Canonical set a bold goal when they launched the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the Ubuntu Edge phone, asking backers to collectively raise a total of $32 million, which would be the highest amount any crowdsourced project would raise. Sadly, the company didn’t meet the mark, but it ended up raising almost $13 million. The campaign […]
When Canonical took to Indiegogo to crowdfund its Ubuntu Edge smartphone, the $32 million it sought seemed like an incredibly lofty goal. And, one that’s now proven unattainable. Despite quickly selling out of the lowest pledge tier that included a handset, reducing the price of more expensive tiers, then doing the same again as the deadline loomed, the campaign has closed over $19 million shy of its goal. Still, raising just over $12.8 million is a record of sorts, depending on whether you believe a failed effort qualifies. In total, a handful of high-cost bundles were pledged for, 5,674 backers coughed up enough for a lone Edge, and many more thousands offered small sums in support — or, some just really wanted a T-shirt. We’re not convinced the journey ends here, though. After all, there’s clearly some desire for the Edge. Will we see investors step in to make it happen? Or, perhaps Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth will finally see fit to pump some of his own substantial reserves into the project.
A project update from Shuttleworth can be found at the source link. In addition to thanking backers, he says that “the support and publicity has continued to drive our discussions with some major manufacturers,” adding: “Watch this space!”
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: Android Police
Source: Indiegogo
Ubuntu’s crowdfunding effort for its Edge smartphone has fallen massively short on Indiegogo—by a staggering $19 million. Bad luck, Linux lovers.
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Between constant password breaches
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While it’s comparatively easy to get started with Raspberry Pi programming, it can be tough to find suitably challenging projects afterward — what’s good for rookies may bore seasoned pros. To solve this, Element14 has launched a Raspberry Pi Projects hub that organizes community projects by skill level. First-timers get tutorials for basic tasks, such as loading Minecraft: Pi Edition, while veterans learn how to build home monitoring systems and other advanced devices. Those who want a faster start on their projects can also spend $40 on a new Raspberry Pi Model B bundle that includes both the tiny PC and an 8GB SD card preloaded with six operating systems. There’s no guarantee that you’ll become an expert through Element14’s hub, but you’ll at least be saved from getting in over your head.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Element14 (1), (2)
Linux users have enjoyed a veritable lack of malware that targets the everyday user for quite a long time, yet those days are very slowly coming to an end, with more trojans and such that target the operating system showing up. One such bit of malicious software is called “Hand of Thief,” the brainchild of […]
Malware certainly exists for Linux, but it’s more frequently targeted at servers than everyday PCs. Unfortunately, regular users now have more reason to worry: a rare instance of a Linux desktop trojan, Hand of Thief, has surfaced in the wild. The code swipes banking logins and other web sign-in details, creates a backdoor and prevents access to both antivirus tools and virtual machines. It’s known to work with common browsers like Chrome and Firefox as well as 15 Linux distributions, including Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu. Thankfully, Hand of Thief is partly neutered by its limited attack methods; it relies on social engineering to fool victims into installing the software themselves. Even so, the trojan is a reminder that we shouldn’t be complacent about security, regardless of which platform we use.
[Thanks, Dreyer]
Filed under: Internet, Software
Via: ZDNet
Source: RSA
You might remember that dual-booting Linux and Android-powered phone that we discussed last month. It’s called the Ubuntu Edge and it’s hoping to change the mobile landscape in a big way. However, before it can do that, Canonical needs some funding help in order to produce the phone for the masses, and it seems like […]
Canonical’s Indiegogo campaign for the Ubuntu Edge smartphone had an auspicious start, but it slowed down after the first few days. The Linux developer may have just rekindled interest, however, by dropping the regular price of the Edge from $775 to $695 for the last two weeks of the crowdfunding drive. Part supplier deals helped reduce the manufacturing costs, Canonical explains. While that’s not the lowest price that we’ve seen during the campaign, there won’t be another discount — if you’re at all interested in the unique Android and Ubuntu hybrid, you’ll want to make a pledge today.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: The Next Web
Source: Indiegogo
While DAB radio is common in the UK, its broadcasting equipment is usually too expensive for community broadcasters. However, Ofcom’s Rashid Mustapha has shown that the technology is now within reach of amateurs. Taking advantage of DAB’s newly patent-free status, Mustapha tested a low-power digital transmitter based on an open source software radio and a Linux PC; he only had to stream that radio to an aerial through long-range WiFi. His solution would cost just £1,400 ($2,153) per year to run, letting many community radio operators make the leap to digital. The study doesn’t represent an automatic green light for low-power DAB — more work is needed, Mustapha says — but it’s clear that small-scale stations won’t be stuck in the analog world forever.
Filed under: Wireless
Via: The Register
Source: Ofcom (PDF)
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