What’s so great about Android?
Windows Mobile takes a lot of abuse. It's been kicked around, spat on, demonized, made fun of, and generally just hated. Some people, regardless of whether they've used it recently or even at all, dislike it so much that they won't buy anything—no matter how beautiful the hardware is or how skinned the UI is—running the operating system.
Since the launch of the HTC HD2, for example, which is arguably the best WM phone around right now (and one of my favorite gadgets), it's nearly impossible not to run into some variant of a WM sucks sentiment in any write-up or comments section having to do with the handset.
And accompanying such responses are often additional asides having to do with Android: Throw Android on it, then I'll buy it; If this thing had Android instead of WinMo, I'd be all over it; When's the Android version coming out? I don't think I've ever seen anyone wishing a particular device ran iPhone OS, webOS, or BlackBerry OS instead. It's always Android.
But why? The only Android device I own and have ever used is my Archos 5 Internet Tablet, which technically isn't even a "real" Android unit because it lacks official Google integration (the hack doesn't count), and I've already shared with you how it has yet to win me over. I haven't given up on the operating system, not by any means; I simply haven't experienced anything first-hand that's made me want to buy an Android phone. I honestly didn't blink an eye when the Nexus One came out, and I'm very happy with my HD2 and iPhone 3GS.
But I'm still curious about so many other people's preference for Android. What makes it so fantastic? What, in your opinion, makes it better than any other mobile OS? If the same phone were available with multiple OSs, why choose Android?
