http://insights.ubuntu.com/news/canonical-announces-first-partners-to-ship-ubuntu-phones-around-the-globe/

This is cool because the press was making it sound like we would get no Ubuntu Touch phones until 2015.  Here they are saying 2014 (my guess Q4). 

So I hope they come out with a high end phone in the US cause I'm kinda sick of everyone elses walled gardens.

Yeah, this is good news.  It will be nice to have an OS that is free and not tied to one of the giant three.  I also see a future where the handheld replaces the computer all together -- basically plugging into a work-doc much like a laptop may today. 

more facts/rumors

http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/19/ubuntu-phones-meizu-and-bq-mobile/

So the next steps to overcome are:

1. Getting US carriers to carry these phones (US carriers are another walled garden, not as open as UK or EU), or
2. Have the OEMs make unlocked phones compatible with US carriers and sell them direct like the Nexus phones.

Sounds like Walmart.

Actually I like buying an unlocked phone. Both my old Nexus 4 and my current Blackberry Z10 are unlocked GSM phones comparable with both ATT and T-Mobile.  Handy that.

I hope we have lots of choices with the whole lineup.  Sounds like bigger name OEMs are lined up for 2015.

They have been so quiet I thought Canonical had died.  Looks like we will know more after June 11.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Meizu-to-Show-the-First-MX3-Ubuntu-Phone-at-Mobile-Asia-Expo-2014-445563.shtml

The release to manufacturing branch shows they are getting close.