Ubik's quest to build your dream Android phone starts with the Uno

Ubik says it's "the best Android Smartphone you'll be able to buy for the foreseeable future," though it's really hard to see how that's the case. New flagships like the Galaxy Note 5 and less expensive phones aimed at hardcore Android users like the OnePlus Two are on the way this summer. And if price isn't a pressing concern, better options like the LG G4 and Galaxy S6 can be bought today.

But during our meeting, Ubik almost seemed more interested in what's to come after Uno. The company has lofty goals of becoming the first "open source brand." No, that doesn't mean it'll be releasing schematics and selling parts for its phone so you can assemble it and make modifications. What Ubik means by "open source" is that it will let community input decide what goes into its second smartphone. Want a higher resolution display, or OLED instead of LCD? Perhaps you'd like to see Ubik produce a non-phablet device, or stick with Qualcomm's more popular chipsets. You'll be able to make your voice heard through polls and in forums. Ubik says it aims to "assign every function a price," and eventually let customers pick what they want (or don't) via a web tool. It'd be like MotoMaker, but for parts and internal components.

Does all of that sound overly optimistic for a company yet to prove itself in the US? Absolutely. If it actually ships, will this thing get regular Android software updates? What will customer support look like? There are plenty of uncertainties, but that's what we're used to from any product that starts life through crowdfunding. This is the ambitious, dream big path Ubik sees for itself — assuming its Kickstarter goes well, anyway. The Uno is the first step, and deliveries are slated to start going out in September.