Who would have thought?

Last night, I was excited to install a new ROM on my Android phone. I have been anxiously awaiting a version of CyanogenMod to come out for my wayward red headed, stepchild of a phone and I got news there was finally a Beta available.The iInitial install was smooth (enough) and a few taps after rebooting and I could immediately tell a difference in the smoothness of the interface. Application engagements were more fluid and the custom apps that come with the latest CyanogenMod install were very nice. Everything felt like it was moving in the right direction…

Until…

As part of any new ROM install, you have to update and reinstall almost all of your apps. Part of this upgrade/install process was the new Google Search app that includes Google Now. Immediately after installing the update, I was notified that Google Search (and consequently Google Now) crashed. Try again? Sure.

Crash…Crash. Crash. Crash.

No matter how I went about uninstalling, reinstalling, configuring or rebooting, I couldn’t get Google Now to work. And here is where the shocker comes in…That was a deal breaker for me.

Despite the multitude of improvements and tweaks within the ROM, and despite my longing to install it on my phone, the lack of Google Now, a feature that is really still in it’s infancy, was enough for me to revert back. While I had never given it much credit before, I have to now admit that Google Now is part of my everyday. I enjoy it preemptively giving me traffic. I love to see the scores. I like to know the weather. I like not having to ask.

Bravo, Google. Bravo.