First Look: the Anti-iPhone, OpenMoko's Neo1973
Why is the Neo1973 the anti-iPhone? Because it's totally open source. The idea is to collaborate with developers who will create all the basic apps. OpenMoko/FIC will then certify a bundle of those apps and mass market them with the phone along with support. The developers will be rewarded with some kind of revenue sharing deal for the software sold by OpenMoko. Power users will always have the ability to get freeware apps from the community as well.
This is why Moss-Pultz calls the Neo1973 the anti-iPhone. The iPhone is a closed system, and OpenMoko, obviously, is not. The SDK for the open platform is available starting today. The basic OS is running off of the Linux 2.6.17 kernel, with GTK and Matchbox running on top of it for the UI. While the drivers and everything else are under GPL, the data sheets for most of the hardware components are under NDA, in particular the touch screen, which is designed to be used with both fingers and styli.
Other related links:
OpenMoko Smartphone: Did They Have a Time Machine, or What?
Here's a video titled 'World Debut: The First Completely Open Mobile Phone'
featuring FIC/OpenMoko's Sean Moss-Pultz showing and explaining what the FIC Neo1973 is all about :
Update: The device will be
Update: The device will be available in March:
When exactly will the Neo1973 ship, and how much will the unlocked, quad-band GSM/GPRS phone cost? Moss-Pultz said, "We were hoping for January. Now, there will be two phases. The first [was] Feb. 11, with free phones for prominent open source community members. The real sale date will be March 11. That's when the online store opens, and everyone can buy one direct, for about $350."