Unfortunately Android's still the only really reasonable choice. Apple and MS are far more restrictive on the devices, and nothing seems to come close to the Nexus line of devices anyways.

It's pretty annoying that I can't rate apps I buy though.

Is privacy and device restrictiveness the same thing?

I don't want "open" necessarily, I want "respect" (for my privacy).

Unless you're going to inspect all the code/apps running on your system, an open-source OS isn't necessarily going to guarantee your privacy.

You're right, it's not. I don't really care about open source. I don't trust Google and I don't like their intrusive tactics. I'd actually feel more comfortable with Microsoft, as they probably have more layers of management preventing stuff getting done. I can't believe the part of the company that mismanaged the largest IM network into nothingness is competent enough to really invade my privacy to a disturbing degree.

More what I care about is making sure I can run software I'm interested in, and have my device do what I want it to do. Tethering (on a phone) regardless of carrier policy, for instance. Apps that might violate store policy -- I simply don't have the potential worry with Android.

I went with a Blackberry Z10 after reading about its built in encryption and privacy features in the book Cypherpunks.

As an aside, I checked out the new Q5 yesterday and it has refinements in all the right places. Both are highly underrated smartphones.

There's no reason to trust Blackberry. Even though the new devices can do IMAP directly (not indirectly through the "cloud"), they send your login credentials to RIM.

Details: http://frank.geekheim.de/?p=2379

Really though, try Jolla's Sailfish OS. It is a phenomenal product, and will beat Ubuntu Touch to market quite handily.