Me, myself, and Android

Hi, I'm Florence. You're welcome to call me Flo.

I've been at Android Central since September and though I haven't written much since I've started (Have you seen our Smartphone Buying Guides? I helped!), I have been writing about and reviewing Android smartphones for the past four years.

Some of you might know me from my work at Ars Technica. Most of you likely know me from my time at PCWorld/Greenbot and as the co-host of Twit.TV's All About Android. I'm a devoted Android user and have been since 2010. My goal in life is to get everyone else and their techno-phobic mother to see the glory of the Android platform. There's a reason I've stuck with it for so long (except for those six months I was on iOS—that was for science, I promise).

As a platform, Android is constantly evolving and that's something I relate to.

As a platform, Android is constantly evolving and that's something I relate to. As a human being, I'm constantly evolving: to be a better writer, journalist, friend, sister, daughter, and wife. And that's part of Android's mission, too: To be better than it used to be, not just with its software features and design aesthetic, but also to be more inclusive so that those who might not have found their place in other tech communities can belong regardless of their technological abilities and interests. It's a beautiful message and one that particularly resonates with me.

Android is also evolving in a way that may not be as enticing to those of us die-hard users. With the launch of the Pixel and Pixel XL, we're seeing Google attempt to pivot Android as a lifestyle for the mainstream.Why now? we ask when we've subscribed to this way of life for the past eight years? It's a perfectly valid question, but we won't know until Google explicitly spells out the answer for us. Perhaps we'll know more by next year's developer's conference, though I certainly hope to uncover the reason before then in my own reporting.

It's a bummer that Google's new Android smartphones cost as much as a typical Samsung device, and that its Pixels will come with exclusive features, but I don't think it'll be detrimental to the platform. If anything, it demonstrates that there's a major shift on the horizon. This next year will be a defining one for Android as a whole and I can't wait to see what unfolds.

As more people become interested in using Android, it's up to us to show them why this is the "people's platform."

As more people become interested in using Android, it's up to us to show them why this is the "people's platform." I'll be writing about my varying experiences with my library of devices, as well as distilling all the important information so that it's digestible for even the entry-level Android n00b. I also hope to talk to more of you in the developer community, to hear about how you're weathering the transition and how these changes are affecting you as contributors. My goal is to make Android more accessible to the billion-plus people that use it. So, if you've got a question, a comment, or even a complaint, tweet me or email me. I'm here to help with whatever you need.