I wrote about renewing my iPhone vows about a month ago. I’m changing my mind. Why? A combination of curiosity and convenience.
I’m not going to discount the number of posts from influencers like Matthew Ingram, Guy Kawasaki and Robert Scoble, but the tipping point was really friends who’ve adopted Android with their latest phones. Whether they were entrenched Apple users or smartphone newbies, their move to Android was inspiring. It made it seem less intimidating to ditch the familiar for something a little more challenging. I mean, I haven’t thought seriously about a smartphone purchase since I first bought a smartphone nearly five years ago. I wasn’t going to make this decision without help.
Why now? It’s easier. Android apps have grown up. Most of my most used apps are available and those that aren’t can be replaced with comparable apps. More importantly, I’ve come to realize that my dependence on basics like Gmail and calendar are better solved with a native platform. I’m also unreasonably excited to try some of the UI tweaks, like Ubuntu-style app launchers and the like. Being able to reinvent the experience is something that will keep me interested as well.