OpenMoko Neo FreeRunner available for order July 4, shipping July 7

Last we heard form Openmoko, it was packing and shipping the open-source FreeRunner for an early July release. So, here we are in early July and wouldn't you know it, the FreeRunner will be available for order starting Friday, July 4 with shipping to begin on Monday, July 7. As for details, we got 'em. The shipped version of the phone will come in both 850Mhz and 900Mhz Tri-band GSM flavors with a 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen, WiFi, AGPS, GPRS 2.5G, Bluetooth 2.0, 128MB WSDRAM, and 256MB NAND flash. If you're down with all that, look to pay $399 on Friday at www.openmoko.com.

[Brian @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:21AM]

didn't AOTS review this phone and give it a shitty review?

[DefPo3t @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:52AM]

you trust attack of the show to review a phone for you. Let me get this straight. You let a tv show tell you what to buy.

[Brian @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:30AM]

yes I do let tv tell me what to buy. Plus Gadget Pr0n and Attack This are the best for reviews.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:52AM]

Since you let tv tell you what to buy and like gadget p0rn. You wouldn't happen to have any extenze pills ould you : D

[brett @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:39AM]

anything Olivia says is gospel.

[johnzilla @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:47PM]

Who's Olivia?

[Greg @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:56PM]

SuperCoolSplasdfkjl3!0 please disconnect your computer from the internet. You have been banned for multiple violations of the internet user agreement:
- still using leet
- calling someone a "hater"
- writing so incoherently that it takes minutes to decode your post, only to realise you said absolutely nothing except a yo momma joke

If you wish to dispute this ban, please indicate by sticking a fork in the power socket nearest your computer.

[Greg @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:58PM]

SuperCoolSplasdfkjl3!0 please disconnect your computer from the internet. You have been banned for multiple violations of the internet user agreement:
- still using leet in sentences
- calling someone a "hater"
- writing so incoherently that it takes minutes to decode your post, only to realise you said absolutely nothing except a yo momma joke

If you wish to dispute this ban, please indicate by sticking a fork in the power socket nearest your computer.

(hopefully not a repost, something went wrong)

[Zach @ Jul 2nd 2008 2:35PM]

hahah read all his other posts, they're all in leet

oh my. what a twisted sense of humor.

[Scuba Steve @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:27AM]

Never thought I would see the day.

That said, it's going to be a tough sell for them...with the 3G Jesus phone imminent and Android on the horizon. Specs are nice, but the data rate will make them look bad in this market. Of course, geeks are their only market since this announcement is essentially a tree falling in a forest everywhere else...and as a geek, I'm happy to see them ship, but not happy with a step backward in speed vs. my current Treo.

Of course, open is nice.

[Stealth @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:52AM]

Yea, but fortunately for them Android is not a phone. In fact, Android may be the perfect companion for the Openmoko since as far as we can tell, the software side is what's really lacking for it. Android making good use of all the features of this phone would make (IMHO) a phone worthy of purchase. Even if lacking in some areas, it would just be nice to support the company for their open methodology.

[Matthew @ Jul 2nd 2008 5:14PM]

OpenMoko is not a phone either. OpenMoko is the software. Freerunner is the phone. The hardware is what sucks about the Freerunner, the OS is fine.

[gerbick @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:25AM]

If they reviewed anything, it was the developers edition of this phone. The FreeRunner is the finalized, retail-ready version.

No guarantee that it sucks less, but given how it's an option and it's open... if it's performance is up to snuff, I'd give it a chance.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:27AM]

A full touchscreen device with only EDGE data? Who in their right mind would pay $399 for that?

Oh, wait.

[Wii60 @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:56AM]

I'm not seeing EDGE up there..... or is that what 2.6G means?

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:00AM]

Hehe, I just checked open moko's site, and the specs show this:

"GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)"

That, combined with the stupid lanyard loop, make this one big pile of fail.

[Wii60 @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:06AM]

Yeah, if it actually had EDGE, it would be an attractive offering at a lower price, but to sell a smartphone without EDGE these days is preposterous.

