Rating: NexPhone just needs $946,500 before mid-Nov
When Canonical first launched Ubuntu for Android at the MWC show back in February [2012], GoMobile News was quite intrigued. The idea of capitalising on the fact that the latest smartphones have dual core processors in order to run two different OS simultaneously was impressive. Of course, it is possible to run two different mobile OS on the same device – which is amply illustrated by HP’s TouchPad tablet. We run both the original OS – webOS, along with a version of Android from Cyanogenmod on our TouchPad. But not both simultaneously. With Unbuntu for Android, you can run a desktop OS (Ubuntu) and a mobile OS – Android, at the same time. The catch? As far as we can tell, the software isn’t user installable despite being Open Source based. So we’ve been waiting for a device manufacturer to implement it and that seems to be on the cards with the NexPhone from NexCrea.The catch? Well, NexCrea is a Californian based venture which is seeking to raise funds to help build the NexPhone at a competitive price.
It needs to raide at least $950,000 by November 14th [2012]. At the time of writing it had raised only $ 3,500 so it has a shortfall of around $946,500. Oops.
The vehicle for raising the funds is IndieGoGo which has decided to use a ‘flexible’ fundraising campaign. You can find out all about this offer here.
However, if you’re thinking about donating, be warned that regardless of whether or not the full $950,000 is raised you will still be charged.
Nexcrea is still very hopeful, however, and reckons it could offer the NexPhone plus a NexDock for an estimated price of $499.
Now the idea isn’t exactly brand spanking new. Asus has a similar solution with its Transformer line of tablets and its PadFone smartphone.
That’s not the main focus for us here at GoMobile Towers, however.
Although we never got to test it, Motorola offers the Atrix smartphone which when docked turns the phone into a desktop PC.
But – and it is a big but, there’s a significant difference between Motorola’s Atrix implementation which uses something called Webtop and Ubuntu for Android.
If you are running a full version of Ubuntu, then you can run all of its apps. And in the mobile world, it’s all about breadth of compatible apps.
Meanwhile, GoMobile News is still waiting for the HDMI cable we ordered for our loan Motorola RAZR.
There are serious rumours that you can plug this straight into a compatible monitor and turn the handset into a desktop without a docking station.
As soon as our Bluetooth keyboard and HDMI cable arrive, we’ll let you know. They are even suggestions you can even ‘hack’ Webtop to turn into a full Ubuntu desktop.
In the meantime, if anyone has a spare $946,500 …
For the curious we’ve created a very basic 101 on Ubuntu for Android here to give readers an idea what the the advantages of this product might possibly be.
