I really like the Windows Mobile 6.1 devices (significant improvement over the WM5).
Seems like you’re close to making up your mind but this might help narrow the field.
Do you want a smart phone (mainly a phone but you can also do simple email, web browsing, review docs, etc) or
Pocket PC (this is a PDA, much bigger screen, supports lots of applications, can do GPS, can actually compose emails/documents if patient, etc)
Blackberry is pretty much just a smart phone that does email
Second consideration is form factor.
- Do you need a phone screen or much bigger pocket PC screen?
- phone keyboard or qwerty
- physical keyboard or virtual (tap on the screen not on keys - by far my preferred option)
- keyboard that slides out or one that’s fixed on the front
If I didn’t miss any, all devices fit one of the above profiles. Almost every person has ONE SINGLE PREFERENCE, so make sure you try to figure that out and then select from the choices available. For example, I use the virtual keyboard and hate every damn phone that has a fixed keyboard or sliding one. I’ve spent my own money instead of using a free phone with the “wrong for me” form factor. This is for your wife, so make sure she test drives whatever one it is and that she’s got a good idea of what works for her or doesn’t. (Many people don’t know what they prefer until they buy and use the wrong one :smack: )
I can’t repeat this enough. As much as humanly possible, pick the right form factor and the rest is easy.
[I use a WM6.1 pocket pc (HTC touch) for email, calendar, contacts (all sync with my work PC), GPS, taking meeting notes, surfing the web, posting on the Dope (you can tell because I don’t use CAPS when I’m on the device). OneNote is my all time favorite Microsoft program, and it’s critical for me that I can use it on my device. So, I’ve got all my lists, recipes, reminders, etc with me all the time. The GPS has gotten me home from the ass end of nowhere in China. ]
Good luck.