[Andrew @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:38AM]

Moko is Spanish for BOOGER X D hhhaahahaha

[Gaston @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:57AM]

The correct word in spanish is "moco".

[derX @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:57PM]

You get the general idea of what he's saying. Phonetically, "moko" and "moco" are equivalent. It's like when some German company was gonna release the PMP iBeat blaxx (I'm pretty sure that was on BGR), phonetically, it doesn't fly.

This phone doesn't seem appealing to me, it's not attractive and the specs are Mehhh sauce.

[TareX @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:38AM]

If somebody's dying for an open phone, wait 3 more months for Android and get a real one. It can't be THAT urgent.

And Edge only? Who's the target customer? I'm betting those who don't know about 3G are the same ones that don't know what open means.

[meist3r @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:49AM]

You don't get it, it's about the software platform as it is as an open device. I much more interested for the wireless and gps capabilities of this thing than anything else. In Germany the first batch is already sold out and the next one will come somewhere around the end of July. Lowest retail price I've seen so far was 299 Euros.

I would already have one if I had the money right now. So far all I see from Android is delays and nowhere to be found hardware announcements. This at least is something that works now and is available now and almost affordable. Considering you can change the hardware and software freely and they provide you with all the specs and CAD data you need to remodel the thing I think it's a pretty cool project that finally made the next step.

[josch @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:10AM]

Dear engadget users,

Please remember now and for all times never to use Android and open in one sentence ever again.

Android is NOT open. It runs on linux but their whole stack is a proprietary blob.

If I dont tell the truth please show me the source.

[Scott @ Jul 2nd 2008 3:35PM]

Here ya go josch.
http://code.google.com/p/android/downloads/list

I like the idea of the OpenMoko project very much, and followed it closely for awhile, but at present it's $400 and two data speeds out of date.

[josch @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:45AM]

erm... you fail
would be nice if you would read the links you are pasting.
the source that is there are those they HAVE to publish since the linux kernel is GPL
there is NO SOURCE for the android operating system/framework atop of it

[Mycroft @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:30AM]

I love that they offer tools to open up the case. But the speed and lack of camera may be an issue.

[Kevin Fries @ Jul 2nd 2008 2:08PM]

Actually, the lack of a phone could be a huge selling point. A smart phone (slow or not) without a phone could sell quite well to workers in highly secured situations (i.e. Military). I know several contractors that need to go to highly secured facilities and they are allowed to carry any phone without a camera. Try finding that at your local AT&T or T-Mobile store. Especially one with smart phone features.

[John @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:39AM]

My sense of scale is always thrown off in these pictures because the bottom part looks like it's supposed to be attached to a keychain.

[meist3r @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:50AM]

http://www.mobilelinuxinfo.com/images/neo-freerunner-giz.jpg

Better now?

[Andrew88 @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:48AM]

This thing looks like a Tamagotchi + has OpenBooger OS + Edge + and is being released a week before iPhone 3G = Epic Fail!

[meist3r @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:54AM]

Compares an open solution to the most proprietary crap ever invented + has no sense of technological innovation in open markets + knows what a Tamagotchi is = Miserable education

BTW. would people please stop saying "epic" ... none of the shit you use it for is actually epic. Just because videogame items are named like that in a virtual fantasy world doesn't make it an appropriate term for mediocre bullshit. Taking the closed telephone hardware and software market and pushing into that with an open customizable solution = THAT is epic. Because people in ten years will talk about that ... not about a stupid purple shinplate.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:53AM]

World's premier OpenMoko Loco = EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC FAIL

As if anyone with any sense at all will buy this FAILphone before the iPhone 3G becomes available. They think that releasing this a few days before the iPhone 3G is going to sway the tide. Get real.

[Ace b @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:04AM]

@meist3r

Either you forgot to take a dump today,or you just always have a stick of self-righteousness up your ass.

