OpenMoko says "screw it," starts taking FreeRunner orders a day early
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Jul 3rd 2008 1:52PM
posted Jul 3rd 2008 1:52PM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
where do i sign?..............you mean i have to bring my own pen too?
:no dice:
LMAO :) I would have loved it if it had 3G support and bigger screen size or keyboard.
$400 for a basic phone.
Hmm...
I'm thinking... no.
Agreed. Way to much for lack of "should be" standard options.
Hmm... Low Ranked.
I guess this calls for a mature response:
Linux fanboys: No-one fucking cares about your plethora of non-standard, shaky operating systems. That's why you still only have less than 1% of the PC market. Your phones suck as well.
There, I feel better for that.
@mark. How many machines on the net are running linux of some description? Also, how can linux be called 'non standard'? Microsoft is the biggest enemy to free and open standards that currently exists.
Uh oh, someone is cranky... like they have linux in their vagina.
"Also, how can linux be called 'non standard'? Microsoft is the biggest enemy to free and open standards that currently exists."
Agreed.
@mark: I hope you were kidding when you said "mature". Furthermore, as for "shaky" and "unstable", have you actually *tried* a good Linux distro lately? Sure they sometimes have issues, but then so does Windows, Mac, and everything else out there. In my opinion, Windows users tend to be used to the BSoD and the rest, so it doesn't seem like as big a deal. Any well-established Linux distro should work quite well on most computers (and sometimes, as in the case of driver issues, it's not their fault if it doesn't). Sure, if you want to pull your code from the latest SVN, it's going to be unstable - that's the price you pay for getting the latest and greatest. MS and Apple only release when a program is ready (debatable); Linux releases stable versions too -- but you can choose to use them, or not.
Please get your facts right before providing criticism
It's not a contract price. Compare the price of this wifi-enabled phone...with a 640 x 480 touchscreen...to the *non-contract* price of other phones with similar capabilities. That's 640x480 folks, so duct tape two iPhones next to each other to get the same size and get back to me on price.
We had quite a few apologists for the iPhone 1.0 here when it hit the streets with only Edge. "It has Wifi! That's all I need 99% of the time!"
Where did those folks go? Off massaging Steve Jobs' feet perhaps...waiting for him to offer them more gruel.
"Microsoft is the biggest enemy to free and open standards that currently exists."
That's true, but they make the standard. You might not like it, but 96% of the world's computers disagree.
I run Ubuntu on one of my PCs. It's nowhere near as good as Vista, doesn't have acceptably stable software and requires frequent command window interventions to actually do anything plus it grays out/locks up more than any Windows machine - including ones running Me - I've ever had.
So, once again: No one cares. Really.
Why bother, I'd rather get a GoPhone.
2 years to late!
I saw this last year and thought it was a bag of crap then, this bag of crap should have been burned on the doorstep a long time ago!
No 3G, no edge, no camera, UI looks shit, as well as the device and it's not clear what features it has - what am I paying $400 bucks for again??
Yes- their listing says camera, but specs don't support that & "wish list" forum has camera as a want.
"UI looks shit, as well as the device and it's not clear what features it has - what am I paying $400 bucks for again??"
I've tried the openMoko software on my Palm handheld (without a phone), and while there were of course issues (it was kind of a kludge to get it to run on a Zire72), but I was fairly impressed. Keep in mind, it /is/ Linux after all... if you don't like the UI, then change it! (or get someone to do it for you) As a side note, check out this UI: http://moblin.org/repos/users/pippin/screencasts/2008-06-25.html . I admit that I'm not a huge fan of the devices' case, but again - it's Open, so find someone with a CNC machine, and go nuts.
I don't understand this product. Is it only VOIP over WiFi or can you use it with a real cellular network? If you can use it with a cell network, which networks are available? I don't see anything about activating the phone, cell phone cards or anything like that on the website.
I STILL don't know much about it...
Don't you get it pal?
It's the FIRST open source, DIY phone!
You pay and they give you that thing and then you just have to build your own cellular network across the nation.
You get to make it just like you want it.
Aint that great?
So is this the future of Android? LiMo?
Here's a phone and you put own shit on it....
I don't think it'll be that way, but think of how cool it would it to have a full featured phone that you choose all the apps.
You choose the navigation, internet, email/messaging, media player, etc.
You get the basic very capable phone. It's like buy a bare bones PC and building it up yourselft.
Now I realize most phone buyers wouldn't be in this category, but some users would love the option.
Yeah it exists. It's called Nokia S60. Put your own shit on it.
Yeah it exists. It's called Nokia S60.
Woah!
A full featured phone where I choose the applications I want?
