Compass Designs .net

So a few weeks ago, my aging iphone bought the farm, and I started the search for a replacement.

I eventually ended up choosing an Android phone - the Fascinate. AT&T had been a continual source of frustration, and the recent move to allow tethering, but to have to give up the unlimited data plan, (a move most considered a bait and switch) had me looking for another carrier.

But anyway, back to the Android OS.

Just a few minutes of playing with the phone made me realize how really restrictive the iphone universe is. With the Android Fascinate I could change my launcher/home page, use different players, get and install apps from anywhere, and even (if I were brave) root it and start modifying the programs at a lower level in a few minutes.

With the iphone, you are locked into the Apple mindset, everything goes through itunes, development is highly regulated, the interface is virtually impossible to customize.

If a company could have a license - Apple would be proprietary.

And you know what, Microsoft might (gasp) actually be more open.

On a strange level, Microsoft is much more of a "bigger tent" company. Sure they might occasionally muscle small upstarts, but that strategy is common now from Google to Apple anyway. The MS universe is much bigger, many more things works with other things. Many hardware developers use the OS.

Buy Apple and you are part of a closed Apple universe, your macbook, your iphone and ipod. They work beautifully together, but don't really play nice with others.

The irony in the wireless world is that although the Android devices might be open, the wireless companies behind them are closed at best, predatory at worst - like being charged $122,674 for a T1 installation. I would think most people have at least one wireless horror story to share.

So, Apple or Microsoft? Apple or Android?

What's your thoughts?