Keeping up with technology, especially what’s available in smartphones, can be a bit tough for someone who doesn’t always want to keep track of every change and new feature. For the folks out there who still upgrade their phone every two years, or maybe even every year, there’s a lot of research that has to be done before any money is put down.

After all, smartphones aren’t cheap, so trying to figure out which one is the best for you, and will be for more than 12 months (or more), isn’t exceptionally easy. Well, unless you only buy one kind of phone from one manufacturer, then it’s probably not that hard of a decision.

Even for the smartphone owners that have typically purchased their new device from one specific manufacturer for a healthy amount of time, sometimes you just want a change of pace. Something different. That’s a bit hard of a sell though, isn’t it? Especially when we’re talking about switching platforms, or manufacturers, and we’re weighing the purchase of a new phone.

I’d imagine that, more often than not, most people want a “safe bet” when it comes to their next phone. So they’ll go with what they’re used to.

There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. Hey, if you’re happy with what you use, then it doesn’t matter that someone else doesn’t like the phone you’re using. But it certainly matters when you buy a new phone or tablet and, after a certain period of time using it, realize that, ultimately, it’s just not the right device for you.

It’s happened to me a few times in the past. Granted, I’m someone that likes to change things up quite a bit, so I’m always willing to risk it a little bit. Even if I genuinely don’t like using the return period, I do want to try out something new and shiny more often than not.

But like I said, I’ve had a few instances in the past where I’ve bought a new phone and it just hasn’t worked out. A few of my friends have running bets on how long I’ll keep a device, for example. So it must’ve happened at least once or twice. But, none of them have left a mark quite as distinct as Amazon’s Fire Phone. That thing was something special.

But not in a good way, mind you. I lasted all of 35 minutes with that thing. The user interface kicked things off — I just wasn’t a fan of it for a smartphone. On Amazon’s tablets, it’s fine. But having to deal with that carousel, and lists, on something I’d want to use way more than I’d regularly use a tablet just wasn’t going to work for me.

Everything else sort of fell into place. I wasn’t a fan of the hardware or design at all. The camera left much to be desired. And I’d love to give the phone props for its battery management, but, well, I didn’t get that far. The Amazon’s Fire Phone is easily one of my best, or worst, cases of buyer’s remorse to date.

What about you, though? What device did you buy in the past that you almost immediately regretted doing so, and why? Let me know!