Here’s a name we’ll be hearing more of in the coming months: NexPhone.
NexCrea, a subsidiary of Kosmaz Technlogies a Walnut Creek, CA based VOIP provider, has launched a marketing video on YouTube in which it touts itself as one of the first vendors to offer the (much anticipated) Ubuntu on Android technology.
The NexPhone is simple in premise: a smartphone that runs Ubuntu for Android which can be turned into a tablet, desktop PC or a laptop simply by ‘docking’ the device on to the back of a variety of (optional; it functions as phone) hardware components.
These concept renders shared by the company convey the idea:
The idea of turning your phone into a computer when docked ought to seem familiar, as the notion of isn’t new, and remains a tantalising prospect for tech-heads to geek out over.
Asus has the PadFone; Motorola launched the Atrix range; and the always-innovating Always Innovating company has showed off a similar idea of its own in the past.
However, the NexPhone effort looks like it could do a lot more, and do it in style.
“NexPhone is the only smartphone you will ever need in the future, which becomes a Tablet, Laptop or PC”, states the marketing pitch that NexCrea uses in its video and the accompanying website.
Four parts compose the Nex concept in all.
The NexPhone itself acts as the brain. The operating system and processing power all come from the phone part, as does user data, apps and files.
This ‘brain’ can connect to other hardware components – which are just ‘dumb’ screens and port hubs – to create additional devices and form factors, all powered by that single handset:
- NexPhone + “NexTablet” creates a tablet
- NexPhone + “NexLaptop” creates a laptop
- NexPhone + “NexMonitor” creates a PC
Despite the lack of a prototype at present, NexCrea feel confident enough to share consumer pricing for all of the items:
- NexPhone & NexDock $499
- NexTablet Dock $149
- NexLaptop Dock $199
- NexMonitor Dock with keyboard & trackpad $199
Hey! You Can Bankroll Their Idea!
Ideas are cheap, it’s the turning them into reality that costs.
Rather than go the traditional route of seeking out investors to fund this, NexCrea, the company behind the Nex* devices, is looking to raise a cool $950,000 through crowd-funding. The money will be used to build a prototype device.
IndieGoGo is the fundraising tool, and a ‘flexible’ model applies. That is important; if you’re thinking about donating to this it means that regardless of whether or not the full $950,000 amount is raised, you will still be charged.
To clarify: they are asking you for money to test an idea they have. That’s all that’s involved in this.
Before you throw money at this in vain hope of having a NexPhone in your hands for xmas: think with your head, not your ideals.
Questions?
Chances are you, like us, have questions about the concept, its viability, and how a company best known for VoIP services came up with the idea.
What happens to the money raised if they don’t reach their goal (bearing in mind that they keep it, regardless)? Are they working with Canonical? To what extent? And just how realistic are those prices given they don’t have a prototype in hand?
We’ve contacted NexCrea to get some further information and background to some queries we have.
We’ll let you in on their response as soon as we get it, but in the mean time if you want to throw some coin at this you’ll find all the details @ indiegogo.com/nexphone.
Article revised Jan 2026 to fix broken links.