Canonical is asking for $32 million through crowdfunding site Indiegogo to help build its prototype smartphone. Interestingly , the cost was 600$ on day one and now it is priced at 800$ with free delivery across UK & US. It seems to be a very brave move from canonical since they claim no manufacturer is ready for it. They seem to have got support from the community , but $32 Million is a high amount and they have a target to sum it up in 31 days.
The prototype phone in discussion is the “Ubuntu Edge” , canonical has also given off some information about the hardware as well as its software capabilities.
The Hardware :
Although Canonical believes that the specs are subjected to change but hopes to hit with “the fastest available multi-core processor” as well as 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. All this packed in a 4.5 inch phone.
The specifications do seem quite impressive but the software part is even better.
The Software :
It has the capability to dual boot into both Android and the Ubuntu phone OS. Also, When “docked” with a computer, it will also run the full Ubuntu desktop operating system. It will run HTML5-based mobile Web apps that can be made through the Ubuntu Software Developer Kit (SDK) as well as Android applications.
Ways to show your support :
Canonical is offering five different tiers to support the Ubuntu Edge project. At $20, you can be an on the “Ubuntu Edge Founders page,” which basically means you get your name on some website. For $600, you get the opportunity to buy the Ubuntu Edge at a 24-hour introductory price. For $830, you actually will receive an Ubuntu Edge device when it is available. For $10,000, you will receive one of the first 50 numbered devices and access to app builders working on Ubuntu Edge apps as well as an invite to join Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth at an unveiling event. For $80,000, you can get the “Enterprise 100 Bundle” that consists of 100 devices, “plus access to best-practice workshops and 30 days of online support to help CIOs and IT managers integrate Ubuntu for Android into the workplace.”
Canonical has also answered the most asked question on why it is raising a whopping $32 million with the following on their FAQs page :
It’s all about scale. To offer the final product at a competitive price we need to produce enough volume to bring the unit costs down. At the same time, we want to be selecting parts that are not yet proven for multi-million-unit production. This is the balance we found. A lower funding target might seem more likely to succeed, but the individual perk amounts would have to be significantly higher. We believe this funding target and these perk levels give us the best chance of success.
great post you have here, love reading them