The Ubuntu Edge smartphone has just received pledges that total over $10.3 million on Indiegogo, TheNextWeb.com reports. That places its crowdfunded income above that of the Pebble smartwatch, which was previously the most highly paid crowdfunded device–albeit on Kickstarter rather than Indiegogo.
“It’s our biggest story ever,” Indiegogo evangelist Adam Chapnick told me this morning at Grow Conference in Vancouver. “Whether it’s a success or not, I’m not sure yet.”
The goal is to create a novel device that dual-boots mobile Android and desktop Ubuntu, creating a smartphone that, with the help of a monitor and a keyboard, is also your heavy-duty, hardcore desktop computer. To make it happen, the Ubuntu Edge team believes they need a staggering $32 million dollars, the most that would ever have been raised via crowdfunding.
The Ubuntu Edge itself promises to be one of the most powerful smartphones ever made, despite its 720p display (which, by the way, is protected by scratchproof sapphire glass). With 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and full-fat desktop and mobile versions of Ubuntu and Android, it has the potential to be the first true PC that you can slip in your pocket.
Canonical’s main goal is to get $32m in funds to produce a limited quantity of 40,000 Ubuntu Edge units. Those interested can still pledge $695 or more to reserve a unit.
So if you’re still interested in the handset, there’s never been a better time to get behind the campaign.
