@unknownuser said:

or not even beeing able to drag them because they are not "autohorised or whatever"

Well, that's not the case. I've never had that problem, and I've only bought 1 song off of iTunes. Authorization as I think you mean it isn't an issue with itunes or the iphone. I have my own ripped movies and ripped tv shows on the iphone.

But if you hate itunes already that would be a deal killer for you regardless.

I have owned the HTC 8125 and liked it.

I now own an iPhone and LOVE it. I use it for my personal use, and for my work.

Your list:

• Touch screen accessible with and without pen
  Yes, of course, and I love it.
• On Screen Keyboard
  Yes, and some don't like it as much, 90% get used to it. I type long emails, pages of notes and ideas with it.
• Mp3 Player (good sound quality; mp3, mp4, wma compatible)
  It's great as an Mp3 player, I use it on trips, and now I don't travel with my iPod.
• Video Player (avi, mp4, divx compatible)
  Yes, but only in the mp4 format I believe. But here's the kicker. The screen on the iPhone is 10 times better than the HTC's (you should check for yourself), so the videos I've converted have all been worth it (converting is pretty easy). I don't use it for that as much. I do have my cinematographers reel on it and it blows away my HTC.
• Fast Unlimited (without extra charge) Internet (Gmail, 9292OV, etc)
  All the AT&T plans are unlimited data in the states. Not sure what it's going to be like in your country.
• SMS MMS and Messenger compatible (msn, gtalk)
  SMS yes, but no MMS (yet - no guarantees). There are web based Messengers that I use and like (http://www.beejive.com or meebo.com) and allow you to log onto all the major IM's. I am hoping for an app in the future, and I use trillian on my desktop.
• Organizer (year-month-week-day-hour), Calculator, Unit Converter
  Organizer, yes. Calc, yes. Unit Converter - I use a web app. No todo list (yet). And if you use outlook like I do, you'll have no problem integrating.
• Full Call and Text Message Details
  Yes. In fact I think the iPhone is the easiest to use in that regard.
• Full screen, as few buttons as possible
  Not sure what you mean, but it's a pretty full screen.
• Computer interaction through Windows Explorer with USB 2.0
  Nope (yet)(but you can hack that). For now I use itunes the handle all that (Ringtones, Music, Photos, Podcasts, Video). If you use itunes, it'll be seamless.
• Camera and Video
  Pretty good camera, but I only use to document, not for quality photos. Video nope. I don't like to take video on subpar cameras anyway.
• +/- 2 Gigabyte of storage (SD memory Card)
  No SD card. I don't miss it though. I got the 8 gigabite version and it holds 800 of my favorite songs (all sorted automatically by itunes from my 35 gig library). My current mem map is Audio (3.24gb), Video (1.43gb), Photos (57.9mb), Other (50mb), and 2.47 of free space.
• Decent Battery (10 hours full use and about 5 days normal use)
  I didn't get that from my HTC and I don't get that from my iPhone. I normally charge every night, but I use it a lot.
• Fully skin able and customizable UI
  NOPE. But frankly I do that in EVERYTHING (my desktop, my old phone, trillian, winamp, camera gear, sketchbooks, backpacks, bikes, etc) I love to customize. The iPhone is the first device I didn't feel the need to change. I did custom stuff on my HTC, but I hated HATED HATED Windows Mobile to DEATH.
• Cell phone Plan: 2 year plan 30-40 Euro’s a month
  Not sure what the plan will be for the iPhone over there.
• 2 year guarantee (all repairs)
  It's unlikely you'll get that on any phone, I didn't get it with the HTC, or the iPhone.
• Hands free: Earplugs or Bluetooth Headset
  My bluetooth works great with the phone. And frankly the calling system is soooo much better than WinMobile. Quick access to the keyboard, speaker phone, conference calling AND all the features on my phone. I can talk to someone and look at google maps to give them directions, as well as someones number from my contacts. That wasn't so easy in WM05+HTC.
• Quad Band - Cheap Rates Abroad
  No info on that yet.
• No Connection Problems
  Good luck with any carrier.

I suggest giving the iPhone a try when it comes to your area. Everyone I've showed it to has fallen in love with it. I certainly have. You have some steep requirements and I hope I've answered them. The iPhone isn't perfect, but it's been very perfect for me.

After I buy a camera, I usually hole up and not look at cameras for a while. Since my last rig, the Canon 5D, cost me a pretty penny I've been holed up for a year.

Eric, you have stirred up the lens bug in me!

So what cameras are you thinking about? Tell us!

Here is another camera for the proverbial food for thought. It's a classy camera, for that cool architect in ya (not that you need any more coolness). It also has a 28mm wide lens.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/L ... _dlux3.asp

Their cheapest interchangeable lens variant is pretty cool too, but way too expensive and a little big for a snap cam.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/L ... gilux3.asp

Personally, I have a heard time recommending cameras over 500 bucks, if you're just using it for family snaps. Unless you're going to do oversize printing, or doing insane long lens photography, I couldn't justify the extra cost. Most people just do not see the difference in image quality. Plus, cameras get lost or broken all the time when traveling.

My next mini snap cam might have to be a Leica.

