Ubuntu Edge: Too Ambitious ?
It’s been over 3 weeks now since Canonical first opened up their crowd sourcing strategy in an attempt to get the very first Ubuntu Touch handset released to those who wanted it badly enough. Currently $695 will bag you an Ubuntu Edge due for delivery in May 2014.
Smashing the all time crowd sourcing records by pulling in over $11,060.000 to date on the indiegogo crowd sourcing site, but with only 4 days remaining, they are however still short of over $20,000,000 to give the project the green light, making it very unlikely that the handset will see the light of day at this late stage.
Credit to Ubuntu for breaking all records and showing the world like Jolla have done, that crowd sourcing is perhaps the new way for smaller, up and coming tech companies, but have Canonical been too ambitious in this instance?
The handset itself appears to be good value for money given the very high end hardware specs and finish:
- Dual boot Ubuntu mobile OS and Android
- Fully integrated Ubuntu desktop PC when docked
- Fastest multi-core CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage
- Micro-SIM
- 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
- 11-pin connector providing simultaneous MHL and USB OTG
- 3.5mm jack
- Silicon-anode Li-Ion battery
- 64 x 9 x 124mm
It also goes without saying that raising over $11,000,000 will certainly be seen as a success whichever way you look at it, however you do have to feel sympathy towards all those people who have pledged their hard earned cash but will potentially have nothing to show for it by the end.
Jolla’s own ‘Invesdor’ based crowd sourcing effort seemed somehow a little more attainable with either 0, 40 or 100 euros options required to book the handset with a shorter planned lead time for delivery.
Putting such a relatively high initial price on the Ubuntu Edge and expecting people to commit such a relatively large sum of money without having seen the handset, accompanied by a 10 month waiting period was always going to be a risky strategy, but one that at least showed there is scope for Shuttleworth & Co to consider something like this when they perhaps have more of their own capital to make up the deficit.
On a side note, there is also the fact that Canonical appear to have ruffled a few feathers with the very folk who would normally be their strongest supporters, that is, the Linux community themselves which doesn’t bode particularly well in moving forward – let’s hope a resolution can be made between the two parties.
One thing also clear from this experience is that Canonical have set some very interesting concepts in place that may well end up shaping the future of mobile/computing for years to come, and while they have certainly been ambitious, that can’t be seen as a bad thing.
There is of course still time (4 days) to turn the campaign around and make miracles happen – we would love to try out the new Ubuntu Edge as the whole concept does look very clever and well thought through from a software/hardware perspective.
Finally, I feel there are a lot of parallels that can be made with Canonical/Jolla’s approach in general and perhaps things that both companies can learn from this experience and that maybe, just maybe, Jolla’s approach has been that little bit more realistic given the set of circumstances.
Did you pledge on the Edge ?
Sail On…
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Didnt pledge a an Edge. However I personally think their design concept is the one that I had hoped from Jolla. I´m not saying the Jolla device design is bad, but I would definitely prefer the black “no nonsense” design of the Edge….
The Jolla handset will be available in black afaik. Remember you can’t expect a ferrari style build when you are paying the price of a bmw…
I pledged on a a Edge and also on Jola. I like those new players and I want them to be in first places instead of IOS and Androïd… I know, I can wait a bit for that… :p
I agree. If I had the money, as I will in a couple of months or so, I would have bought it without even blinking.
The Edge is not too ambitious, rather there was not enough research put into the campaign’s launch. For the amount of money the campaign was asking for, and the time of year (August is holiday period in Western countries), a 30 / 31 day was an inadequate timespan to treble the then crowdfunding record.
Android ruins the deal for me.
In the same way as Jolla have done with their compatibility layer, they are offering a transitional option for current Android users. If you factor in how many Android users there are who would be more likely to consider such handsets if they could at least have the peace of mind knowing all their apps won’t be lost and there would be minimal disruption, then you see that this is a smart move.
The fact is, it is an immense task to try and get people to move away from an ecosystem they already use/know so a backup plan like this is sensible IMO if you want your handset to have a fighting chance with a brand new untried ecosystem in this sea of competition. Then upon the realisation of how much better Sailfish/Ubuntu is they will most likely use the Android aspects less and less especially as developers get on board and native apps start gathering momentum.
If Jolla would have included full Anrdoid dual booting I’d boycott them too. Android is just too rotten and unusable from my point of view.
Fair enough…. ;-)
Yes, agree completely. So many things just works too poorly in android, I have a Asus TF700T pad and just it sucks so badly. I don’t think its Asus fault, they are a very good hardware developer. Sure they have some OEM crap in there, but disabling that and android still works very poorly.
I can’t believe how some people think android is a working alternative to the iEvil stuff. They must be totally blind.
* lagging, no matter how speedy device and stripped down from OEM apps, it always ends up lagging anyway.
* The touch UI for editing is so badly conceived that I simply don’t trust it with webforms at all. How small fingers do you need to move around those markers? Man, it’s just so flawed.
* Apps are very frequently buggy, bloated and inefficient. They crash and behave unexpectedly. Java attracts substandard developers, its a fact.
* https:// dowloading fails completely on some sites, regardless of browser (they are probably using the same backend). Has been like that forever and newest android version is no different. The general support on web pages is poor, same for all browsers. I had to uninstall chrome completely because it had background processes that lagged the device so badly it could hardly be used.
I will NEVER look for another android device again.
I am very glad Jolla didn’t opt for a dual boot solution, it would have ruined their handset.
