The tech item I'm most thankful for in 2015 [Brian]

Ahh, Thanksgiving. One of the few days of the year that we fat people get to shine. Many Americans are over-eaters on this gluttonous day. Actually, I am only half-joking about the gluttony; in reality, obesity is no laughing matter. Sadly, the true meaning of the holiday is getting lost more and more each year.

Holiday shopping, fueled largely by technology items, often takes precedence to the more important things in life. I'm most thankful for friends, family, my health and my home. Oh, and of course, the awesome BetaNews readers! With that said, I do love technology too. This year, there is a clear-cut favorite tech item, that has changed my life for the better. It is the...

...iPhone 6s Plus.

For years, I was an admitted "hater", poking fun at Apple and the "iSheep". I thought fans of the company were fools with blinders, ignoring the amazing world of Android. Google didn't block Adobe Flash on its operating system. And the search-giant lets any manufacturer leverage the Android operating system. Plus, Android is Linux, so it must be better, right?

Wrong. 2015 really highlighted the glaring security issues with the Android operating system for me. There are just too many devices running the operating system, that developing for it and maintaining OS updates is futile. Many manufacturers abandon Android devices, leaving the user exposed to dangerous exploits.

I was tired of hearing the lame "just get a Nexus" argument. If variety was the huge benefit of Android, yet it was not recommended to buy any devices other than the precious Nexus line, why bother? Why not iOS?

While I never owned an iPhone, I have owned iPads, so I was familiar with the operating system. Still, it was a bit scary to join "the other side". I was admitting that my criticisms of Apple were largely unjust -- many of the choices made by the company, such as banning Adobe Flash and having a walled garden, are actually positives. Time and time again, Apple ends up being right.

Fed up with Android, I decided to buy the iPhone 6s Plus. I went all-out too -- gold color and 128GB of storage. Top of the line, baby. It was an expensive affair, although a family member let me use their upgrade -- I paid subsidized pricing.

You know what? I couldn't be happier. The camera takes beautiful photos -- I get so many compliments on how great the shots I take are. Touch ID is brilliant, unlocking my phone fast, and flawlessly. Apple Pay is genius -- I am using it almost every day. The battery life is the best of any phone I've ever owned. The crème de la crème, however, are the apps. I am constantly discovering high-quality apps that put Android to shame.

Call me crazy, but becoming an iPhone user has improved my life. I am truly happier for owning it. It is, definitively, the tech item I'm most thankful for in 2015.