Android can be

[Dice144]

Actually good with the right rom/update. When I switched from iOS using my iphone 3gs to my Samsung Captivate running 2.1 it was like a double edged sword.

The OS was more open but the phone was plagued with random slow downs and HORRID GPS. This started to ruin the Android OS for me. I finally went over to XDA to try some custom roms after a few work friends recommended trying a different rom. At first I enjoyed the first rom because WiFi tethering. In generally seemed to be smoother. But it would still randomly freeze and shutdown. (almost thru my phone in the lake a few times on work breaks). I then went back to STOCK 2.1 because at least it did not randomly turn off when I needed it.

Now fast forward to right before I was about to buy a new phone and switch carriers. Called AT&T complained abit about how over priced there bill is etc and whined some more. Got a $25 credit and said hey maybe I will stick around. Lets try ONE last rom before I throw out/sell this phone.

Now running Serendipity 6.4 (Android 2.2) and it feels like a brand new phone! Thanks to the few posters here that said to try a different rom in my random posts on AT!

 

[Alone]

Serendipity, Firebird, MIUI, CM7 are all good.

 

[snoturtle]

Was having alot of the same issues with my captivate and finally changed the rom on mine to Cognition 5 which is 2.3

Works great
Was almost to the point of getting a new phone and said what the hell why not try it
Glad I did
Nice and responsive and no more crappy software that I can't remove

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I had my friends Captivate next to my Nexus S running CM7.1 for one afternoon. It felt like trash. I spent 2 hours figuring out how to root her phone and install CM7, but once we did it was like.... night and day.

Honestly, I don't get how people use stock Android. My gf's Incredible 2 looks like a bloated piece of shit. She runs out of battery like half the time and I can't call her til she gets back from work because her phone is dead.

I honestly think Android is worth it if you mod it and install a bunch of stuff. Its just tough to get the best of Android considering there's so many different phones and each phone has a different level of development support.