Boxed and carded ponies I think are really neat, a lot of package designs are so pretty! I would like to have a couple packaged ponies per generation in my collection eventually, but that is definitely not my preferred way of collecting ponies as it's so much more expensive than buying loose ones. Loose ponies are also much more space efficient, and I like being able to admire my ponies from every angle for the most part.

I would for the most part never purchase an older (talking G1 through early G4) pony with the intent of removing them from the box/card. If I'm buying a packaged older pony, I'm doing so with the intention to keep them in the package. I do think there's some importance to preservation of MOC/MIB toys, particularly ones where there are significantly less MOC/MIB ones out there than there are loose (vs. something like Holiday Barbies where it seems like the majority are still boxed and thus I don't feel bad about letting them free if I buy them boxed).

The only exception I would make here is if an older pony is still on the card or in the box and something's going on with the package that is threatening the condition of the pony itself, like a moldy card or box. Those I think would be fine to free so that the pony itself could be saved or restored.

In my own collection, I only have three MIB or MOC ponies so far. I have an MOC Pepperberry, who I bought from a secondhand store for a fairly cheap price, I think she was maybe $10 or so. I have a MIB Chinese New Year G4 Pinkie Pie, who I also got for a fairly good deal on Yahoo Japan Auctions, because her box was dented. Usually don't like importing items from overseas that were originally sold in my own country, but the deal was too good to pass on. I keep her in her slightly dented box because I love the box design. And then I've kept the SDCC Twilight set packaged because I think the package design is really fun.

Would love to own some MOC/MIB G1s and G2s someday, but the prices are so crazy! I'd want to either save some money up for some, or track down a good deal.

I don't really mind the smartphone thing. It doesn't really seem too weird to me considering G4 featured ponies using some technology as well, and with G5 taking place in the same world but far in the future, it just sort of makes sense to me that they would have higher tech than G4 did such as smartphones.

Super unrealistic: any Takara pony
More realistic grail: Probably Cutesaurus!

Both back and side, but back more often.

Have her, though not the specific version in this photo. The one I have is the one that mostly looks like this, but with the large white spots on her flanks.

I'm not into the regular LOL dolls, they aren't really my thing. But I do love and own a few of the OMGs. I appreciate the level of detail they put into their clothes. Small things like real looking buttons, zippers, and whatnot is always very appealing to me in a fashion doll.

I listen to all sorts of various genres, but my favorite is absolutely progressive rock and progressive metal. I think it's a lot of fun to listen to. Bands like Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Haken, The Dear Hunter, Between the Buried and Me, Jethro Tull, Thank You Scientist. I also really love King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard who are primarily psychedelic rock, but a bit prog adjacent. Here's a few songs:

Genesis - Supper's Ready
Yes - Close to the Edge
Between the Buried and Me - Fix The Error
Thank You Scientist - "Anchor"
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - "The River"