[Quoth]

You don't have to enable a Google account unless you want to use the Playstore. Then the Mars is no different to any other Android thing I have or have had. So I don't know what you mean by Janky.

I'd not give the Playstore ON ANY DEVICE, my paypal or credit card. Google is obnoxious in how they do that. A Playstore gift card from the supermarket seems to be the only sane way to buy Playstore items. It was a nightmare getting Paypal disconnected from Google! That was long before I got a Boyue Likebook Mars.

And Google is MUCH worse than a foreign government, unless it's your OWN government and you live in the Nation State with malicious tracking, which they can do external to the device via your ISP or mobile operator.