Andriod - we need to talk
Apr 07, 2013
I was initially captivated by your flexibility, marvelled at your ability to be customised and wowed by some of your cool features like tethering and uploading my photos straight to Dropbox. I believed in you, I left iOS for you and ultimately I bought into you in the belief this could be something long lasting and solid.
I wanted to be just another consumer, like everyone else. I didn't want to bring my work home with me, debugging at 2am. I thought we would have uncomplicated fun together and it would just work. When things started going wrong I thought it was my fault, but realised the problem is not me, its you.
You say you are a mobile platform so perhaps I expect too much from a "mobile platform" these days. I personally think my "mobile platform" should be dependable. OK you say you are "smart" but I expect you to be smart and reliable, just like my smart TV or just like my PS3. I don't expect to debug my home telephone or my PS3 - they are simply there when I need them. Hell I don't even expect my home PC to be unreliable these days. I just want and expect you to work.
I've given you 6 months running on some of the best hardware (Galaxy S3) but you still can't do it for me or live up to my expectations. Maybe Samsung has come between us but you've hurt me too many times to risk letting you in (my pocket) again.
I've been good and didn't try to change you. I wanted you to be you. I've run stock ROMs, only downloaded apps from Google Play, always installed the updates even installed a virus checker but you throw this back in my face:
- The alarm sounding for about 0.5s before switching itself off in the morning
- Random battery "issues" where it runs down for no reason after a clean boot in the morning
- The SMS app "stopping unexpectedly" when I did nothing wrong and making me trawl forums and end up installing another SMS app just to sort the stock app out
- Randomly resetting during and after calls
- Having "go slow" moments and making me reset just to send a SMS or make a call
- Now, finally the hardware has given up the ghost after just 6 months
I thought I could rely on you but you have let me down. So I'm sorry Andriod I'm heading back to my ex, iOS. Maybe she isn't as "smart" as you but she's dependable, classy and most important of all, reliable.
Call me if you think I got it wrong - though I'd advise rebooting the phone before you do, just in case.