Crowdfunding an Ubuntu smartphone (right now)

[Joshua Judson Rosen]

So, funny conversation with my wife, last night...:

I said, "Hey, look at this--tell me what you think of this `Ubuntu Edge'
thing?", and I wandered off to get the toddler ready for bed.

When I came back, she said: "*I* want one *tooooo*! Can you get *two*!?"

I said, "Er..., maybe? If they actually meet their goal? But it's just
a preliminary `fixed-fundraising' campaign, remember; and they had
a huge surge of people willing to commit to buying one when they first
launched the fundraiser a week ago, but now it looks like it's been
tapering off. If they don't actually get $32-million in commitments,
then nothing actually happens."

She asked, "Do they even actually collect the money unless they
can get /all of it/?"

I said, "No...."

She said, "Well, then *do it*. OK?"

...

-- 
"'tis an ill wind that blows no minds."


"maddog at li.org" <jonhall80 at comcast.net> writes:
>
> >Don't Formula One drivers get paid?
>
> Yes, but the Formula one driver typically already has an established
> track record for driving cars.
>
> I will admit that I am in a special situation, and my situation does
> not fit everyone else's situation, but I purchased one of the phones
> at $675. (I got there about three minutes too late for the 625 offer).
>
> >Which one of us is the millionaire, here?
>
> Google asked people to pay 1500 for a set of glasses that may or may
> not ever reach production, or have useful apps for it.
>
> In the old days Digital charged nine times the estimated list price
> for prototypes, three times list for "seed units".
>
> People hear about the new technology and beg the developing company
> for units "to test" or "to review", and I am sure that some few units
> may go out as "loaners" or "freebies" when they are ready, but
> charging a lot of money for the "Formula One Car" is one way of making
> sure you only get serious (although no guarantee of expert) drivers.
>
> md
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> Joshua Judson Rosen <rozzin at geekspace.com> writes:
> > Just in case not everybody saw this on Slashdot already:
> >
> >     http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-edge
> >
> >     "The Ubuntu Edge is the next generation of personal computing:
> >      smartphone and desktop PC in one state-of-the-art device."
>
> I was already skeptical based on Shuttleworth being involved and it
> costing $800, but that video easily pushed me over the edge. 
>
> He literally comes out and says we are a testbed for his production
> facility...but still wants us to pay almost a grand a head for the
> privilege. Don't Formula One drivers get paid? Which one of us is the
> millionaire, here?
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