Meet the NexPhone: An Ubuntu-based Smartphone, PC, Tablet and Laptop in One

Here’s a name you’ll be hearing a lot about in the next few months: NexPhone.

NexCrea a subsidiary of Kosmaz Technlogies a Walnut Creek, CA based VOIP provider has launched a marketing video on Youtube touting itself as one of the first vendors to offer the much anticipated Ubuntu on Android technology.

The NexPhone project is simple in its premise: it’s a smartphone running Ubuntu for Android that can be turned into a tablet, PC, or laptop by ‘docking’ the device to different hardware components.

Sound familiar? It should do. This idea isn’t new. Asus have their PadFone; Motorola released the Atrix; and the always-innovating Always Innovating showed off a similar concept a year or so ago, too.

But the NexPhone Project wants to do much 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”  reads the marketing pitch that NexCrea is using in its video and website.

NexCrea

There are four parts to the Nex concept, with the “brain” being the NexPhone. The operating system and processing power all come from the phone part, as does your data, apps and files.

This ‘brain’ can then be connected to other hardware components to create additional devices.

• NexPhone + “NexTablet” creates a tablet
• NexPhone + “NexLaptop”  creates a laptop
• NexPhone +”NexMonitor” creates a PC
• “NexDock”

You Can Bankroll Their Idea

Ideas are cheap – turning them into reality costs.

So, rather than go the traditional route of seeking out investors, NexCrea, the company behind the Nex* devices, are looking to raise $950,000 through crowd-funding. The money will be used to build a prototype device.

IndieGoGo has been chosen as the fundraising tool, using a ‘flexible’ campaign. If you’re thinking about donating this means that regardless of whether or not the full $950,000 is raised you will 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 seeing NexPhones on the shelves in time for xmas: think with your head.

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 tose prices given they don’t have a prototype in hand yet?

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

Co-writer: Benjamin Kerensa