Communications on the move

I have a small internet company which I run from my van.  Currently my requirements are

• Full internet access 24/7 at a reasonable cost
• A mobile phone capable of push email and basic smartphone features.

I did previously try an Apple iPhone and that was a disaster.  I lasted about 6 weeks on it before being forced to give up on it.  I am now back on Nokia phones and carrying around a blackberry for my email.

I have settled on the Alden Netmaster which will provide me with my 24/7 internet access.  After the hardware costs it will cost me €720 per year for the connectivity which is around £54 per month.

On the phone side my Nokia E70 is a good phone with a flip out qwerty keyboard.  However it is slow in operation.  I sometimes have to wait 3-5 seconds for it to do what I am asking it to do which is very frustrating.

At the end of last year they announced the Nokia E97 and they have finally released it.  I was a fan of the Nokia communicator but it was too bulky to be used as an everyday phone which you could take to the pub.  Now I don’t mind touch screens for normal operation but for entering text it is a nightmare.  I also can’t stand predictive text entry either,  my phone must have a full qwerty keyboard.

To add more confusion to the mix the Palm Pre has been released.  I have not really shown much interest in this as it just looked like an old Blackberry.  However having seen an interview today about it I am not so sure.

So to break down my choices.  I want a single phone instead of a blackberry and a Nokia E70.  These are my current thoughts

Blackberry It is a great device for emails but is clunky to use and the software interface is not perfect.  I use it purely for the push email facility when I am away from the van.
Nokia N97 This looks fantastic.  I am a fan of Nokia’s software and know that I will get on with this phone.  The only downside to this phone that I can see is that it is a Nokia again.  I am concerned that it may be sluggish like the E70.  The other concerns are that the hinge on it may be unreliable in the long term.  As I buy my phones outright without a contract I have concerns that I may be without a phone if it breaks.
Palm Pre: I have only just started looking at it but first impressions are reasonably good.  It is multi tasking.  Has a touch screen and a slide out keyboard like the Nokia but the slide seems much more solid.  However it is an unknown device and I have never done well when moving away from Nokia’s.  The other problem is the keyboard slides out from the bottom so it may be cramped to type on at speed?

I have done some searches for comparisons on the Palm Pre and the Nokia N97.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/nokia-n97-available-tomorrow-at-us-flagship-stores/

http://www.mobile-phones.co.uk/news/mobile-phones/nokia-n97-vs-palm-pre_M10184.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Palm-Pre-Set-to-Rival-the-Nokia-N97?—Palm-Pre-Review&id=2112218

Not a lot of information in them I will admit, I will update this post once I had decided and will then post a review about life with my new phone.