Canonical will win even if Ubuntu Edge doesn't make its $32 million

Canonical , Ubuntu's parent company, made a bet. It wagered that there were enough visionaries out there to crowd-source 32-million dollars for the first Linux-powered combination smartphone/PC, the Ubuntu Edge. It seems that the company will lose that wager, but in the long-run, I think Canonical will rise from the gadget gaming table a winner.

First, even with Bloomberg backing the Ubuntu Edge campaign, the odds are growing against the Ubuntu Edge project reaching its goal. Even dropping the device's price to $695 on August 8th hasn't been enough to kick-start the project. As of August 11th, with 10 days left in the Ubuntu Edge Indiegogo campaign, Canonical has raised only $9.5-million toward its goal.

To the best of my knowledge that's the most that's ever been raised in a commercial, time-limited crowdsourced project. Still, it's not enough.