Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu open-source mobile OS, is turning to Indiegogo to raise $32 million for a limited-edition smartphone known as the Ubuntu Edge.

The funds will be used to develop and mass produce the Ubuntu Edge, but according to Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth, "we're not trying to get into the phone business."

"We're working with phone companies for your normal mid- and high-end phones," he said in an introductory video. "This project is just for us  the real enthusiasts. That's why a crowdfunding approach is perfect: If there are enough of us interested in pushing the limits of a phone, then it will happen."

Shuttleworth pointed to the car industry's Formula 1, which "provides a commercial testbed for cutting-edge technologies." With the Edge, Canonical "aims to do the same for the mobile phone industry  to provide a low-volume, high-technology platform, crowdfunded by enthusiasts and mobile computing professionals."

Backers can donate what they like to the campaign, but certain amounts will provide perks. Those who offer $20 or more will get a place on the Ubuntu Founders page, for example.

For those with deeper pockets - who actually want to get their hands on the Edge - Canonical is offering a 24-hour price of $600 for the first 5,000 buyers; just over 1,000 people have already taken advantage.

For everyone else, the Ubuntu Edge will cost $830, with free shipping to the U.S. and U.K.

Shuttleworth said the project will be a limited-edition product run, available only to campaign supporters. "If it works well, we might even do it annually," he said, "just to keep ahead of the curve."

Canonical revealed tentative specs for the so-called "superphone," including a 4.5-inch, 1,280-by-720 HD display, multi-core CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a massive 128GB of storage, plus an 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front cam. With dual-LTE, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS, the device is akin to most mobile phones currently on the market.

The phone can boot into Ubuntu or Android. Shortly after launch, Canonical will push out a free software update that adds desktop integration to Ubuntu mobile  "the real goal we're working towards," the Indiegogo page said.

"At that point you'll have a leading-edge smartphone that runs Ubuntu and Android, both of which can also run a fully integrated Ubuntu desktop OS," Canonical said. Additionally, monthly updates will keep the software running fast and fresh.

Buyers can expect their new device by May 2013, though don't hold your breath, as many crowdfunded projects like this tend to get delayed during production.

As of press time, the Ubuntu Edge had earned more than $678,000 with 31 days left to help fund the project.

Learn more about the Edge and its Indiegogo campaign in Canonical's video below.

For more, see PCMag's review of Ubuntu 12.04 ("Precise Pangolin") and the slideshow above. Also check out Ubuntu's Phone OS Is Nothing Without Hardware.

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