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Ubuntu Edge

indiegogo.com

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Re: Ubuntu Edge

#271

Post by cupcake-unicorn »

I'm kind of torn about this. While I would like to see more diversity in the phone world, I wish that the focus this time was more on the open hardware and specifications. If Ubuntu is pushing this phone tied to the Ubuntu OS, they're really not that much different than what Apple and MS are doing with their mobile devices.

I'm assuming and hoping that if this launches, the hardware and software will be open enough for people to start making their own OSes. It's just unfortunate, and I feel in a way backwards thinking, to make this Kickstarter with such a huge funding goal and not have the focus be on why it's important and why it stands apart - which is I believe the open standards for hardware and software.

I'm just not a big fan of Ubuntu as an OS, and I'd love to have a phone that was so open that I had as many options in distros as I do on the desktop. I'd much rather see a Kickstarter for a completely open hardware phone that encouraged people to be creative with both the hardware and the software, which I don't think this project is going to promote other than an afterthought.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#274

Post by crawrey »

justincormack wrote: post #91
jonrx wrote: post #8

I don't know how viable a crowd-funding campain can be for a smartphone. 1 year until delivery seems fair for the makers, but unfortunately the competition will during this time release new devices with better specs. Looks cool though. Reminds me physically of the Motorola DROID RAZR.

Fairphone hit their target; they haven't shipped yet but it looks good. http://www.fairphone.com

Props for mentioning Fairphone! I can't wait to get mine in October.

Ubuntu Edge does look good though, mostly because it should be a viable hybrid Mobile/Desktop replacement. While I won't be supporting it, I do hope it goes ahead.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#275

Post by jlgaddis »

jfb wrote: post #249
chimeracoder wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On every[0] Humble Bundle so far, the highest average donations come from Linux users. On some, they've even donated the same amount or more in total dollars compared to OS X users - ie, Linux users have been more profitable even though they have a much smaller market share. In short, Linux users are very profitable (per-user). [0] I can't confirm that it's 100%, but it's been every Humble Bundle I've participated in…

My gut feeling is that someone running Linux as their desktop OS has had to opt in; this means that the pool of potential desktop Linux game purchasers is more likely to be made up of people who are motivated by Linux itself; and that these people are thus more likely to be people who are invested in the success of Linux as an environment. I'm not au courant with Linux in any of its various forms, so my assumptions a…

> ... these people are thus more likely to be people who are invested in the success of Linux as an environment.

I think that you are correct -- at least in part.

I have zero desire to play games but I have purchased many of the Humble Bundles, for example, simply to "support the cause" and encourage other vendors to also consider Linux as a viable platform. I usually give away whatever it is that I've bought.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#276

Post by jlgaddis »

sspiff wrote: post #65
bryanlarsen wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would have backed based on this theory if it was a Kickstarter project. Kickstarter uses Amazon and doesn't charge until the end of the drive. Indiegogo uses Paypal, and charges immediately, giving a refund if the drive fails. While both of these differences aren't quite showstoppers, they're enough that I didn't pull the trigger on something that seems highly unlikely to succeed. I wouldn't mind paying $600 for th…

In my experience, refunds on PayPal go back to your credit card. Am I wrong about this?

If you use a credit or debit card, yes. PayPal, however, does everything possible to (get you to) use ACH transfer from your bank account instead. In that case, I believe that you would end up with $600/$850 sitting in your PayPal account and withdrawing can be a PITA in some cases.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#277

Post by larkarvin »

mbesto wrote: post #159

I only have one question - battery life? This is the only thing that matters if it becomes a hinderance, and the only thing that doesn't matter if it's not.

We have the same question, they did not mention anything about battery life. I'm not sure about the video, I don't have my sound card installed on my office workstation. If this could last as 5 hrs for an Ubuntu Desktop, I'll buy one.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#278

Post by slacka »

seabrookmx wrote: post #215
fingerprinter wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think 4 gigs of ram, sapphire display and 128gb ssd are going to be the norm in 2014? Not very likely. That would be just about double the Samsung S4 right now. I don't think it is very likely for 2014. 2015, maybe though. And I don't think Canonical is going to build the phone but work with someone to do it. > (3) would be a negative for me... you would get the slowest, least power efficient, and most app-baron…

The S4 has a 1080p screen (better than the edge) a Quad (comparable to the edge) and with SD cards, can be expanded to 128gb of storage on the cheap. Not to mention the app selection for Android is unbeatable. Sure it didn't have many apps in the early days, but because it was one of the first to market, it will retain this lead. Look at HP's touchpad, BB10, and Windows Phone - they've had years to catch up and have…

I have excellent vision, and I can't see the pixels on the 720p Nexus 4, nevermind the S4. I'm so sick of people in this thread claiming the S4 pentile 1080p S4 is better than a 720p display. When you double the resolution, you quadruple the number of pixels that must be rendered. This means that given the same CPU, your 1080p phone is going to be 50% slower in games and draw more battery power.

Give me longer battery life and better gaming performance over a meaningless spec. sheet number.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#279

Post by BenoitEssiambre »

I think this is a preview of things to come on other mobile OSs in the same way the openMoko open source phone was a harbinger of the first iPhone.

This Ubuntu prototype phone shows that the technology is ready for good phone/desktop integration. You can be sure Google and Apple are working on their own version of this and probably doing it with much more resources. Microsoft's attempt at convergence was premature and resulted in two OSs that superficially look the same but aren't really integrated.

I do think Ubuntu has much more chances of succeeding than openMoko ever had.

This indiegogo approach is a smart and bold strategy that could bring higher level of development resources than open source projects are usually able to get. Open source is good for getting a great community and great ideas together but often the thin margins and low barrier for competitors means we don't get the level of investment necessary to bring the polish, documentation and support necessary for mass appeal. A kickstarter/indiegogo approach could help with this under-investment issue.

Will it be enough? As a longtime Ubuntu desktop user, I can only hope.

Re: Ubuntu Edge

#280

Post by TheLegace »

oblique63 wrote: post #63
ealexhudson wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it's quite possible they realise how unlikely the target is, and it could just be a way of attempting to demonstrate the market (given $830 is likely at one end of the bell-curve, it's a potentially interesting data point). I find it a bit baffling. I refuse to believe Canonical want to enter the hardware market, but maybe there is a Nexus-like role for this hardware in terms of getting the ODMs to up their gam…

> I refuse to believe Canonical want to enter the hardware market I don't know, from all the design hints Canonical's been dropping in the last few years, it seems like they really are trying to place themselves as direct competitors to apple, however naive/overambitious that may sound. So a play for hardware wouldn't surprise me that much. I think this stunt would make much less sense if it were purely to advance an…

In the video Mark says that they're not making it for consumers and saying that they want other companies to do it and they will show them kind of thing.

It doesn't sound to inspiring in the long term though.

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