Openmoko to release Linux handset tomorrow Anyone fond of creating their own applications within a open source environment will soon be able to get mobile. Openmoko has finally announced the launch date of its Neo FreeRunner open-source phone. neo_001 Openmoko's Neo FreeRunner runs on Linux The Neo FreeRunner handset has been talked about since January, when the …
That has been quite a topic of debate.
But, some places don't allow cameras, so better to have a device where the camera is an option. And I think work is being done to allow that option.
Quite an exciting time for opensource as all the new devices hit the market, finally we are getting to a computing panacea, and we can ssh into machines from wherever we are, that to me is the big boon of opensource devices.
Along with the ability to just get creative with the uses, something that proprietary systems have made so incredibly awkward.
3G was never planned for this version and even subsequent versions only may get it if they can buy it in low volume + write/publish it with GPL'ed driver (if necessary for 3G module). Same goes for a lot of other things that your run-of-the-mill phone boasts. Most chip-makers wont even talk to you if you want low volume + open specs/drivers.
WIFI wouldn't have been included (as it was in the first version) if they didn't find an appropriate chip (for mobile phones) with open drivers etc. or at least the possibility to write an open driver with NDA'ed docs.
What seperates this from other smartphones is that you can tinker with as much as you like and to a much higher degree. There are no locks put in there by some lame network provider, no crippled features disabled in the firmware to sell the same hardware for a higher price with the same features enabled etc.
You dont have to sue anyone to get the GPL-ed sources, the tools and instructions on how to load different apps / images are freely available.
If you just need a phone to make calls this may not be for you, but this certainly appeals to some people ;)
That price doesn't include import duty, VAT or postage by the way, so in the UK you'll be paying about £272 .There's also very little stock in the country at the moment - we sold out our first shipment within about 8 hours, with virtually no advertising.
disclaimer - I work for the UK distributer.
Will this work in Japan ?
I am mostly interested in writing my own phonebook since all the japanese phones are a bit of a pain to use. User Interface is not something that is important around here I think. The latest technological gadget is important being able to use it without problems is not so important.
"we can ssh into machines from wherever we are, that to me is the big boon of opensource devices."
Like you've been able to from Symbian Nokia S60 and Symbian UIQ 1, 2 & 3 phones for years ... don't see where the boon of opensource comes in there?
I know several people who still have their Nokia Communicators since it lets them TTY (e.g. PuTTY) into other machines.
"we can ssh into machines from wherever we are, that to me is the big boon of opensource devices."
"Like you've been able to from Symbian Nokia S60 and Symbian UIQ 1, 2 & 3 phones for years ... don't see where the boon of opensource comes in there?"
I can do this from my Windows Mobile PDA and smartphone, so again, not such a bonus there really.
Good for inverterate fiddlers, a must have for the linux jihad, but no more use to anyone else in the world than ten quid motorola. And since we canalready happily code custom apps for windows mobile devices, or any phone device with decent J2ME support, I don't think this is a big deal at all.
I mean, you're not going to want to fiddle about with the core OS very much, so unless you are a complete linux fanboi, blinded to function by ethos, what's to get excited about ? If you're a rational thinking, platform agnostic developer, there are better value platforms for building mobile apps, and better toolsets to boot.
And of course for the paranoid being open source it would be a simple matter to write a flash memory key flush sequence as well too even disguising it as an sequence key with count down timer to disguise what it is doing plus an emergency unlock and an abort code for the sneaky ones !
Remember with open software source code one can easily verify it says what it does from the source code and unlike other brands ensure it does not have a hidden rootkit or two !Think of the fun and games if one had was able to port such evil software to the easily pwnd phoney from the cupertino pirate crowd who go out of their way to spy on their own customers , now that would be sweet !
But then again who gives a rats A***! about a few missing mostly unused bits anyway .
Sounds like it would be a far better choice for the tinkerers then some others of the same class group !
The spec says it has a 2.5mm headphone jack, groan, Nokia headsets then, at least its not the dumb HTC mini-USB, I don't see an MP3 or even an OGG player as standard...
I'd like to buy one just to encourage them to keep going... I assume they'll make some profit from the sale of the handset.
Looks like another Jesus phone to me. So what if it's lacking features in phones half that are half the price? IT'S GOT LINUX! It's worth more far more than what they're asking just for the ability to add the features yourself! Including the revenge-on-people-who-mock-me stuff such as heystoopid is frothing about. Oh, and the security of being able to check it for rootkits/security holes/whatever. Of course this won't appeal to those obviously contemptible types who 'just use phone to make calls.' They're using the money they saved on their phones to call the mates they actually have and go out for a drink. Or speak to relatives who aren't embarassed by them. And you won't even be able to kid yourself you're 'with your mates' by making video calls. Saad ...
lets think... If apple was to release a phone which was atleast as expensive as any other, which lacked keyboard, 3g, wifi, mms, media player and a camera it would be met with quite a bit of hostility... (honestly, its true! just look at the i-phone - no mms, camera, keyboard..... you all hated it!)
now this is released, and along with the lack of hardware, there are no applications on the thing!!! FFS! only the truely mental will actually want to compile their own apps! from what I can see, apart from the A-gps (but what good is gps without software!) this phone has the same feature set as my Moto F3 which cost £20 unlocked :) and like that I too dont have to worry about rootkits and security vulns either...
there is nothing more fanatical than a linux fanboi! :)
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