I agree - ecosystem lock-in is a critical consideration. I left that out of this one because:
1: I touched on this in my iPhone or Android article on TR:
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/smartphones/iphone-or-android-five-questions-to-help-you-decide/4456?tag=content;siu-containerhttp://www.techrepublic.com/blog/smartphones/iphone-or-android-five-questions-to-help-you-decide/4456?tag=content;siu-containerWhich still remains one of my most popular recent articles, so I figured everyone had read it already.
2: I would have had to cut something else to fit a discussion about this aspect into the article.
In fact, I am chomping at the bit to jump onto Windows 8 Pro and RT with a touch screen Haswell or Ivybridge hybrid *and* an RT device... but expense, career uncertainty, and the fact that I'm heavily invested in the Android ecosystem at this point are all keeping me in a holding pattern. There are other reasons too, but the most significant at this point is probably my investment in Android.
Honestly I see my future as being Android for smart-phone and 7" content consumption, a 11-12" hybrid Intel Win 8 ultrabook, and a 10" Win RT hybrid tablet for light travel. I can't see myself leaving Android completely or locking totally into Microsoft's ecosystem. But it is *possible* that if Windows gets it right enough, I could opt-out for the reasons you state (cumbersome synchronization and non-portability of single app purchases across devices, etc...)
