Open Source Flashback: June 2008
“OpenMoko FreeRunner: a win for phone freedom”
Ryan Paul: “OpenMoko’s first-generation handset, which is called the Neo1973, was designed specifically for an audience of developers and wasn’t intended for regular day-to-day use. …The new model, which is called the FreeRunner, includes a 500 Mhz processor rather than the 266 Mhz processor of the Neo 1973. The FreeRunner also adds WiFi, motion sensors, and hardware-accelerated 2D/3D graphics rendering capabilities. The FreeRunner inherits the Neo1973’s ovoid form-factor and 2.8-inch touchscreen.”
“Openmoko’s Open Source Phone Goes Mass-Market”
linuxdevices.com: “Openmoko has begun shipping its Linux-based, open source Neo Freerunner phone to five newly announced distributors, in Germany, France, and India, says the company. The Neo Freerunner features an open hardware design, and a Linux-based operating system that users are free to modify.” Notice the announced distributors do not include the United States.
“Open sesame”
The Economist: “…the term “open-source hardware” is being used in a narrower sense. It refers to an emerging class of electronic devices, for which the specifications have been made public, so that enthusiasts can suggest refinements, write and share software improvements, and even build their own devices from scratch. This is not as daft as it sounds. Even if all the details needed to build something are available, few people will have the tools or the inclination to do so.”