OpenMoko Unveils Neo FreeRunner New subsidiary of FIC previews consumer version of its highly acclaimed open source Neo mobile phone

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, January 3, 2008 - OpenMoko, originators of the Neo 1973, the world's first totally open mobile phone that continues to receive critical acclaim from the Free and Open Source (FOSS) developer community, will unveil the Neo FreeRunner, a version of the phone tailored for mass market consumers. Neo FreeRunner, based on the same free and open source principles as the Neo 1973, will be previewed at the press-only Lunch @ Piero's technology showcase event during CES 2008.

Maintaining the overall look and feel of the developers' Neo 1973, the Neo FreeRunner features hardware improvements such as 2D/3D graphics and a faster 500MHz processor that boosts performance to enable video and audio processing, as well as a new generation of mobile applications emerging from the open source community. Designed for worldwide use, FreeRunner will come in two versions: a 850MHz tri- band and a 900Mhz tri-band. Neo FreeRunner will also integrate WiFi (802.11 b/g) for online access anywhere, and will include motion sensors that will cue functions based on detected user activity.

The original Neo 1973 sold out within three days of its introduction in July 2007, giving open source developers and hackers a hardware and software platform to build a completely new mobile device for both vertical markets and consumers. Neo FreeRunner builds on and expands that success.

"FreeRunner 's a significantly improved device from the Neo 1973. Our developers gave us great feedback as they explored the first version of the device," said Steven Mosher, VP marketing, Openmoko. "We added WiFi, motion sensors, faster processing, and improved graphics, creating a compelling mass market device for open source development. The open source community was key in achieving that goal. Without them this remix of the Neo would not have been possible"

Developers who bought the Neo 1973 have been eagerly awaiting announcement of the latest Neo sequel.

To foster FreeRunner development for mainstream Java applications and Java developers, OpenMoko partnered with Jalimo, the open source project driven by the German software development company Tarent GmbH.

Hanno Wendt, Partner Manager and spokesman for Jalimo: " the Neo 1973 was a great launch vehicle for us. We got the device and had our Java Virtual Machine ( JVM) running in no time. We are confident our bring up on FreeRunner will go just as smoothly."

The FreeRunner will be previewed at CES and ship later this spring— first to developers and then to end users as software for the new hardware features becomes available.

About OpenMoko

OpenMoko is a worldwide innovator in the creation of open mobile products,

OpenMoko, Inc. manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Neo devices. Since 2006, OpenMoko has been the commercial and community effort empowering developers and consumers to personalize their mobile devices, much like a computer, in any way they see fit.

For the latest information on OpenMoko visit www.openmoko.com.

The unlocked GSM phone Neo 1973 will be sold on the mass market with the model number GTA02. It will be $450 for the Neo Base and $600 for Neo Advanced.

Here are the original specs:

• 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm)
• 2.8" VGA (480x640) TFT Screen
• Samsung s3c2410 SoC @ 266 MHz
• Global Locate AGPS chip
• Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
• Unpowered USB 1.1
• Touchscreen
• MicroSD slot
• 2.5mm audio jack
• 2 additional buttons
• 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB)
• 128 MB SDRAM
• 64 MB NAND Flash
• Bluetooth (2.0)

The update includes b/g Wi-Fi, 2 3D acceleromters, a SMedia 3362 G graphics accelerator ad four times the internal NAND flash (256MB). The processor has been jacked up to a Samsung 2442 @ 400MHz SoC.

Developers can buy in early, starting July 9. Here's what you get with each dev kit:

Neo Base ($300) — everything the mobile application developer needs to enjoy the benefits of the first freed phone, the Neo 1973:

• Neo 1973 (GTA01B_v4)
• Battery

• Stylus
• Headset• AC Charger
• Phone Pouch
• Lanyard
• SanDisk 512MB MicroSD Card
• Mini USB Connectivity Cable

Neo Advanced ($450) — everything the mobile device hacker wants to get down and dirty with the first freed phone, the Neo 1973:
• Neo 1973 (GTA01B_v4)
• Battery (2x)
• Stylus
• Headset
• AC Charger
• Phone Pouch
• Lanyard• SanDisk 512MB MicroSD Card (2x)
• Mini USB Connectivity Cable (2x)
• USB Host Mode Cable
• Debug Flex Cable
• Debug Board v2 (JTAG and serial console)• Ruggedized Toolbox with shoulder strap
• Guitar Pick (for opening case)
• Torx T6 screwdriver

And as promised, OpenMoko is planning three additional devices for next year. In the meantime, the goal is to turn the Neo into "mass marketable device that proves, once and for all, the power of an open phone." Hear that, Apple?

