'Junkware' comes standard on Verizon, T-Mobile smart phones

On the PCs, you could at least uninstall the "value added" software bundles. Or if that didn't go well (we all know how these uninstallers work), you could at least buy another copy of Windows and install that after wiping the installation clean.<p>On the smartphones, you have to go the dubious route of using security flaws in the firmware to install a custom ROM, on the way invalidating your warranty.<p>That's why I was so happy about the Nexus One as that came (mostlly <i>cough</i> Amazon MP3 <i>cough</i>) "pristine" out of the box and you can even officially install a custom ROM image (still invalidating the warranty though, but at least the procedure is officially sanctioned and thus probably continues to work even as the firmware gets updated).<p>Too bad Google won't do a Nexus two.

Apparently the Droid X comes with extra <i>hardware</i> that bricks the phone if you try to root it:<p><a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366536,00.asp" rel="nofollow">http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366536,00.asp</a><p><a href="http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/droid-x-discussion/3330-how-droid-x-locked-down-let-me-tell-you-what-i-know.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/droid-x-discussion/3330-h...</a><p>I wish people wouldn't do business with such consumer-unfriendly organizations. Or rather, I wish this was illegal.

Google should do what the Mozilla project does with Firefox and use their Android trademark to enforce user-experience standards before this becomes an epidemic. If the carriers take their Android code and use it to punch their customers in the face like this, don't let them call it Android anymore.

The original Nexus One from Google is still the only Android device I would buy. I worry what comes next, since Google doesn't seem to plan doing that kind of thing anymore :-(

Sprint did a lot of this too. On the EVO I got at Google I/O I remember a Sprint NexTel Cup Nascar App that was completely uninstallable. I've since gotten rid of the phone. I much prefer my N1 with stock Android.

I heard about a similar situation for AT&#38;T's first Android phone, the BackFlip, which besides coming with uninstallable crapware, forced Yahoo search as the default on all applications that used it.<p>I wonder if Google had to give the carriers this flexibility in order to get them to use the OS?

This is worse junkware than Apple's compass or stocks apps. Way worse. Hopefully this doesn't begin to happen more often.

Orange UK does this as well. I bought my HTC Desire from Orange, with no intention of doing anything to it, but I ended up having to reflash it with a debranded ROM because the bundled software (much of which was demoware) could not be removed and was cluttering up my phone.<p>Now I'm stuck eyeing every software update warily in case it screws up some critical piece of phone functionality - like the last system update, which caused wifi to stop working and required a full reflash and an £8 network unlock code to fix. Thanks Orange...<p>I honestly don't mind too much if some extra software is installed when I get a phone - as long as I can remove it!

Microsoft seems to have learnt its lesson well here for WP7. They apparently will not allow the carriers to place more than a couple of apps which will be removable by the user.

My G1 came with Amazon's MP3 store, so sadly this isn't even a new phenomenon for smart phones.

This story and the Droid X self-destruct debacle are both reaffirming my decision to buy an iPhone 4. Apple would sooner run Windows Mobile 7 on their phones than they would install third party demos, etc on the phone.

well there goes the whole freedom argument. ouch.

I, for one, appreciate the effort that the carriers have spent to pre-install apps for me!

The way I see it, the people who are actually bothered by this kind of thing will know how to remove it from their devices. On a related note, the Droid Incredible has been rooted: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2010/07/15/finally-the-droid-life-incredible-has-been-rooted/" rel="nofollow">http://www.droid-life.com/2010/07/15/finally-the-droid-life-...</a><p>Some people are saying that the eFuse technology in the Droid X will prevent it from being rooted as well, but that may not necessarily be the case: <a href="http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/07/15/reality-check-modding-the-droid-x-may-not-lead-to-a-bricked-phone/" rel="nofollow">http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/07/15/reality-check-modd...</a>