Ubuntu Edge is a nice phone for sure, and I like the Phone/Desktop thing about it.
But since I personally don’t agree with many decisions of Ubuntu in the recent past (Amazon search by default, Mir display server) I didn’t bother to do a pledge on it.
I don’t think putting a PC or server OS or environment is the way to go for a phone. More confidence in a light weight OS and an organization that knows phones.
Anyway Jolla still better …end of story !!!
Olivier thanks for your input. That was never in question and I hope you agree it is interesting to see how another very similar story is unfolding in a very different way.
Like I said in the post, there are many parallels that can be drawn between Jolla and Ubuntu and as a commentator for Jolla, it is interesting to observe, report and importantly, remain objective.
The most important thing here is that whether you are a fan of Jolla, Ubuntu, Firefox, each company is attempting to achieve the same goal – that is – as open source platforms, get some traction in a very competitive market. There is therefore a certain unity between the companies on many levels and if at least one can break through, it opens the barriers for others which is the ultimate goal.
PS. but yes of course we agree Jolla is the best! :-)
fugg phones with no user replaceable battery.
@Bern: I also find it very strange that these companies will go out of there way to use the highest value materials (sapphire glass/metal frame) to make the phone virtually indestructible… but then they go and make it impossible to get into so you’re stuck with the weak link battery that’s going to die eventually leaving you with an expensive paperweight or more sh*t to throw in our ever growing landfills = WAKE UP!
Fortunately for people who are willing to dig a bit deeper, there are good people like LE55ONS who make it possible to figure out how to do it yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9u7r4j0atU
And also thank goodness Jolla have made their battery user replaceable. :-)
exactly. they only do it for a more polished look which is a sin and does not outweigh the downsides. then you should be able the open the baby up without voiding warranty.
I didn’t know that, but glad to hear. It was in a way also to expect that they would have a replaceable one, because we know that the Jolla developers THINK in contrast to the other phone/tablet hardware and software companies.
Jolla is cheaper and I don’t need / want such high end (and thus expensive) device in my pockets.
I committed to jolla, not on the Edge.
I’d commit only to resell the phone as once is developed it won’t sell on stores but it will be shipped only to who “preorder” now.
I agree – Jolla got their pricing just right IMO.
well, honestly at the moment in my opinion Jolla price is a bit high — nokia is dropping prices on their dual core wp8 phones and now they sell at 350 euro, I saw an heavily discounted lumia 9xx (don’t remember the model, maybe a 920) at 299€ on a shop about three weeks ago — considering that when Jolla will ship prices will have dropped further.
A Jolla should sell at no more than 349, in my opinion (considering the price of competitors phones when it will ship) the right price is at 249€. I gave trust to them, let’s see the final specs anyway.
By the way, did you get a chance to grab more information regarding the alarm sounding if the phone is turned off? Reference: /2013/05/24/have-you-pre-ordered-vote-to-be-heard/comment-page-1/#comment-4519
thank you
@ c.la – 2 points to make on that:
1/ Lumia 920 has been superseded by lumia 925 and lumia 1020 so they have reduced the price greatly because of this. You have to compare launch price for an accurate comparison and the Lumia 920 cost 200 Euros more than Jolla handset upon release @599 Euros http://www.zdnet.com/uk/-7000004909/
2/ If you were lucky enough to be in a country where the 100 Euro preorder was available, the Jolla handset will only cost 299 Euros which is an even bigger discount.
Not yet found that information – sorry – leaks are hard to find in this very solid boat! ;-)
I might agree that Lumia 920 is older hardware but my point is that “non techie” people see two phone on a store shelf that have similar spec and mostly go for the cheaper one.
I did the 100€ preorder but sorry to tell you that in the end the phone will cost 399€ — before preordering i explicitly asked jolla customer care about it and they replied stating that the second credit charge will be of 299€, for a total cost of 399.
I stand that 399 is high for a dual core lte phone, especially considering that by xmas time there will be more phones on the market with similar spec.
Please note that on the chinese market just came out the Xiaomi Hongmi, an 1,5Ghz A7 quad core with fullhd display, 1GB ram and dual sim for 799CNY, about 99 euro. it’s not lte (is hspa) but the price point is extremely tempting.
(sadly for jolla) hardware prices are dropping fast.
As I wrote, IMHO 399 should be the price for jolla + hwkb. 349€ otherwise.
I keep praying for Jolla to allow me to do the same that ubuntu promisses, dock it and use a real screen and keyboard, changing it’s appearence to a KDE desktop, so it becomes my computer everywhere!
It’s about time that people realize that a smartphone is just a small computer with a GSM “card” (that’s how these things were called back in the days). Maybe the Ubuntu-on-a-phone thing will wake some of them up. I want to do everything I can do with my laptop, modulo size, connectors, etc of course. ssh -X anyone? Backups with rsync? And even on the N900 with it’s tiny thumb-operated keyboard, vim in a terminal is better suited for note taking than the text editor thingy that comes preinstalled. I remember logging in to my Openmoko with ssh for the first time. That was a magical moment. It was MY phone! So please Jolla, make a phone that truly belongs to me and we will become friends forever.
I wish Ubuntu Edge well, & who knows, they may still come up with the phone by May 2014. Back to Jolla, the adjustments are very much welcome(I can’t wait for my pre-order to materialise). In closing, Ubuntu Edge have got pretty good ideas up their sleeve, Jolla can pick some of them for future development. Jolla: We are #Unlike!