Openmoko has taken the wraps off its Neo FreeRunner, a Linux-based smartphone based on the companys open mobile-computing platform. Before you yawn about reading yet another product-introduction story -- especially about a handset that lacks 3G capability -- what sets the Neo FreeRunner apart is that it really is open, literally and figuratively.
The companys black, oval-shaped smartphones are built for users to actually open. For example, buyers will be able to take the units casing apart to get at the electronic circuitry. Openmoko says it will even supply the tools to make opening the device a snap.
And the handsets flexible development platform will allow designers to create Linux-based mobile applications for specialized markets, Taiwan-based Openmoko said. The goal is to empower developers and consumers alike to personalize their devices, much like a PC.
UNDER THE HOOD
Measuring 4.75 x 2.44 x 0.73 inches and tipping the scales at 6.5 oz, the Neo Freerunner sports a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a display resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. Underneath the hood, the handset integrates chips for connecting tirelessly with functions and services compatible with the Bluetooth 2.0, GPS and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) standards.
The handset uses a 400-MHz ARM9 processor, 128MB of WSDRAM and 256MB of NAND Flash memory. Though there is no camera, the smartphone has two three-axis motion sensors and a microSD expansion-card slot.
The Neo FreeRunner is a tri-band GSM device that comes in 850/1800/1900-MHz and 900/1800/1900-MHz forms. To find out which Neo to buy, Openmoko suggests that prospective buyers first determine the GSM bands supported in their home markets.
CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS
On the software side, the new handset can dial numbers, send and receive SMS text, and record personalized contact information. Openmoko expects to supplement these with downloads, beginning with the release next month of a software suite that will include some location-based applications.
However, the biggest software news is that developers will be able to tap Openmokos Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community and create unique versions of the smartphone. For example, developers and users alike will be able to install and run new operating-system firmware that will add custom-tailored Linux software applications.
Wireless carriers and other large-scale customers will even be able to physically customize the device through the use of CAD files made publicly available under a Creative Commons license. This should make it easy for industrial designers to visibly alter the phones look and feel through the use of alternate materials and finishes.
The Neo FreeRunner, with a suggested retail price of $399, will be available for purchase from Openmokos Web site beginning Friday. Distributors in the European Union, India and North America should begin selling the new handset on Monday.
The companys black, oval-shaped smartphones are built for users to actually open. For example, buyers will be able to take the units casing apart to get at the electronic circuitry. Openmoko says it will even supply the tools to make opening the device a snap.
And the handsets flexible development platform will allow designers to create Linux-based mobile applications for specialized markets, Taiwan-based Openmoko said. The goal is to empower developers and consumers alike to personalize their devices, much like a PC.
UNDER THE HOOD
Measuring 4.75 x 2.44 x 0.73 inches and tipping the scales at 6.5 oz, the Neo Freerunner sports a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a display resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. Underneath the hood, the handset integrates chips for connecting tirelessly with functions and services compatible with the Bluetooth 2.0, GPS and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) standards.
The handset uses a 400-MHz ARM9 processor, 128MB of WSDRAM and 256MB of NAND Flash memory. Though there is no camera, the smartphone has two three-axis motion sensors and a microSD expansion-card slot.
The Neo FreeRunner is a tri-band GSM device that comes in 850/1800/1900-MHz and 900/1800/1900-MHz forms. To find out which Neo to buy, Openmoko suggests that prospective buyers first determine the GSM bands supported in their home markets.
CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS
On the software side, the new handset can dial numbers, send and receive SMS text, and record personalized contact information. Openmoko expects to supplement these with downloads, beginning with the release next month of a software suite that will include some location-based applications.
However, the biggest software news is that developers will be able to tap Openmokos Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community and create unique versions of the smartphone. For example, developers and users alike will be able to install and run new operating-system firmware that will add custom-tailored Linux software applications.
Wireless carriers and other large-scale customers will even be able to physically customize the device through the use of CAD files made publicly available under a Creative Commons license. This should make it easy for industrial designers to visibly alter the phones look and feel through the use of alternate materials and finishes.
The Neo FreeRunner, with a suggested retail price of $399, will be available for purchase from Openmokos Web site beginning Friday. Distributors in the European Union, India and North America should begin selling the new handset on Monday.
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