Ubuntu Edge: introducing the hardware

The Ubuntu Edge is a pioneering device designed to drive innovation in the mobile industry. Like Formula 1 for the car industry, Ubuntu Edge is a testbed for cutting-edge technologies, accelerating their adoption and driving them down into the mainstream. In this video Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu, reveals his vision of an exciting future for mobile computing. To find out more, visit http://www.igg.me/at/ubuntuedge

Convergence is the future of computing.

So we've reshaped Ubuntu to combine the mobility of a smartphone and the power of a desktop on a single device.

We unveiled "Ubuntu for Phones" at Mobile World Congress in February

and CNET declared it the BEST OF SHOW.

Operators love the design

and some of the world's largest have now joined our advisory group.

We have also gained the support of key silicon vendors to the mobile industry,

so now, finally, we are talking to the companies who actually make phones,

with the goal that Ubuntu will arrive on mid an high end devices in 2014, right on schedule.

Along the way we learned something really interesting.

We learned that new mobile technologies get proven in the lab but then hit a production road block,

because manufacurers don't want to select a new technology for device that are supposed to sell ten or fifty million units,

until they know it can ben produced at that scale.

I mean, in the motorcar industry we have the Formula 1 to test new technology,

but the mobile industry has nothing like that.

There is no premium segment for expert driver, is like everyone is driving mass produced sedans.

We don't have a consumer testbed for cutting edge technologies, but we do have a new mechanism for driving innovation: crowdfunding!

Since the Ubuntu vision of convergence for the phone and the PC will push the limit of mobile computing and since we are working with industry already,

and since millions of you are passionate about the latest and greatest phone technologies software and hardware

we are in a perfect position toghether, to change the way innovation comes to the mobile industry.

So, we have explored every aspect of the phone, spoken to companies that have interest in next generation technologies

and drawned up the blueprint for a concept device that brings together the most exciting innovations that are real, but still on the horizon.

We called it the "Ubuntu Edge".

Beautifull, inside and out.

The body will be crafted from a single piece of textured metal,

making it really solid in your hand.

It will have precisely chamfered edges for the optimal grip,

and perfect control of the edge gestures that are central to the Ubuntu mobile experience.

The display is the window into your content.

The phone industry today is a bit like the camera industry five years ago:

stucked in the megapixel race, chasing wasted resolution.

What's much more interesting is color accuracy and brightness,

so we'll select the panel with the best combination of: resolution, dynamic range and color accuracy.

The size of Edge screen has to be just right for Edge gestures to give you total control in one hand.

Based on our testing with prototypes, a 4.5 inches screen is the perfect size,

and to protect the display we will replace glass with sapphire crystal,

a material so hard you'll need diamonds in your pocket to leave a scratch.

The same goes for the camera,

because phone cameras are used for personal shots, without stage lighting,

so we'd like to optimize for low light, fast response and upclose pictures, rather than just megapixels.

If you are like us, you travel a lot and you love bandwith.

Today's phones fall back to slower older protocols when they roam,

but future phones will have access to LTE everywhere.

So we'll raise the bar with dual LTE antennas, for full speed 4G in both Europe and the USA.

Convergence is the key idea we are exploring,

so this phone needs to be a potent little PC when docked.

We'll select the very latest, fastest multicore processor as we finalize the design

along with at least 4 GB of RAM and a massive 128 GB of storage.

It is going to redefine PC portability.

Finally, one of the key areas of innovation today is the battery.

We selected silicon-anode technology as the most promising candidate for extended life and power density.

This project is all about cutting edge hardware, but being Ubuntu, we can push the limits of software too.

As well as Ubuntu you will be able to boot Android,

so you can keep using your existing app collection and experience full convergence, right away with Ubuntu for Android.

Now, we are not trying to get into the phone business,

we are working with phone companies for normal, mid and high-end phones.

This project is just for us, the real enthusiasts.

That's why a crowdfunding approach is perfect, if there are enough of use interested in pushing the limits of the phone, then it will happen.

The "Ubuntu Edge" will be a limited edition production run available only to supporters of this campaign.

If it works well, we might even do it anually, just to keep the head of the curve.

If you are like us, you are a little impatient to experience the future.

You like to try every new device, just to see how they are improving.

And with this project, for the first time, you'll have the ability to try the most exciting technologies long before everyone else.

To make it happen, we'll have to smash every record in crowdfunding history,

it's a crazy, beautifull idea.

But if there are enough of us out there, enough enthusiast who want

the ultimate in performace, storage, screen and bandwidth,

than the "Ubuntu Edge" will be the catalyst for awesome innovation, and a taste of the future of the phone.