Trading my BlackBerry Z10 for an Xperia V is probably the silliest decision I've made all year - I must admit. 
The only real reason I traded smartphones was because of the app situation. I am an app fiend, so the BlackBerry 10 platform wasn't exactly fulfilling my needs.
Sure, I could install some Android apps on the phone (using a relatively easy process), but trying to find your favourite apps in the first place can be a schlep, as Google Play doesn't work on the Z10.
Then there's the issue of games, with many titles requiring some tweaking to work, if they worked at all. 
The Z10 didn't offer as much customisability either, whereas with Android, I could change keyboards, camera apps and even install a new variant of Android if I wanted.

Trader's remorse
So I was glad to get a relatively good Android smartphone via Gumtree, that wonderfully dodgy yet intriguing place.
But a few days after doing the switch, I found myself missing my BlackBerry (who would've thought I would say that?).
First of all, the Xperia V suffers from an all-too-familiar smartphone problem, in that it's designed with aesthetics in mind rather than the battery. Sure, the slim design and concave curve makes for a great-looking handset, but the phone can barely make it through the working day when used moderately.
It wasn't helped much by the default Battery Manager nor did the Snapdragon BatteryGuru make a big difference.
Then there's the fact that, out of the box at least, Android offers a far less intuitive experience than BlackBerry 10.
A simple swipe-to-unlock? Check. Swipe up to minimise apps? Yep. An easy-to-activate bedside mode that disables notifications and lets you set alarms? Done. Although it's not the first phone to do this sort of thing, BlackBerry 10 really grew on me thanks to these little introductions.
There are custom ROMs that make Android more practical and faster, but it's almost a given that most people won't opt for this approach, being a tad technical.
BlackBerry has also been keen to push out updates, with two out of the gate already and a big one still set for release.

Oh BlackBerry...
So the news that BlackBerry is investigating "strategic alternatives" (including a sale) makes me somewhat sad. 
The company has its act together somewhat, offering a pretty compelling alternative to the likes of Android and iOS. Sure, it doesn't have the same app ecosystem, but when the interface is that intuitive and the rest of the phone is pretty solid, it's easier to forgive.
It's a similar situation to Windows Phone, which doesn't offer as many apps as the Big Two either, but stands out thanks to a supremely slick operating system.
However, news of one scuppered plan to save BlackBerry - by buying it out and producing business-focused handsets running variants of Android - seem all too frustrating.
We only have to look at Amazon for proof of what you can do with Android, with the e-retailer producing Kindle tablets running a customised version of the platform. And the tablets are pretty fantastic too, being competitively priced to boot.
A BlackBerry handset running Android, but with the BlackBerry 10 interface, would make for a much more compelling handset.
The Canadian giant may be in dire straits right now, but here's hoping that sales start to pick up - it'll be sad to see a pioneer go.