I like this idea in theory, and I'm willing to pitch in at least $20 to help get this phone in the hands of a (proven) dev.
The main potential pitfall is that once a dev receives a free phone, they may feel pressured. There are always those who want constant updates and can be demanding, even when the devs are sharing their work for free. Imagine if those people feel entitled since they have money in the project. On top of that, there are some things that are just too difficult or impossible, just look at the Triumph with HDMI on CM7 or the camera on ICS. Imagine being the dev who receives a free phone but runs into an insurmountable issue.
That said, I am on board to donate. Just want to make sure there are no unreasonable expectations on the dev.
The main potential pitfall is that once a dev receives a free phone, they may feel pressured. There are always those who want constant updates and can be demanding, even when the devs are sharing their work for free. Imagine if those people feel entitled since they have money in the project. On top of that, there are some things that are just too difficult or impossible, just look at the Triumph with HDMI on CM7 or the camera on ICS. Imagine being the dev who receives a free phone but runs into an insurmountable issue.
That said, I am on board to donate. Just want to make sure there are no unreasonable expectations on the dev.