It may have broken records, but the Ubuntu Edge crowdfunding has by the only important measure, failed. No one who put money in will be getting a shiny new device next year.
And I put some money in. I plumped down a cool $725 for a device.
All I have to do now is wait for IndieGoGo to issue a refund.
Failure
In the ZDNet Great Debate that Jason Perlow and I did about a month ago -- Mark Shuttleworth's vision: is the future one device I was just beaten having just 45 percent of the vote. My argument was that the Ubuntu Edge is an evolution of the PC, whereas what we are doing now both as an industry and as a society is evolving computing. Post-PC devices are looking to do things that PCs don't do very well. PCs aren't very good at being "always with you" because of their size and their dependence on having a keyboard and mouse.
The way I describe this is that PCs needs "specialised equipment" in order to be useful, but which I mean "a desk and a chair". Of course, you can use a laptop on your lap, but for that to work for you you need to be sitting or otherwise recumbent. A smartphone you can use anywhere. A tablet is midway between the two.
The Ubuntu Edge looks to solve a problem which doesn't seem to exist -- namely that what people want is a tiny, powerful PC that they carry around with them. Critically, in order for it to actually be useful as a PC, whenever you get to where you're going with it you need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to already be there.
Why would you just not use a laptop? What's the advantage of not having a separate smartphone and laptop? I've been racking my brains on this for about a month and I can't get anywhere with it. All I get is downside.
via zdnet
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