Tag: linux

Distributors found for open source phone

Looks like one of the first Open Source phones is about to go public!

The press release doesn’t give many specifics about the phone other than pricing. But here’s the specs from the Openmoko website:

  • 2.8″ VGA TFT color display
  • Touchscreen, usable with stylus or fingers
  • 266MHz Samsung System on a Chip (SOC)
  • USB 1.1, switchable between Client and Host (unpowered)
  • Integrated AGPS
  • 2.5G GSM – tri band (900/1800/1900), voice, CSD, GPRS
  • Bluetooth 2.0
  • Micro SD slot
  • High Quality audio codec

And of course, with the phone being Open Source the phone will be powered by Linux software which opens up loads of possibilities for software customization and features.

Here’s the press release:

Openmoko Signs Five Distributors for Freerunner Open Source Mobile Phone

Distributors seize opportunity to reach significant markets with programmable mobile phone

TAIPEI, TAIWAN June 25, 2008 – Openmoko, creator of the first completely open mobile computing platform, today announced agreements with five distributors for the Neo Freerunner Open Source mobile phone. Today, Openmoko will begin shipping the next generation Neo Freerunner to Pulster, Golden Delicious Computers and TRIsoft located in Germany, Bearstech in France and IDA Systems based in India.

IDA Systems specializes in customized software development and retail sales of hand-held computer devices. Golden Delicious Computers is a specialist for mobile office solutions and was founded as The Handheld Linux Shop. TRIsoft, in business since 1985, has been focusing in recent years on mobile Linux devices. Bearstech offers expertise in Open Source architecture and complex internet projects, and Pulster specializes in online sales of mobile devices into industrial and education markets with focus on Linux-based solutions.

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Mac user punished for loyalty

From Wisebread:

I’m an unapologetic Mac-junkie. I’ve got an old, dead Mac laptop that I can’t bear to part with from 1996. Our iMac is still up and running, having recently been put out to pasture after a disk drive malfunction. I eagerly bought one of the early iPods, and still use it all the time. And I’m writing to you now from my G4 Cube, which was a gift from a friend years ago. I’ve watched other Mac lovers fall away from the True Faith, one-by-one, but I never thought it would happen to me. However, yesterday when we brought home the newest addition to our Mac family, an 80 Gb iPod Classic, it would be my turn to be disillusioned. After you pay the hefty $249 price tag, plus an extra $30 for a wall charger (they used to bundle those in for free), plus $55 for the composite AV cable for your TV, plus any other little extras you may need, there is a hidden cost that blows up in your face when you get it home.

In short, the new iPods are not compatible with any operating system before OS 10.4.8. There’s a good discussion of the problem here. Basically, if you don’t have a newer operating system, you have to buy it before you can use your iPod. If you can’t run the newest OS, Leopard, you need to call Apple tech support and they’ll graciously sell you the outdated and obsolete Tiger for $129. You can imagine what I said to this gracious offer, after plunking down $350 for the device.

What all of this comes down to, for me, is that I am tired of the platform wars. Enough is enough already. I’m tired of manufacturers trying to force me to buy equipment I don’t want and need, or pointless “upgrades” (I shudder to think of my old cube trying to run a bloated newer operating system), just so that I can listen to a song, or download TV shows from iTunes (which, by the way, I was planning to do extensively). I’m tired of trying to exchange text files with people who have some subtly different document format, and seeing all of my formatting turned into gibberish. I’m tired of declaring loyalty to one manufacturer or another just because I bought their product.

When I take my car in for repairs, the mechanic never tells me that my older model car is “no longer supported,” or that my new tires are incompatible with my older chassis. I am not forced to stop using my refrigerator because my new food is suddenly incompatible with it. And while I’m on the subject, I don’t understand why I need a desktop or a laptop computer at all to use my iPod or my other smart devices. Has no one ever thought of making an ethernet or wireless adapter so that we can download our tunes directly from the internet? Of course not! Because then people might decide they don’t need a $2000 laptop just so they can listen to music in the car. Slam dunk!

Laurie decided to make the switch back to PC and from what I understand she’s loving (most of) her new PC with Vista. I’m just wondering how much longer people will put up with proprietary equipment. No wonder Linux fans are such fanatics.