If you're interested, OP, here is my story about my Ascend and how I ultimately realized I didn't like it, or the Android OS, in general.
My Ascend was my very first Android phone and at first I thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. The customization abilities were endless and kept me occupied for longer than I'd like to admit, lol. However, after having it for a few weeks, I realized just how annoying it was having to clear the history, cache, and do a memory boost every few hours so the phone didn't lag like crazy. I also hated having such limited phone storage space, which caused me to have to sacrifice apps and just keep an eye on my storage space altogether. On the advice of other Android users, I rooted my Ascend.
At first all of the annoyances seemed to disappear, but after a while my phone started to lag again and become like it was pre-root. I researched online, tried many suggestions, etc. Then a few days ago I was online looking at yet another thing I could do to speed up my phone and it hit me: why am I spending so much time doing all of this? It's a phone FFS! I shouldn't have to put THIS much effort into getting it to run properly and the way I want it to! So ya know what I did? I went to Verizon and got an iPhone 4. Know what I've been doing the past few days since I've had my new iPhone? What I should've been able to do with my Android all along: actually using my phone. I haven't had to look up one thing about making this phone run properly...the phone runs properly on its own. I don't have to clear the cache, the history, or do a memory boost. I also don't have to jailbreak (the iPhone equivalent to rooting) to get it to work properly and run fast. I'm also able to make and receive calls and texts since switching to Verizon since Cricket Wireless absolutely sucks in the reception department. Know what else I get? A TON more battery life. From day one I had to charge my Ascend about 3-5 times a day (no, I didn't have a defective battery. Cricket checked it and said my battery was fine). Using my iPhone in the same was I did my Ascend I only have to charge it once a day, when I go to bed at night.
Basically what I'm trying to say is you shouldn't have to root, research or tweak your phone to have it run properly. That's the responsibility of the phone manufacturer, not the user.
Please don't take my post offensively. I am in NO WAY saying Android phones suck. Both Androids and iPhones are great in their own ways and it ultimately comes down to user preference. I was just so sick of having to spend so much time getting my Android to run properly and I don't regret switching. Spend some more time with your Ascend and, if like me, you decide you just don't want to put so much time and effort into getting the phone to run the way you want it and do the things you want it to do, maybe consider an iPhone.
How much are you paying a month now? How much did you pay for your phone?
You can't base Android on your experience with the Ascend. It's a lower end phone. And you probably didn't do enough research before you made your decisions. Because a lot of the things you mentioned slow down your phone and drain the battery life. And you didn't do the one thing that makes Android great, flash a custom rom. If you had simply put Icarus on your phone and used the phone like you want you would have a different opinion.
I'm glad you are happy with your IPhone but most people with the Ascend have it because we want the ability to customize and can't/don't want to spend the money that you are now paying.