Whats keeping me from Windows Phone 7

Well I am at the point in my contract where I can upgrade my phone at a discount.   Gee, thanks AT$T.   So my biggest problem is whether I can get a new Windows Phone 7 or some Google Android device.   I have been a long time user of Windows Mobile user and currently have a Wm 6.5 device.  With it I use Remote Desktop to connect to systems that I manage, I have VPN connections setup to get on business networks.  These would seem to be lacking on the new WP7.    We have been testing the Android devices here at the office and they have had some success in connecting and using our VPN to get on the network.   So why would Microsoft not try to give the tech user some reason to upgrade to the new WP7.  Granted, they are trying to play to a wider audience, but Windows 7 for desktops is for the general public and it still can VPN and remote desktop.

Apps, apps, apps .. everyone is all a goo about how many apps you have for a particular phone.  So back 4 years ago most phones did little more that what they came with.  Oh, there were a few java programs that you could add to some phones to play games or calculate the amount of a tip at dinner.  So today as long as I can do the basic things that I need with a phone, its good.  The apps that I use are: Facebook, twitter, Evernote, Remote Desktop, Weatherbug, Netflix, Bing Navigation and a barcode reader to compare store prices.  Anything other than that I just dont use that often.   So to say that your platform has 50k apps means what?  3000 tip calculators, 1400 stop watches, after that basics are done then you to have something quite unique to be worth anything.    WP7 is still lacking Bing navigation, google maps and Evernote, so that kinda stops me right there.   I have contacted Evernote and they assured me that there will be an app for WP7, just could not say when.

So to what phone to upgrade to or keep my current WM6.5 device for a while.  It still works great.  I have been looking at some of the Android devices that AT&T is offering and they all have different user interfaces.  different versions of Android and different roll out plans for updating to a newer version of Android.   That lack of uniformity in versions is really a break for Google.  That is where I think WP7 will really shine, all devices are the same no matter what provider you have or what brand, and everyone gets the updates at the same time.

Of course my other dilemma is the screen size, yeah 4″ is great and bright and cool for games and videos, but I really like being able to slip a phone into my pocket and not have to worry about snapping the phone in half when I sit down.   I could live with the bigger screen but just a pain to carry it on my hip.

So the only real option I have is to stick with my good ole WM6.5 phone and wait to see if some of the updates to WP7 will include the features that I need.