As some of you may know, Chelsea and I have moved. One of the things affected by this move is our wireless phone service. So far we haven't done anything about it. Currently, we have Utah phone numbers and we haven't been under any kind of contract for about 2 1/2 years. In that time we've just been using whatever phones we could scrounge from our friends and family. We're a long way from cutting edge in this respect. It's nice not to have a contract hanging over our heads, but I've been with T-mobile for more than six years and Chelsea has been with them for more than eight. It's not something we like to mess with.
Well the time has come to do some messing. We are tired of having the wireless equivalent of a 1988 Buick. We want some new phones, but I am dealing with some serious restrictions when it comes to the phone I select for myself. For Chelsea it's pretty easy--something cool looking that works as a phone. Easy enough. But you see, I can't have a camera on the phone, and it can't be considered a smartphone, if I want to take it to work with me. When was the last time you saw a phone without a camera on it at the wireless store? They are becoming an endangered species. I've found a few, but they are usually prepaid phones that are compatible with my network. The advantage of these is that they don't lock you into a new contract, but the con is that you have a limited selection of phones.
I don't really need a selection, though. I want a Blackberry Curve. I've wanted one for a long time now. So you see, the Blackberry has two strikes against it (smartphone and camera) for taking it to work--or does it. The rumor mill at work has been producing some very nice bits that tend to make one think that within the next year we might be able to work a deal where we could bring personal smartphones to work. This younger generation of engineers that they are hiring by the bus load has the desire to own smartphones and bring them to work. The outgoing generation was essentially indifferent to it, but now the cry is raising from the ranks.
Now, if it turns out that the planets aren't aligned for me to have a Blackberry right now, then I guess I'll figure out a way to live without. But if I'm buying the phone to be able to take to work then I'll still have to live with the very limited selection, and if I have to buy the dumbest phone in the store, I sure as crap don't want to get stuck in a contract for it.
At the same time, Chelsea needs a new phone, so we have to do something soon.
So, should I get the Blackberry in hopes that they will see the light at work, or should I just live with the stupid phone. What do you think?
Here it is, my new tent. I've wanted a good lightweight backpacking tent for a long time now, and the stars finally aligned. I found this on Coleman's online outlet for 65% off. It's called the Heka X2.
This is the website image of it. It's kind of hard to see what the tent is really supposed to look like when it's unnaturally crammed into a small living room. 
