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Koolu getting close to shipping FreeRunner with Android 1.5
Koolu was showing a very, very early build of Cupcake running on OpenMoko's FreeRunner way back at CES, and it seems that the Canadian company is now just a stone's throw away from shipping. Beta versions of the EDGE- and WiFi-equipped handset are said to be just a few days' away from being sent out to buyers, with a "full consumer" version being readied for later in the summer. How OpenMoko's slowdown factors into this is unclear, but seeing how the FreeRunner's design and components have been open sourced, we imagine there's nothing stopping from Koolu (or anyone else) from firing up their own production run should the need arise.[Via CNET, thanks Shawn]
Koolu's Android-equipped FreeRunner hands-on
It's not just running Android -- it's running Cupcake! That alone should make it the envy of every G1 owner, though Koolu's custom-loaded FreeRunner lacks 3G and a physical keyboard (which, when you think about it, pretty much makes Cupcake a must anyway so you can type stuff). Ultimately, your average Joe still isn't going to want to use a FreeRunner day in and day out -- regardless of what operating system it's running -- but it's really awesome to see that the right hardware and software platforms are now out there and readily available for quick 'n easy hacking.%Gallery-41528%
OpenMoko working up Android-based handset?
OpenMoko, the company most famous for its altogether open Neo FreeRunner, is reportedly quite close to kicking out an Android-based handset. Before you get all shocked and appalled, let's look at this rationally. If you'll recall, we actually got wind of such an occurrence way back in April of this year, and some of those very details are jibing nicely with what we're hearing now. Apparently a company dubbed Koolu will be looking to OpenMoko for the design, and we could see a device emerge as early as next month. Initial specs for the elusive mobile include a 400MHz / 500MHz Samsung 2442B CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, a 2.84-inch 640 x 480 resolution touchscreen, 802.11b/g WiFi, aGPS / GPS, inbuilt accelerometer, a pair of "hard" buttons, Bluetooth support, a 2.5mm headphone jack (boo!) and a microSD card slot. Obviously we'll have to wait and see if any of this pans out, but we'll be the first to cross our fingers and hope for yet another Android phone in the mix.[Thanks, Charles]
The W.E. Phone -- OpenMoko-based Android device?
We're not too sure what to make of Koolu's Works Everywhere (W.E.) phone, but if the company actually manages to deliver on its spec sheet, we'll be duly impressed. It looks like the W.E. will run Android on top of a newer rev of OpenMoko's Neo1973 / FreeRunner hardware, with a VGA screen, 400Mhz processor, tri-band cell radio, WiFi, 256MB of flash, GPS, and MicroSD expansion, but we're not buying it when the company promises compatibility with 700MHz networks in the future -- Verizon hasn't really said what system it's going to deploy on its new spectrum. What's more, the website says the W.E. Phone will only be made available to Google Apps customers through wireless ISPs in the summer of 2008 -- totally fishy. Considering the day, we called and confirmed that it's real, but we'll wait for some more details before we give in to that sweet Debian tartan weave.[Thanks, Stephen]
