If I’ve been writing about smartphones a lot lately, it’s because we’re entering kind of a “golden age” of them; it started with the iPhone, but has gone far beyond. They’re popping up like mad everywhere now. What’s more, they all seem to be fine gadgets in their own right. I’m married to my iPhone, but that doesn’t mean I won’t consider cheating from time to time with some of the other beauties.

Distinguishing one phone from another, and determining relative strengths and weaknesses of each, can take a lot time. That’s why this handy grid from Wired magazine can help tremendously. It compares four smartphones: the aforementioned iPhone 3G S; the Google G1 (with the Android operating system); the Palm Pre; and the BlackBerry Storm (at left). At a glance you can see the major differences, including price.

Including a two-year subscription plan, the Pre comes out ahead, being almost $700 cheaper than the nearest competition. The downside is that it has a paltry 30 apps available, compared to more than 50,000 for the iPhone. So the question is, is it worth the extra dough for the benefits of the iPhone? Those are the questions only you can answer.