Canonical Now Seeking $32 Million In Crowd-Funding For Its First Smartphone – [TEASER]

The launch of Ubuntu Edge will mark the first-ever smartphone from Canonical — the parent company behind the popular Linux-based operating system, Ubuntu.

However, in order for the ambitious project to become a reality, Canonical must first ask the Internet for 32 Million Dollars.

That’s right. $32,000,000.

The future handset will be capable of dual-booting both Canonical’s own open-source ‘Ubuntu Touch’ software, (alongside Android OS), and was originally available for a pledge of just $600.

However, this pledge level has now (sadly) – “Sold Out.”

But, fear not! — If you still want to experience the future of “converged computing,” Canonical is still offering the mobile device for a one-time pledge of $830 (plus shipping).

“Canonical says it’s adopted crowdfunding to see which technologies early adopters are interested in paying for, without a manufacturer having to spend millions on developing a product that then proves to be a flop,” Rich Trenholm reports for CNET, highlighting that “[the company] insists this is not a full move into the phone hardware market.”

With the project’s goal of $32 Million marking the biggest crowd-funding ask in the history of the internet, as of writing, the Ubuntu Edge has managed to find 6,287 backers who agree that the handset should exist, with those same people having contributed a total of $3,207,372 to the project (so far).

If you want to get your own preorder in for a Ubuntu Edge handset, with expected delivery set for May 2014, simply head over to Indiegogo, today.

/ CNET