Ubuntu Edge: A new type of phone

I’ve been following Ubuntu (well known for it’s Linux distribution) for a while – I have a Live USB of it (so that I can run Ubuntu on my computer without worrying about Windows) and I actually like the way they see the desktop in Unity. Unity has been a bone of contention for many Linux lovers – “Why add another user interface paradigm?” they cried…

Now we know. Canonical (parent company of Ubuntu) is crowd-funding their new mobile phone, Ubuntu Edge, over at Indiegogo. It looks great, and it may just change the world (or at least the mobile world)!

Canonical announced Ubuntu for Mobile a while ago now, which drew attention away from a project Canonical has been working on for a couple of years – Ubuntu for Android (and it’s partner: Ubuntu for Phones). These two projects were interesting to watch because the idea makes sense. And that’s unusual for mobile phones.

The core concept behind both Ubuntu for Android and Ubuntu for Phones is that we all carry them with us, where ever we are and they actually feature really decent hardware. In short, they are computers which fit in your hand and pocket. Canonical had the idea of actually making the computer and your phone into the same thing. That is, your mobile phone can be used as a mobile phone, but plug it into a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and you can have a full blown desktop Operating System – running (of course) one of the most popular and stable (and secure) Linux distributions around: Ubuntu. The main difference between both flavours is that Ubuntu for Android can start in Ubuntu Desktop, or the world leading Android Mobile OS, while Ubuntu for Phones has it’s own mobile version of Ubuntu instead of Android.

Do you think they have a chance? Answers in the comments, please.

You can read more about it at their Indiegogo page: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-edge

or just have a look at their videos:

Introducing the hardware:

The Software story:

Promo video (of course, the least informative):