3G smart phone options abound, as Apple gets set to unveil its 3G solution at its Worldwide Developers Conference June 9, according to analysts. But with all the pub the iPhone gets, you’d think it was the only game in town. Not so.

There are some excellent alternatives to the iPhone, led by mobile phone giant Nokia. After considerable deliberation, I went with the Nokia N95 8GB, which has been available for some time. It doesn’t match the 16 GB of space the next iPhone will have, but if you want 3G and you want it now, this is a viable option. The N95 was first with built-in GPS navigation, and the 5 megapixel digital camera is a major advantage over the iPhone’s 2 megapixels . My digital camera hasn’t left the house since I bought this phone. I also love the option of listening to the built-in FM radio, a feature Apple – widely known for its musical prowess – inexplicably left out. And when my battery eventually goes bad, I can simply get a new one. Not so with the sleeker iPhone… as you may already know, the fact that its lithium ion battery is built in and not removable has caused quite a stir with consumers.

The other phone in this general class I liked was the Sony Ericsson P990i. It’s 3G-ready and has a QWERTY keyboard, which the N95 doesn’t, but with only 2 megapixels in its digital camera and considerable bulkiness overall, I decided against it.

All of these devices, of course, include must-have features like Wi-Fi and speakerphone. Of the three devices I tested, the N95 takes the cake when it comes to voice and speakerphone clarity. My only complaint with the N95 is that it isn't quite as sexy as its Apple counterpart.

The AT&T Tilt and RIM Blackberry Curve 8320 are two other good options already on the market, according to most pundits. I haven't yet gotten my hands on either.

So before you sprint out to buy an iPhone this summer, consider some of the more established alternatives already available for purchase.  And if you don’t mind waiting but aren’t sure the iPhone is your pick of the litter, here’s another option from Nokia to get excited about.

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