Hardware First Impressions

While traipsing through the mall yesterday, I had a chance to play with some gadgets I've been meaning to handle. Here are my initial impressions - keeping in mind, they were very brief encounters:

HTC myTouch 3G - This is the follow on to my G1. It has the same OS, so it was quite familiar. I could definitely tell it has a faster processor, and the phone was much more responsive. But, no keyboard? What the heck! I can't imagine why the dropped it, as the phone seems crippled without it.

HTC Touch Pro 2 - this phone definitely has the hardware. While I'm not ready to claim it has a better keyboard than the original Sidekick, it was definitely roomy. And the screen was gorgeous. The problem is, it's Windows OS, and I felt like I was moving in slow motion because I'm so unfamiliar with it. This isn't really Windows fault - each OS has it's own nuances. For example, I hit the hang-up key to lock my screen, while Shira hits it to back to the home screen. The result: whenever I pick up Shira's phone, I can't figure out how to get home, and whenever Shira picks up my phone she's constantly locking it. This may be a great device, but I'd have to learn the OS first

Smart Fortwo - OK, this is car, but with it's compact size, I'd say it's nearly a gadget. They had a few of these sitting around in the mall, and surprisingly, the one I approached was open. I was able, for the first time, to sit in one of these.

I have to say, I'm impressed. I didn't feel nearly as claustrophobic as I thought I would have. I didn't get the sense that there was nothing in front of me, or behind me. I couldn't exactly spread out, but I think it would definitely have been drivable.

Ignoring for a second that we don't actually need a new car, there's about a 0% chance I'll be buying this one. The issue isn't that of space - it's of safety. Our conversation about the car quickly descended into one about whether or not it was safe enough. I'm impressed with crash capabilities, but all Shira sees is a tiny car waiting to get stomped.