The dream is over for fledgling Israeli firm Emblaze Mobile, as their attempt to enter the market with the slick First ELSE smartphone has been scrapped.

Citing delays in deliveries and an inability to secure a deal to proceed on mass production, investment has been ceased by the company according to a press release.

The Linux-based ELSE was the toast of the town at an elaborate unveiling in Central London last November, followed by an impressive presence at this year’s Mobile World Congress, but relatively little was heard regarding the device since.

Financial woes facing the parent company has forced them to pull funding on the ELSE project, with the resultant reduction in development costs hoping to lead them back on the road to profitability.

It’s a real shame, as the ELSE’s unique one-handed control method was genuinely innovative, but they aim to salvage something from the wreckage by attempting to license the handset’s platform – dubbed ELSE Intuition – to other manufacturers.

Take a look a the video below to see the handset in action, during happier times.