Android has gotten better over the years but there are still many things I dont like about it. To put it bluntly, I hate Android. I tried to support it and I actually liked it for a while. Over the years, I got tired of nearly everything about it. I have used Linux for a few years since Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon and fell in love with the open source movement. Ive come to realize that all the hype about being open and portraying Apple and RIM as the evil closed platform was all a deception. Google Play(formerly Android Market) adds movie rentals, books, and music all in one convenient shop. The new market is not open source but a tightly controlled shop that Google aims to make big bucks with. No longer is it a simple library of applications but more like a Barnes and Nobles pushing its own products along with the usual selection. Its not just the changes to the market that I dont like. Theres a list(I love lists). Lets go through them.
1. Multiple UIs
I hate some of the UI. Customization is nice but it allows for more things to break. These include themes and design. At first, the UI was cool and beautiful. I felt like I had a computer in my hands, literally. Icons were nice to touch and scrolling was smooth(at first). After using it for a while, I started to experience the pains of using the touch screen. Mistypes, and mistaps were frequent. The Android experience varied depending on manufacturer. All the different flavors of Android pushed by their respective hardware developers all look different. SenseUI, TouchWiz, and MotoBlur are all different. SenseUI is probably the best(IMO) out of all these. TouchWiz makes me feel like Im using an iPhone and MotoBlur is a mess with all their social networking widgets. These skins load on top of Android making it slower than its vanilla stock core.
2. Crapware
When I get my phone, I hate all the bloatware that comes with it. All carriers seem to do it. They push Vcast, SprintTV and other bloatware that I dont want. Not only that, but I hate that I cant delete them. I hate knowing that they are on my phone and the only way for me to get rid of them is by rooting my phone. Why do I have to jump through hoops just to get rid of this crapware? Im not scared of rooting my phone. In fact, Ive done so and install a few custom ROMs but there is always a risk of bricking your phone and leaving it useless. Average users dont want to risk that. Not to mention doing so will void any warrantee you have. Not only are there crapware on the phone, but there is/was malware on the Market. The greatest search engine in the world cant filter out spyware/malware?
3. No Hardware Standards
I hate that there is no set hardware standard in Android. For example, BlackBerry have the call, menu, trackpad/trackball, back, and end call button all in that order. Windows Phone 7 has 6 required hardware buttons. Power/sleep, Volume up/down, camera, back, start, and search. The main back, start and search buttons are all in that order. And iOS has 1 button. The home button. On Android, however, there are no standard so jumping from one device to another is a pain. The Nexus S lists the buttons as back, menu, search, and home. The Galaxy lists them as menu, home, back, and search. The Droid list them as back, menu, home, and search. Is it so hard to create a set of rules and follow them?

4. Consistently Inconsistent
Expanding from the 1st and the 3rd reasons, I hate Androids software fragmentation. I hate that Motorolas flavor is different from Samsungs. I hate that the buttons are different in all manufacturer, and even sometimes, within the same manufacturers. And I hate that I cant install certain apps because I my phone doesnt have the latest and greatest version of Ice Cream Honey Comb Jelly Cake or whatever the newest version is. Hearing about certain features or apps that only work with the latest version doesnt make things better. In contrast, the experience in iOS is pretty much the same minus 1 or 2 major feature(Siri for example).The life expectancy of an Android phone should last more than 2 years. I understand when it comes to mobile phones, one size doesnt exactly fit all but when the Android brand is harmed because of it, it leaves a sour taste that lingers longer than a good experience.
5. Software Bugs
I hate the bugs. Sometimes when Im charging my phone, the screen turns on at random intervals. You know whats fun? Setting the alarm and not having it work. Sorry boss, my phone decided not to listen to me. Or making a call and having the same person, waiting on the other line. Lets not forget about the dreaded force close pop ups. Its like these phones have a mind of their own. A.I? I get it. Bugs are in every system. A phone with a slow processor or bad camera has hardware problems. When the problems are in the software, then I think, when are they going to release an update to fix this. Bad software can also mean bad battery life. Guess what? Battery life sucks on Android too!
6. Lack of Accessories
There are many Android devices and thats good for Google but bad for us when we are looking for accessories. Usually, you can only find a cheap case unless you own one of the popular droids. Want to find a car mount or a stereo speaker dock? Forget it. At best, you will have to settle for some generic one size fits all contraption. Meanwhile iPhone users get to enjoy tons of accessories. Lots of cases, car mounts, Bose speaker systems, etc. The best part is they are all usually very good in terms of quality and fit and finish. Ive had some cases that didnt quite fit right. This is especially true of slider Androids with hardware keyboards. It seems like with all the iPhones on the market, its hard to get a case wrong especially when its so easy for manufacturers to copy someone elses work. Imagine the overhead in manufacturing a specific case for a specific phone and hoping it sells well. Its no wonder accessories on Android is lacking.
7. Locked Down
Android isВ recognized as the open platform and thatВ unadulterated Android experience does not come standard. It only comes standard on GooglesВ Nexus phones but most people dont own these flagship devices. Most people get their Droids from their carriers. Not only are these phones locked down with carrier bloatware but they are also locked down from performing specific tasks. People have gotten around this issue by a process called rooting. This grants the user superuser status allowing him to do anything he wishes with the phone. The Nexus phones are relatively easy to root but carrier phones are harder. Google has since blocked rooted phones access to their movie rentals in the Google Play store.
Android phones are great if you want the phone to be your hobby, if you dont mind tinkering with the device, rooting it, or if youre just a techno buff. If you dont care about phones, and dont want to worry about anything, there are better platforms out there. My experience with Android was terrible and I still hear about it daily. My girlfriend constantly complains about her phone locking up, being slow, or acting up. I still have an open mind and I will consider it during my next upgrade. Having said all that, these are some reasons why Android sucks!