[meist3r @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:01PM]

@Ace B: Because I refuse to accept the idea that the internet will deteriorate into a pool of idiots using their language in the wrong fashion and don't have anything sensible to say? Yeah sure.

[Ace b @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:52PM]

@meist3r

Dude,it's the internet.Anything goes.Like anyone is really gonna care what ya think?

It would be easier to make Hilary Clinton actually attractive than to get people to listen to your rants and or comments and actually have them abide by it.

[T-Bone @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:55PM]

@meist3r:
Open trumps proprietary? Is that why Asteroids on my Ubuntu box is only marginally better than the one a couple friends and I put together with no previous knowledge of graphics?

[meist3r @ Jul 2nd 2008 2:03PM]

@Ace B: See that's where you are wrong ... anything goes ... but some things just shouldn't. Nobody cares what I say? Then why do you even bother two answer? I get to fight stupid opinions w/o you believing in my success but thanks for your brilliant analogy. If you didn't get that I was sort of thinking out loud on my "rant" (you've never read a true rant have you?) then I'm even more sorry for you than I am right now.

@T-Bone: If open means that I can swap my battery for several Nokia models for a few bucks instead of mailing it in to replace. If it means that I can choose any carrier I want. If it means that I can write applications for the device that I don't have to illegally crack to run them yes it trumps proprietary. And I'll give you the point that open software doesn't have to be brilliant code all the time ... but it means that at least there is a reasonable chance for improvement. Locked down proprietary technology rises and falls with the developing company and their ideas. Open technology grows on ALL ideas. And if more improvement means longer initial adaption phase like we see it with Linux ... good things need some time.

[Dalek @ Jul 2nd 2008 3:35PM]

@Steffen Jobbs
Stop filling this space with your shit.

[engler @ Jul 2nd 2008 4:36PM]

Proclaiming the openmoko to "Epic Fail!" just because the specs aren't as good as closed source phones is akin to proclaiming the PC to fail because you can get much better performance out of an XBox 360 for $299.

[Ace b @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:18PM]

@meist3r

a lot of things shouldnt happen,but that's called life now isnt it?

And your replies amuse me.They make me giggle.Which is why I start things with people like you,who will personally take what anyone says to heart.

[Chris Macdonald @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:41PM]

@ace b

so you're saying no one's allowed to tell you to Ƒuck off?

[Chris Macdonald @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:42PM]

i mean that's life ain't it?

[Ace b @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:59AM]

@Chris Macdonald

You can.But I'll just tell you to do the same.Or ignore it completely and actually do something productive

[Chris Macdonald @ Jul 5th 2008 4:17PM]

yeah something productive like "start things" with people on the internet so you can giggle

[Justin @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:30AM]

Wow, for such a great project, that ad fails.

[coffee @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:44AM]

It's the first major release of the hardware and software. If they put an 'i' in front of it, it would be revolutionary. The open source platform is what Android lovers have really been waiting for, they just don't know it. Complete freedom in a phone package. No company to brick your phone, no limitations on which applications you can try.

[EMoShunz @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:46AM]

i would buy this just to support the idea (and the fact the the iphone canada plans are f*ing ridiculous)
but, i need to be able to take the sim out of my bbry and plug it into this...so...maybe some other time. my work is so technically inept that i have to carry a bbry and 2 pagers already, i can't have another phone on my belt, i'd look like batman
"quick robin, the shark repellant!"

[Artie MacStrawman @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:56AM]

I don't see EDGE listed on those device specs.

I see GPRS, and some nebulous reference to 2.6G, though I've never understood that to mean EDGE/EGPRS.

Can someone confirm 2.6G = EDGE. A cursory 'googling' of "GPRS 2.6G" only really brings up this article. Seems absurd to think a device wouldn't have EDGE in this day and age, but you never know...

[josch @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:09AM]

no it has no edge - a later version is planned to have it

but as i have used the neo1973 for over a year now, i think i can say that gprs is just enough

[Rich @ Jul 2nd 2008 11:17AM]

2G = GSM
2.5G = GPRS
2.75G = EDGE
2.6G = WTF