Meizu Announces MX3 Android is Coming to North America

Despicable. I am sick of device vendors crapping up Android with their "custom UIs" and "useful apps". I want Google to enforce all manufacturers to make sure that each device using Android is possible to restore to vanilla Android experience with ONE setting change. No non-stock UI, make every preinstalled app removable without root, every custom UI out there is slow and ugly compared to vanilla. Nexus devices and devices with Cyanogenmod support are where it's at, everything else is crippled Android that loses out to iOS - if you want a restricted OS, it might as well look shiny instead.

That said, hardware looks good, but again, all this BS about people being "intimidated"... intimidated users go to Apple. And stock Android UI is the least intimidating thing out there, so why mess with it?

U.S. availability is currently set for Q3 of this year, though we haven't heard anything on pricing or carriers just yet.

Another reminder how the US market is messed up. In normal countries, you don't buy a phone from a carrier and end up being stuck with a SIM-locked phone (which is now illegal to unlock thanks to screwed up US laws), a ton of bloatware and slow or non-existent updates. You buy a phone in the electronics store, then you go to a carrier of your choice and buy a SIM that doesn't lock you into any kind of contract... and you also pay less for most services. E.g. in India 1 minute of phone call (mobile to mobile) is about $0.02 (and yes, the quality of call is good) and an SMS is less than $0.01 (since they're practically free, carriers throw around promotions like 100-1000 free SMS per month for $1-5 or so).

Vote with your wallets, Americans. Buy unlocked phones only, you end up paying 2-3x with your "contract" BS, it's like getting a credit with an insane interest rate. Make use of WiFi hotspots at home, work and restaurants to avoid using extremely overpriced mobile Internet. Root your phones and unlock features that you are entitled to - tethering and so on. Install Cyanogenmod if you can - despite Google playing on the carriers' side and removing CM one-step installer from Play Store, it's still available on CM site. Make your carriers stop ripping you off, or else they'll soon start charging you for every swipe on the screen. Realize how much your market sucks compared to the rest of the world and change it before it's too late.

12382159 said:

Despicable. I am sick of device vendors crapping up Android with their "custom UIs" and "useful apps".

Cheers to that! Like why do I need to have a Samsung Gear app on my phone when I don't and won't ever own a Samsung Gear?! I can't even disable the app!!!

12382159 said:

You buy a phone in the electronics store, then you go to a carrier of your choice and buy a SIM that doesn't lock you into any kind of contract.

I never understood why Sony doesn't do this. They have a huge network of company stores and retail partners. Why they don't sell all their phones directly, like all the other electronics they make I don't understand. How come Apple is the only who can successfully sell their own products?! Makes no sense!!!

while I agree with you guys 100% on that notion... and use nexus devices myself, please consider this:google ALLOWS, or even slightly encourages, hardware manufacturers to put all that custom UI bs on there. why you ask?google is a internet based services company. nearly ALL of it's revenue comes from services. it can sell devices (read nexus brand) at the cost of build and do so forever as long as people continue to buy stuff on the play store and give google marketing information to sell etc etc. without "custom UIs" etc to allow a manufacturer to distinguish themselves, google will lose all of its manufacturers because it is impossible to have a price war against nexus devices. in case you ask, the ONLY reason myself and many others would consider a galaxy device is for the microSD and removable battery...

I agree with most of what has been stated. However, unlocked phones are more expensive and plans that are for unlocked phones are only marginally cheaper ~$15. The only thing keeping me from buying a Nexus phone - I own the Nexus 7 2013, and love it - is the lack of support for MicroSD and user removable batteries.I purchased a 64GB MicroSD and a ZeroLemon Extended Battery for my S4 that was tied to a 2 year plan. I have since installed Cyanogenmod with the installer and have had zero problems. There were a few things lost, such as the multi-window, but I have yet to actually need it. It was a gimmicky feature on the S4 anyways. Since I switched, I absolutely love CM.In all honesty, if a Nexus device offered MicroSD and removable batteries, I think that would send a lot of people their way.