I'm pretty sure I'm a blind loyalist to webOS. Not the new webOS, mind you. Not that thing that's going to be put in TVs. That's not the same thing, if you ask me. That old webOS, though. Despite the fact I wasn't the biggest fan of the hardware, I don't think it would be possible for me to love Palm's extinct mobile OS any more than I do. And yes, that's still a do. webOS will always have a soft spot in my heart.
That little detail about the hardware though made me realize that I really am a loyalist to the platform. The original Pre wasn't the best piece of hardware, even if it did have a pretty unique look to it overall. (Nothing quite like having a smooth pebble in your hand!) The Pre 2 improved on a few key areas, but it still wasn't that fantastic. And the same could be said for the Pre 3, as well as the smaller Veer.
Despite not falling in love with each of those devices while they had their time on the scene, webOS managed to make up for it. With the Cards, and the all-in-one messaging app, along with every other feature the mobile OS brought to the table, I realized that after just a few days with the platform I was hooked. Attached. Obsessed, even. webOS is still the only platform that I actively miss. (Does anyone miss Windows Mobile?)
There have always been "fanboys" or fanatics, but it's never been as loud as it is now. Wherever you go on the Internet that's geared towards the mobile industry, and if you dive into the comments section, you can see the "flame wars" take off almost instantly. Right out of the gate, people are ready to praise their platform or device of choice, while also belittling anyone who doesn't agree with them. It's insanity, and yet it happens every day.
Can we all just get along? It's a question for the ages.
Blind loyalists are going to happen, and there's no doubt that manufacturers work their tails off to make sure it does happen. They want to create products that people want to keep buying, but eventually they want it to just boil down that they've become a fan, and that specific details may not turn them away like it might the "regular" consumer.
If I had been a regular consumer when the Pre 2 launched, I probably wouldn't have picked up the device at all, or used it as often as I did. But since I was a fan of webOS, the hardware just didn't weight the whole thing down like it might have someone else in the same situation. I wanted to use webOS, I wanted a new device, so the Pre 2 fit the bill.
The more I think about it, the more curious I am as to why someone becomes a loyalist to a particular device, or a platform, or even a company in general. I know a lot of people who are fans of Apple, and who have adopted Apple-branded products into their lives simply because they love the company. On the other hand, I know quite a few people who've given themselves over to Samsung, and litter their houses with Samsung products.
That's why I want to hear from you. Whether you find yourself to be a "blind loyalist" or not, I want to know why you think people attach themselves to particular devices or brands. And if you would call yourself a loyalist to a product or company, I want to know why that's the case. What caused the loyalist mentality? Let me know!
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