

Ubuntu Edge Gets First Major Corporate Backer, Funding Still Off Needed Pace - samspenc
http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/07/ubuntu-edge-gets-its-first-major-corporate-backer-in-bloomberg-but-funding-still-off-needed-pace/

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fingerprinter
Even if the Ubuntu Edge campaign doesn't reach its goal, I'm super excited
about Ubuntu Touch. I've been running Ubuntu Touch on my Nexus 4 for a while
and it is just awesome. Super smooth, great experience and it really shows its
potential.

I do hope Ubuntu Edge does reach $32M, but even if not, the future for Ubuntu
on phones is very bright.

~~~
davidroetzel
Do you think the Edge's hardware will be a major improvement over the Nexus 4?

I am asking because I wonder why I should wait until next year for the Edge
when Ubuntu Touch works just as well on a Nexus 4.

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crowleysimon
It "should" be considerably more powerful as it's designed to not only run
ubuntu touch but also a full fledged ubuntu when its plugged into a monitor.

See this video for what that currently looks like on a nexus 4:
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk9-v8Sl4yU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk9-v8Sl4yU)
Not that nice in my opinion.

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Stratoscope
> Ubuntu itself is seeking an exorbitant $32 million to make [the Edge]
> happen...

That is a really annoying misuse of the language. There's nothing exorbitant
(unreasonably high, excessive, inordinate, extravagant, undue, exceeding all
bounds of custom or fairness) about it. Yes, it's a lot of money, but I trust
Canonical's judgment that this is what it will take.

Perhaps the word the author was looking for was "ambitious".

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notatoad
I think exorbitant is a valid word for it. yes, it is the actual cost of the
manufacturing run, but expecting to raise that full amount via crowd funding
rather than seeking any traditional investors qualifies it as exorbitant.

~~~
robryan
Does it state anywhere that this is the full amount required? Maybe they need
this amount for the finances to work to push it forward and eventually seek
additional funding.

~~~
notatoad
in the reedit am a the Ubuntu team did they said they were seeking full
funding via indiegogo

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laxatives
Sounds like free advertising with a very likely possibility that they never
have to pay a dime at the end of the day.

~~~
heldrida
Same here! Anyway, nice they did it though. Couldn't ubuntu advertise this in
Dubai where rich people waste money in stupid projects ?! Who knows...

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ibudiallo
Whether it passes or not Ubuntu edge has set the tone for what to expect in
the next generation smartphone/personal computing.

I bet Google, Apple and Microsoft are already on their drawing board.

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apaprocki
A bit of a pre-cursor leading up to this, from Roy Bahat (head of Bloomberg
Beta):
[http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130801174730-38...](http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130801174730-3890229-help-
deliver-the-smartphone-of-your-dreams?published=t)

~~~
samspenc
Hmmm, looks like that's a personal post saying why _he_ supports Ubuntu Edge
though ... no hint of that being a reason why Bloomberg supported it? But I
could be wrong...

~~~
apaprocki
(I'm an employee) True, it is Roy's personal opinion, but he's able to voice
his opinion at the office too :) The official quotes from the CTO are in a few
of the articles out there and on the project page[1]. We do a lot of work in
the mobile space (both consumer and professional, on iOS, Android, BB), which
people may or may not be aware of.

[1]: [http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-
edge?c=activity#act...](http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-
edge?c=activity#activities_container)

~~~
samspenc
Ah thanks for the clarification!

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ihsw
Ubuntu needs to offer an $8K plan: identical to the $80K one but with only 10
devices rather than 100.

They already offered additional plans to meet demand, why stop now?

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mistercheese
Forgive my crowd funding ignorance, but what's to stop them from just paying
themselves (as a mysterious donor) whatever the gap is at the end so that they
keep whatever amount they do manage to raise?

~~~
pavs
Mark specifically said in Reddit AMA, he won't do it. That would defeat the
whole purpose. Its less of a profit making endeavour and more of a "testing
the water" project. Think of Google Nexus brand, only smaller scale.

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zeckalpha
Isn't the Canonical the first Major Corporate Backer?

