Introducing the new Ubuntu Edge

4 days ago Canonical made a teaser on the ubuntu.com website making people wonder what it could be. I have seen many articles on the internet trying to guess what it is, but today Canonical reveals the new Ubuntu Edge. Note that the following is taken from Canonical's speech (not my words)

What is ubuntu Edge?

In the car industry, Formula 1 provides a commercial testbed for cutting-edge technologies. The Ubuntu Edge project aims to do the same for the mobile phone industry -- to provide a low-volume, high-technology platform, crowdfunded by enthusiasts and mobile computing professionals. A pioneering project that accelerates the adoption of new technologies and drives them down into the mainstream.

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This beautifully crafted smartphone is a proving ground for the most advanced mobile technologies on the horizon, a showpiece for true mobile innovation. And at the heart of it all is convergence: connect to any monitor and this Ubuntu phone transforms into an Ubuntu PC, with a fully integrated desktop OS and shared access to all files.

We’re fascinated by converged computing, the idea that the smartphone in your pocket can also be the brain of the PC on your desk. We’ve shaped Ubuntu so you can transition seamlessly between the two environments. Now all that’s needed is a phone that’s designed from the ground up to be a PC as well.

The Ubuntu Edge is our very own superphone, a catalyst to drive the next generation of personal computing.

The Hardware

We’ve scoured the research labs of the biggest companies and most exciting startups for the latest and greatest mobile technologies to specify the first-generation Edge.

Crafted from cool, textured amorphous metal, the Edge has a distinctive, precise look but its rakishly chamfered edges are shaped to fit naturally in the palm -- our design prototype already has a wonderfully solid feel. It’s the right size, too. Edge gestures are the next big thing in mobile, and our testing has found that a 4.5in screen is ideal for comfortable control of all four edges with one hand.

We also believe the race for ever higher resolution has become a distraction. Beyond 300ppi you’re adding overhead rather than improving display clarity. We think colour, brightness and dynamic range are now the edge of invention so we’ll choose a display for its balance of resolution, dynamic range and colour accuracy.

We’ll protect that gorgeous display with something vastly tougher than glass: pure sapphire crystal, a material so hard only diamond could scratch it. For a phone to run a full desktop OS, it must have the raw power of a PC. We’ll choose the fastest available multi-core processor, at least 4GB of RAM and a massive 128GB of storage. The battery will use silicon-anode technology, so we can squeeze more energy into the same dimensions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFN4k-AFEbw

With that kind of muscle, this phone can be your main PC anywhere -- and we really do mean anywhere. You can use the desktop wherever you can find a standard HDMI screen, and the dual-LTE chip will get you online with 4G even when you’re travelling abroad. It’s desktop computing gone truly mobile.

The Software

Next-generation hardware deserves innovative software. The Ubuntu Edge will dual-boot both the Ubuntu phone OS and Android, and convert into a fully integrated Ubuntu desktop PC.



First, Ubuntu mobile. We designed the interface to create a beautiful home screen that’s free from the usual clutter. You navigate by swiping over an edge of the screen: open your favourite apps on the left edge, switch instantly between open apps from the right, and use the system and app toolbars at the top and bottom respectively. It’s so simple, Ubuntu doesn’t need a home button at all.

Specialist data artists have designed Ubuntu’s welcome screen, with graphics that evolve over time to reflect your use of the phone. We’ve reinvented the inbox so you can read and respond to texts, emails and social media posts in an instant.



From mobile... to desktop. Yes, it’s the full Ubuntu desktop OS used by millions on a daily basis -- and it runs directly from the phone, so you’ll be able to move seamlessly from one environment to the other with no file syncing or transfers required. The core OS and applications are fully integrated with their smartphone equivalents, so you can even make and receive calls from the desktop while you work.

Finally, you can also boot the phone into Android. And there’s a good reason for that...

The rollout plan

As well as being a bonus for app developers and anyone with a big Android app collection, including Android on the phone means we’re able to offer full convergence at launch. On day one, you’ll be able to launch the Ubuntu desktop from within Android using our existing Ubuntu for Android app. That integration is fully functional today, as you can see from this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtNhlVn3ETQ

Then shortly after launch we’ll push out a free software update that adds this desktop integration to Ubuntu mobile as well. That’s the real goal we’re working towards. At that point you’ll have a leading-edge smartphone that runs Ubuntu and Android, both of which can also run a fully integrated Ubuntu desktop OS. What other phone can match that?

However you choose to use Ubuntu Edge, the incredible components will keep it running fast and fresh as our software evolves. We’ll push out monthly Ubuntu software updates to add features and polish, and we guarantee to keep supporting the phone for three years.

For the developers

HTML5 apps written for other platforms can be brought over to Ubuntu with ease, and any web property can quickly be adapted to run as a web app, with its own icon and access to system services. For richer applications, use our QML toolkit for amazingly productive high-performance engineering.

But best of all, using the Ubuntu SDK you can write and upload a single native application that has desktop, tablet and phone interfaces. It’s a developer’s dream.

Technical specifications

• Dual boot Ubuntu mobile OS and Android


• Fully integrated Ubuntu desktop PC when docked


• Fastest multi-core CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage


• 4.5in 1,280 x 720 HD sapphire crystal display


• 8mp low-light rear camera, 2mp front camera


• Dual-LTE, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, NFC


• GPS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass, barometer


• Stereo speakers with HD audio, dual-mic recording, Active Noise Cancellation


• MHL connector, 3.5mm jack


• Silicon-anode Li-Ion battery


• 64 x 9 x 124mm

Specifications are subject to change.



To read more about the project, the risks and challenges, please refer to the indiegogo page.

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