OpenMoko and Neo1973
That’s amazing! Partnering FIC, OpenMoko announced the immediate availability of a completely integrated open source mobile communications platform! Availability also coincides with the unveiling of FIC Neo1973 smartphone, which utilizes OpenMoko and will be available in January 2007! Check press release and screenshots here.
What that means? Think that you have a smartphone, fully customizable and hackable as a PC with thousands of software and less than 350$! As built on Linux kernel, OpenMoko offers all power of open source on mobile devices. Developers can easily(?) start developing software and offering services. Furthermore, Neo1973 also suuports dual OS and can run Windows Mobile. Check also linuxdevices’ post.
From the web site, FIC’s device looks like it has promising specifications:
Hardware
- 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm)
- 2.8″ VGA (480×640) TFT Screen
- Samsung s3c2410 SoC
- Global Locate AGPS chip
- Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
- Unpowered USB 1.1
- Touchscreen
- micro-sd slot
- 2.5mm audio jack
- 2 buttons
- 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB)
- 128 MB SDRAM
- 64 MB NAND Flash
Software
- Dialer
- Contacts
- Application Manager
- Calendar
- More…
Looking forward:)
January 19th, 2007 at 14:04
Some official notes from the messageboard of the openmoko site
From sean_mosko at fic.com.tw Wed Jan 10 10:06:40 2007
…
> PS: The final specs would also be highly appreciated
Sure:
Standard Kit:
* 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm)
* 2.8″ VGA (480×640) TFT Screen
* Samsung s3c2410 SoC @ 266 MHz
* Global Locate AGPS chip
* Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
* Unpowered USB 1.1
* Touchscreen
* micro-sd slot
* 2.5mm audio jack
* 2 additional buttons
* 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB)
* 128 MB SDRAM
* 64 MB NAND Flash
* Bluetooth (yes bluetooth!)
We have two more kits that will be available (in addition to the standard
kit): A “Car Kit” and a “Hacker’s Lunchbox.”
The latter is quite cool. I’ll tell you more about it soon.
January 19th, 2007 at 23:41
[...] Late November, we posted a new completely integrated open source mobile platform; OpenMoko and Neo1973. Today we received a comment about the latest specs of Neo1973 via their message board. It was impressive, now with Bluetooth support, it looks even better! I personally am up for freedom on my device. Although I support out-of-the-box configurations to ease introduction phase and global standardization, I should have the right to choose how to use the device I own. I actually don’t like the idea that someone else decides what is the best for me and limits my freedom. Therefore, Neo1973 looks very attractive to me. I don’t know how the device will be, or if it will be as good as it sounds; but that’s a good idea and sooner or later good ideas become real. There are couple of articles comparing Neo1973 and iPhone in USNews, gizmodo and a also feature comparison. It’s told first devices will be out in February and there are no major problems, but I couldn’t find where to buy one. Here is the latest specs of the standard kit: [...]