Openmoko Releases Schematics for Neo Phones
August 8, 2008 11:16 AM | Software | Comments (0)
Openmoko, maker of open source mobile products, today announced that it has taken another step in opening its mobile platform to the development community by announcing it will publish the schematics for the Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones. Openmoko broke with traditional mobile phone manufacturers by shipping its Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones with a free and open source (FOSS) operating system and open applications, enabling developers to take the functionality of the phone well beyond the limited applications that commercial mobile phones can handle. The Neo FreeRunner went on sale July 4, 2008. In less than a week the initial Neo FreeRunner allocation had sold out. |  |
The PIM features a 10.4-inch rugged touch screen display that shows the position of the vehicle overlaid on a map, allowing passengers in the back seat to track their progress through the city. The PIM is able to accurately and reliably track a vehicle through New York's busy streets thanks to u-blox' dead reckoning technology. Dead reckoning uses sensors in combination with GPS to provide 100% road coverage, even in areas with no GPS signals such as streets with high-rise buildings, tunnels, parking lots and other covert environments without GPS signals.
Now, Openmoko announced it will publish the schematics of the phone, giving engineers free reign to modify Neo phones. Just as Free and Open Source Software provides source code information, open schematics provide vital information to engineers who may want to add functionality, external instruments or sensors, or assist the company in debugging problems, ultimately creating a better product for the entire mobile community.
Most recently, u-blox AG, Switzerland, maker of the GPS chip in the Openmoko phones, endorsed Openmoko's publishing the complete schematics for the GPS chip in the Neo FreeRunner phones. The schematics now document how the GPS chip is wired into the system, providing vital information for developers who want to leverage the GPS functionality for new designs involving the Openmoko phones.
The release of the schematics will covered under a Creative Commons license and files will be posted in due course on openmoko.com and openmoko.org.
Openmoko will show the Neo FreeRunner at LinuxWorld Expo, Moscone Center, San Francisco August 5-7 at booth 1625 and at the LinuxWorld Garage 1234.
The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner has been selected as a finalist the LinuxWorld Product Excellence Awards, to be presented at LinuxWorld Conference & Expo® this week in San Francisco. Judged by a group of respected industry experts managed by LinuxWorld.com, the LinuxWorld Product Excellence Awards recognize product and service innovations by LinuxWorld® and NGDC exhibitors in 12 different categories.
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