CBC Staff

Smartphones have been around for years, but that term has been wide open to interpretation - and misuse. Many of these phones have been anything but smart, offering clunky controls and limited multimedia features. Not to mention the fact that surfing the web on their small screens, slow connections and primitive browsers has been an experience in frustration.

Now the market is undergoing a renaissance, and the latest contenders for the smartphone crown in Canada are the Apple iPhone 3G (launched in Canada today through Rogers Wireless/Fido), the low-cost Samsung Instinct, and Research in Motion's yet-to-be-released but much-talked-about 9500 touchscreen phone, dubbed the "Thunder."

Do these phones represent a long-awaited leap forward for the mobile internet? Which one would you consider buying, and why? Have you used one and want to share your experiences? Visit CBCnews.ca's Smartphone Forum, weigh in with your views, and debate the pros and cons of the latest smartphones.