Looking back across a decade of mobile technology, it's remarkable how much has changed. This is my journey through the devices that shaped how we connect, from the first brick phones to the pocket internet revolution we're experiencing right now in 2009.

The Beginning: Nokia and the Chocolate Bar Era (1999-2003)

In 1999, Nokia was king of the mobile phone world. These were the classic "brick phones" and "chocolate bar" phones (the candybar form factor). Phones weren't waterproof, they weren't fragile either. They were tools, not lifestyle devices. You could drop them and they'd survive.

One of my first phones was a Sony Ericsson, part of the Sony Ericsson joint venture that launched in October 2001. These phones introduced me to Java games and applications. Java ME (J2ME) made it possible to run simple games and apps on these devices. The Opera Mini browser was starting to become popular for mobile web browsing, though it wasn't widely used yet.

Sony and the PDA Revolution (2000-2004)

In 1999 I became a big Sony fan. I had Sony headphones, Sony monitor, Sony sound system... Sony Sony Sony!!

In October 2000, Sony released the Clié PEG-N700C, their first color PDA. I was in a trance and I worked all summer to get it. It was 500 dollars, the Clié PEG-760C (the improved model). I remember I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever held in my hand. It ran Palm OS, and I would install about 50 games on it. In fact, I used it as a very expensive Game Boy.

I was in love with Palm OS and I would check the website every day to see if a new version of their OS 6 (Cobalt) would come out, but it never did. Then in 2004, I bought the Clié PEG-UX50, another 500 dollars. It was gorgeous with its clamshell design and integrated keyboard. I was passionate about ClieSource.com and PalmInfoCenter.com. (I had the same experience when I bought my first Xbox in 2001 and XboxScene.com). I would check these websites every 2 to 3 hours for news updates.

Around this time, the Danger Hiptop/Sidekick (launched in 2002) was gaining popularity. While I never got one, it was significant because Android would later be built on foundations from Andy Rubin's work at Danger.

The Razr Era (2004-2007)

In late 2004, Motorola released the RAZR V3, and it became a cultural phenomenon. I had a couple of RAZRs for a while. These ultra-thin flip phones were everywhere. Like other phones of the era, they ran Java applications and games. The RAZR had Bluetooth, which was becoming standard on phones by the mid-2000s.

MMS, SMS, and the Text-Based Internet (2005-2007)

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) was becoming a thing where you could send pictures between phones. Before smartphones, this felt revolutionary.

In July 2006, Twitter launched. It was totally based on SMS. The 140-character limit was directly based on the 160-character SMS limit (leaving 20 characters for the username). You could text tweets from your phone, and that was the primary interface for many early users.

Google also had a service called GOOG-411 (launched in 2007), where you could call and ask for business information, and they would text you back or connect your call. This was Google's way of gathering voice data for search while providing a free alternative to 411 directory services.

The way we dealt with navigation back then was with MapQuest. You would get directions before you left, and they were mostly text-based. There was no GPS on phones, no turn-by-turn navigation. You'd print out the directions or write them down.

The Smartphone Revolution Begins (2007-2008)

In June 2007, Apple released the original iPhone. It changed everything, but I didn't get one. One of the reasons I held back was that it only had 2G (EDGE) connectivity, which was really slow for internet use. It was mostly suitable for MMS and basic data. I watched from the sidelines as it redefined what a phone could be.

In October 2008, the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) launched with 3G connectivity. It was the first Android phone. I had T-Mobile, so I got the G1. I liked it but it didn't live up to what I expected. The sliding keyboard was interesting, but the software felt unfinished.

About the same time, my company gave me a BlackBerry. The BlackBerry was the enterprise standard, and while it was a solid phone with excellent email and messaging, it was not what I was looking for in a personal device.

Finding My Phone: iPhone 3G (2009)

So I switched to the iPhone. Specifically, I got the iPhone 3G (launched July 11, 2008). The big improvement was 3G connectivity, which made mobile internet actually usable. This was the iPhone that finally got it right for me. It had GPS, the App Store, and most importantly, fast enough internet to make the whole experience worthwhile.

I initially didn't understand why they made you get the internet with phones, but I actually like the fact that they do because the greatest thing about phones nowadays is the internet. Having the web in my pocket, having email anywhere, having maps that actually work (with GPS!), this is the revolution.

If you notice all of my favorite applications are online applications, so in reality I am not attached to my iPhone but my iPhone is just a gateway for those applications on the go. The device is becoming less important than the services it connects to.

What I'm Looking For

The next evolution in mobile computing. Faster processors, better screens, longer battery life, more capable apps. Whatever that may be, I'm ready for it.

[Edit from the future]: Looking back, what I was really seeking was phones with all-day battery life, waterproofing, better displays, advanced cameras, faster connectivity (4G/5G), biometric security, and AI assistants. All of these eventually arrived.

Interestingly, Google didn't have their own phone in 2009. They built Android as an open standard, hoping it would become the universal mobile OS. While it didn't end up being fully open in practice, it did become the dominant mobile platform. The transition from those Nokia brick phones and Palm PDAs to what we have today represents one of the most rapid technology transformations in history.