My Mogul from July of 07 does just that with Windows Mobile!
Aside from the massive developer community for both applications and rom changes, my Mogul has also has a keyboard, 3G-EVDO Rev. A.
(Keep in mind, I'm just going for the open-installation structure of Windows Mobile, not performance, interface, etc.)
The idea behind the phone is nice I suppose, but undercutting features in 2008 where competition among advanced phones is more fierce than ever is really a big mistake.
Yeah,
I love my WinMo phone too.
So far nothing (not Android, iphone, or LiMo) can come close to it in flexibility.
I flashed it as soon as I got it to clean off any sign of ATT. Then i went to work customizing.
I was just wondering if a phone company could use that angle and option as a selling point.
Lol...they're already sold out.
Kind of a lame phone if you ask me.
Great idea, but why's it so freaking ugly/bulky?
they aren't sold out. They didn't start the shipping on the 900 yet!
I don't understand this product. Is it only VOIP over WiFi or can you use it with a real cellular network? If you can use it with a cell network, which networks are available? I don't see anything about activating the phone, cell phone cards or anything like that on the website.
I really don't know much about it.
It is a GSM phone. Bring your own simcard, as it is not locked to any network.
Ah, okay, that makes more sense. Sorry about the duplicate posts.
It is neat to have a smart phone you can use with any network...
It's totally normal in the rest of the world...
It has GPRS...
I call GPRS " EDGE on steroids!" :P
What is target audience for this? Are there really many people that want to "program" some bottom of barrel, fugly phone?
So much hate for a company that isn't out to screw us Consumers over, come on! Everybody at OpenMoko are freedom lovers, like Engadget us readers. The specs aren't there yet, but its up to us to participate in it's development and contribute.
Hatin' on the FreeRunner is like beating up Ralph Wiggum.
I think I will patiently wait for my HTC dream instead... Hell as much as I Love non proprietary hardware with open standards I would much rather get the Jesus phone than this shit... the price sucks, the UI sucks and the specs are okay but could be better and 1 last thing... the hardware is ugly. As an artist I like my hardware to reflect my good taste.
Then slap a "NOFX" sticker on it and call it a day.
The CAD files are open; design your own case. And what's with the "ugly", just because it looks like a piece of electronics and not a toy?
I love the concept, but the features aren't there to justify spending $400.
No data? Are they serious? In 2008? I mean I asked the same question when the iPhone came out in 2007 without 3G, but this is taking it to the limit.
Wow, you didn't even take the time to read anything before commenting, did you? GPRS is data. It is just not as fast as 3G.
Lulz, I cannot believe how many of you haters completely miss the point here. I would choose this kind of open phone over closed-down iCrap any day of the week, but then again, I'm happy with my Nokia.
Hey dumb asses, anyone who would criticize a phone because of it's interface is clearly a complete and utter moron.
The OpenMoko phone is based off of Linux, a operating system that can be customized to look like what ever the hell you want, so for all of you who said "the UI sucks", "UI looks shit" You my friend are what I like to call a "Simple minded piece of shit" Don' judge a book by it's cover, marketing gurus know that what people go for (Like fish) are shiny lures, most people are lured just like fish into this.
All that glitters is NOT gold.
Why would you ship a phone with a crappy GUI? It's called "marketing." If Apple shipped Mac OS X with a crappy looking GUI, it wouldn't matter if you could customize it, no one would go for it. People that walk around on the street dressed like bums aren't usually multi-millionaires.
It just shows the mindset of this company: here's a device that we half-assed into the market, now you do the rest!
"All that glitters is NOT gold."
@guess who: Not to be a pain, but if you're quoting Tolkien, it's "All that is gold does not glitter" -- kind of makes a difference in meaning...
Does make a good point though ;)
@Jeff
Shakespeare was first and it's "All that glisters is not gold" from the Merchant Of Venice.
He's quoting led zepplin. That or Smash Mouth.. though I hope it's the former.
I don't know about you, but it's July the 4th here, so right on time
as far as I'm concerned.
LIES!! FUTURE MAN!
I swear 90% of the commenters on this site have no decency to think that maybe, just MAYBE, there are people here that actually CARE about something that is open source and fully programmable.
In fact, I will agree with many that this phone is not for me.
I lost interest about a year ago, and with my life now I don't have the time to develop for a phone. I'm spending enough time trying to keep up with internet technologies, so I can make good websites and make the net suck less.
Also note that this phone is not going to be in stores. At least there's no plans to, and I think that's how it should be.
So to everyone complaining, you're not going to have to stare at this at the phone booth in the mall on your way to the Apple store.
