Hold the Phone, Three Years Later

[Eric Lin]

I didn't step out the swamp with 10 1/2 gatorz, but I did finally get to hold, even own a Smartphone. Back in the days of smaller.com, in the beginning of my public obsession with smarter mobile phones, I was contacted by someone on the Smartphone team with a little video preview of the avenger (a greyscale version of the Compal AR11). Month after month someone would sneak me a preview of what had been changed or improved, and I couldn't stop drooling.It's literally been three years since my first peek, and now I have a Smartphone of my own. Sure things were a bit shaky at the start, but they've been improving rapidly, even during the first generation release. if 2002 is this good, just imagine what these phones will be like at version 3.0, when Microsoft traditionally gets things right. I'm excited for the present, and even more for the future. Honestly the prospect of Smartphone 2003 has me so excited, I'm not sure if I ever think about whatever version 3.0 will be. I look forward to sharing my excitement about the Smartphone platform and about the mobile lifestyle with you.

[Jason Dunn]

Ah, the memories of reading your smaller.com articles...you had some good ones on that site dude! :D

[scottmag]

Hey, it's ericl from smaller.com!! That was a great site. Hmmmm, didn't smaller absorb Newton Underground (my once favorite PDA site - ahhhh, memories)? We traded email messages about two years ago and I was surprised to find out that you had been ousted from smaller and that they were recycling your old articles. What ever happened there? And what have you been up to? Anyway, it's good to see you back in the game.

Scott

[Eric Lin]

for scott, and the 3 other people who care but may not know. after smaller was acquired (for a second time) they recycled really old articles for about 3 months then a gigantic server crash wiped them out (they had neglected to backup, seriously!!) In the meantime i've spent the last 2 years ghost writing for club pocket pc and club smartphone. all those how tos and the step by step help, i did all that. it was hard work, but the rewards were great. i feel like i created something truly useful to users, an opportunity i seek to repeat here on smartphone thoughts.