I’m with kamikun. Another e800 owner seeking a future PPC phone that doesn’t compromise on screen size and resolution. I bought a Universal way back, but was very unhappy with the smaller screen, so I gave it to my son and went back to my e800 months ago, but of course then had to go back to carrying around a phone too. I think the Athena looks and sounds perfect for me, except for the expected price. Here’s hoping the price will be less!

I wonder who is going to pay that money for a PPC on Steroids.

I agree with author and previous answers. I do not see any reason to give this size of money for this size of device and its features.

Generally I see such dilema in this way (no respect to the costs):

Windows Mobile is for mobile. It has to be as small as it’s possible. For me, Samsung i320 is perfect for today. Thiner than MotoQ, even thiner and smaller than the newer i600 and some HTC products.

For other “not-desktop” purposes, I want to keep at least 7″ UMPC and a fully-operating O/S. Give them more battery times and it will become many more useful soon.

OK… it’s gotta work like this: $1700 is the absurb MSRP listing and when it finally hits the retail channels through your phone carriers it’ll be coming in at a more realistic $600 with a $40 or so per month phone plan. Right?
Cause I, a man who’s been on a holy mission to find a future replacement for his beloved e800 because I’m intent on keeping with 4-inch+ VGA screens and the WM operating system, a man who is standing at the door with cash in hand for a machine like this… I have just hung my head in bitter defeat and frustration on reading that price.

Urm…no. Until this year, I wouldn’t pay $300 for a phone. In a year and a half, I will buy a new phone, and it will probably cost me less than $600.

Absolutely ridiculous. This is in no way $1K better than a Treo 700w, much less better than the Samsung Q1 you showed off on the vidcast. Crazy…

Any chance we’re $900-ish off on the price?