... or, why I would love to get a Google phone. After a year of owning an iPhone, I've been asked on several occasions if I like it. Usually people are surprised to hear me recommend a different phone to them, or that I plan to dump this phone once my contract is up. Apparently everyone loves their iPhone, and it's almost strange to hear someone complain about the "most amazing phone ever". Here are 10 reasons why I would rather have a different phone:

10. No side-loading of applications (unlike Windows Mobile phones)
Every application you install on the iPhone has to go through iTunes, which means that it has to be approved by Apple and/or AT&T. What this means for you is that the same apps that are available on other phones, can be disallowed on the iPhone and there's nothing you can do about it. Example: Google Voice apps were rejected because, according to Google Voice developer Sean Kovacs, they were "duplicating features that the iPhone comes with (Dialer, SMS, etc)." My take on it: So what??? Unless you're worried about competition, AT&T?

9. No picture text messages, MMS (unlike every phone out there)
The ability for phones to send text messages is not a new thing. The ability to send pictures, voice clips and video using text messages is also not a new thing. Most phones made after 2004 can easily do this, but apparently not the iPhone. At least not in the US. iPhones in other countries have already been able to send MMS, but AT&T has locked that out of iPhones for us. Rumor has it that it will finally be unlocked at the end of September... TWO YEARS after the release of the iPhone.

8. Crippled stereo bluetooth features (unlike most media enabled phones)
While most of us think of hands-free headsets for phone calls when we hear "Bluetooth", a later added protocol allows for stereo headsets, which allows stereo sound to be transmitted from your phone to wireless Bluetooth headsets. The protocol uses the same Bluetooth antennas, and was finally activated in the iPhone earlier this summer. However, the commands which would allow wireless control of music playback (FWD, REW, track advance, volume) were strangely left out of the iPhone. This means if I have the phone in my backpack, I have to dig it out to advance the track instead of just hitting a button on my bluetooth headphones. Bluetooth is further limited to not allow file-transfers between other iPhones and also computers (this feature could allow you to sync contacts with your computer).

7. No internet tethering (unlike most smartphones)
Most internet enabled phones allow you to connect the phone to a laptop, and use the phone as a broadband modem. Useful for using the internet on your laptop when you're on vacation and need a computer to do some work on. While this can be unlocked on the iPhone (search "enable tethering iPhone" on Google), it is not a standard feature on what should be a no-brainer.

6. No multi-tasking of applications (unlike Palm Pre or Windows Mobile)
This is kind of a sore spot with me here. With several useful apps on the iPhone, as well as the increased processor power of the 3GS, the iPhone is still limited to running only one application at a time. While you might say that the small screen prevents you from really multi-tasking anyways, there are a lot of apps that need to be running all the time. Example: TomTom recently released a GPS application for the iPhone. If you receive a phone call while driving, the application shuts down until you hang up your call. While the application starts back up and resumes your driving route, an ill-timed phone call can easily cause you to get lost.

5. Poor AT&T network (unable to keep up with demand despite high plan prices)
While this is not really Apple's fault, you have to wonder what those AT&T executives are thinking. The iPhone has been a runaway hit for AT&T, and they've enjoyed hearty profits over the last two years especially since all iPhone users are forced to pay their high data plan prices. Yet they don't build the infrastructure needed to support the iPhone. Many users in high iPhone populated areas report outages, weak connections, and slow internet speeds.

4. iTunes restriction for loading music (unlike every phone out there)
Similar to the restriction for loading applications, all your music comes through the iTunes program and the iTunes Music Store. I've always found iTunes to be a great way to organize your music, and loading music on there is not a problem if you only wanted to get your music from that one program. But if someone emails you an MP3, you can't save the MP3 on your phone and listen to it. Or if your friend has a song on his computer that you just want to listen to on your phone, you're outta luck. You can't just plug in the phone to a computer and transfer files onto it like a flash drive.

3. No flash internet, therefore no Hulu (unlike HTC Hero) When Apple advertised that you got the "full internet" on the iPhone, they must not have considered Adobe Flash to be part of the internet. Visit a webpage with flash video and you're greeted by that blue lego block icon. This is becoming quite a hassle as some websites are creating full-flash pages which load up as nothing on the iPhone.

2. Crippled versions of applications (unlike Windows Mobile)
Due to the approval procedure required for new apps entering the iTunes App Store, many apps that are rejected can be provisionally accepted if the developer alters the app, which usually limits its functionality. For example, Skype can be used on the EDGE and 3G AT&T network on other smartphones, however, on the iPhone you are limited to making Skype calls when you're connected using wi-fi. Another example, Qik is a program that allows your phone to stream video live to the internet. Useful for phones that have a video camera. But not useful if you have an iPhone 3GS, because they crippled the app for that.

1. Advertisement of "new" features from 2002 (Copy-paste)
It annoys me that the iPhone just recently got a "copy-paste" feature. This is a feature that iPhone owners have been crying for FOR YEARS! Even the cheapest of phones have had this ability forever. But when the iPhone gets it, it's touted as a "feature". I consider this similar to saying that my computer mouse has buttons as "new features". Apple even made a tv ad about Copy-paste.

It's not to say that Apple won't improve its product or that I enjoy having an iPhone, but for now if I had to choose a phone all over again, I'd probably be looking at something else.