So, the last few versions of Android just haven't done it for me.

KitKat was a cool name for an operating system (I love the candy), but I just couldn't really find my way into the software. I didn't really like the way it looked, and I really disliked using Hangouts for just about everything. (Yes, I could have used another app for SMS but I'm a guy that just likes the way stuff works out of the box. I'm done finagling with this stuff.) So, I've tried it here and there, I've even used it under the proprietary software from the "big companies" that love their proprietary software. But, ultimately, I just didn't really like KitKat.

I think that's one major reason why I've been stuck with iOS for the longest period of time that I've ever been stuck with a single operating system. I'm someone that just switches phones, constantly, and traditionally doesn't look back. My time with a phone is short, before I move onto something else. That hasn't been the case for just over a year now, as I've been using iPhones that entire time, with very, very little deviation during the course.

That changed recently when I took out both a Nexus 6 and 2nd Gen Moto X for some heavy duty testing. While I wanted to give the phones a fair shake, because they are two handsets that a lot of people out there in the world really like, but to tell you the truth it was really to try out Android 5.0 Lollipop. From the moment that Google showed off their major overhaul of the software, introducing Material Design, I've been interested to see how it looks out in the wild. How all those animations and whatever else fair on an actual device.

I don't think I could have expected how much I like Android 5.0.

It's a stark difference compared to my feelings towards Android 4.x. I like just about anything and everything when it comes to Lollipop, including the awesome transitions in apps and on the lock screen, the new lock screen notifications, the new Notification Shade, and Material Design. I love Material Design. I know that this is something that Google has been working towards for quite some time, watching their aesthetics gradually evolve into what we see today, but the end result is pretty awesome.

Everything is so colorful, and smooth, and fast and responsive. It's honestly, without a doubt, the nicest operating system on the market to look at. Even just making a phone call made me smile, and for the first time in a very long time I used speaker phone because I wanted to keep looking at the bright images and colors. I even kept activating random things so I could watch more animations.

And the Messenger (can we please stop calling messaging apps this? Please?) app is so dang colorful, it's ridiculous. I love that the app will just pick random colors for individuals. I have no idea why it happens, either, but when I started a conversation with someone I didn't have a profile picture for, the conversation started blue. When I added a picture, it turned hot pink. Completely random, but a welcome randomness it was.

Everything is eventual, and perhaps that's the way I should have been looking at Android all along. Eventually I was going to like it again. I've taken a long break, but I think it's about time I get back into the fold. Material Design has won me over in a big way, and I'm pretty excited to be back.