Ubuntu Edge: 3 Things To Think About

The cross-over Android device wants to break through barriers and smash records. TechRepublic's Jason Hiner boils down the three key takeaways.

This could be the mobile device that finally has enough power and moxie to replace a PC, because it can act just like one.

With the Ubuntu Edge, that’s exactly what Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth would like you to believe. Announced Monday, the Ubuntu Edge is a high-powered Android smartphone that will also dock and provide a full desktop experience using Ubuntu. It runs bleeding-edge hardware squarely aimed at enthusiasts and it has launched one of the world's largest crowdfunding campaigns to date in order to make it happen.

Whether Shuttleworth is right or wrong, it’s impossible to ignore the ambitiousness of what Ubuntu is trying to pull off. And, there’s a possibility that it could empower early adopters and power users to have a bigger voice in product development in the tech industry.