Ubuntu Superphone Fundraiser Rakes In $1M On Debut

Canonical — makers of the Ubuntu distribution of Linux — is asking geeks to collectively cough up $32 million dollars in the next month to crowdfund a smartphone that could serve as a laptop replacement. Supporters have already pledged over $1 million in the first five hours of the fundraiser.

Earlier this year, the company announced Ubuntu Touch, a version of its operating system optimized for smartphones and tablets. From the beginning, Canonical has pitched “convergence” as Ubuntu Touch’s raison d’etre. Ubuntu Touch is actually a full installation of Ubuntu, but with an interface built for mobile devices. The idea is that when an Ubuntu Touch phone or tablet is connected to a monitor and keyboard, it will display the desktop version of Ubuntu’s Unity interface. But without laptop-grade specs, few people would actually ditch their PCs for a phone. That’s where the new phone comes in.

The proposed phone, called the Ubuntu Edge, would include “laptop grade” specs, such as 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Canonical hasn’t decided on a processor yet, but it would be competitive with lower-end laptops, CEO Mark Shuttleworth promised during a press call on Monday. [...]