Product Page [OpenMoko]

Much to our chagrin, the Neo1973 was not powered up during our demo. Product manager Sean Moss-Pultz promised to send video today, but our BS meter immediately hit the red. But Moss-Pultz did give us a slew of details on the hardware and upcoming software.

The Road Map
The device shown here is the "developer's edition." From now until September, it will be sold to developers who want to contribute to the open code base (more on this in the next section). By May or June, the plan is to release the phone to "power users." By the end of the year, Moss-Pultz hopes to have a stable platform for a mass market phone that would sell for $350. Given the generally closed systems that Verizon and Cingular favor, the biggest hope seems to lie with Sprint and T-Mobile for U.S. carriers. And along with the Neo1973, there will be five other "Neo" devices running on the OpenMoko platform, and not all will be handsets. The early adopters are likely to be big businesses that want to deploy OpenMoko using mobile enterprise apps tailored to their workforce.

The name Neo1973 is a reference to Dr. Martin Cooper, who made the first mobile phone call in 1973.

Hardware
The specs:

FIC Neo1973:
* 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm)
* 2.8" VGA (480x640) TFT Screen
* Samsung s3c2410 SoC @ 266 MHz
* Global Locate AGPS chip
* Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
* Unpowered USB 1.1
* Touchscreen
* micro-sd slot
* 2.5mm audio jack
* 2 additional buttons
* 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB)
* 128 MB SDRAM
* 64 MB NAND Flash
* Bluetooth (2.0)

The handset is manufactured by FIC (First International Computer, Inc.), a Taiwanese OEM that makes notebooks for HP and Gateway, and sold about a million phones in China last year. That company is also funding the development—OpenMoko is essentially an offshoot. The phone weighs 184 grams, and is just a bit thicker and taller than the iPhone.

Software
Why is the Neo1973 the anti-iPhone? Because it's totally open source. The idea is to collaborate with developers who will create all the basic apps. OpenMoko/FIC will then certify a bundle of those apps and mass market them with the phone along with support. The developers will be rewarded with some kind of revenue sharing deal for the software sold by OpenMoko. Power users will always have the ability to get freeware apps from the community as well.

This is why Moss-Pultz calls the Neo1973 the anti-iPhone. The iPhone is a closed system, and OpenMoko, obviously, is not. The SDK for the open platform is available starting today. The basic OS is running off of the Linux 2.6.17 kernel, with GTK and Matchbox running on top of it for the UI. While the drivers and everything else are under GPL, the data sheets for most of the hardware components are under NDA, in particular the touch screen, which is designed to be used with both fingers and styli.

Ubiquitous Computing
One of the cool software ideas Moss-Pultz had was for location-based profiles that would utilize the GPS system to automatically launch the phone into different settings based on where you are. For instance, there could be a "meeting mode" which would automatically engage various settings once you entered the office, and a different set of settings that would be triggered once you were home. Another interesting idea, feasible with an ecosystem of open source phones, would be scheduled "meetings" between two phones, where a conversation would be automatically set up at a certain time based on openings one each phone's calendar.

Lowdown
OpenMoko's goal is to change phones from being disposable gadgets with rapidly declining value and into mobile computers that get more valuable as you customize them. These ideas and concepts sound great in theory, and would do well if they ever make it to the mass market. The problem is implementation and access—will the promise be fulfilled any time soon? Will US carriers be willing to host a phone with an open development ecosystem? We would be a lot more optimistic about the prospects if Moss-Pultz had shown us a prototype with a screen that powered up. But given the sorry state of handsets and phone platforms today, we'd be crazy not to champion open software efforts like this one. –Noah Robischon and Matt Buchanan

OpenMoko Neo1973 [Product Page]

Not only does it have similar design, its user interface has a lot of similarities as well. Good thing this concept wasn't introduced after the iPhone, or there'd be some splainin' to do. Take a look at its user interface pics and spec list for even more startling similarities:

Preliminary Specification Note: These are _not_ final. But since we've had so many questions on our mailing lists, it's probably best to post them in one place: Hardware • 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm) • 2.8" VGA (480x640) TFT Screen • Samsung s3c2410 SoC • Global Locate AGPS chip • Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE) • Unpowered USB 1.1 • Touchscreen • micro-sd slot • 2.5mm audio jack • 2 buttons • 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB) • 128 MB SDRAM • 64 MB NAND Flash Software • Dialer • Contacts • Application Manager • Calendar • More...

Could Apple have borrowed an idea or two from this open-source design? Hmm. – Charlie White

Press Information [OpenMoko]