Richard,

I am still pissed at Verizon for forcing me to put my StarTac to pasture. That was the best cell phone I've ever owned, by far. Nearly everyone I spoke to could not believe I was on a mobile.

NOW? Every conversation is destroyed by "what did you say" or "I didn' get that last part"...and don't get me started on the new voice-enhancement technology they use in schmardphones.

When anyone calls me with either a television or children in the background...I hear all of that as loud as them. When either scream, it becomes like a weapon tearing straight through my skull. I will simply hang up if they don't turn it all down or go into another room.

That is because of the digital voice recognition algorithms, along with the frequency response of the mics and speakers...which to me have gone decades back in quality. The early Bell engineers are likely spinning in their graves.

At the moment, I'm using my girlfriend's old Casio G'zOne. The thing can handle a twenty-foot drop, or submersion in thirty feet of water for a while. It is a big, honky old flip phone. [[no offense intended Honky)

Whenever anyone brings it up in a group, often for fun I'll quickly agree with them that I HAVE to get rid of that old flip phone...and toss it over my shoulder. Then I'll pick it up and use it...while saying if theirs can do the same...I'll buy two.

Then I met the guy who bought the killer military-style case for his iPhone...


Cheers!