I suspect his response would be 'there is no game'

As you said it is a justified rant, but there are ways to avoid being stung in this way. Apple does have the feature to block in app purchases. Though the time limit should be marked clearly each time. If kids can still rack up purchases for 15 minutes after a password is used that does create a huge hole in parental control.

It's not even close to a game, hence a good review.

For Android, you have to register a payment card on your google account to pay for games and micro-transactions, but you really have to hunt around if you want to remove a card. Most people aren't even aware that they have a Google Wallet, nevermind know how to administer it.

Not good if you have to hunt around. Though is it as much as a problem on Android? We hear of the problems with Apple in app purchases, but I cannot remember hearing the same about Android in app purchases. Though from what I gather many do not update their OS, and the numbers of app purchases or freemium games might be much smaller so it might be less of a problem on Android?

The number of freemium games on Android is enormous. Android owners traditionally paid for apps up front less often, so many games initially went as 'paid for' on Apple's store and freemium on Google's to maximise revenue. Angry Birds is the most obvious example of this although it's since gone freemium on both and that's become the general first choice option all round.

The reason I think we hear less news about this on Android is its a harder story to tell and in the end is less newsworthy. Stats show stories about Apple get more views than stories about Android, plus with Android the blame is disparate - do you blame the handset maker? Google? The app vendor? You don't want to have to explain those relationships. On iOS, the obvious target is Apple; they make the hardware, they make the OS, they run the App Store. It's obviously 'their fault'.

Combine the easy copy with higher click rate and it's just an easier sell to write a story that 'Apple let my kid spend 10 grand on virtual smurf berries'. It pretty much writes itself, if you're the Daily Mail. So we see them more often.

Basically, amount of column inches is no useful metric for prevalence or severity of a problem.

While I know people with Android they are not what you could call games players. Yes I am in full agreement that an Apple story gets column inches far more readily, which could explain the massive discrepancy. I know that there are almost as many apps for Android now give or take, though Android users average spend on purchases is substantially lower, though in app purchases do seem to make up a sizeable share of iOS revenues so unless there is something substantially different between user bases then the same could apply to Android users.

Sent my phone off to Vodafone for warranty repairs and they gave me a band new one instead.

Congrats.

Going Beer tasting at Brewdog tonight. woop woop

one quick phonecall to HMRC and I'm getting nearly £500 back in overpaid tax this year. Result!

I always used to regard overpayments of tax as a savings scheme. Any plans for spending or saving it yet?

That'll about cover fees and part of the deposit to move flat in a few months :S

I especially like Gonzos one.