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LG Xenon GR500 Phone, Black (AT&T)
$249.99
I got this phone as a replacement for a water damaged Motorola phone. This was a big mistake.

1) Reception: This phone spontaneously loses service. Usually this occurs when moving from tower to tower. I called AT&T about this problem and they did update the software which allows it to only lose service half the time in the city rather than 3/4 of the time. This occurs in conditions when my wife's iphone maintains 3 or 4 bars.

2) Ease of use: It has a touch screen which slides open to expose a hardware keyboard. The touch screen spontaneously locks during calls and will give false inputs if you try to use it to input PIN numbers or negotiate automated menu choices during a call. So the hardware keyboard must be used instead. On some but not all calls it appears you must use the function key to obtain numerical input on the hardware keyboard...very frustrating. Both touch screen and hardware keyboard work better using a stylus but there is no stylus dock and no stylus is provided.

Normally it must be carried locked due to the risk of false inputs to the touch screen but in half light or darkness there are no distinguishing characteristics between the lock button and the volume down button. The lock button is very close to the camera switch which adds to the confusion. I suppose this would be acceptable to a user with perfect night vision, tiny hands and no calluses on their hands.

3) Unneeded functions - bling: There are numerous extra-cost services which clutter all the menus and screens and which appear impossible to delete. This comes at the expense of poorer access to functions the user needs on a daily basis.

4) Battery life: The battery normally only lasts a day or two between charges, even if there are no calls. There is an annoying, irregular, spontaneous, loud warning beep which cannot be turned off nor reset, which usually starts in the middle of the night when the phone decides it needs a charge.

5) Durability: This product is fragile. It appears easily scratched, dented and unsuitable to carry except in a heavy leather case, which unfortunately increases its rate of signal loss.

6) Audibility: The normal speaker (except for warning beeps) is impossible to hear in a moving truck but somewhat audible in a well soundproofed car. Conference mode is barely audible in a truck and easily audible in a car if it is held to the ear. Under quiet conditions with less than 4 bars of reception there remains a constant clipping or skip of both transmission and reception.

7) Connectivity: With effort it will produce a short range bluetooth connection which must be quickly stopped before batteries are depleted. Unfortunately its USB port is nonstandard and requires an extra-cost cable so I don't know how well that function works.

8) In summary: This would be an ideal gift purchase if the buyer has a wealthy elderly uncle whom they wish to drive insane so as to gain control of his vast estate. Or perhaps it could be sent to the buyer's favorite imprisoned Ponzi schemer. Otherwise buy anything else. This phone is entirely unsatisfactory, most suitable for use by a technophilic lemur who is addicted to purchasing extraneous add-on services.

BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Titanium (T-Mobile)
$499.99
I purchased mine from Costco in June $49.99 with contract. For about a month everything was great, then the the back shell of the phone started getting lose. Right now 11-08-09 is even worse. I always carry it in the BB pouch. Everything else is still working great even over out of the country. Integrity of the 8900 compared to 8330 is terrible. my wife have had hers for 2 years and it still feel solid. I can't beleive that RIM released such expensive phone with such low quality.

Motorola Droid A855 Phone (Verizon Wireless)
$299.99
This phone would be perfect if not for the slide out keyboard.
My 700 series Palm keyboard is far superior.
They should recall the Droid and replace the keyboard.
Other than that, it's a great phone with some excellent aps.

Samsung Memoir t929 8 MP Camera Phone, Black (T-Mobile)
$499.99
not a good phone, too good for just phone users(take and accept calls).
and too bad for those who browse on the phones. touch sensitivity is not that great.
battery life is not that good. it discharges in a day, have to charge everyday.
there are good features in call register, phone book, camera. etc..but those are basics.
I got it for $50 with contract, good for that price. but if you putting anything more than that is not worth.