Open source Linux phone will beat iPhone to market

Bob Russell · 02-15-2007, 06:01 PM

FIC's Neo 1973 phone will go on sale for $350 online starting March 11, 2007 and has already shipped for free to prominent open source developers. It is hoped to be an iPhone killer. More phones in this family are expected to become available in the future.

The hardware is GPS enabled, and has no keypad. It is quad-band GSM/GPRS and will charge via the USB cable. The first model will not have wi-fi or bluetooth, but "is based on a Samsung S3C2410 SoC (system-on-chip) application processor, powered by an ARM9 core" and has 128 meg plus 64meg flash and a 64MB MicroSD card. The touchscreen is VGA 2.8-inch, which is quite high resolution for a phone.

Despite the "1973" model designation, this phone seems thoroughly modern! Read more at LinuxDevices.

Alexander Turcic · 02-16-2007, 03:43 AM

It lacks one important detail: the Apple trademark. I already lost count of all the so-called iPod killers out there.

emkay · 02-16-2007, 07:30 AM

Thoroughly modern - and thoroughly ugly.
(Not that I'm interested in all singing and dancing phones anyway. All I need from a mobile is phone calls and texting.)

mogui · 02-22-2007, 01:38 AM

The FIC Neo1973 is the first phone to run the OpenMoko software platform. This platform is Linux based. You can find the OpenMoko wiki here.

This page tells what OpenMoko is intended to do -- be the first open-source GSM phone software stack. They say, "OpenMoko is supposed to run on all kinds of Linux-capable mobile phones. The first fully supported OpenMoko phone is the FIC Neo1973." Also see here for inside and outside photos of the Neo1973.

Interestingly, under the section Applications/Reader, there is the skeleton of a set of design criteria for the e-reader software. See here for details. You may want to contribute. I entered some of my thoughts about file format support.

As this software platform runs on a capable processor and has a PDA-sized screen (VGA 640x480, 2.8") one might consider it as a software platform for an e-reader. I wonder if there is a company out there who is thinking of building a generic reader hardware unit. At US$350 for the Neo1973, some of us might want to pick one up to use as just that.

The idea of an open-source embedded linux platform for small devices is not unique to OpenMoko. See here for more similar approaches. The beauty of the Neo1973 is that it is designed from the ground up to be open and hackable. Are you listening iRex?

wallcraft · 02-22-2007, 02:25 PM

FBReader can probably be made to work on the Neo 1973. See FBReader for OpenMoko on FBReader's Google Group.

wallcraft · 03-05-2007, 04:50 PM

Latest news from Linux Devices, is that the "mass market phase" is now set for September with a "hacker's lunchbox" in March. This includes a link to the 50-slide presentation by Sean Moss-Pultz and Mickey Lauer at the O'Reilly's "Etel" (emerging telephony) conference, which is the basis for the updated time line.

DaNDeE · 03-06-2007, 05:54 AM

As much as I love Apple and as much I apreciate the free linux devers challanging the big ones I must say that Alex is right. IPod should be dead by now, after all these anoucements. Another good example is Nintendos Gameboy. Take a look at the handhelt history and there's no reason why that dull, little, greyscreen thnigy was number one - despite Tetris (its killerapp) and good promotion. Both is always missing on free projects and so only the geeks know about. Even the gamepark devices, that are open source and beat every gameboy by far considering the techside, failed to attract broad masses - and they do promote quite heavily.

Seems to be the same as with big artists and bands: If you got a name everyone knows you and no matter what you do, they like it. If not... welll... you get lost.

I am quite keen to see the final device, though. Apple limited its iPhone right from the start and I hope that this is not the case with this device and hopefully it will work with my mac.

johnnaryry · 04-12-2007, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

It lacks one important detail: the Apple trademark. I already lost count of all the so-called iPod killers out there.

...and they're all dead!

--ryan

bowerbird · 07-08-2007, 05:26 PM

iphone sales seem not to have been effected...

-bowerbird

wallcraft · 07-09-2007, 04:56 PM

They did not beat the iPhone to market, but it is now available. See iPhone-like Linux phone ready for hackers from LinuxDevices or go directly to openmoko.com.

bowerbird · 07-13-2007, 02:39 AM

i wish them the best of luck, but they're
up against a whole bunch of juggernauts.

