I'm not easily impressed.

About a month ago, a series of circumstances led me to start using a Sprint/Palm Treo 800w for work email and data access. In fact, I bought it the first day it was available in stores (the Sprint rep didn't even know he had it in the back).

Disclaimer: I have always hated, hated, hated Windows Mobile. Hated.

Not so much anymore.

I'm finding (almost) everything my BlackBerry could do, the Treo can do just as well, and sometimes faster.

1. Sprint's EvDO network is nice. Real nice. Pity is, they've crippled phone-as-modem so I can't ditch my Aircard (which I guess is OK, since it is a separate device used solely for work -- no WiFi on the Hill).

2. Exchange ActiveSync. The push email system, not the Windows desktop software. It works. Well. Really well. And you know what? I don't need to pay for a BlackBerry server to access real-time mobile email, calendar and contacts for the day job. Caveat: you can only have one push account at once. I wish Microsoft would work on this, or someone would hack it. Anyone know a hack?

3. All the reasons I hated iPhone's touchscreen, the Treo makes me like it. iPhone is a wonderful web device. I really mean it. I'd buy an iTouch if it had Flash. But it doesn't. Neither does this thing, but we'll get to that.

So what do I want? Right now I carry an N95, a Treo 800w, and a BlackBerry 8800. The AirCard doesn't count.

Give me a way to access my gmail account and my other Exchange server (separate contacts, calendar, mail) in real time. Give me slightly better battery life. And give me RealPlayer.

If I could access multiple exchange servers push-style, RIM would be in serious trouble. I'm actually tempted to try and see how well Apple implemented Exchange ActiveSync.

The N95 I am willing to use data-only since I don't want to carry my Nikon D80 all the time. Sorry Palm, but 2MP doesn't cut it.

On the other hand, I think Microsoft should do something radical: Cut Exchange, Outlook, Entourage and Windows Mobile loose into its own company. Call it Microsoft Connectivity or something.

Exchange still works better at combining calendar, contacts, group scheduling and email than Google etc. I like Google Docs, but for contacts/calendar/email, Exchange/Outlook wins hands down.

Hey, Microsoft! Give us a full version of Outlook for the Mac. People hate Vista. Mac users are "meh" on Apple's mail, and MobileMe...sucks. Aside from Outlook's bottom-posting (see Tracy Reed's excellent rant on one thing that Outlook does ABSOLUTELY SUCK at) it does a good job at what it is supposed to do.

Microsoft has something good going, but it needs to recognize it. Apple isn't going to kill RIM. But Microsoft can.