Jason Unger

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If you've been paying attention, you might have noticed a major shift in the attitude toward two of the biggest technology companies by a few of the Web's biggest publications/communities.

Last week, after Bill Gates delivered his presumed final keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), most of the conversation on major tech sites like Digg and Engadget focused on how much Gates has done for the industry, how he's not as bad as his reputation, and generally what a decent job he's done at Microsoft.

It's surprising, especially with the number of Apple fanboys that visit both sites.

On Tuesday, Apple announced a number of new products at MacWorld, many of which have already received criticism and skepticism.

Apple's decision to charge $20 for standard apps for the iPod Touch has a lot of Diggers pissed off.

Spartan225:

This is stupid. Didn't they learn anything from the iPhone price drop? Like honestly how do you justify this? There is no NEW hardware it is just a software update! It isn't even a price reduction like the iPhone, they are flat out saying…hey these guys get this for free….but you guys you have to PAY. This is just ridiculous.

derekvof:

That is absolutely obnoxious that after just spending $400 on a frickin iPod Touch a couple months ago, they want me to drop $20 on apps that should have been there in the first place. It's not about the $$ as much as the insult to those of us who went out and supported them with our hard-earned money in the first place, dealing with all their f!#$@# bugs in the software, and offering feedback and advice on how to make the product better. We damn well DESERVE to get these applications and it royally P*SSES ME OFF!

The new Macbook Air, the super thin laptop with no replaceable battery or optical drive, has CrunchGear's Devin Coldewey arguing that the system is "basically useless."

This is a pretty big shift in online sentiment. Microsoft has always been the big-bad company, suing startups and putting out crappy products, while Apple (and Steve Jobs) are icons to be emulated.

So what's going on? Why has the mood shifted?

My two cents is that Apple isn't thinking enough about what the consumer wants. For so long, they've basically been able to build their products the way they want to and get a relatively small user base to open their wallets, no questions asked.

But the whole iPhone brickgate, lack of commitment to Apple TV, and continued problems they have pricing their products has their users riled up … and looking to Microsoft? Hell, the Zune 80GB has gotten a lot of good reviews.

The 2007 holiday buying season is over (except for those after-Xmas sales) and, for the most part, there weren't any gadgets I really wanted to buy at prices that I'd actually pay.

So, as 2008 is here, there are a number of tech toys I'd like to get — when the prices become a bit more reasonable.

Here are the 5 gadgets on my 2008 wish list.

1. iPhone 2.0
   I've talked about this a number of times, and have convinced myself that if it has the right features, I will switch.

   This would be the biggest "life-altering" product (as dramatic as that sounds) for me and the one that has the most non-entertainment usage.

2. Samsung's Duo HD Blu-ray/HD DVD Dual-Format Player
   Even though I've argued that skipping the format war is a viable option, a real dual format player would solve all of the problems, too.

   I don't want to re-build my DVD collection, but there are some discs I would buy (like Heroes Season 1 on HD DVD) that I wouldn't get in standard def. Since I won't risk choosing a format, I'm not getting anything.

3. A Home Theater PC
   This would more likely be something I'd build, but I'm tired of dealing with the dumb cable HD-DVR and don't want to throw down the monthly fee for a TiVo.

   For the past couple of weeks, we've been watching stuff using Media Center with my laptop plugged in to the TV. Even though we don't have a remote, it's pretty sweet.

4. Canon HV20
   Ever since my video camera pretty much died, I've been itching to get a new camcorder. At this point, it isn't worth getting an SD camera, and Canon's HV20 actually runs on MiniDV tapes (which I have plenty of).

   I've read good reviews and the price is just about in my ballpark, so this is a definite maybe.

5. iMac
   If I'm getting a new camera, I need a system that can do heavy video editing. With an iMac and Final Cut, I'd be able to do some of that.

Family Guy - Blue Harvest - I know, it's not even close to new, but I finally finished the Star Wars episode of Family Guy.

It's hilarious, and if you haven't seen it, go watch it.

Desperately seeking a Wii - CNet's Daniel Terdiman recounts his efforts to find a Nintendo Wii before Christmas. Non-surprising spoiler: he doesn't find one.

If you don't get lucky finding one in stock, do like the rest of us — stand outside in the freezing cold. It may not be fun, but it works.

Control your entire house with your iPhone or iPod Touch - This is a pretty sweet home automation controller. I especially like the movie interface.

$64,000 question here, though: can you do it wirelessly? All of the pics have the iPod docked — hopefully it won't need to be.

Word is out on the street that iPhone 2.0 will be coming next year, and as someone who didn't get one the first time around, I'm excited.

Since I was advised against getting an iPhone by some trusted advisers, I've made a list of the things I need in an iPhone before I decide to make (what could be) a costly switch.

1. Calls Over Wi-Fi
   I don't get cell phone service in my house — what if I buy an iPhone and it doesn't work in here, either? The iPhone is smart enough to switch to WiFi when you're surfing the Web. Do the same for voice calls.
2. Calls Over Skype
   Skype is an important communication method for a lot of people — there's no reason you shouldn't be able to use it on an iPhone.
3. More Storage
   This one seems the most likely, based on presumed more flash memory and time to make the battery last longer. The two versions available, 8GB and 16GB, are good starts, but they're not replacing my iPod.

What are you looking for in iPhone 2.0? What would make you switch?

Right after we moved into our new place, we discovered a HUGE problem.

Our Sprint cellphones don't work inside.

The walls are so thick that we literally have no signal inside, except a faint signal by the windows. However, outside, we have at least 3 bars of service.

As you can imagine, this is a problem.

Since it took us a few days to get Comcast installed (a whole separate story), we were completely disconnected … except out on the porch. (We use Vonage for our landline.)

It's brought me to this question: should I get rid of Sprint and get an iPhone?

I'm a fan of the iPhone — it's a sweet device — but have held off because of the AT&T lockdown and because I'm in a service contract with Sprint.

But if AT&T works inside — T-Mobile gets three bars, while Verizon's signal is weak — it might be a great choice.

Here are the pros and cons, as I see them.

Pros:
- The iPhone is awesome. I would love to get one, even if I wasn't having signal problems with Sprint.
- Make calls over Skype using iPhone WiFi.
- Potentially have service inside. Don't have to sit out on the porch to make calls.

Cons:
- Have to break Sprint contract and buy new phone.
- Stuck with AT&T's inferior network.
- May or may not grab a signal inside.
- Can't make regular calls over WiFi (see Skype above).
- Price jump in service — from $38/month to $120/month

For what it's worth, I currently own the Samsung m610.

So, should I switch to an iPhone? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.