Random Thought: Stock Android Freedom

As I find myself up at this early hour with the Nexus 4, there's indeed a feeling that I've just about been detoxed from years of TouchWiz usage on Samsung products. True, there are a number of additional tweaks and features to bolster those units over the Nexus line, but acknowledging (and accepting) that those aren't essential to my Android experience is quite freeing. Daily living with stock Android without the urge to root has certainly fostered a calming sense of pride as a Google fan, especially as I plan to venture or to the Mountain View HQ in the future. Have I turned into a Google kiss-ass stocked with my own name brand merchandise, or have I finally found an OS niche that suits my own digital lifestyle? Maybe both. :-)

There's certainly no denying that using stock Android on either a Samsung S4 or HTC One unit does awaken curiosity, but I'm satisfied with this LG Nexus 4 until I can read reviews on their performance. This brings me to another sense of pride with Android, pure openness. Being able to have an unrooted, out-of-box user experience with the purest iteration of the Android OS on MULTIPLE devices spanning various manufacturers surely seems to break the mold. The prospect of not only uplifting the smooth simplicity of this stock OS (that remains free to be further customized via user rooting), but also sharing it with capable hardware platforms willing to take it on...there can't be any better example of openness. The more I think on this, there is indeed an excitement that is conjured for what is to come in the mobile industry. With stock Android, there is no walled garden with locked down limitations, and that's what inspires me to no longer miss such an OS being f***ed over by TouchWiz, Sense, BLUR, or whatever other UI skins are out there.

Random Thought: Gadget Fulfillment

Random thought: As much as I may appear to take the Nexus 4 and its stock Android for granted, it does indeed please the Google fanboy in me. Such unassuming simplicity in glass and soft-touch plastic is somewhat calming as my brain is torn between the HTC One and Samsung S4. It's as if the Nexus 4 simply sits in silent repose as the One and S4 scream and shout to vie for my attention. Is my boredom of the Nexus simply a byproduct of my own spoiled, unsatisfied nature as a tech gadget fanatic? Maybe so. Honestly, this Google phone isn't that bad at all. Being able to start my day with a Spotify playlist and simply tap the N4 to my Nokia Play 360 speaker alone is better than any TouchWiz OS tweak. Limited storage could be a benefit in not only avoiding a multimedia/app hoard, further supporting the prospect of overall simplicity.

Hardware and software pros on potential devices may titillate my urge to constantly jump for the next best thing, but I wonder if I should just stay put with the Nexus 4 for now. At the end of the day, having the most updated version of a platform that has been so valuable to my digital Google life may be the ultimate pro to hold on to. Booming speakers, vivid HD displays, advanced cameras, and tons of swipe-induced commands indeed seem enticing, but when is that line crossed between between satisfied or overwhelmed? From my own track record, I'd probably find another reason to dislike either the One or S4. :-) Another prospect is the possible end to the Nexus product line altogether with the announcement of Samsung and HTC models being equipped with stock Android. Could that be what is to come? Could I be holding on to the LAST Nexus phone?

After all, smartphones are tech marvels that have enhanced the daily lives of those fortunate enough to obtain one. As long as one can keep that perspective in the forefront of their consciousness, would that alone conjure fulfillment?

Nexus 4 Honeymoon: is it over?

In lieu of my HTC One curiosity being piqued, I'm now trying to appreciate the overall simplicity from the Nexus 4 design. In comparison to the One, it doesn't seem to show off many bells and whistles, but there's something to be said about the allure of holding a Google phone... not to mention a version that's been a HUGE improvement to previous generations. Its soft touch plastic and glass may not appear to trump the look and feel of aluminum carved and etched in all the right places, but there are moments when its smoothness and keyless front face exude a certain sexy appeal. Yes, this rambling may indeed be the product of nostalgia from a former Nexus One user. :-)

It almost feels like I'm the owner of a reliable, adequately stocked Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg trying to not get too tempted by a more upscale Audi A4. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't torn between having the Nexus 4, wanting the One, and even missing the S3 (to a certain extent). Maybe if I just take a breath, slow down, and wrap my head around the fact that it's just a smartphone that surely proves to be sufficient thus far in spite of my nitpicking, I can learn to appreciate Google's offering. Hmmmm.

There's also the constant draw of exclusivity as a Nexus user, for to me, the Nexus line does stand apart from other Androids due to its blessing from Google. When I hold the Nexus 4, I can almost get that same feeling I used to have with the likes of the Nokia E90, E7, N9 or N900. Honestly, this is a silly notion considering ANYBODY can get their hands on one, but oh well. I have wondered if I'm better off going back to Symbian, but then I'd be relinquishing the benefits of Google's services. End of tech crazed rant. Back to sleep I go.