I'm currently using a Verizon LG VX8000 EVDO phone, and I can tell you there is a huge difference in speed even when surfing wap pages. In some areas near where I live, I get EVDO coverage, and in other areas only 1X. There is a huge difference. In EVDO areas, wap pages load in about a second or two. In 1X areas, wap pages take more like 6-10 seconds to load. Keep in mind that Verizon's Mobile Web 2.0 wap pages have graphics and are rather similar to mobile HTML pages.

I've also played with the Samsung i730 Pocket PC phone in the store and it can load full HTML pages with graphics rather quickly. Yes, it's not as fast as a desktop, but it sure is usable. I did not consider the browser on my 7100g to be usable at all, except for small wap pages. It was way too slow.

As soon as Verizon comes out with a EVDO blackberry, I will probably change back to using one.