If you remember, the Verizon 6900 (HTC Touch in White) also started developing cracks shortly after being released to the public. I think the problem started at that point in time. None of the black units seemed to have any issues until late this year. What gives? I'm sure glad I switched over to Samsung!

It is pretty obvious. Although we consume a lot of wireless products, we do not even come close to what is used in Asia and Europe. Also, due to our cellular systems using various bands of CDMA, GSM, iDEN, TDMA, AMPS (I think that story's over now), there's more of a PITA to build a U.S. model. Then, each carrier wants their own crap thown into the home deck, application and subsidy locks, GPS mods, their own brand on the faceplate, etc., etc., etc. This is not to mention the carrier holding onto the unit for dear life while they do their own R&D, the FCC clearances taking forever due to their own testing standards, and more and more B.S. It truly makes you wonder how we even get a phone in our hands. Although many other countries have carriers that also do this, the U.S. does tend to drag its feet more as everyone fears a release and return, such as what happened with the Sammy Glyde.

Who cares about the damn pacakging? It only adds to the price of the unit overall. I'd be happy to take the damn thing in a paper bag if they'd make a price drop to save on the ink, cardboard, plastic, and other miscellaneous B.S. They should also make it so that the owner's manual is a .PDF instead of a 1,000 page book that consumes half a forest and most people won't even read, then they throw it out in a landfill. It is the packaging and brand name that inflates the cost of these devices. Once the "WOW" factor of the box and innards is over, in the trash they go. If people could see past this, then maybe we'll have a better price point and cleaner places to live in. Once I get my Omnia, the box and other crapola will be secondary to why I made the purchase in the first place... THE FRIGGIN' PHONE INSIDE OF IT ALL!!!

At least VZW practices "consumer protection" and yanks a POS when they find they're selling one, and it's not just a bunch of whining customers who didn't get everything they've ever wanted in a dirt cheap handset.

Since this thing was mainly marketed towards soccer brat tweens, I was thinking it was more along the lines of one of them getting their fingers jammed in the slide-out keyboard. Soccer mom (note: Palin fans, you can replace with "Hockey Mom") probably filed a lawsuit with her high-profiled attorney, and now there's an injuction against sales. Wouldn't that be a literal "crying shame"???

Yes, here in America, the IDs are referred to as "bugs" and the crawls/sprawls that cover the lower third of the screen are referred to as lower thirds.

Doesn't anyone notice the little faux-pas with the carrier banner reading AT&T and the radio showing EVDO?

It's nice and all, but I was expecting Sprint to throw some HPPTT into it with QChat. I guess that's too much to ask. But since it's going to be a while before it's released, and into the stores, there might be a few tweaks here and there.

This isn't the only Smartphone Sprint has nixed off of its website. The fabled Motorola i930 got the can about 2 weeks ago. Amid problems of the phone not being able to compete on the "Now Network" due to Sprint's inability to keep the WiDEN protocol up and running, and a lack of progression in the PTT/WinMo market, it looks like Sprint might be hanging the concept of "Get right through with a PDA too".

They don't own iDEN, WiDEN, i930