Ubuntu for Phone released, check out this brief report

"Ubuntu now fits your phone." Canonical has released the awaited OS for smartphones and touch devices.

The trailer videos and promo photos show a Galaxy Nexus running Ubuntu for phone. Ubuntu is ready to serve the small screens. It has a great UI which looks impressive and has an appeal. It seems a little bit similar to Android, but still Ubuntu for Phone features a lot new features. 

It is built around the Android kernel and drivers, but doesn't use a Java Virtual Machine and promises to use the full power of the phone. Apps can be developed in HTML 5 as well as native apps which can be run on both desktop and smartphones. Canonical has also released QML based SDK. It is supposed that this version of Ubuntu will also have "Ubuntu Software Center".

Actual Ubuntu phones are promised to be out in early 2014, but the company has a number of demo phones out here in London and downloadable images of the development platform will be available for the Galaxy Nexus. No carriers have been signed up yet. 

Delivering a personalised full screen-to-screen experience  - with a ‘welcome screen, not a lock screen’ – the Ubuntu Phone proffers more screen space for your apps than any other mobile OS’, Shuttleworth says.

According to Canonical Blog 

Ubuntu phones aren’t yet available for purchase, but we are ready to start working with partners with an aim to releasing phones before the end of 2013. You can see Ubuntu for phones demonstrated at the Ubuntu booth at CES next week and we’ll be showing it again at MWC in Barcelona in February. 

Canonical announces that following are highlighted features

• 1. Edge magic: thumb gestures from all four edges of the screen enable users to find  content and switch between apps faster than other phones.
• 2. Deep content immersion - controls appear only when the user wants them.
• 3. A beautiful global search for apps, content and products.
• 4. Voice and text commands in any application for faster access to rich capabilities.
• 5. Both native and web or HTML5 apps.
• 6. Evolving personalised art on the welcome screen.

System Requirements

The specifications required by the OS varies between the “Entry level” and the “high end "Superphone". Users will also be able to download and install the OS on some handsets.

Entry Level Ubuntu Smartphone

• CPU: 1Ghz Cortex A9 
• RAM: 512MB – 1GB 
• Flash storage: 4-8GB eMMC + SD
• Multi Touch Enabled

High End Ubuntu Super Phone

• CPU: 1Ghz Cortex A9 
• RAM: 512MB – 1GB 
• Flash storage: 4-8GB eMMC + SD
• Multi Touch Enabled
• Desktop convergence

Useful Links

Ubuntu Home: http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone

Ubuntu for Phone- App ecosystem:  http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone/app-ecosystem

Developers: http://developer.ubuntu.com/gomobile

Ubuntu Blog: http://planet.ubuntu.com

Canonical Blog: http://blog.canonical.com