It's that time of the year when the leviathans of the Android market release their new phones, the HTC One M8 and the Galaxy S5. Both of these phones sport the latest and greatest specs and features designed to get your blood boiling to have the newest model. I will be the first to admit that when it's time to get a new phone, I get a little excited. You pour over all the specs trying to decide which ?next-gen? phone will suit you best, but there tends to be two camps when it comes to cell phones: those who upgrade every two years regardless of the condition of their phone, and those who will keep their phone past its normal lifecycle when it starts to look like a soldier who has seen too much war. There is something to be said about the reliability of a well-made product..

I remember my original Motorola Razr flip phone lasted me at least seven years. When I finally retired that device the paint was all but gone, the buttons were mere nubs, and it was slow as hell. I do look back fondly on the Motorola Razr for lasting me all those years while my newer smartphones usually don't break the three year mark and I am hoping the new M8 with its 90% aluminum body can finally breach the threshold. Aluminum stands out to me as a great low cost, high durability, and lightweight material that many higher quality PC components tend to take advantage of. The feeling of the Aluminum evens feel higher quality in your hands than a typical hard plastic body, and peripherals are no exception.