I went to the store with my wife – she needed to a new iPhone because hers was broken. I had lent her my Android phone from work, and I think I can say without hyperbole that she hated that phone more than she hates war and bad drivers. I mean she hated, hated, hated that phone. By the end I was begging to buy her a new iPhone so that she could be happy again.

So I went in the store looking to buy myself a nice new Android phone. I checked out the HTC Aria, which is a really sweet little phone. Smaller than an iPhone, but with Anroid 2.1 including Flash player support. Supposed to have good battery life as well. Then I got talking to the salesman and he claimed that the Aria is a “boomerang” phone, by which he meant they are always coming back to the store due to some complaint like the phone locking up. Well, that was a deal killer for me. The last thing I need is to wrestle with my stupid mobile phone.

And so I capitulated and went with the iPhone. It felt like joining the party. No, not “a party”, like THE Party. It’s comfortable joining the politburo. I get my pick of apps (as long as they’re approved!). Everything works smoothly, just as long as I’m happy to keep agreeing to that ever-tightening Terms of Service contract. Yes, I happily traded my liberty for security faster than a Fox News viewer watching the terror threat level shoot up to orange. It’s warm and safe over here.