Good news everyone: Derek Ross joins Phandroid
Good news everyone, Phandroid is getting a new part-time writer. Who? Me. I like long walks on the beach, an unlocked bootloader, a nightly ROM to flash, and just about anything Android or Google related served up on a platter to consume. I’m Derek Ross.
I might be new to Phandroid, but that doesn’t mean I’m new to Android. I’ve been obsessing over all things Android since early 2010 when I first saw the Nexus One. Want to know all about Derek Ross and his Android obsession? Let’s get started.
My Android Experience
My first Android phone was the HTC Droid Incredible. I wanted so badly for the Nexus One to come to Verizon Wireless, my carrier at the time, and still my carrier. I decided to go for the next best thing and go for the HTC Incredible as it had similar internals and that was good enough for me.
From there, I heard about this thing called a custom ROM. I found out that I could hack and slack my phone until my heart was content. Man, I was in love. My first custom ROM was CyanogenMod 6 and then version 7 before finally landing on MIUI.
Being a man possessed, I learned everything there was to know about MIUI and joined up with the local MIUI.us team. I then learned how to port MIUI from the Nexus One ‘s official ROM and make themes. It was glorious.
From there, I upgraded to the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 7 2013 and I’m currently rockin’ the Moto X. I love flashing ROMS and tweaking everything that I can. I also used an HTC Droid DNA for about 9 months, but we won’t talk about that disaster.
GTV, Chromecast, Glass, and More
Besides Android phones and tablets, I’m also a Google TV Ambassador. Don’t ask me what that means now that Chromecast is the way of the future. Myself and other Ambassadors really don’t know ourselves. But hey, it sounds cool! In recent months, I wrote about how Chromecast was going to completely disrupt the living room, and that’s a good thing. I’m excited for Google’s future with Chromecast and to watch Google TV evolve into something more than it is now.
Besides handheld Android devices and Android devices taking over the living room, I’m also a fan of wearable technology. On July 5th, 2013, I officially became a Google Glass Explorer. Wearing Glass and using Glass has really changed my life. Besides being a pseudo celebrity everywhere I go, it’s an awesome feeling to be part of the wearable technology revolution. I enjoy being part of the big picture, helping use technology that one day will become a norm.
Beyond Android…
Besides Android devices, I have another obsession: Social media. Well… Google+.
I’m a huge supporter of Google+ as it’s the social glue that is tying in all aspects of Google, a unifying social project that is changing the way we use Google services. Thanks to Google+, I was able to setup the first Google+ Android Hangout Show, which ran for 74 weeks in a row but more importantly, allowed me to interact and engage with readers just like you.
If you use Google+, please stop by and say hi. If you’re going to the Big Android BBQ this year, I’ll be there and I might just be wearing a pink gorilla suit again (it was a dare).
Non-Android related, loves me some dark, dank beer. If I can’t see through it or never heard of it, chances are I’m going to love it. Right now I have a case of Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale in the fridge. That is my favorite season beer. It’s delicious.
What To Expect
While writing here at Phandroid, I plan on bringing you featured and opinionated articles, stuff that I’m really passionate about. I’ll try to snag a few news articles from time to time as well. Who knows? Maybe even a weekly column about Google Glass or something else?
I’m very happy to be here at Phandroid. Being part of the very first Android news website is exciting. I remember reading Phandroid back when I was still using a BlackBerry phone. My have I come a long way. I’d love to hear from all of you. Stop by the comments below and let me know what your very first Android experience was.