I got my Peek earlier this week, and it's an okay device. I like that it doesn't allow me to surf the net [sic], as that tends to keep me on task instead of thumb-typing like a madman. As is, I just went through the battery about twice as quickly as they advertised. I'm going to write that off to emailing and checking email too much, and perhaps working too hard in low-signal areas. (Hint to Peek: When my Peek's locked, you don't have to maintain a constant signal. Go into some sort of sleep mode, and check email much less frequently.) I'd already taken to emailing myself notes about things I want to be able to access everywhere, and the Peek helps out there nicely.

The "material" (as opposed to virtual) keyboard is a giant step up from the iPhone, by the way. I hate that iPhone/touch keyboard. The type assist function on the iPhone is great, but I'd rather get the word right by myself.

It's not all great -- The original version (v1.04) of the Peek software was, well, lacking, and I've mailed it to NYC to get upgraded (for free). I was also disappointed to find that there's no search whatsoever, not even server side, and that it started pulling emails once I signed up, ignoring everything that came earlier. I'll probably review it later, but that's enough complaining for now. Overall, a useful device. I'd complain it isn't worth $20 a month, but unlimited email and text on my Sprint phone costs more, and then I'd be stuck typing on a 9 digit keypad. Not cool.

Now Apple is again rumored to be seeing the wisdom in providing less than 24/7, unlimited data plans. From AppleInsider:

The analyst believes Apple will follow a strategy similar to what the company did with the iPod, expanding the market with more choices. Citing sources, Wu predicts several iPhone models with differing feature sets, adding the possibility of a low-cost voice, e-mail, messaging-only plan with no Internet on what he referred to as an 'iPod phone'.


I doubt an iPhone would be released without Safari, but I could see a less than always-on, unlimited data plan, especially if that restriction is somehow tied to a different piece of hardware. The first hit of heroin is always heavily discounted, after all. For every person like me, who is happy not to have his or her complete digital life available at the click of a few buttons, there are hundreds or thousands who will try a Peek or stripped down iPhone and decide they need to move up to a Blackberry or iPhone as we know it now.

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