Recommendations for New Cell phone/MP3 Player

I don't know from experience but was looking at this option too for our phones. Every review I read about the phone/mp3 player said the same thing...get one or the other. It seems that you're either going to compromise sound quality on the mp3 player or phone quality/abilities but not able to get great quality on either. I have the razr and love it. My husband just got the SYNC and is happy with it, but the mp3 is just a "bonus" for him, he's never used it and doesn't even know how it works. Plus, the issues we've have with battery life on our phones, I can't imagine adding an mp3 player, it would just go through charges too fast. I have a ipod shuffle and can't imagine looking at anything that's not compatible, which limits me to the iphone. It's in my future, just not right now!

I just got a SYNC and I HATE it. It has weird features (like the outside LCD screen turns itself off to save battery power- just to check the time you have to either push the button for 3 seconds or open the phone). I am looking into the Samsung A737 or the Walkman slider.

I've been told by several people who work at AT&T and T-Mobile to stick with the phone brands that focus mainly, or solely, on making cell phones (i.e. Motorola, Nokia). I would definitely steer clear of Samsung. I've had several of their phones, and know several people who have had their phones, and the quality is just not up to par (the reception is bad, the buttons won't work, the screen freezes). Currently, I have a razr and I LOVE it! I would totally recommend it! The regular razr does not have mp3 capabilites, but there is one that does.

Both my husband and I have iPhones. Granted I have a Mac so all my syncing (icalender, itunes, iphoto, imovies, email, etc.) is complete brain dead work, my husband uses a PC and can still link.
I know you said you don't think you need an iphone but trust me this is how I felt before I got one as a gift from my husband. Honestly, it has been LIFE CHANGING. I love being able to flip on a movie like 'Cars' for my son while we are out and about (like a doctor office or ballet); being able to check my email anywhere and being able to respond, having alarms alert me for all appointments (total life saver!), visual voice mail.
Beside that they are pretty durable--my 1 yr old can't mess with it because there are no keys to rip off and the screen is not easy to scratch!
The speaker phone is great and you can even listen to music without the headphones.
And of course it's cool looking. I just look at other cell phones and it looks like they are 5 years behind the times. None of them look very cool after you've had the iphone. (I'm predicting the iphone to be THE Christmas gift of the year--it's just that awesome!)
L.

I love, love, love my Blackberry Pearl! I now that you said you did not need a Blackberry but this is not a normal blackberry phone. It is very small and is more of a "normal" phone. The sound quality is great, the speaker phone is wonderful! I am not 100% sure about the MP3 player but I am pretty sure it has one, I just do not use it. The phone is $100, I think!

Good luck.. I love my pearl

iPhone, it's fantastic.