The Rise of the Fanboy

They pontificate and conclude. Their zealous and relentless advocacy is critical in forming opinions on the internet. They are fanboys.

Fanboys - an androgynous term encompassing both genders - often drive technological progression. They are early adopters and advocates. They suggest fixes, find ways around niggles and stand ready to valiantly defend their favourite technology.

It's hard to pinpoint the first instances of fanboyism, but the emergence of Apple in its early days certainly played a role. With its underdog status, inspired designs and technology that sought an alternative from the Microsoft and IBM hegemony, Apple computers gave rise to an inner circle of cult-like smug appreciation.

In the recent past, mobile devices have become the most fertile- and divisive camping grounds for fanboys. First came the die-hard Nokia enthusiasts. Then Apple released the first iPhone - a gadget that, for all its imperfections, managed to redefine mobile computing in ways previously unheard. There were gasps of comprehension, sighs of longing, and rank upon file of fanboy was recruited to the cause.

Fast forward a few years, and an interesting battle is in the offing. Apple, for all its technical and design prowess, has managed to alienate some with its high handedness and closely monitored, paranoiac approach to what may run on its much vaunted machines. In the meantime Google, the omniscient search engine and purveyor of practically unlimited free e-mail space, has been working on iterations of its own phone operating system - Android. Not only is Android free but is also an open source, which means flexibility for developers and users. The first few implementations of Android, rough around the edges, garnered interest but little else.

Then, a curious phenomenon occurred. A full-blown war broke out on the internet when mobile device reviews pitted the Android against Apple. Positive reviews for either side were confronted by angry mobs decrying favouritism. It was official - the Android fanboy had arrived.

Dubai was soon caught in the crossfire. With very high cell phone penetration and a consumer culture that exalts gadgetry, it came as little surprise that distinct user groups evolved. Android cliques started sniping at their iPhone counterparts and vice versa: part in jest, part in affront, but mostly in exasperated goodwill.

Emirati Mohammad Al Huraiz is the founder of local gaming and reviews sites Local Arhade. For him and his fellow team of geeks, Android's flexibility cannot be argued with. "I just love my Android for the things it lets me do. It is such a help in my everyday life, my site maintenance and podcasting. I love the way Android deals with my tasks, regardless of what I'm viewing, be it a file, a web page, or a system screen. I can always jump to wherever I need to go thanks to the notification bar without worrying about whatever I was doing not working in the background."

The last line is an ill-concealed dig at Apple that, even with its new iOS4 iPhone operating system, allows only limited multitasking to conserve the battery.

But for many who've adopted the iPhone, the recent release of iOS4 was an event much anticipated. Fatma Bu Jsaim, a student at Zayed University, and active participant in cultural exchange events such as UAE Talks, is enraptured. "I downloaded the IOS4 four days after it came out and I remember sitting on the sofa like a child who's been given a piece of candy and wants to cherish the moment. The first thing I did was put everything in folders; the iOS4 gives its users the option of putting apps in folders and naming them - recommended for all organising freaks. Another compelling feature is the lower tray that helps the user multi-task."

Bu Jsaim is an ardent fan of the iPhone's ability to handle e-books. "One word: iBooks. It's amazing reading app with a lot of free books."

While many users are comfortably nestling themselves into position within respective camps, there are brave voyagers who, having tried one side, are switching to the other.

According to Bilal Al Houri, a managing executive in the music and media industry, "My relationship with the iPhone was one of love-hate. I loved how stable it was. All the applications ran like greased lighting, and the iPhone's popularity meant finding accessories was a snap. Yet I disliked Apple's control - everything had to be pushed through iTunes and even minor customisations, like changing the ringtone, was a long-drawn process."

Al Houri is a newly converted fan to the open source freedom of Android, but offers the caveat that a liberal attitude to content means some applications are not well designed. Yet he doesn't see himself returning to Apple's "walled garden" anytime soon. The restrictions don't appeal.

Andrew Iles, Commercial Manager at Fly Aviation and self-professed geek, is keenly aware of the issue's divisiveness. He says, "The argument between Apple and Android is ultimately one of impulse versus logic. And in the end, the fan bases on both sides are not easily convinced to switch. The point of contention is so close to his heart that to concede any ground would be akin to treason." Yet Iles has done just that. He says he is "joining the open source, community-friendly, hardware superior side of the argument" by switching to a device running Android.

Fanboys can polarise discussion to the point that meaningful technological comparisons are eschewed in favour of vociferous partisanship. Apple and Android's camps will be sniping at each other for years to come in Dubai, as they will the world over. But both Apple and Android seem secure because of the passion they have elicited from their consumer base

In fact, it should be worrying for the likes of Nokia and Microsoft's Windows Mobile that their fans are limping away across the aisle. Fanboys are invaluable. Not only are they early adopters, but often bloggers and opinion shapers in their own right, often swaying laggards into mass adoption with their exhortations. They are not just a source of free publicity, but also stand poised as the first line of defence and public relations spin when their favourite technology is attacked. In today's gadget intensive world, a lack of zealous fans translates to tepid sales and eventual redundancy.