Recently I came across a news alert that Google have released Android 4.0 on some new mobile phone. 4.0 already? That is extreme, Android hasn't been around that long. It is good on one side, that there seems to be a strong community of developers eliminating bugs and improving on a fast pace. On the other side - you need to be quick in carrying your new Android smartphone home if you want to install the first OS update before your hardware becomes incompatible with the latest release.
Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb.... now Ice Cream Sandwich and soon Jelly Bean - Android versions are named after desserts - I got lost with my Android device (a HTC Hero) somewhere between Cupcake and Donut, or between Donut and Eclair. The problem was, that I never got my phone to sync with my PC. No sync, no Android update. But I would have needed that update, because the Android release installed on my phone produced an error which would not let me use my google user account to log into the marketplace. No sync, no update, no new apps. No smartphone. According to some forum entries (I wasn't the only one with that problem), this issue was due to be solved with the next update. While waiting for that update, I made the experience that even such elementary features like receiving a phone call could let the device crash and reboot. So I changed back to my ordinary phone - and missed to install Donut or Eclair. Or was it Froyo already? Froyo 2.2? Froyo 2.2.1 or Froyo 2.2.2? The only thing that I remember is that the available Android release wasn't compatible anymore with my hardware.
As not even my 12 years old son was interested to take over a nearly unused piece of Android based Smartphone Hardware, I threw it into that carton containing empty batteries and defective hardware, and switched to Windows Phone 7, and now everything works. I installed the Sim card, switched it on and everathing worked. I added my IMAP user account information to access my mail folders and I configured LDAP to access my addressbook. Then I installed some very useful apps, like a mountainbike navigation software, and for the first time ever I now have a smartphone which really is smart. I have been using it for over a year now and never had any issue with it. It just does what it is supposed to do.
The question I have: Why is my personal experience so different from what I read and hear from others? Anyone else with similar experience?