-bowerbird

02-15-2007, 06:01 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Open source Linux phone will beat iPhone to market FIC's Neo 1973 phone will go on sale for $350 online starting March 11, 2007 and has already shipped for free to prominent open source developers. It is hoped to be an iPhone killer. More phones in this family are expected to become available in the future. The hardware is GPS enabled, and has no keypad. It is quad-band GSM/GPRS and will charge via the USB cable. The first model will not have wi-fi or bluetooth, but "is based on a Samsung S3C2410 SoC (system-on-chip) application processor, powered by an ARM9 core" and has 128 meg plus 64meg flash and a 64MB MicroSD card. The touchscreen is VGA 2.8-inch, which is quite high resolution for a phone. Despite the "1973" model designation, this phone seems thoroughly modern! Read more at LinuxDevices.

02-22-2007, 01:38 AM	#4
mogui eNigma Posts: 503 Karma: 1335 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Philippines Device: HTC G1 Android FBReader	OpenMoko open-source Linux software platform The FIC Neo1973 is the first phone to run the OpenMoko software platform. This platform is Linux based. You can find the OpenMoko wiki here. This page tells what OpenMoko is intended to do -- be the first open-source GSM phone software stack. They say, "OpenMoko is supposed to run on all kinds of Linux-capable mobile phones. The first fully supported OpenMoko phone is the FIC Neo1973." Also see here for inside and outside photos of the Neo1973. Interestingly, under the section Applications/Reader, there is the skeleton of a set of design criteria for the e-reader software. See here for details. You may want to contribute. I entered some of my thoughts about file format support. As this software platform runs on a capable processor and has a PDA-sized screen (VGA 640x480, 2.8") one might consider it as a software platform for an e-reader. I wonder if there is a company out there who is thinking of building a generic reader hardware unit. At US$350 for the Neo1973, some of us might want to pick one up to use as just that. The idea of an open-source embedded linux platform for small devices is not unique to OpenMoko. See here for more similar approaches. The beauty of the Neo1973 is that it is designed from the ground up to be open and hackable. Are you listening iRex? Last edited by mogui; 02-22-2007 at 01:56 AM.

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02-16-2007, 03:43 AM	#2
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	It lacks one important detail: the Apple trademark. I already lost count of all the so-called iPod killers out there.

02-16-2007, 07:30 AM	#3
emkay Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 11 Join Date: Jul 2006	Thoroughly modern - and thoroughly ugly. (Not that I'm interested in all singing and dancing phones anyway. All I need from a mobile is phone calls and texting.)

02-22-2007, 02:25 PM	#5
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	FBReader can probably be made to work on the Neo 1973. See FBReader for OpenMoko on FBReader's Google Group.

03-05-2007, 04:50 PM	#6
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Latest news from Linux Devices, is that the "mass market phase" is now set for September with a "hacker's lunchbox" in March. This includes a link to the 50-slide presentation by Sean Moss-Pultz and Mickey Lauer at the O'Reilly's "Etel" (emerging telephony) conference, which is the basis for the updated time line.

03-06-2007, 05:54 AM	#7
DaNDeE Connoisseur Posts: 65 Karma: 25 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Germany Device: Newton/iPhone/iPad	As much as I love Apple and as much I apreciate the free linux devers challanging the big ones I must say that Alex is right. IPod should be dead by now, after all these anoucements. Another good example is Nintendos Gameboy. Take a look at the handhelt history and there's no reason why that dull, little, greyscreen thnigy was number one - despite Tetris (its killerapp) and good promotion. Both is always missing on free projects and so only the geeks know about. Even the gamepark devices, that are open source and beat every gameboy by far considering the techside, failed to attract broad masses - and they do promote quite heavily. Seems to be the same as with big artists and bands: If you got a name everyone knows you and no matter what you do, they like it. If not... welll... you get lost. I am quite keen to see the final device, though. Apple limited its iPhone right from the start and I hope that this is not the case with this device and hopefully it will work with my mac.

07-08-2007, 05:26 PM	#9
bowerbird Banned Posts: 269 Karma: -273 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: los angeles	iphone sales seem not to have been effected... -bowerbird

07-09-2007, 04:56 PM	#10
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	They did not beat the iPhone to market, but it is now available. See iPhone-like Linux phone ready for hackers from LinuxDevices or go directly to openmoko.com.

07-13-2007, 02:39 AM	#11
bowerbird Banned Posts: 269 Karma: -273 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: los angeles	i wish them the best of luck, but they're up against a whole bunch of juggernauts. -bowerbird