Is it day four? Or day five? I’ve lost count. And considering it’s past 3 a.m., I can only keep one eye open. But with Sharpie pen bleeding all over a marked-up poster paper, there is one clear winner: iPhone 3G.

If it wasn’t for my fiancee, I would probably still be lost in indecision land. The solution (which I highly recommend if you ever face such a life-altering decision as which cellphone to buy) was a decision-making chart.

As you saw from my previous posts on the topic, there were strengths and weaknesses for both devices. And no matter which way I went, I would end up missing out on a feature or two. So I had to sort out the ESSENTIAL features I could not live without. She asked me for a top five. I gave seven. Here they are, with an explanation included:

1. web browsing (read big, pretty Internet)
It’s clear who wins this, iPhone hands down. There is absolutely no browsing experience that comes anywhere close to Safari on the iPhone. This coming from someone who is FAR from being an Apple fanboy. I have a Tablet PC with Vista, and I like it. I prefer Windows to OS X Leopard (or Tiger, Bengal, Lynx, or whatever big cat they’re naming it after these days). But credit is due here to Apple for redefining mobile browsing.
2. e-mail capabilities
This was a tough call, as Blackberry is the king of mobile e-mail. It pushes e-mail directly to your device with blazing speed. I see why power business professionals and politicos live on their Blackberry.
But this where I (and you, if you’re facing a similar dilemma) sat down and decided what I needed my device to do. With its e-mail improvements, the iPhone will handle my e-mail needs just fine. In fact, my demands are not yet at the point where I needed the e-mail pushed to me (a mobileme subscription would fix that). Tweaking the settings so it will fetch my e-mail every 15 minutes is just fine. Gooood doggie.
3. QWERTY (virtual or real)
An essential part of e-mail, and of course texting and IM, is the keyboard. This is again, where it really comes down to user preference. While over time I would probably type faster and more efficiently on the physical keyboard of the Curve, the iPhone works just fine. And making up for the ability to touch type is the predictive text, which is surprisingly good at catching mistakes.
Some will say they need to feel the keys, or question why Apple doesn’t include tactile feedback on the glass. But since my fingers are not number and have working nerve endings, I can feel the glass and know I’m typing a key just fine.
4. the ability to sync calendar, contacts, etc.
Again, many options here. Syncing occurs through iTunes, but there are better alternatives through the app store. Plus Google Calendar syncs with your iPhone calendar, or you can just browse it on the Web. Blackberries are more versatile in their ability to sync contacts with other users, but again, it’s comes down to how high-powered your needs are.
5. the ability to view/edit docs
This is where the iPhone’s real strength, the app store, shines. While there is no editing/saving software native to the device, there are many apps that let you do this. While the Blackberry may be easier to navigate with the keyboard and trackball, the iPhone has the larger screen, making document editing easier on the eyes.
6. good call quality
Blackberries are well-known for their excellent call quality. The first iPhone, however, got knocked for it. By all accounts the iPhone 3G has greatly improved itself in this area.
7. the ability to tether the device to my laptop for use as a modem
This is my one compromise. iPhones don’t have the ability to do this, which is actually too bad. Traveling businesspersons can get a tethering plan for their Blackberry and never worry about being without Internet. The need for this arises from time to time as hotel wi-fi is unreliable and overpriced (as much as $15 a day at some establishments).

So there it is. In six hours, the AT&T stores open. Now it’s off to try and actually buy one of these things. Stay iTuned.