The price and the features of the FreeRunner are NOT trying to "compete" with the iPhone or any Windows Mobile devices, but now Joe Shmoe can make some killer app that all his fellow FreeRunner users will scream about, and maybe Microsoft and Apple will take notice and do something similar on their phone OSes.
There is no possible way this phone could be priced cheaper, even though it was largely developed overseas. If the iPhone didn't drop to $200 less people would complain, but OpenMoko is not Apple. They don't have the resources and established market to price their product for the common consumer.
Everyone rips off everyone else in the technology industry. This phone opens a new path so a lot more people can get involved and ideas can come to life.
Get it?
Umm, and let's not forget that Apple didn't really lower the prices on the 3G phones, they just stopped profit sharing and AT&T has more than taken up the slack.
Now, I'm not an economist or anything, but I think that AT&T's $10/month rate increase will pretty much destroy your savings. Let's see, 10*24 = 240 > 200
I still don't know why the eff they don't have videos up, tutorials, whatever. I want to see how can I text! If its only with the pen, there goes my decision, I like to text with one hand. And also the price, way steep.
Also I've never used Linux, yet I'm very interested on it, except for the size, looks very big! and of course, the txting.
As I said above, I've tried it out a bit, albeit not on the actual FreeRunner hardware. (In fact, I wasn't even running it on a phone, so I can't help you with the texting part - try http://youtube.com/results?search_query=openmoko&search_type=&aq=f)
If you've never tried Linux, you should be able to use the phone as a phone with no problem, and Linux isn't really hard - just different. Try it out, but be prepared to spend a bit of time unlearning your Windowsisms :P
Thanks Jeff, I looked for videos on Tuesday but I want to see this new FreeRunner thingy, all those videos are from a year ago, the newest is two months old etc... is it the same as the one just released?
No problem with unlearning windowisms, I'm tech friendly, just never found interest/time to play around with Linux.
What bothers me the most is not the Linux, I'm very PRO free open stuff, I love it, its a)price b)size and c)how to txt. On tuesday, when I found out about it I had d)no camera, but I figured I've taken one picture on my celly in the last year, a useless pic.
I appreciate your response tho!
Sorry for the double post, but it is noteworthy that you're not going to be able to develop much without the development board, which is $100 extra.
Are you willing to spend half a grand on a phone?
If so...
Happy hacking!
That's just not true.
You only need the debug board if you're doing really really low level stuff, the kind of stuff that is likely to brick the phone. This doesn't include programming apps, updating apps, or any of the silly things the iphone dislikes.
I'd like to reiterate what Doc above me said, it is not true. You do not need the DBoard to develop for the phone. I'm pretty sure it doesn't even stand for "Development Board", it stands for "Diagnostic Board" or something similar.
If anyone is interested in developing Applications for the phone they can go here:
http://projects.openmoko.org/
Most criticisms offered here are not of OpenMoko, which is the OS. Instead, they are criticisms of FreeRunner, which is the handset.
Yes, the handset is missing some critical features. No argument. IMHO, there is no excuse for a lack of a camera and lack of at least 3G for data...but this is not a big company and their development pipeline is long.
That said, the handset is not complete ass. For example:
Unlike Palm Treos:
- it has GPS
- it has a 3 axis motion sensor
- it has 802.11 b/g
- it is not carrier-specific
Unlike the iPhone:
- it has a user-replacable battery
- it has a micro SD slot for future memory expansion
- it is not locked in to AT&T
- software does not need to be blessed by God (aka, the apple store)
...AND...it has a 480x640 touchscreen. That is full VGA folks...and a touchscreen...unlike BBerrys.
Regardless, OpenMoke is the OS, not the handset...and an open OS for mobile handsets is just as exciting to me as the emergence of Linux...and before you start saying that Linux sucks ass, get back to me on what OS your TiVo runs...and your PopcornHour...and your Chumby...and any number of other devices that are affordable because it exists.
Android is also exciting, but it is not very open. Both of them are a hell of a lot more exciting to me than the iPhone and its OS. Don't like the current FreeRunner handset? Don't worry about it, because with open(-ish) OS-es like OpenMoko and Android, you will have handset vendors tripping over each other to compete by offering handsets with a dizzying array of cutting-edge features. You just need to give these OS-es time to hit the ground and get their start,.
Or you can sit by and wait for your annual "this is what you get" edict from Steve Jobs each year. Whatever.
I just wanted say, the screen is big enough and I never use the camera on my phone that I have now.
It's not much in and of itself, but it's a start.
I think Ubuntu mobile will quickly become my favorite mobile distro.. that or android-- openmoko, well...
Choice is good. The more the merrier.
I'd rather get that one phone from the fruit company...what was that do-dad called again?
Bleep!