The OpenMoko Neo 1973 is billed as the world’s first and only open source mobile phone. The idea is to create a cell phone platform that is completely open and free from proprietary technology and licensing. This is definitely a Good Thing for customers. This new Linux based development handset is priced at $300.00 and contains a 2.8” colour touchscreen, integrated AGPS (‘faux’ GPS type location technology), 2.5 G quad band, Bluetooth and a MicroSD slot. In other words it’s not a slouch on the feature side. Here’s wishing the project well.
Like Make Magazine we believe “If you can’t open it, you don’t own it”. Others try their best to lock us out of the devices we buy, but, Neo’s are built for you to open. You can take the casing apart and get at the PCB. Opt for the Neo Advanced kit and we’ll give you a special screwdriver (the Neo cracker) and plastic guitar pick to make opening this device even easier. Go ahead, open your Neo. Make our day.
So. For a split second, I thought this phone was from 1973. I was wondering what government hid away that secret. I’m dense sometimes.
AGPS is not “faux” GPS. It’s real GPS that can also use additional information sent over the network to get position fixes faster, especially in areas with poor visitbility to the satellites.
Since the OpenMoko uses a GlobalLocate GPS chipset, here’s how they describe it:
http://www.globalocate.com/A-GPS/A-GPS_Frameset.htm
Ah interesting Mike. I was under the impression that A-GPS was an inferior substitute for ‘conventional’ GPS, rather than a superset. Can you receive A-GPS (or even normal GPS) readings when there’s no server available?