshell-style to reveal a screen and a full keyboard on the inside. One of the increasingly rare smart phones that do not run Windows Mobile, the Voyager comes with a slew of useful applets: You can record voice memos, set alarms, calculate tips, snap 2-megapixel photos, and use its integrated GPS when you get lost. Full media capabilities are available via Verizon's V-Cast mobile TV and music service (starting at $15 per month), and you can play your own MP3s and WMA files too. The Voyager costs around $300 with a two-year plan, but since it lacks Wi-Fi, you're stuck paying for Verizon's 3G network when you want to surf the Web. You also can't sync your contacts or calendar with Outlook, making the Voyager more suitable for play than work.

Comparable models: Sprint HTC Touch, Samsung SCH-u740 (Verizon)

Carrier: Sprint

At the risk of ticking off half the population, this is a smart phone for the women in the audience--and not just because of the Palm Centro's curved lines and stylish red color scheme. Palm has taken the Treo and slimmed it down:# At 4.2 ounces the Centro is 25 percent lighter than the Treo 755p, but it has the same Palm OS that many folks can't live without. The small QWERTY keyboard will probably be too tiny for fat-fingered adult males, though the touch screen gives easy access to such apps as PocketTunes, Google Mobile Maps, and the built-in camcorder. The price is light too--just $100 with a two-year plan. But don't look for Wi-Fi or GPS support, as you won't find any. As cool as an iPhone? Probably not. But the Centro does give you the benefits of Palm's Treo software without making you look like a refugee from Camp Nerd.

Comparable models: BlackBerry Curve 8320 (T-Mobile), Palm Treo 755p (Sprint, Verizon)

Carrier: None

In my sometimes humble opinion, what the iPhone does best is put the Internet in your pocket, allowing you to switch quasi-seamlessly from AT&T's cell network to Wi-Fi for access. So if you're really looking for a portable Web browsing device, Nokia's N810 might be a better call (no pun intended). Since the N810 is a Wi-Fi device, not a cell phone, you don't get that "All Internet, All the Time" experience. (Then again, AT&T's coverage isn't exactly universal.) At 5 inches wide and nearly 8 ounces, it's closer to an ultramobile PC, but without the hefty price tag or Windows OS. A 4.1-inch screen slides up to reveal a 42-key QWERTY keypad; a Webcam and a GPS chip are also built in. The Linux-based unit supports a Mozilla browser, Flash 9, and the Rhapsody music service; when you're in range of a hotspot, you can use Gizmo, Google Talk, or Skype for voice calls. At $479 (with no carrier subsidy), the N810 ain't cheap. On the other hand, you won't be forking over $50 to $100 a month for a voice-and-data plan.

Comparable models: Asus R2H, Samsung Q1B