Steve Jobs is right to not pollute the iPhone with Verizon

I have had second thoughts about moving to the Android based Samsung Galaxy phone on Verizon. In fact, I made a mistake and will soon drop it and am destined to become yet another iPhone fan boy. Let me explain why.

For the past 9 years I have been a Blackberry user but as my usage moved from one centered around inputting data (email) and towards consumption of information (the web), it was time to move to a device with a modern browser, a robust application store, and a screen supportive of reading average web sites without performing unnatural contortions.

I watched the Android's market share explode as they steadily improved their OS and was enthralled by the Samsung Galaxy demo where they showed the Avatar movie in great splendor. With all that love, however, I was brought face to face with the Verizon UI monster. It takes three separate steps to reach your first main application screen, there you are greeted with a 4x4 of 16 icons, none requested by you, and none removable by you. For me, only 4 had any relevance.

Tetris, at one point was of keen interest to me, however, to have a free to play and pay to version on my page one...with no option to kill it is far worse than Dell loading my PC with removable 'crapware'. Joining Tetris, is ThinkFreeOffice, VCast Music, NFS Shift and other 'essential' applications that are designed to make Verizon money, while polluting my experience. People may not like Apple for deciding what's good for you by denying companies permission to post in the Application Store, however, I contend that it's far worse to have someone dictate your applications and leave you with no recourse.

I won't even get into the reality that Bing is the default browser and you have no obvious way to switch providers. This is sorta counter to what Android is all about; open software, choice, the bazaar over the cathedral. Android's freedom to customize met it's Master.

While writing this, I received a call from ATT wireless, it was a survey about why I left. In the midst of answering the questions, I interrupted the surveyor and asked her to refer me to a salesperson as I have reconsidered and want to reinstate my standing. Well, to no surprise, it was not her department and I was given an 800 number to reach a rep.

Sigh, back to the frying pan from the fire.