Oh, and I'd suggest that you order any camera from http://www.bhphotovideo.com. No tax outside NY. I buy ALL my camera stuff from them.

My DSC-P100 starts up in a second, and shoots with no perceivable delay. Digital cameras these days are not as slow as you describe. Time to upgrade.

Some others are suggesting "full body" cameras. The series I suggested (which I think are discontinued having checked the sony site) are very nice point and shoot cameras. Put them in your pocket and go. It sounded like that's what you wanted. I love my full frame Canon 5D but it can be bothersome during those vacation/family gatherings.

The best thing to do is to go to your local best buy or camera store and try out the cameras - that's the only way to really get what you want (with regards to speed and feel).

Eric, I'll recommend the camera series that I have used over the past 3 years - Sony's DSC-P??? series.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/S ... scp200.asp
(I too recommend the dpreview.com site, it aided in my decision to pick up a Canon 5D)

I own the DSC-P100 and a friend of mine owns the DSC-P200 (with a underwater case). I'm a huge camera guy and I simply love this camera. The screen on the back isn't huge, but I like the form factor. I personally don't like the thinner cameras (that have a larger screen). Thinner cameras are harder to hold IMHO, though I understand why you would want to have a larger preview screen.

Check out my flickr account for some artsy fartsy hot rod picks I took on it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsterz3r0/
(the B-17 pictures were taken on my Canon 5D)

I just uploaded a new video that shows how I use my rigging hack to pose a model. I haven't even posted about it in my blog! The SketchUp Community comes first!

If you haven't seen my posts before, reading these might bring you up to speed. Here is one of my first blog posts about the subject:

http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=110

And here are a few on the character in the video:

http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=359
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=364

I use these the most:

Nudge (hotkey N)
Left Click Reverse Face Tool (hotkey K)
Set Center Point
Add Hidden Layer (hot key L)

I'm going to try Jim's Mover script as well. I suspect that I'll want to use Make Face when I really start moving files from Maya to SU. But for now I don't use it, I probably should.

Okay, I'm all caught up now. Wow you guys did this in the last 2 months? My last post was in late October, and somehow my absence coincided with this massive change.

On the Sketchup front you might be happy to hear that I'm planning on starting a mini marathon durng Christmas break. It'll be great to be working away in Sketchup again!

Wow. You go away for a while and you get deleted. That's some tough love! I guess all my old posts are gone as well...

I've been working away at a new job. Here's a glimpse of one of things I've been busy with. I didn't do any of the original work, but helped "re-edit" a 3+ hour adventure game down to a 20 minute short film.

It's a little nutty - enjoy!

http://www.samandmaxchristmas.com/

Wow, Alan, this is cool! I hope some of my models could meet your standards.

Can I trade a model for a Style?

poster-monsterzero

Firkins! Nice, nice, nice!

I can't wait until get to the engine! That would be my favorite part with this piece. I just like engines. Heh.

CraigD - Look around buddy! I posted some stuff and you missed it!

[monsterzero]

Wow, Todd. That is soooo cool. Is there a way that thickness can be "styled"?

[monsterzero]

Todd, I would love to use something like this but as Eric mentions, it's pretty much useless to me if it can't export.

[monsterzero]

I'd pay for this (depending on price). Normally, I would export from SU to Maya to do this. A plugin would make my life a lot easier. My comic project will generate somewhere around 450 separate SU files and I would love to deform each one.

[monsterzero]

On the question to using SU models as ref for comics -

I'd rather have the consistency, than have each artist fully interpret their vision of an iconic Marvel structure (in this case the Baxter building). For Marvel it's great to have a model library of their universe because this strengthens their "brands". Artist can still supply their style to reference material. The problem I have is when some artist trace or just rip off a photograph of a background scene, and its obvious because it doesn't match the artistic style. Seeing that in a comic jarring for me and takes me out of the book.

Regardless, some comic artist should be using more reference than less. I find comic artists (especially the young ones) fall into this argument more than other artist. Perhaps it has to do with the pride of drawing the human figure in many different poses. As you said, this debate goes on and on. IMO the goal is to create expressive sequential story telling not your own art ego. All I can say is, get off your high horse, draw well, and engage me in a story.

I only wish Marvel would do this for some of their vehicles. I find the Avengers Quinjet and many others disappointing - but I'm a vehicle guy and I'm super picky.

Alan, thanks for the info. It's good to know that I'm in that range. Sometimes I feel really slow, but I haven't any context to gauge my modeling building. What throws me off though is that I'm most often "designing" as I'm building and not working from many work up drawings.

[giantmonster]

As always, nice work, Alan. I think you met your objectives in both detail and simplicity. How long does it take you to do a model like that?

[giantmonster]

CraigD in da house!

Nice to see the good Craig has come on over... wow this place is growing!

poster-monsterzero

Wild!

I never knew about this script. It's perfect for some things I need to do...

poster-monsterzero

Solo, I'm sorry that your wife blames me. I certainly hope that it becomes any worse.

Right now I'm dealing with the amount of polys I have in my scenes. I'm not brave enough to go as far as you have.

(monsterzero)

I second, Archi, "This is insane (in a good way)..."

Are you planning on posing the figure in SU, like Ivica (http://www.sketchucation.com/scf/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2441)?

(monsterzero)