fic
Latest
Trolltech gets cozy with OpenMoko, ports platform to Neo1973
Trolltech and OpenMoko are pretty much the two patron saints of open source phoning at the moment -- and seeing how it's a nascent market (to say the least), hooking up is probably the right move to make. Trolltech, maker of that crazy green (and aptly named) Greenphone, has ported its Qtopia Phone Edition software stack to OpenMoko's hardware, giving hackers tooling around with their Neo1973s another platform with which to play. Concurrently with the announcement, Trolltech has revealed that its entire Qtopia reference platform is now available under version 2 of the GPL; previously, parts of the package were only available under a commercial license, so this is a pretty big win for the open source community. Whether this all translates to a better experience once the Neo1973 moves from developer platform to retail device remains unclear, but it certainly can't hurt -- and it might mark the passing of the open source torch from the Greenphone to OpenMoko's efforts.[Via MobileBurn]
FIC's CE260 and 261 UMPCs get the FCC treatment
We'd heard that Everex / FIC was going to be the Stateside OEM for VIA's NanoBook, and it looks like that hunch was right on the money -- two NanoBook variations, the CE260 and 261, have just shown up the FCC's all-seeing database with FIC branding. Nothing revolutionary in the docs -- and no word on what's to come for that expansion bay -- but we've always liked the NanoBook's design, and we're stoked to see it finally hit the US.
OpenMoko Neo 1973 developer kits available July 9
End users still have a while to wait for a final, finished product -- October's the current estimate -- but developers looking to get cracking on OpenMoko's open-source handset need only wait a few more days. July 9 is the chosen date for pushing Neo 1973 dev kits out the door in two configurations: Neo Base for $300 and Neo Advanced for $450. Neo Base will include the first-gen handset plus garden variety accessories you'd expect to find in a retail package (headset, stylus, pouch, USB cable, and the like), while the Advanced package adds in some additional hardware for really ripping the phone to shreds and tricking it out. The goal is to make sure devs have a healthy catalog of apps ready by the time Joe Consumer gets his hands on one in a few months, at which point the hardware will be even better with the addition WiFi, 256MB of onboard Flash, two onboard accelerometers, and a faster core. We're countin' on ya, code heads![Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
FIC's seven-inch CE261 UMPC spotted at Computex
Continuing on with more glimpses of foreign gadgetry from the floors of Computex comes the seven-inch CE261 UMPC from FIC. This laptop-styled machine sports a glossy black exterior, noticeably large gap beneath the display's bezel, and a swank looking keyboard to boot. Aside from the WVGA display and reported five-hours of battery life, this sucka also touts a pair of stereo speakers, miniature trackpad, a pair of USB ports, audio in / out, Ethernet, DVI output, flash card reader, 0.3-megapixel webcam in the bezel, and a number of LED indicators to keep you informed. Per usual, there's no word yet on when certain sects of the world can snag one of their own, so click on through for the obligatory snapshots to tide you over.
.jpg.cf.jpg)
Engadget Chinese tracks down VIA NanoBook's US OEM: Everex
Our brethren over at Engadget Chinese just went hands-on with the Via NanoBook at Computex. Better yet, they seem to have unearthed the other, US-bound OEM: FIC (First International Computer) as it's known in Taiwan, or Everex as we know 'em Stateside. Makes sense given Everex's penchant for VIA C7-M procs in their StepNote series of laptops. The FIC CE260 they played with even had a prototype Skype-phone module in place of that oddball world clock insert seen previously. Also new is a date: they were told to expect the unit to show up in China and Europe (presumably under the Packard Bell branding) sometime in August. Engadget Chinese has tons of pics and first-hand impressions so be sure to click the "read" link below for a quick trip across the Pacific.
OpenMoko details pricing, availability for Neo1973
End users are still in for a bit of a wait, but tinkerers, devs, and 1337 hax0rz should soon be able to get their hands on FIC's Linux-based Neo1973 handset. The device, getting thrown together courtesy of the OpenMoko project with the goal of open-sourcing both the phone and the platform, will drop first in $200 "Hacker's Lunchbox" trim (for the aforementioned hackers) late this month featuring a seemingly bombproof plastic box to hold your GPLed bundle of joy and its dev tools. This fall -- September, if OpenMoko's prediction holds up -- the retail version will follow on for $350 with a variety of bundled accessories (though not the pictured car mount, which'll run an extra $75), faster processor, and possibly a cam or integrated WiFi. Why not both, FIC? Go crazy![Via LinuxDevices.com]
FIC's Linux-based FIC-GTA001 GSM smartphone encourages hacking
Hot on the heels of DrewTech's Linux-powered DashDAQ is FIC's own piece of Linux-based hawtness, the FIC-GTA001 mobile. While the company is already familiar in the world of CDMA, this marks the firm's first endeavor into the realm of GSM smartphones. Sporting a 2.8-inch 640 x 480 resolution touchscreen with "multi-touch gesture recognition," GPS capabilities, dedicated "emergency paging button," and an "iPod-quality MP3 player," the svelte cellphone is primed for homebrew apps thanks to the inclusion of the SDK right in the box. FIC is hoping that adopters will participate in developer communities to craft new and improved applications for the limitless device, and even hopes to enable wireless uploads / downloads of completed files. The device is powered by a Samsung S3C2410 ARM9-based processor, 128MB of internal RAM, and 64MB of flash memory, but unfortunately there's no scheduled release date or expected price for the open-source (and delightfully styled) handset.
