I would like to take a moment to thank you all, back in May a thought occurred to me; even though we all share a common goal at XDA, our individual experiences differ greatly. This thought remained with me and eventually inspired a project that I would come to be immensely proud of, not just because of the time or effort put in to it but because of what it represents. It began with a simple question posted to the portal “How Does Your Location Affect Your Life As A Power User?” over the following days many of you left comments sharing your thoughts and experiences. It was these stories that grew to become what is now known around the XDA office as “The Atlas“.
RE: China “That half a year I spent back home was terrifying in terms of getting my phone to work” – wngmv
As the comments, private messages and emails came pouring in, I realised that these stories required a better suited place, somewhere focussed on accessibility and clarity and so I set about forming a home for them. Days later and I had a solid basis, upon publishing it to the portal I received a new wave of messages and just a few weeks later The Atlas showcased the power user experiences of over 25% of all the countries on earth from the U.S. to Kosovo to India.
RE: Iran “So as an Iranian I was pretty offended, to fight for my beliefs and country I joined a campaign with most of the android users in Iran to not use android and the Google services.” – ahuramajdi
This of course would not have been possible without your support, willingness to share knowledge and passion for the site. Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far and for those who have yet to submit their story to the ever growing list, I encourage you to take a few moments of your time to leave a few paragraphs in the comments, and pass on this message to others. In time I hope that we will come to include multiple tales from the vast majority of countries. In turn becoming an aid to those for whom Android plays a significant part in their lives, as well as a place for learning.
RE: India “Frankly speaking a country that considers 512 kbps to be broadband doesn’t deserve streaming services.” – Harry Pewter
Regardless of whether someone has already left a comment from your locale, your thoughts are always welcome. As the data I have added along side your insights in to each country grows the Atlas shows a more accurate representation of what it means to be a power user: our achievements, successes and grievances. It has been a truly eye opening experience and fits well along side other Android related cultural features we have since published such as Aamir’s A Personal Perspective of Android and India and my own Walking The Great Firewall of China. Our location can greatly affect how we use our devices and it is articles like these that I hope shape our view of the world, helping us understand the journey the users we proudly share a forum with take each day.
Thank you once again for your time and support, it is and always has been greatly appreciated – Mathew Brack
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