It is an intriguing scenario. While I love my iPhone, AT&T’s network is mediocre at best; downright unacceptable at worst. I was along the Embarcadero in San Francisco recently trying to have a conversation and spent 15 minutes wandering the streets to get a signal. At one point I simply shut the 3G radio off because my iPhone kept bouncing between 3G and EDGE, which furthered my connection woes.

On the other hand I was not all that disappointed when I left Verizon. The customer service experience was abysmal. I know everyone has their horror story with a large company, but several times I nearly lost my mind trying to square away payments or discounts I was entitled to from the Verizon non-customer service crew.

The real x-factor is how Verizon would treat the iPhone. Verizon has a history of disabling key features on devices that make it to its network. And while Apple is probably the most controlling and secretive company around, Verizon is a close second. One has to wonder if the relationship could even work. Would Google Maps get replaced by VZ Navigator? Would a gigantic red V sit in the background of the iPhone home screen?

This will be fascinating as it plays out. Definitely worth watching.

After my previously published pleasant experience in wireless phone stores, I spent a bulk of time playing with a Blackberry Curve. it is a phone I had toyed with before, and I remembered it gave me a sold, reliable experience. The first app I went straight for was the email. It had a simple user interface that allowed me to scroll and open emails with the trackball.

I spent quite a bit of time working with the QWERTY keyboard. I could see how with enough practice, BlackBerry aficionados are able to touch type. The keys are well-positioned and offer the right amount of resistance. I could see myself e-mailing sources, clients, maybe even a friend or two if there is time after the work I need to get done. It is no wonder that the Blackberry is the king of the business world.

It wasn’t all positive though. I was surprised that I actually felt cramped trying to hit all those plastic keys. While I understand for some the tactile feedback is important and even lets some people touch type on a Blackberry, I found it kind of annoying. And after 15 minutes of scrolling and typing, my thunbs were a little sore.

It could be that I just need to hit that Blackberry gym some more. Which leads me to the next post, the trackball. Stay tuned…

No Bold is available yet, but it is definitely on the watch list. Today should also shed some light into what features I am looking for and will need for a cool, yet productive, device. I’m pretty much in the middle right now, so it could go either way.